Toplight Coach Group at the Swindon and Cricklade Steam Railway

GWR 7545 Toplight Coach Group News

10th January 2004

Sorry for the lack of updates. A good deal of work has been done on the coach since the last report.

The coach has been shunted to the end of road three in the Swindon and Cricklade Railways Haynes Knoll shed so that it has swapped places with the Gloucester Railcar Trust DMU. This was done so that the original Hayes Knoll door frame could be removed as it was no longer needed and limited the clearance.
It was cut out with an oxy-acetylene torch as it was welded at the top and concreted in at the bottom. We used a hoist originally from Swindon works to lower it to the ground.

john working on a compartmentside James and John have almost completed removing what remains of the outer body panelling which is exposing the body framework. The body framework is made using teak and oak. The teak sections seemed to have lasted much better than the oak. A section about two compartments long has been left on one side to show what it was like before restoration commenced.

partly removed end panels The intention is to start rebuilding one of the end of the coach first which will require a new end bar (this is the piece of timber sitting directly over the buffer beam.) and new corner posts, all of this involves some serious woodworking !!
To get at this end we have removed one of the corridor connections and all the end panelling. The intention is to remove the heavy curved sliding door at the corridor end and all the door and windows at this end so we can get at the body frame.

Nick has been working on the interior. He has sorted out all our wood and spare doors etc and given the interior a tidy up. In addition Nick has removed all the non original internal chipboard and hardboard panelling which was probably installed during the coaches departmental days.

Ken Habgood has been investigating obtaining an old circular saw currently stored in Swindon works (or the Designer outlet as it is today) but we have been advised by him that it is rusty and in poor condition so not worth having. He has also been giving us advice about the restoration

We have been donated a small hobby bandsaw and circular saw by Philip Powley the SCR membership secretary so thanks to him for this.

In addition if anyone has anything they would like to donate to the group towards the restoration ,including money, scrap hardwood, tools etc then please contact us (see bottom of page)

Fancy getting involved? Much of the work is easy such as sanding and varnishing, wire brushing etc. Then contact us.

James Faulkner tel 07715 322241 or james75452000@yahoo.com or Nick Bailey on (01242) 604522


	GWR 7545 Toplight Coach Group News 10th January 2004 Sorry for the lack of updates. A good deal of work has been done on the coach since the last report. The coach has been shunted to the end of road three in the Swindon and Cricklade Railways Haynes Knoll shed so that it has swapped places with the Gloucester Railcar Trust DMU. This was done so that the original Hayes Knoll door frame could be removed as it was no longer needed and limited the clearance. It was cut out with an oxy-acetylene torch as it was welded at the top and concreted in at the bottom. We used a hoist originally from Swindon works to lower it to the ground. James and John have almost completed removing what remains of the outer body panelling which is exposing the body framework. The body framework is made using teak and oak. The teak sections seemed to have lasted much better than the oak. A section about two compartments long has been left on one side to show what it was like before restoration commenced. The intention is to start rebuilding one of the end of the coach first which will require a new end bar (this is the piece of timber sitting directly over the buffer beam.) and new corner posts, all of this involves some serious woodworking !! To get at this end we have removed one of the corridor connections and all the end panelling. The intention is to remove the heavy curved sliding door at the corridor end and all the door and windows at this end so we can get at the body frame. Nick has been working on the interior. He has sorted out all our wood and spare doors etc and given the interior a tidy up. In addition Nick has removed all the non original internal chipboard and hardboard panelling which was probably installed during the coaches departmental days. Ken Habgood has been investigating obtaining an old circular saw currently stored in Swindon works (or the Designer outlet as it is today) but we have been advised by him that it is rusty and in poor condition so not worth having. He has also been giving us advice about the restoration We have been donated a small hobby bandsaw and circular saw by Philip Powley the SCR membership secretary so thanks to him for this. In addition if anyone has anything they would like to donate to the group towards the restoration ,including money, scrap hardwood, tools etc then please contact us (see bottom of page) Fancy getting involved? Much of the work is easy such as sanding and varnishing, wire brushing etc. Then contact us. James Faulkner tel 07715 322241 or james75452000@yahoo.com or Nick Bailey on (01242) 604522