95979 is a wagon built by the GWR theoretically to diagram Y4 and is currently being restored by the owners (part of the London Group of the South Devon Railway Association ). The wrought iron frame is sound, but the woodwork is so badly rotted that not even the roof was reusable. Some of the side structure will also need replacing, which will be fun given that "T" section steel is virtually impossible to get these days. Not much is known about 95979, but reports that it was a steam heated banana van with an early "Instanta" three link coupling are wrong. There is absolutely no archaeology to support the suggestion of steam heat or vacuum pipes and the brake gear never had a vacuum cylinder. One instanta coupling remains, we've just got to find another (the centre link is a bent "wire" link instead of the drop forging used later on). The DC brake mechanism is far superior to the later wagon brake in some respects because it can be applied on one side and released on the other, however release is total and not progressive !
23/24/25 February 2002 Further work took place over this weekend and most of the frame has now been stripped back to bare metal and repainted in red oxide primer. A start has been made on the new steels which retain the floor and the brake gear has been serviced (some of the holes are a little larger than original). During the stripping we found many references to the builder (GWR stamped all over the place) and an indication of 95979's build date c. 1913. Also the DC brake wear compensating mechanism is stamped with a provisional patent number.
Easter 2002 The work over the Easter period saw both wheel sets removed for cleaning and painting. Surprisingly the journals weren't too bad and only needed rudimentary cleaning. The "Brasses" turn out to be gun metal and are in very good condition. The archaeology continues: the Ashburton end buffer beam was made from British Steel (Earl Dudley) rolled in October 1934 for the GWR, whilst the axle at this end was tyred in March 1917 at Swindon (the tyre having been made in Scotland) and the Totnes end was tyred in January 1919. Given the ages concerned they are in excellent condition. Some of the new iron work has been installed and given its first coat of black paint. One of the ventilators has been removed to check against the material ordered for the replacements and these will be built in May over the Thomas weekend.
Update June 2002 Work since Easter has progressed well with the chassis returned to "rolling" condition and the brakes reassembled. The new floor is nearly complete; a slight under provision of materials has resulted in two planks being absent. This will be remedied next time. The Ventilator kits are being produced by the full-time staff so we should be in a position to assemble them soon. The inner vermin guards are a salutary lesson in what happens if you upset the foreman - over 100 holes and each one individually drilled ! The remaining ventilators still need to be removed (without setting fire to the remaining wood...).
Update October 2002 Progress has been good, if a little slow; the new floor is now complete and the mothy verticals have been removed. One complete vertical has been made and fitted; it just awaits welding to the remaining horizontal portion to complete the job. A repair section has also been fabricated and it awaits welding in place, probably by the full time staff. The new end Ventilators have been produced by the full-time staff, as have the inner vermin guards. These were galvanised by Medway Galvanising and await fitting. A start has been made on re-planking the sides with the side nearest the camera in the photographs above being half finished. The first plank of the remaining side and ends has also been made, but not fully fitted due to the welding repairs needed. Update February 2003 At last we've stopped taking bits off and have started on the "constructive" stages. As can be seen from the following photographs good progress is now being made in fitting new wood to the wagon (even if our working instructions get miss interpreted by a humorist !). Steady progress is being made with an anticipated completion date of late 2003. Update August 2003 The main structure of the roof has been completed and it is just waiting for the canvas finish and final paint. The inside walls and ceiling have been painted in gloss white so we can see what we're doing and the outside has received its first coat of undercoat, which means it is now a pretty shade of pink !
Update September 2003 The main structure of the roof has been primed and the canvas finish attached, but not yet painted. We wish to thank the following for the help we received: the Bluebell Railway web site detailing how they returned to canvas; Sandra Tinsley, Sales Office Manager for T & R Williamson Ltd who make the Canvas Roof Bonding compound and Russell and Chapel Ltd of 68 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2 5SP for the prompt supply of the cotton duck canvas.
The wagon outside has received its second coat of undercoat, which means it is now a ready for the top coats (the vehicle is to be outshopped in a Private owner livery of red and sign written "Smokeson Glass"). We still need to make the doors, but have suffered a small set back in that all the ironwork for the closing doors was accidentally disposed of by the previous owner, so we'll now have to make it all unless a set can be found on a scrap body.
Update September 2004 The roof has been completed but we still haven't tested it for waterproofness because we have no doors. A pair of doors have been fabricated from field seasoned oak and tanalised pine boarding. The photo below gives an indication of how the finished van will look once we make and hang the other pair of doors. Because we never had the closing (right hand) doors we will have to fabricate the ironwork unless GWR fittings can be found from a scrap van body.
Update March 2005 During January and March 2005 we finished machining the oak we purchased for the remaining pair of doors. These have now been assembled, fitted to the wagon, primed and undercoated as can be seen in the photograph above. We have purchased two large posts to form the door heads which when fitted will complete the woodwork, so once we have the door furniture completion will be in sight.
Update December 2005
The trouble with stating one's finished is that the wagon will get moved to Totnes to make way for another project (Loco 33002)! The wagon still needs its sign writing (owner, running number, tare and gross weights).
© South Devon Railway Trust 2003,2004,2005,2006
