Prototype At the end of the siding: the finer points of wagonry.

[Wagonman]

Yes , it's an ex-Port of Bristol wagon, probably sold out of service to them in the mid '50s as replacement vehicles with AVB became available. The Bluebell have one just like it, more or less (though I haven't thought to ask dad what the wheelbase is): Bluebell Railway Wagons - South Eastern & Chatham Railway 12 Ton 7-plank Open Goods Wagon No.16194

Adam

The Bluebell have made a nice job of their restoration. Both wagons would have been to the SR diagram 1355 which means the wheelbase should be 9ft 6in. Self contained buffers were common on these wagons – you might even say standard! The Yeovil wagon not only lacks the through floor boards but the corner plates are too narrow as well.

On the other hand, better this than a heap of rusting metal...

 

[Mike W]

The Bluebell are indeed excellent at restoring their old wooden carriages - fabulous work done there.

Some years ago they had a preference for BR drawgear on their operational carriages (maybe they still do?), so stripped out pre-Grouping screw couplings and replaced them. We were fortunate enough to acquire some of these for use on another LNWR carriage - at Quainton.

So, never completely trust a preserved vehicle!

Mike

 

[Steph Dale]

Mike,
That might be innocuous - I know they restored the draftgear back to drop-head knuckle on some ex-departmental SR vehicles that had been modified to screw couplings. Wouldn't be pre-Grouping though. Actually; surely any pre-grouping carriage couldn't take a centre buffing load and use BR draftgear...?

Edit - I s'pose the draftgear might have originally come off pre-grouping vehicles though.

Steph