The SDR's Carriage and Wagon Department are the group of Volunteers from the South Devon Railway Association who restore our fleet of ageing carriages.  They have their own workshop at Buckfastleigh adjacent to the museum.
They predominantly meet on Wednesdays and Sundays, though some members attend more frequently.

We have continued to work on GWR Coach 536, apart from three weeks in August when the SDDT Class 25 Diesel No D7612 came into 'B' Shop for a re-paint. 536 was moved to the Stock Shed which then gave us the opportunity to work on the 'MOGO' which was stored just outside 'B' Shop. A spell of good weather enabled us to re-felt the roof, remove all rotten wood panels, rub down the remaining panels and treat with wood primer. One coat of undercoat was then applied followed by a top coat of GWR Grey. We then turned our attention to the Chassis which was wire brushed followed by a coat of red primer and then a top coat again of grey.
After three weeks Coach 536 was returned and we continued to work on it inside 'B'Shop. A further application of Top Coat went on the outside plus all the old paint was removed from the inside. The toilet doors were removed, and rubbed down to bare wood, they were then stained and varnished. The Ceilings in the Corridor and Compartments were all painted throughout followed by the corridor woodwork. Currently the Coach has been moved outside again while we put new floors into two Grampus wagons which are required for use on the Permanent Way train during the winter months. We hope to complete the work on the MOGO, which entails removing the side and end doors so that they can have rotten panels replaced. On completion we hope once again to return to Coach 536 with the aim of having it completed to run in the Service Train during 2003.

Since the last update in February, urgent repairs have been carried out on Ex GWR Coach 6515, this involved sealing and repainting the roof which was leaking, and led us to having to install new ceiling panels. All the internal seating has also been recovered in GW style material. On the outside all the top panels were repainted in GW Cream, this is proving to be an annual task.

GW Coach 536 then returned to the workshop for further work to be carried out on its overhaul. We have put all the side panels back after putting wood preserver on all the wood and replaced some rusted bolt's, all screws have been filled with filler and rubbed down in preparation for painting. We have completed the painting of the roof. All the water tanks have been filled and tested, thankfully no leaks have been discovered and everything seems Ok. New footboards have been fitted and painted. The end panels have been rubbed down to bare metal and painted.

Since the last update we have completed work on the Associations Toad Brake Van No 68777 and the Shunter's truck No 41873, both painted in G.W.grey, and Newton Abbot on the sides of both wagon's.

Arnold and Bill at Staverton have completed the repairs to the G.W. Damo 'B' No 42223, which is now in the museum at Buckfastleigh complete with a vintage car inside, they have also repaired and painted the L.M.S. Petrol Tanker No 27259 in National Benzole colours and lettering.

Back in 'B' Shop , we have completed the minor repairs and repaint of the ex Kings Cross Suburban Coach No E 43147. Our attention has now turned to the recent arrival on the railway G.W.R. Collet Compartment coach No 536from Didcot. We have prepared the roof for painting, removed the bottom side panels to inspect for any possible rotten supports etc.; also we have manufactured five new droplight's and removed all the upholstery for recovering.

Collett Third Class Compartment Coach No 536
This is on a long lease from the Great Western Society at Didcot. Work is now all but completed and the coach will be entering service as part of the regular train set within a couple of weeks.
Outstanding work is the laying of the new lino (contractor expected on site shortly) and some plumbing to be completed in one of the toilets. Compare this photo with that of the coach in undercoat by clicking on the link above.

BR Mk1 TSO No 4785

This carriage has received a mega amount of welding to the exterior metal panelling, (see report 'March Update' showing this work in progress) which  was carried out in the stock shed by resident fitter Dave Watkin. Now it has been moved into the Carriage and Wagon Workshop for the windows to be refitted and for the interior to be dealt with. It has good wooden panelling and is generally not in too bad a shape. The intention is to bring it up to scratch for use on dining trains. It is one of the limited number of Mark 1's built with 48 seats instead of 64 and is classified "SO" (Second Open) rather than "TSO" (Tourist Second Open) As such they were often run with kitchen cars to provide seating for diners.

December 2003 Update

BR Mk1 TSO M4785 Contd.

We eventually got down to bare metal on the roof which took us about a month to complete. A really filthy Job, but it had to be done. It then received two coats of grey paint. While the roof was being worked on Owen and Dave started rubbing down, staining and varnishing all the internal woodwork and making new floors for the vestibules, they also made new window frames for the inside and also spent some time on the entrance doors. All the outside windows have now been replaced, new wooden supports for all the seats have been made and plywood fitted to the inside walls of the coach to replace that that had rotted away. The ceiling has been given a thorough clean, followed by a white undercoat and then two coats of white gloss. Our Electricians!!! have cleaned all the light fittings, fitted new bulbs and tested the installations thereby giving the appearance that part of the coach is now complete.
The heating pipes and covers have all been cleaned, painted and together with the covers refitted. All the internal woodwork that was original has been cleaned stained and varnished. All the Seat supports have now been refitted and work at the moment is concentrating on Cloakroom (ex Toilet), and the remaining Toilet. All the material for the upholstery has been ordered and is due to arrive in the New Year, all the seats will then be recovered and the floor covering laid throughout the coach.
Our exterior painter has been down for a week and has applied the undercoat and first top coat of GWR Chocolate and Cream, the final coats and lining out will have to wait for the spring as the coach will have to be parked outside while we concentrate on the Service Train.
The next coach due into the C&W Workshop should be our GWR Dynamometer Car W7. An SDRA member has been working on his own on its restoration and now the time has come for him to receive some assistance. After W7 the Auto-Coach W228 will be coming in for a well deserved repaint both internally and externally. There are some minor repairs to be carried out on the interior and some attention made to the upholstery. When that is completed the Mk1 W4496 which is the last maroon coach on the Railway ( apart from the Ex Kings Cross BR Commuter Stock E43147 ) will be coming in for some remedial work. This coach which is affectionately known on the Railway as the "David & Charles" was presented to the Railway by our Patron David St John Thomas.

The Dynamometer Coach W7 came into the workshop for painting on the outside and a few minor  jobs inside which included the building of a Guards Compartment where the toilet used to be and while that was going on a start was made on painting the inside of the vehicle. When that was completed the next coach into the workshop was the Victorian Saloon no 249, this had a new corridor conection fitted, an exterior repaint and a few minor jobs inside. Autocoach W228 then followed for the roof to be repainted, some of the upholstery repaired and the floor painted. M4785 was next this vehicle returned to have all the newly upholstered seating refitted, the floor covered with lino and the tables and toilets completed. The Coach currently in the workshop is BG276 which is receiving a repaint of the exterior into Blood and Custard livery.

The Carriage and Wagon workshop have continued their excellent work by turning our former GWR "Picnic" 9346 of 1896 which is now available for hire as a static venue for meetings etc.