Arakeof clayhoods for Cornwall?
APROPOSAL to set up a‘ windcutter’type rake of china claywagons isbeing consideredby the Bodmin& Wenford Railway ( BWR).
Member Evan Gray and his dad Bryan have drawn up the scheme to restore the eight clay hoods that are currently based on the heritage line.
The aim of Project Clay is to create a rake of clay hoods similar to the Great Central Railway’s fabled‘ windcutter’ rake of 16- ton mineral wagons, not only for enthusiasts but for general public visitors.
The clay hoods which transported china clay to Fowey harbour were the last generation ofawagon design that had changed little since the late 19th century.
The four- wheeled wooden- bodied wagons with open tops allow the loading from above and side and/ or end doors for discharge.
Fleet
Thevehiclespreserved at the line are eightof 875whichwerebuilt by BR to this designbetween 1954- 60. Originally, thewagonswere covered with sheets when loaded to keep theclaydry, but the sheetswere easily torn, sometimes stuck to the load, and tended to gather water inthe corners. Inthe early1970s, BR modified thewagons with a raised ridgebar, overwhich tough plastic sheetingwasdraped to keep itwell clear of the load. This modificationgavethe wagons thetent- like appearancewhich earned them the nicknameof clay hoods. Nearly 500wagons remained in service inthe mid- 1980s, working to Fowey fromaroundadozen claydries in
Cornwall and Devon, includingWenford, the destination of theWenfordbridge freight line that linkedtowhat isnow theBWR. The last BR passenger services fromBodminRoad ( nowParkway) to Padstowended on January30, 1967, publicgoods facilities atWenfordbridge were withdrawnonMay1that year, and the line becameadedicatedbranchfor the china clayprivate sidings, gaining access to the national network via Bodmin General ( reverse) andBodmin Road until it closed in 1983.
The plan for the restoration of the clay wagons will be in three phases, starting with the first fivewagons to get the minimal work sorted so they can enter service, the second dealing with three wagons that arrived in 2019 which need morework and thirdly, the hoods themselves.
Evan said:“Wewant to restore eight clay wagons – maybe more – to be used on the BWR sowe can have authentic historic freight trains. No other heritage railway around the country can say that they have a rake of clay hoods. This would be unique and could be a great advantage for the railway.
“Freight trains add more interest to a heritage railway, and with the clay hoods a huge part of the industries that made Cornwall, it would be a brilliant way for this to be shown off.”
He said that a‘ typical’ clay train could run at galas or special weekends, maybe using the line’s Class 08 or 10 shunters to recreate a latter- dayWenford branch cameo. Also, such a train would be in demand for photo charters, and might even be used for driver experience sessions.
“The‘ windcutter’project that was started by a group of individuals to save and run a heritage freight train which once thundered through the GCR, sawhuge success and was highly supportedwith the group nowowning over 30 wagons, with 26 of them being restored,” said Evan. “Project Clay is very similar to this.”
He said that if the project is successful, the organisers could acquire other clay hoods from heritage lines elsewhere for restoration and be added to the rake.
In the first instance, if the project gets the go- ahead, a crowdfunding page would be set up to begin generating the necessary finance.