---

Great Western Railway 5-plank open wagon No. 87782

A Veteran of the Great War!

GWR 5-plank No. 87782, April 2003. Richard Salmon

This 10-ton capacity 5-plank vehicle was built for the Great Western Railway by the Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Company. It was one of a thousand (Nos. 87001-88000) in Lot 697, which was ordered on 20 October 1911 and completed on 28 December 1912. The average cost per wagon was £112. 87782 was completed on 23rd November 1912 and is thus a pre-Grouping vehicle. 10,815 of these vehicles were built by or for the GWR to their diagram O11 and they were known by the telegraphic code "OPEN A".

No.87782 is fitted with a handbrake only, this being of the Dean/Churchward ratchet type, which we believe was unique to the GWR. It thus had a relatively low original tare (empty) weight of 5 Tons 18cwt. 0qtr. although it was marked 5 Tons 17cwt on arrival at Bluebell.

The wagon was originally fitted with a sheet support rail. At the Grouping in 1923, most goods were carried in open wagons, those containing goods that required some protection being covered with a tarpaulin sheet. To prevent water accumulating in hollows and leaking onto the goods, many wagons were fitted with a sheet support, which allowed water to run off the sheet.

During the Great War (1914-1918), a number of locomotives and wagons were by the military for use overseas. 87782 was so requisitioned on 21st February 1917 and was returned to the GWR on 11th April 1920. Our wagon is thus a veteran of the Great War!

Notes on 87782 from the GWR Wagon Register:

Type: Open Goods
Body: Wood
Length: 15' 6"
Width: 7' 7"
Height: 3' 3"
Frame: Iron
Length of spring: 3' 4 1/4"
Axles -
Length between centres of journals: 6' 6"
Size of journals 8" x 3 3/4"
Diameter through boss of wheels: 5 1/4"
Diameter in middle: 4 3/4"
Wheels -
No: 4
Diameter: 3' 1 1/2"
Base: 9' 0"
Buffers: Self-contained
Drawgear: Special through
Brake: RH either side

Stabled Corr(espondence reference) 89492. Repaired and returned to traffic Corr No. 96435 11/5/32

Haywoods Slack Adjuster Sw(indon) 7.1.39

W87782 was condemned on the London Midland Region on 21st. February 1959 and sold by BR to the Port of Bristol Authority on 26th December 1959. It was renumbered PBA 59627 and continued in service within the docks until the late 1970's, after which it was purchased for the Bluebell Railway by Neil Cameron, arriving with other vehicles from Bristol Docks, in 1981.

The wagons at Bristol were regularly repaired. This one has been fitted with replacement headstocks and reinforced door pillars. The original GWR self-contained buffers were replaced with Dowty pneumatic buffers. The solebars and underframe on this wagon are in particularly good condition, considering that it must be at least 96 years old!

With almost 11000 of these wagons in service they would have travelled widely, and would have been regular visitors to the Southern Railway area over a 40-year period. Thus, one would certainly not be out of place in one of Bluebell's goods trains. It is hoped to commence restoration fairly soon. This work will include:-
a) rivetting the headstocks into position,
b) modifying the door pillars to the original pattern and rivetting them onto the solebars
c) obtaining and fitting suitable GWR pattern self-contained buffers or similar
d) fitting new floor and body timberwork.

Progress will probably be entirely dependent on funding from the Bluebell Railway Trust or from individuals via the Trust. If you would be prepared to assist with this project, we will be pleased to hear from you.

We would also be interested in learning of any more specific history on the vehicle.