Gwili Vintage Carriage Group

December 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 10:56:09 +0000

Two Taff Vale carriages have been converted into the “Tea Rooms” at Bronwydd Arms. With disabled access it is a long awaited improvement.

Can’t view the pics? http://gvcg.co.uk/2012/december-2012/

November 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 08:06:45 +0000

With just one panel to be lined out the centre car’s exterior cosmetic overhaul is complete.

October 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 08:07:20 +0000

Along with the DMU group GVCG volunteers have started work on repainting the three car Class 117. One coach will be done per year until complete. Attention this year is on repainting the centre car.

September 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 22:49:28 +0000

Newly installed upholstered seat bottoms and backs.

August 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 22:28:36 +0000

As planned both GWR 216 and TVR 220/GWR3846 were removed from the workshop after six months’ worth of progress. The vehicles were taken the half mile to Danycoed halt and were found to run surprisingly smooth. This may have been a result of fine tuning the springing and buffer height adjustment.

September was earmarked as a shakedown period and used as a dummy run for re-introduction to passenger use in 2013 but due

to – outstanding work they are both incomplete.

In recent weeks work completed on 216 has included the fitting of roof furniture,paintwork above the waist line lining and varnishing and installation of upholstered seatbacks. 220/3846 has seen it painted.lines and varnished . Doors have been rehung and hinges repinned.

Work will continue with brake adjustment,painting and door fitting on both vehicles.

July 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:03:02 +0000

Work in 3846 and 216 now concentrates on the smaller items that need fitting.Three gas lamp pepper pot ventilators have been fitted to the roof and gas lamps to the compartment ceilings. Unfortunately we don’t have the glass globes to finish these off at this time.Hinges are being oiled, the roof of 216 has been given its first coat of white gloss, painting has seen both vehicles’ cream panels sanded, undercoated and glossed, yards and yards of yellow ochre lining divides the cream from the black, varnish has been applied to the ends of the carriages and on the sides to protect the paintwork. Correct buffer heights have been achieved by adjusting the springs. The seat backs will be going to the upholsterer this week with other work such as new running boards, door fittings and final painting taking up our time in the next few weeks

June 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 22:38:02 +0000

We were tipped off some months ago that there was a coach body near Redditch going to be demolished so that a bungalow could be built. On inspection it was found to be a Midland Railway coach and the offer was made to others if they wanted parts to get in touch with us.

A group at Midsomer Norton,Somerset are restoring a Midland Railway five compartment coach and wanted spares. Thanks to the owner we were allowed to remove whatever we wanted. The coach was too badly rotted to be lifted so doors and window frames were removed to Somerset and a car load of external side sheets of a quarter-inch thick mahogany was brought back to Bronwydd. Although we don’t have urgent need for it, it will become useful in the future.

For interest the coach was built by the Midland Railway in 1882. It was a composite luggage either no 246 or 3308. It was then sold to the Midland South Western Junction Railway and became their No 54. It was absorbed by the GWR in 1923 and withdrawn without losing its maroon livery in 1925.

May 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:21:33 +0000

Work progresses with the priority concentrated on Taff Vale No 220. Repairs to the doors continues. More beading has been made and fitted. Side gutters are now in black gloss as well as one end of the coach receiving its first coat of black. Work has started on lightly sanding down the gloss on the sides in preparation for varnishing.

April 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:22:13 +0000

The new oak gutters, which were temporary put in place before the winter, have now been permanently attached. This involved inserting 2 ½” to 3” brass screws every 9 inches or so along the 28 foot gutters. Steel screws are not used as they react with the oak and soon rust. Once in position the screw heads were filled, sanded, primered and undercoated. bThe next stage will to paint the gutters black gloss.

The part of the gutter the water flows in has been left unpainted but treated with Danish oil – to be recoated annually as part of its maintenance.

One of the end gutters, which had been repaired on the bench, has also been similarly treated.

We have also had some new steel pins made in-house to replace worn or damaged ones as part of the handbrake linkage.

March 2012

Gwili Vintage Carriage Group — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:36:29 +0000

Immediately after Easter GWR 216 and 3856 will be put back in the shed and should remain there until August when hopefully all the work associated with returning them to traffic will be complete – we’ll see!

Work on 216 has continued with applying body filler to the newly attached beading, this was then sanded, painted with aluminium wood primer and then a coat of grey undercoat. Much more needs to be done but this preparatory work will allow us to concentrate on the finish coats.