GWR Full Third 4786 Appeal

Help bring a set of GWR Bow-end carriages into service on the SVR

The Severn Valley Railway is in the fortunate position of having eight vehicles from the distinct 1922 to 1934 bow-ended era.

The Great Western (SVR) Association is dedicated to the restoration of historic stock from the former Great Western Railway, giving today’s travellers an experience of train services during the late 1920s and 1930s.
In the last five years the Association has restored two unique bow-ended vehicles: brake saloon 9103 and corridor composite 6045. It now wishes to tackle a representative of the most numerous vehicles built at Swindon carriage works, the C54 diagram, full thirds.

Our vehicle, 4786, was completed on 6th March 1926, one of 279 such carriages turned out from Swindon between 1925 and 1929. Although seven of these vehicles have been saved, none have been returned to original condition. When finished, it can join 9103, 6045 and four former dining vehicles already restored: open thirds 9653 and 9654 (originally built in October 1925 as articulated stock but rebuilt in April 1936 as diner thirds) and 9615 and 9627, kitchen first and diner third of June 1932 to diagrams H39 and H40. Together with former bow-ended full third 5043 (currently being converted to a GW buffet by the LNER Coach Fund at Bewdley), they would form an eight vehicle set appropriate to that era.

This period marked a step change in carriage specification at Swindon with Charles B Collett as Chief Mechanical Engineer. There was a return to chocolate and cream livery and the building of stock with ‘bow-ends’. The idea behind the bow-ends was to reduce the length of the corridor connections between coaches following complaints from nervous passengers swaying on the gangways. The new stock was all steel panelled, having oak framing and a full bodied appearance with cleaner lines and a higher ‘waist’ line than the ‘toplight’ vehicles that preceded them. They lasted as the basic GWR design for almost 30 years. The build period for the main six year period saw a new vehicle being produced on average every two and a half days resulting in main line services being comprised of modern stock by the end of the 1920s.

Full third 4786 was constructed as part of lot 1369 to diagram C54 as part of a build of 79 vehicles. It consisted of eight compartments seating 64 in total, with a toilet at each end and doors to each compartment as well as on the non-corridor side. It was upholstered in red moquette and turned out in pseudo chocolate and cream panelled livery. It graduated from main line long distance services in the 1920s and 1930s to cross country and secondary services in the 1940s and 1950s including perhaps the Severn Valley line. It was withdrawn on 6th February 1960 and modified for departmental stock for signals and telegraph use as 150208 by 2nd September 1961. It was bought by Severn Valley (Holdings) from Coleham yard, Shrewsbury and moved to the railway on 7th September 1986. Used as dormitory accommodation at Kidderminster (where it was externally repainted) until October 2010, it was then stored for possible re-sale. In March 2017 ownership passed to the Great Western (SVR) Association. The carriage was moved to Bewdley yard in October 2018 for work to begin.

Funds are needed for body and roof repairs, reinstatement of seating, interior finishes, new panelling, toilets, mechanical gear, and bogie overhaul. The Association volunteers have the necessary skills (although additional help at Bewdley on Wednesdays and Saturdays are welcome) but funds will reduce the time period taken three to four years. It is to be turned out in the fully lined, pseudo-panelled, GW livery with the ornate garter crest.

Download the 4786 appeal leaflet

Donations

I would like to make a donation of £ ....................... towards the restoration of 4786. Please make cheques payable to 'Great Western (SVR) Association' and send to Rob Massey - Secretary, 9 Shandon Close, Harborne, Birmingham B32 3XB.

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Online donations

Donations can also be made on-line via the Charity Aid Foundation website:

Regular donations

Regular donations by standing order can be one of the most effective ways to help the Association. Please complete and send to your own bank. Available in HTML and PDF (26kB) formats.

Gift Aid

If you are a UK taxpayer, you can make your contributions worth nearly 25% more, at no extra cost to you. For every £10 donated, the Association can claim an extra £2.50 from the Inland Revenue. Please complete either the HTML or PDF (33kB) forms and return.