Toplight Coach Group at the Swindon and Cricklade Steam Railway

GWR 7545 Toplight Coach Group News.

by James Faulkner

August 2005

The progress recently has been much slower than we would have liked as the generator for the Hayes Knoll restoration shed broke, this meant it has needed to be replaced with a brand new one, but this has taken time and has meant the whole shed has been without power or lighting for some time, so we have had to concentrate on jobs that we can do without power tools.

The group recently had an article published in the August 2005 edition of Heritage Railway Magazine. The article was written some time ago so the pictures are quite old.

The roof has been stripped of the old covering, (most of it was off already), the roof boards are in fairly poor condition, and we may have to replace them or at least some of them. The roof had sagged in several places where partitions had been removed during departmental days. To solve this we have stretched some string tight along the full length of the roof, weighted at one end, and then inside the coach using acro props we have been able to jack up the roof and gradually get it back to the correct shape without dips.
We intend that two of the three partitions which were removed during departmental days will be put back fairly soon probably using plywood instead of the original 5/8 inch tongue and grove boards.

We have completely panelled one end of the coach with 9mm marine plywood. The screw holes are being filled and then the 3/8 inch utile mouldings will have to be made and fitted.

James Faulkner and Andrew Creaser have been making repairs to more of the framing and also panelling the finished sections. Andrew has also been working on the first of the doors which originally came of Toplight number 9922. which ran with 7545 in departmental days in Carmarthen but unfortunately this coach was sent to Leicester to be scrapped in 1980. The SCR was able to remove some parts at the scrapyard in 1980 for a cost of £110. We have found the old SCR trustees meeting minutes for when the coach was originally brought to the Swindon and Crickade railway,(in 1980) direct from departmental service with BR. The restoration plan at the time states that it should be able to be completed by Easter 1981.!
Ken Habgood has been fitting the first external door and making adjustments to the hinges etc so it closes correctly.
The door mouldings, internal boarding droplight etc are added after the door is hung.
This was the way them doors were fitted at Swindon works as it made then lighter and easier to get hung.

Mike Bradley has been working on various metal parts, mainly the corridor gangway connections, and also the brass corner strips, as well as work continuing needle gunning of the chassis.

Fancy getting involved? Much of the work is easy such as sanding and varnishing, wire brushing etc. we are actively looking for more people to get involved. You can contact us
James Faulkner Tel 07715 322241 or James75452000@yahoo.com or Nick Bailey on (01242) 604522.


	GWR 7545 Toplight Coach Group News. by James Faulkner August 2005 The progress recently has been much slower than we would have liked as the generator for the Hayes Knoll restoration shed broke, this meant it has needed to be replaced with a brand new one, but this has taken time and has meant the whole shed has been without power or lighting for some time, so we have had to concentrate on jobs that we can do without power tools. The group recently had an article published in the August 2005 edition of Heritage Railway Magazine. The article was written some time ago so the pictures are quite old. The roof has been stripped of the old covering, (most of it was off already), the roof boards are in fairly poor condition, and we may have to replace them or at least some of them. The roof had sagged in several places where partitions had been removed during departmental days. To solve this we have stretched some string tight along the full length of the roof, weighted at one end, and then inside the coach using acro props we have been able to jack up the roof and gradually get it back to the correct shape without dips. We intend that two of the three partitions which were removed during departmental days will be put back fairly soon probably using plywood instead of the original 5/8 inch tongue and grove boards. We have completely panelled one end of the coach with 9mm marine plywood. The screw holes are being filled and then the 3/8 inch utile mouldings will have to be made and fitted. James Faulkner and Andrew Creaser have been making repairs to more of the framing and also panelling the finished sections. Andrew has also been working on the first of the doors which originally came of Toplight number 9922. which ran with 7545 in departmental days in Carmarthen but unfortunately this coach was sent to Leicester to be scrapped in 1980. The SCR was able to remove some parts at the scrapyard in 1980 for a cost of £110. We have found the old SCR trustees meeting minutes for when the coach was originally brought to the Swindon and Crickade railway,(in 1980) direct from departmental service with BR. The restoration plan at the time states that it should be able to be completed by Easter 1981.! Ken Habgood has been fitting the first external door and making adjustments to the hinges etc so it closes correctly. The door mouldings, internal boarding droplight etc are added after the door is hung. This was the way them doors were fitted at Swindon works as it made then lighter and easier to get hung. Mike Bradley has been working on various metal parts, mainly the corridor gangway connections, and also the brass corner strips, as well as work continuing needle gunning of the chassis. Fancy getting involved? Much of the work is easy such as sanding and varnishing, wire brushing etc. we are actively looking for more people to get involved. You can contact us James Faulkner Tel 07715 322241 or James75452000@yahoo.com or Nick Bailey on (01242) 604522.