Garethp8873

Hello Bill, Thanks for your reply. I am using the Cambrian C59 SR 13ton 8 plank Mineral Wagon Kit to represent one of the wagons built after 1933. If anyone is able to help it would be appreciated. Gareth.

Just need some help on the livery of SR Mineral wagons. I've currently got an SR Mineral open that needs it's SR livery putting on. However me and my friend have some confusion over the liveries these wagons would have had. Would the wagons been found in the following liveries? Pre-1936 livery with the "white stripe" on their sides Pre-1936 livery without the white stripe Post 1936 livery with the "white stripe" on their sides Post 1936 livery without the "white stripe" Many thanks for your help in advance!!

I have recently had three of these GWR N23 wagons restored by a friend of mine. Two have been restored into the livery of N23's that were loaned to North's Navigation Collieries and the third as a regular N23 (GWR 110265 in GWR Goods Wagons on P.250).

Well 81C, It has probably been it's first overhaul since joining the railway. Work began on this around the Autumn Gala in 2009!! If you want to see what they were working with before well here you are... Garethp8873.

Hello again guys! Went down to Bewdley yesterday to do a few things and I came across the newly restored GWR Chaired Sleeper Wagon 40554 (built 1895). Did several detail shots if anyone is looking to do one of these in kit form. All the best! Garethp8873.

Hello guys, Thought I would share some photos of one of my latest wagons; the GWR AA6 PW Toad Van. I recently purchased this from the ebayer who I purchased the GWR Tool Van off a few months before. It is a scratchbuilt wagon which has been made from two GWR Toads. Cannot tell if they are Mainline or Bachmann but it is has been well built. Very faithful to the prototype, of which the last surviving example (40362) is at the Severn Valley Railway at the Kidderminster Station Museum. Garethp8873.

Hello guys, Thought I would share some photos of one of my latest wagons; the GWR AA6 PW Toad Van. I recently purchased this from the ebayer who I purchased the GWR Tool Van off a few months before. It is a scratchbuilt wagon which has been made from two GWR Toads. Cannot tell if they are Mainline or Bachmann but it is has been well built. Very faithful to the prototype, of which the last surviving example (40362) is at the Severn Valley Railway at the Kidderminster Station Museum. Garethp8873.

Bachmann have always looked at their wagon range to see what they can improve upon. In the last five years, there has been at least 20 or more new entries on their wagon range and this is surely to increase over the next few years. This is as well the reason to their success as they have realized that the modeller wants a broader range of wagons to work with. Hornby on the otherhand, just throws out anything on their wagon range and expects the customer to blindly purchase them without thinking. I still do not understand why they sell the GWR Mogo, Toad and SR Van when Bachmann does these at a much higher standard. If anything they should being looking at the older moulds of other wagons and getting these sorted. But I doubt they will do this anytime soon... In the end, Bachmann will be the one who will come out on top of this particular battle. With three GWR and two BR liveries, two different diagrams and always the possibility of doing more in the future either as mainstream releases or as Limited Editions. I finally got mine today from Hattons. I will say I am impressed with them, however there are minor things which spoil the overall look of the wagon. Brakegear being in the "on" setting isn't good when really it should in the "off" setting. Also I do not like how they have "scribbled" on the (O.Y.R) on the Gloucester Shunter truck and I find it silly they have missed the number error on the Acton Shunter truck (should be 41048 not 40148). Garethp8873.

It maybe, but I think Hornby has got to do alot more work. I think they've lost the battle over the wagon range personally. Their wagon range is not as good when compared to Bachmann who has made tremendous leaps with it's range over the last several years. They have focused on bringing every wagon to the highest standards possible. Only wagon I know which still needs an update is the Salt wagon chassis. They have also aimed at bringing several new wagons to the range each year and thus have succeeded. Best example is the SR Pillbox Brake which has been successful since it was released last year in several liveries. Hornby has focused more on the loco, diesel and carriage range and has left the wagon range at the very bottom of the pile. Still not impressed with the fact they are still using moulds that are at least 14 years old and could do with a revamp and then selling the wagons at ridiculous pricing. Garethp8873.

Hello Mikkel, Not a problem whatsoever. In my opinion, I doubt any of 41277's woodwork is original. As it states in the last SVR Stockbook from 1998, it was purchased in derelict condition at Sharpness Docks in 1984. If it was in that state when it arrived on the SVR, it would have gone under for a full overhaul. Since arriving on the SVR in 1984, 41277 has only had the one overhaul in my knowledge. Going on the subject of original layers of paint though; during the overhaul of 1896 built GWR Gunpowder Van 58725 in 1980, traces of Southern livery were discovered. This would have been from when it had been on loan to the Southern Railway during the Second World War. Rather remarkable when can be discovered when a wagon is overhauled!! Garethp8873.

