Seventh Merry Go Round wagon for Chasewater
THE Chasewater Railway-based National Wagon Preservation Group has taken ownership of Merry Go Round vehicle No. 354456.
The Doon Valley Railway (formerly known as the Ayrshire Industrial Railway Society) has agreed to transfer ownership of No. 354456 to the group.
Built at Shildon Wagon Works, No. 354456 spent most of its working life in and around the
Scottish coalfields until coming to grief in 1988 in a derailment with five others at Dalmellington, Ayrshire on NCB infrastructure.
Rather than recover them, they were dumped to one side with the NCB paying BR for the loss of the six wagons. In 2004 Scottish Coal (the successor to the NCB) disposed of the wagons, donating No. 354456 to the society and scrapping the rest.
The group now plans to correct the derailment damage to No. 354456. In the near future – coronavirus restrictions permitting – the wagon will move to the Chasewater Railway, joining the group’s three other MGR wagons and bringing the number at the railway to seven, the largest fleet in the country.
➜ Details of an appeal to assist with the repairs of No. 354456 can be found at www.crowdfunder. co.uk/nwpg-1