9103 Restoration

The main vehicle currently being restored at Bewdley is the 1929 built nondescript saloon 9103. Between the mid 20s and mid 30s the Great Western constructed a great many coaches with the distinctive 'Bow Ends' most of them with bogies having narrower wheelbase of 7 feet instead of the usual 9 feet so giving them the distinctive sound at speed. 9103 is a corridor nondescript saloon designed by Charles Collett containing two saloons plus one standard compartment and a small Brake. Restoration is proceeding steadily and help is welcome on most Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at Bewdley. Completion of this saloon will complete the overhaul and return to service of the three ex. GW Saloons 9055, 9369 and 9103.

Ongoing progress of this project can be found on these individual pages:

• Restoration progress 2011
• Restoration progress 2010
• Restoration progress 2009
• Restoration progress 2008
• Restoration progress 2007
• Restoration progress 2006
• Restoration progress 2005
• Restoration progress 2004

The luggage racks have been completed for both saloons. This is one of the smaller ones along side the connecting door between the two saloons. Initially it wasn't obvious how the netting was fixed to this style of rack, but after a bit of head scratching we have a perfect result!

		Electrical control box located in the corridor. The coach has been completely rewired.
		Part of the linkage connecting the regulator to the heating valve. Using the original positions it's been quite a challenge to match the position of the regulator to the pivot above the floor and through to the steam heat pipe.
		Repairs to the corridor floor have been completed. The ceiling has been completely renewed and painted up to final top coat.

9103 in Bewdley yard April 2004. Structurally complete but work is still needed to the roof before it is entirely watertight and the tarpaulin can be removed. Meanwhile the interior is in the final stages of a long thorough rebuild.

New seat frames to the original pattern have been built entirely from scratch for both saloons.

One of the two restored battery box complete with new batteries. New running boards have been fitted and virtually all the underframe has been cleaned, primed and top coated in chassis black. Some small areas around the bogies remain to be tackled.

The corridor pelmets being reinstated after full repair and revarnishing.

New brass heating regulators have been cast, machined and fitted.