From I can guess, I don't think it will be long before 41277 will be having an overhaul. At the moment they have their hands full with replacing the roof of the GWR S&T Tool Van 80982 along with the GWR Chaired Sleeper 40554 (both being 813 Fund wagons). The last time I remember being it being in the yard at Bewdley was between September/October 2010, after having suffered damage to the buffers during a shunt. During this time though, they were working on the BR Cattle Wagon 891054 and GWR Mica B Van 105873 along with the Chaired Sleeper. Since then it has been pulled out and sits with several other wagons down a siding just as you leave Bewdley heading to Bridgnorth known as the Tenbury Lane. I don't know if the damage has been sorted but I doubt it has. They may be awaiting for a slot to open up and then put it in but it will have competition from several others including the Brecon & Merthyr Open Wagon 197 will requires a major restoration which will include replacing several interior boards which have now fallen through. The livery is probably following the same practice as what they have done with LNER Mineral Wagon 223162 which has been painted up as "Highley Mining Co." 162 at the Engine House in Highley to show the tourists a typical PO wagon. Garethp8873.

Quick history lesson on 41277; The oldest survivor (Diagram 021, Lot 556) of 18000 standard Open Wagons constructed between 1886 and 1902. The 813 Fund which own 41277 also own two other Open Wagons from this period. These are 51237 (built 1892) and 52243 (built 1896). Was sold out of GWR service in 1935 and has the distinction of having been withdrawn before of the ex-GWR Severn Valley wagons were even built. Was purchased in derelict condition at Sharpness Docks in 1984 and livery it has been restored in is 1890 "Broad Gauge" livery style according to the latest SVR Stock book in 1998. The information is from the SVR Stock book from 1998. Garethp8873.

I don't know if these photos I took of 41277 on the SVR may help you never know. If you need more photos let me know. Garethp8873.

Painted examples of the GWR 'Canons Marsh, Bristol' and GWR 'Newton Abbot' have now been released. the GWR 'Old Oak Common', BR Black 'Loco Dept.' and BR Black 'Margam Jn' Weathered are also available to be viewed in the products section of the Bachmann website. Certainly look very promising. Going to be interesting comparing them to the Hornby release. 38-675 in GWR Grey livery 'Canons Marsh, Bristol' 38-676 in GWR Grey livery 'Newton Abbot' Garethp8873.

Anyone help me with the GWR Toads please? It would be most appreciated.

Hey guys, I have just sent two Bachmann GWR Toads to a friend of mine to have done up with alternate names to what they currently have on them. First one I was thinking of having done as a Laira Toad and I was wondering whether Didcot would be possible on the second?

I do agree fully with that. 41723 is not going to be a simple replace parts and paintjob but something where it will have to be completely taken apart and put back together. As you said it would require alot of space to work with and hopefully when some of the locos are completed then maybe it will glanced upon. I do think as well that 813 Fund and GWRS need to know that there is a large amount of interest in getting this wagon restored. If they know about this, then maybe it will increase it chances of being restored sooner. Just through asking the simple question to perhaps setting up a fund to get it sorted.

I recently asked Didcot if there were any plans to take up the GWR Coral A for restoration. However it seems that the "Coral A is privately owned and, as such, any restoration or conservation work is the responsibility of the owner". Even so then why haven't Didcot asked the owners of the wagon (in this case the 813 Fund) if they can start work on the wagon? I don't seem to see this problem with the wagons on the SVR that are owned by the 813 Fund. Since I have been doing photography on the SVR in 2008, I have seen at least 10 813 Fund wagons going through the Wagon Department at Bewdley with varying levels of restoration work required. At the moment they are working on GWR S&T Van 80982 and GWR Chaired Sleeper 40554. If Didcot hasn't got the plans to work on it, then perhaps the wagon should be transferred to a railway that can restore it? I just find it frustrating how they can just ignore a wagon which is so important and unique and leave to the current state it is in. Sorry if it sounds like a rant but something needs to be done in the case of 41723 soon before it's too late.

Wagons always do intrigue me more than an engine or carriage. Is the third wagon in the rake an ex Hull and Barnsley Van by chance? Also I noticed an LNER J52 in one of your earlier photos. Is this a Hornby or kitbuilt loco? Garethp8873.

It is disappointing to hear this coming from them. I would have thought Bachmann of all companies would have seen the great benefit to bringing another excellent GWR carriage range into the RTR market. Toplights are something that would look wonderful behind the City Class. However they may be playing caution considering Hornby has recently been working on their carriage ranges and made tremendous leaps. I doubt they want to start working on this range only for Hornby to announce it as well. I also imagine they don't want a repeat of the GWR Shunter truck....

Sheet 135 is good but to me they need to do names which incorporate all 26 letters in my opinion.