Unique coach is launched into service after half a century
ENTHUSIAST Robert Smallman bought the now-unique GWR bow-ended composite carriage No. 6045 from BR for £200 in 1972 – and officially launched it into Severn Valley Railway service on October 17.
Half a century's work on refurbishing the Collett coach to the condition in which it was built at Swindon in 1928 reached its conclusion when it ran in a special train from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth for GW (SVR) Association members and supporters behind WR 0-6-0PT No. 1501.
After the First World War, when Charles Collett took over from George Churchward, he produced 57ft long and 9ft wide coaches known as `bow ended' due to their distinctive ends – constructed to minimise the gangway gap between carriages when connected together.
No. 6045 is from an early design, having flush sides, recessed windows, bow ends, toilets at each end and external doors on both sides to each compartment. It has four first-class compartments and third classcompartments, both seating 24. It is the only bow-ended composite to survive into preservation.
An example of standard GWR main line carriages built between 1925 and 1929, the standard internal finish at this time had mahogany panelling to the third class and walnut panelling to first class, with inset sycamore panels with mouldings picked out by gilding.
A total of 781 were built, of which 104 were composites. They were used all over the GWR, initially on expresses and later on semi fast secondary long-distance cross-country services such as the Birmingham to Cardiff trains through Kidderminster, and were permitted to work over most other regions.
No. 6045 was based in Devon and Cornwall for the majority of its main line work. This type of carriage was displaced only by BR Mk.1s from 1957 onwards.
Scrapyard rescue
In 1962, No. 6045 entered departmental service and was converted to a staff and dormitory coach numbered DW150293. Ending its days at Bristol, it condemned in 1971 and offered for sale as scrap.
Recalling 1972, Robert said: “I was moving house from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Worcestershire with my family and three children at the time.
“My interest always leaned towards carriages and wagons, so looking around the SVR I found the GW (SVR) Association had some carriages and were saving for an engine, Collett mogul No. 7325, from Barry scrapyard.
“There were many working parties to scrapyards, some to Barry for loco parts and the others to Long Marston for carriage bits. They were fun times but hard work, and armed with tools, parts were removed from GWR carriages about to be burned. The foreman would look at what we had and money would change hands.
“Saturday evening was spent at the local hostelry. Talk came round to saving another coach and No. 6045 was pointed out as being very unusual. A price of £200 was agreed.
“Delivery to Kidderminster goods yard by rail cost a further £24.
No. 6045 was transported to Bewdley and placed in the siding by the shed. Reality struck, and I started by scratching my head. Knowing it was in very good hands, it joined the GW(SVR)A's collection and was purchased by them in 1976. It was sent to a siding under tarpaulin.
“Work shortly began to restore it, and the missing third class compartment structure was reinstated by transferring parts from scrapped bow end Third No. 4886.
“Unfortunately other carriages took priority, so it was then stored outside at Highley for 25 years and later at Kidderminster. Now, 49 years have passed, and here No. 6045 stands as good as the day it was built.”
Returned to Bewdley in 2014, the restoration involved replacing collapsed flooring, cleaning underframe steelwork, rebuilding the body structure and doors and recladding them in galvanised steel sheeting, along with the roof edges, fitting new steam heat pipework and radiators and electrical installations, and replacing the interior fittings.
First class seat frames were constructed and salvaged third class seats were overhauled. Ceilings were replaced, toilets rebuilt and panelling installed, as were internal doors and other fittings. At Kidderminster, the bogies were dismantled and gritblasted, worn components repaired or replaced, and a wheelset replaced. Then, No. 6045 was repainted in the Carriage Storage Shed. A lower end refurbishment included vacuum cylinders, brakes and draw gear, dynamo and belt and batteries.
The planned 2020 launch was cancelled due to Covid-19, but limited service took place in 2021 before the official launch.
➜ The GW(SVR)A aims to create two operational eight-coach GWR passenger sets and is now working on the similar bow end Third No 4786 from 1926. Anyone wishing to volunteer or donate to the £150,000 coast of each coach is invited to visit www.gw-svr-a.org.uk