The Bluebell Railway’s Wagon Stock

The Bluebell Railway has a considerable collection of wagons. These may be divided into two categories, those that are held for preservation reasons, and those that we have for our own engineering needs. Of course, many of our engineering wagons are historic vehicles in their own right; these include the SR hand crane and the Ransome & Rapier LNER steam crane.

Left: SECR Covered goods van No.15750

Passenger rated vans are included in the separate Carriage Stock List (which includes the passenger-rated milk tanker).

This list includes the running number (linked through to a detailed web page for the wagon if available), original railway company, “Name” or “Nick-name”, description, (building date), capacity and tare weights, length, and (alternative numbers carried).
Please note that an indication that a wagon is “operational” does not mean that, at any particular moment in time, it has had an inspection and is available to run. Rather it means that the wagon has been operational, and has not been withdrawn from potential operational use.

In 2008 the BRPS agreed a Historic Wagons Strategy (pdf file).
There is a glossary of the different initials of the railway companies, etc., at the end of this page.

Brake Vans

     1032 Express Goods Brake Van (SR "Pillbox" design, with Vacuum Brake for MoS) (1942) 25T tare
         (Registered SR 1032, WD 11037, BR M360328 (1949), ARMY 49018)
     5706 LSWR Road Van (1898) 1T cap, 15T tare 21'0" (1541, SR 54663) 
    11916 SECR "Dance Hall" (1923) 25T tare (SR 55477)
    17908 GWR "Toad" (1913) 20T tare (Oxfordshire Ironstone Co. No.6)
   S55490 SECR "Dance Hall" (1923) 25T tare, (SECR 11934, SR 55490)
         [Under restoration] Owned by members of Southern Locomotives Ltd
    55993 SR "Pillbox" (1930) 25T tare [Operational]
    56290 SR "Queen Mary" Bogie Vacuum Brake Van (1936) 25T tare [Operational]
 DS 62864 BR (SECR design) "Shark" Ballast Plough (1949) 20.5T tare

Covered Goods Vans

     1577 LBSCR van underframe, recovered from Preston Park, Sept 2008 - may be combined 
        with metalwork from 1590, an LBSCR (1908) 8T van body (SR 46263) 
     2773 LSWR 10T cap, 6T-10 tare, 21'0" (1410, WD: AD 47773)
     8112 LSWR (1912) 10T cap, 6T-17 tare, 21'0" (1406, SR 43241)
     8196 LBSCR (1913) 8T cap, 6T-10 tare, 21'4" LBSCR Diag.8, SR Diag.1433 (SR 46544, later MOD (Navy) 590)
    15750 SECR (c1919) 12T cap, 6T-17 tare (SR 45767, 080697) [awaiting overhaul]
    44611 SR (1931 on LSWR running gear) 10T cap, 6T-17 tare [Operational]
    47588 SR (1931) 12T cap, 7T-17 tare (082048) [Operational]
   524178 LMS (1945) 12T cap, 7T-12 tare, 20'11" (later MOD(Navy) 813)
   570027 LMS Banana Van (1946) 10T cap, 9T-2 tare, 20'11" (insulated and heated)  The Banana by Rail [Operational]
  B772972 BR Pallet Van (1956) (later PLA A52)

