In January 2000 we took possession of the above BR brakevan which I had successfully persuaded GTRM to donate. The van built as part of daig 1/507, Lot 3227 was built in Darlington in 1959.

Soon after it arrived at Blunsdon I replaced the roof sheet to prevent further weather damage. It then sat in a siding for some while. Then in the Autumn of 2003 I agreed to fund some contract restoration work by Clive Thompson of the S&C Railway who would then work on the bodywork to establish the restoration requirements. He also did get significantly skilled assistance from Martin Luffman, the Hayes Knoll shed master.

I had already bought new outside planking which had been machined to the correct sizes. Clive then set about stripping off all the outside planking to carry out remedial work to the structure, which had seriously deteriorated, before rebuilding could take place. The restoration has been extensive, including four new cabin corner posts, complete total rebuild of the verandas, rebuilding the outer faces of the veranda to the correct planking and not the steel sheets as fitted by BR in later days. Internally the cabin has been returned to as built condition as far as possible. Some minor alterations have been made to the externals to eliminate water traps and potential rot traps to try and ensure the van remains in good condition for the foreseeable future.

The vehicle then underwent a full repaint and sign writing to as built condition. The vehicle is available to the S&C Railway for specialist use and as the picture shows it looking splendid with the WD & HO Wills Fowler shunter on the weekend of the 30th July when the shunter celebrated its restoration complete and its 70th Bithday. The Fowler had been restored by Pete Martin and his brother, and son. They are now custodians of the loco.

I am currently pulling together a full set of brakevan tools so as the vehicle is complete in all senses of the word.

John Cruxon