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This
historic vehicle is currently being restored under the management of Locomotive 5542 Ltd
G.W.R.
Autotrailer 169 and Prairie Tank 5542
The restoration of
Great Western Railway Autotrailer No 169 is underway, we invite you to become
a 'Founder Member' of this exciting restoration project associated
with the West Somerset Railway. (See below)
April/May 2008. We are doing really well on the box van B752355 and it looks smart in a new coat of bauxite. The brake cylinder has been dismantled and found to be in good order after all these years; of course the rubbers and diaphragm need replacing and then it needs to be put back in place, maybe this will take less time than we spent getting it down? Then someone asked if we could sheet a coach at Minehead….. So some progress on 169 but more will be made when all our attention can be focussed on it.
January/February/March 2008. Progress has been made on the box van with the renewal of 2 sets of doors nearing completion. We spread ourselves thin with work continuing on 5542. News on 169; The cant rails have received further attention and much trial and error fitting and refitting has taken place. A driver’s door is looking like nearing completion. The first seating partitions have been refurbished and fitted. We will have a stall to support fund raising for 169 at the Spring Gala in the Swindon Shed at Williton, so see you there!
October/November/December. Working parties on Wednesdays and some Saturdays have continued, (but progress has been slowed a little with work parties diverted to work on 5542 at Buckfastleigh.) work on the frames is progressing steadily. The front buffers and part of the under frame has been removed in preparation for shot blasting and repair. Wood is about to be ordered for the next section of 20 up-rights.
July and September 2007. Work on the top rail roof, hoops and and of the drivers doors progresses.
July 2007. Q.B. coach in for painting so not a lot of
spare room at the moment. Work
has started on refurbishing the under-frames of Auto Trailer no 169 with
removal of wasted steelwork around the front cab area. The front buffers have
been removed to access these areas in order to replace the wasted
sections. Some of the refurbishment of
the main under frames will be completed by West Somerset Restoration who are to
supply some specialist skills as part of rolling contract. The body frames continue to receive tweeking
and fettling. A start has been made on
replacing the curved ash roof section tenons by inserting halving joints, the
posts adjunct to the drivers partition have been fitted.
June 2007.
The cab front, driver’s partition and frame work
for the first 2 window bays has been erected on the floor, new floor boards have
been inserted, However there is still a fair bit of work to do on the framework
as yet, but having it all put together means less brain gym! The inside curves for the drivers partition
uprights have been created. The cant rail has been marked out. A few door stops and droplight metal hinged
flaps and window strap anchors and various other bits and bobs have been
donated to us.
May 2007. Our local M.P. paid a visit so we are
honoured! He did also look at some
other coaches (something to do with some sort of heritage project I
understand) and various other bits of
the WSR. A second drivers door post has
been started and work continues on the first.
Again more time spent on straightening a curved piece of wood, which
seems par for the course. A floor
rebate along the length of each of the sole plates has been done. Work has concentrated on a new floor for the
first couple of yards of the coach and also on preparing timber for making cant
rails for the first third of the coach, a new drive belt for the planer has
enabled us to get on with this job.
This eventually will be quite a complicated section when finished and
with the various rebates required will probably result in half the existing
wood as shavings on the floor. But still, its got to be done! The word ‘whittling’ comes to mind.
April 2007. Work on a drivers’ door post has progressed.
Preparatory work on the frames has continued.
On 28th some of us went to Minehead with a tarpaulin and
sheeted over one of the ex camping coaches prior to its move to Washford for
storage as part of the Heritage Coach project.
Putting a folded tarpaulin on the roof of a coach with the help of a
fork lift truck is so much easier than the alternative! . Thanks to Andy H.
Regular work on 169 usually takes
place on Saturdays and Wednesdays at the Williton shed. All help is most
welcome, and should you like to assist with our project please come along from
about 10am. If you are travelling any
distance, or it is you first visit please e-mail 2-3 days beforehand to
confirm details. The work site is not open to the public so any visits must be
by prior arrangement.
The following information for regular working
party members only PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANY PARTS WITHOUT AUTHORISATION. Jobs to be designated are making new top
light and drop light frames. We need to
work out how many of each of the 2 sizes we need. Shot-blasting of frames need to be done. Ask about woodworking jobs on Saturdays; we
are currently working on body frame sections and the cab. We need interior door handles (4 more) and
one more exterior door handle. We need
a handbrake column and wheel.
Whilst we are aware
that the project to rebuild 169 is no small task, we are confident that we can
source the necessary skills, funds and manpower to ensure a successful outcome.
We are keen to hear from anyone who wishes to assist the project in any way.
Founder members:
All financial support is most welcome and a Founder Members program is offered at 3 levels of contribution,
· Gold £500 · Silver £250 · Bronze
£125
Contributions
can be outright or by Standing Order 
from
just £4 per month. Other donations of funds or articles
for resale are welcome.
All donations of £20 or more will receive
a 'Certificate of Thanks' and become a
'Friend of 169'. For further details of this exciting project please E-Mail for more information. We have already sourced a number of missing
parts and received an excellent initial response to the idea.
PLEASE SUPPORT
THIS PROJECT TO RESTORE AN HISTORIC G.W.R. CARRIAGE FOR REGULAR USE ON THE
W.S.R.
Sponsorship:
We are looking for sponsors. We have a
sponsor for window glass, would you or your company like to sponsor part of an
historic railway coach? We need a
supply of oak for repairs to the framework.
We need screws by the hundred; We need hardboard, panelling, flooring,
light fittings, seats and upholstery.
Can you help?
Built Swindon
Diagram A27 Lot 1349 delivered January 1929.
59 ft 6 in
over body ends
12 ft. 3 in. Rail
to roof
Bogies Collett
7 ft wheelbase heavy duty
Seats 72 (
including 8 emergency ones in luggage compartment).
Repainted
cream, brown and gold livery Sept 1931
Handles
altered corner pillars cut back Dec 1932
End windows
painted black Feb 1935
ATC fitted
(date not known?)
All brown
livery with orange stripe by 1943 until at least 1948.
End window
plated over after 1948.Ran regularly with trailer 170.
Worked
regularly from the following locations; Merthyr, Aberdare, Cardiff, Nelson,
Caerphilly, and Gloucester.
Cond. Nov 1961
To service
stock as no. 064749 Dec 1961 Gloucester loco.
Cond. (
again!) by 1982.
Further
dimensions;
Drivers
compartment 3 ft. 9 in, deep
Smoking saloon
33 ft. 5 in.
Passengers
vestibule 3 ft. 9 in. sliding door to sliding door.
Non smoking
saloon 10 ft. 11 ½ in. long.
Luggage
compartment 6ft, 6 ¾ in. deep.
Sister Trailer 178 at Crowcombe 16th April 2005
