Build Location Swindon
Diagram number E83
Lot number 1138
Type BCK
First Number 7545
Later Numbers KDW7545 - 079076

 

Information and history

This coach is a Great Western Railway Tricomposite Brake Toplight coach. It was built in Swindon Works in the year 1907 by the Great Western Railway as part of Lot 1138 and was originally one of 15 constructed (to diagram E83) in 1907 of which only 7545 and one other are (7538) are believed to have survived. It was designed by George Jackson Churchward and has a wooden body mounted on an adjustable under frame with Churchward American 8'0" bogies. The general design of these coaches were commonly known as "Toplights" because of the small windows above the doors and main windows these being called toplights.

Many of these types of carriages were formed into Ambulance Trains and sold to the war office during World War 1. Some went to France and never ran in service on the GWR. When the war was over the GWR repurchased the surviving coaches, but many were in poor condition so they were rebuild, sometimes with slightly different bodies. It is not known whether 7545 was one of these.
They were often used in trains hauled by GWR Saints, Stars, Castles, City class (like City of Truro) etc, Built originally as a tri-composite brake, it had six compartments, with two First class, Two Second class and Two Third, the widths being 7'2", 6'4" and 6'0" respectively.
After the abolition of Second Class the two offending compartments were treated as Third class. The vehicle measures 60'1" in length and includes two toilets and a brake compartment. It was obviously intended to run as a self contained unit where it could be put on the back of various main line trains and then uncoupled and sent up a branch line without the passengers or their luggage having to move.

7545's remained in passenger service until it was condemned at either Penzance or Truro in the early part of 1957, at this time the coach was only partly stripped for use by the BR signalling department. These departmental vehicles were then renumbered into a series intended for temporary use vehicles of all types. The numbering was based on where the vehicle happened to be at a certain time. So they appeared almost in order from the London area where there were many right down to Penzance and number 7545 became 079076.
The coach was repainted black at this time and then migrated to the Bristol area. It was sighted in Chippenham in 1967 when the Multi Aspect Signalling work for that area was under way. After this was completed all vehicles were dispersed but 7545 re -appeared at Yate where it remained from 1969 to 1971. It then reappeared at Swansea were it stayed for a long while.

It was next moved to was in the old S & T Yard near Marsh Junction, Bristol but it disappeared again when the High Speed Depot was built over much of the site. It was seen at Didcot and after this time moved to Melksham for the Westbury Re-signalling job.

Finally 7545 was sent to Carmarthen in Wales where it was purchased in 1979 by a Mr Reg Palk for intended use on the Swindon and Cricklade railway. It was brought by rail to Swindon and then moved by road to the SCR. Virtually nothing was done to it and it was forgotten and abandoned for many years at the end of the siding at the Cricklade end of the line.

In 2001 it was sold and is now jointly owned by James Faulkner and Nick Bailey.

At the moment the carriage has been moved into the restoration shed at Hayes Knoll andand is part way through a rebuild