Sandstone Heritage Trust – Rail News

RN 62 – Brake Van ” BREAK THROUGH !” by Marcus Ingram 26 June 2005

More on the Guards Van donated to the Welsh Highland Railway by Sandstone Heritage Trust:
A pivotal point in the overhaul has been reached!

There is more being added to the brake van than is being removed. Half of the floor is now complete. The framework for the access hatch in the floor is ready to be welded in, allowing easy maintenance of the vacuum cylinder without having to drop the whole heavy unit, as was done with the P-way vehicles. The remaining floor area in the guards area is going to look a bit like a patchwork quilt buthas now been cut back and needs very little preparation. I will be doing 4 days at Dinas 10, 11,12 and 13 July, during which I intend to complete the preparation of the frame and cut all required plates ready to be welded. At the same time I will complete the drilling of the two end angles and hang them ready for welding and manufacture the Port end high arched end plate. This should the completion of all but the manufacture and fitting of two missing side angles and marks the end of the metal work phase in its restoration.

Anyone interested in helping to contact either myself marcus.ingram@ntlworld.com or Carol Symonds at Boston Lodge

Cheers all
Marcus

As the team is usually just Marcus, sometimes with help from his 73 year old father, with occasional help from others, he will welcome all the help he can get. We are told North Wales is very pleasant at this time of year…..
The accompanying photograph looks quite South African but was actually taken looking through the bushes towards the rear of the Carriage Shed at Dinas with an as yet unrestored DZ in the foreground.