What you may ask, as did the transporter driver, do we want with a ‘heap of scrap’ like this? This is 70442, a steel
panelled Gresley Bogie Brake Van (Pigeon) built at York in 1941 to Diagram 245. We acquired this vehicle from the
Great Central Railway in a swap of Gresley Pigeon Vans between the GCR, the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway
and ourselves. In this the GCR has gained a vehicle with a known history of its use in wartime ambulance trains and
in better condition for restoration. The L&H Railway has disposed of a surplus vehicle releasing much need extra
space. And we on the SVR have gained an extra set of Gresley heavy weight bogies suited to the high service
mileages here, along with a number of useful spares. Most importantly, these include a carriage underframe in much
more restorable condition than that currently under 70759, plus several doors, and two gangways.
panelled Gresley Bogie Brake Van (Pigeon) built at York in 1941 to Diagram 245. We acquired this vehicle from the
Great Central Railway in a swap of Gresley Pigeon Vans between the GCR, the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway
and ourselves. In this the GCR has gained a vehicle with a known history of its use in wartime ambulance trains and
in better condition for restoration. The L&H Railway has disposed of a surplus vehicle releasing much need extra
space. And we on the SVR have gained an extra set of Gresley heavy weight bogies suited to the high service
mileages here, along with a number of useful spares. Most importantly, these include a carriage underframe in much
more restorable condition than that currently under 70759, plus several doors, and two gangways.
The end frames contained the largest sections of Teak
Head Stocks straightened
Refurbishment of the under frames
Buffers refitted
Refurbishment complete
Vacuum pipe and blank plates fitted
New Dynamo bracket fitted
Additional foot board brackets fitted
Then the roof hoops
The frame timbers where
dismantled and put in store
for use on 70759 conversion.
dismantled and put in store
for use on 70759 conversion.
With the panels and doors removed next thing is the roof
The removal of the first panel
Panels removed next are the doors
Some of the original paint work
LNER 70442 at Swithland sidings Great Central Railway 2009
December 2010 70442 in Kidderminster works for gangway removal
On a Cold December 2010 morning deicing the track and points in Bewdley yard ready for the arrival of 70442
70442 enters the yard and is positioned in the back siding.
Inside 70442 note light coming through the holes in the roof and the boards covering the holes in the floor.
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12th July 2011 the body of ex-LNER Pigeon Van 70759 was moved from its original
heavily corroded underframe on to the above underframe.
The transfer, a 'first' on the SVR, was achieved in little over three hours to within a quarter inch accuracy.
Click on the Video below
heavily corroded underframe on to the above underframe.
The transfer, a 'first' on the SVR, was achieved in little over three hours to within a quarter inch accuracy.
Click on the Video below
All framework removed
Now for the floor
Now for the floor
Some of the larger sections of timber
Under frames clear of joists
Now for de rusting and refurbishment
Now for de rusting and refurbishment
Floorboards removed
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