No 1184 - Collett Full Brake

Number 1184 was built in 1930 as a Passenger Brake Van for luggage, parcels and mail use on cross country routes, particularly onto other railway company's metals. The body is to the same outline as the prestigious 'Riviera' passenger stock, but to a slightly narrower width of only 9ft. The coach also has bow ends which made for smaller corridor connections to the next coach. The coach follows the construction methods of the period, a wooden frame covered in sheet steel with a steel roof, mounted on a standard style underframe. The bogies are Standard GWR 7ft bogies with coil springs to compensate for the loadings it might carry. The doors had slam locks designed to close automatically rather than the older type which had to be hand closed.

The external layout of the doors indicates the internal layout of the coach. The interior has two van areas separated by a full width guards compartment, the larger van end having two pairs of double doors whilst the shorter has only a single pair. There is no side corridor to the coach, thus deterring passengers from passing through.

This coach was purchased in 1968, and was originally used as a sleeping accommodation.

Following the restoration of the Travelling Post Office coach the same team have taken on the restoration of 1184. To repair the main bottom stringer and the cantrail it has been found quicker to dismantle the whole coach, acquire new timber and then rebuild the coach body, which is in pieces around the carriage shed. The large sections of timber required are brought to Didcot, then allowed to season before being machined and fitted in our own workshops. Machining of these lower sections is now complete and re-assembly is underway. It is intended to rebuild with one flat end and offset gangway to run with TPO 814.

Current activity is centred on internal painting. The van area is now in first coat pink and the guards compartment in yellow base ready for scumbling. Next the roof hoops will be primed and the steel roof built. 

Status

Under Restoration

Build date

1930

Built at

Swindon

Original railway

GWR

Lot Number

1413

Diag No

K.40

Length

61’

Date Preserved

1968

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