Open Goods Wagons

       91 LSWR 3, 4 or 5-plank wagon underframe (original number unknown)
     3346 LBSCR Open High-Bar (1917) 10T cap, 5T-14 tare, 18'5" (1369, SR 22568, WD: AD 46269) [Operational]
     5542 SECR (SR built) 7-plank Open Goods 12T cap, 6T-6-1 tare (PBA 59542, Original No. unknown) [Operational]
     9608 SR 5-plank Open 10T cap, 6T tare (PBA 59425, Original No. unknown)
    10013 SR 5 plank (built on LSWR running gear) 10T cap, 6T tare 
         (PBA 59239 Original No. unknown, has also been numbered 9752)
    12058 SR 5-plank Open Merchandise Wagon (1946) 13T cap [under overhaul]
    16194 SECR 7-plank Open Goods 12T cap, 6T-6 tare (PBA 59252, Original No. unknown) [Operational]
    16358 SECR 7-plank Open Goods 12T cap, 6T-6 tare (PBA 58162) [Dismantled for major repairs]
    30004 SR 8-plank Open Goods/Mineral 12T cap, 6T-8 tare (PBA 58164, Original No. unknown) [Operational]
    37786 SR 8-plank Open Goods (1939) 10-ft wheelbase, 6T-16 tare (PBA 60026, Original No. unknown) [Operational]
    50899 SECR 5-plank Open High-Bar 10T cap, 5T-14 tare (PBA 60011, Original No. unknown)
PBA 59685 Private Owner Mineral 13T cap, built by Cambrian Wagon Co. (possibly 1943) (Original No. unknown)
PBA 66071 LMS 5 plank Open Merchandise Wagon (1934) 12T cap, 6T-16 tare 20'11" (Original No. unknown)
    87782 GWR 5-plank Open High-Bar 10T cap (PBA 59627) [under overhaul]
   411245 LMS 5-plank Open (1937/8) 12T cap, 6T-16 tare 20'11" (PBA 66015) [Operational]
   474558 LMS 3-plank drop-side Medium Open Goods Wagon (1937) 12T cap, 6T-16 tare, 20'11" [Operational]
  M480222 LMS/BR 3-plank drop-side Medium Open Goods Wagon (1949) 12T cap, 6T-16 tare, 20'11" [Operational]
  B458525 BR steel drop-side "Medfit" Open Goods Wagon (Ashford 1951) [Operational]
  B461224 BR steel drop-side "Medfit" Open Goods Wagon (Ashford 1952) [Operational]
  B741381 BR "Pipefit" Dropside Open Wagon (1956) 12T cap. [Operational]

Flat Wagons and Bolster Wagons

    39617 SR 14/15 Ton Motor Car Truck "ConFlat D" (1933) 14T cap, 8T-16 tare
    57889 SR Bogie Bolster (1936) 40T cap, 21T-3 tare (64628S, 083345) [On loan to Swanage Railway]
    57949 SR Bogie Bolster (1944) 40T cap, 21T-3 tare

Containers

 BD49908B Standard BD type Goods Container BD49908B (1957)

Petroleum Products Tank Wagons

     1603 Shell-BP Class A Petroleum Products Tanker (1965)   (Registered BR(M)187240, SUKO 67341)
     1921 ESSO Class B Spirit Tank wagon (1942) [Operational]
     4497 SHELL/BP Class A Spirit Tank wagon (1930)

Ballast Wagons

      567 SECR 2-plank Drop Side Ballast Wagon 12T cap, (Original No. unknown) 
         [Operational - rebuilt from 7-plank PBA 59305]
    62002 SR Drop Side Engineers' Wagon (1928) 20T cap, 8T-16 tare, 12' wheelbase [Operational]
DB 983103 BR "Dogfish" Hopper Wagon (Chas. Roberts, 1959) 24T cap. [Operational]
DB 984082 BR "Grampus" Engineers' Drop Side Wagon (Cambrian, 1957) [Operational]
DB 984506 BR "Grampus" Engineers' Drop Side Wagon (Butterley, 1955) [For disposal]
DB 986419 BR "Grampus" Engineers' Drop Side Wagon (Cambrian, 1956) [Operational - on loan to Lavender Line, Isfield]
DB 986591 BR "Grampus" Engineers' Drop Side Wagon (Butterley, 1956) [Operational]
DB 991391 BR "Grampus" Engineers' Drop Side Wagon (083658) (Pressed Steel, 1959)  main Web page for "Grampus" [Operational]
DB 993217 BR "Dogfish" Hopper Wagon (Chas. Roberts, 1957) 24T cap. [Operational]
DB 993348 BR "Dogfish" Hopper Wagon (Met-Cammell, 1957) 24T cap. [Operational]

Cranes and other Special Use Wagons

    61107 SR Well Wagon (1944 or 1945) [Operational]
   100677 GWR Sleeper Wagon (low floor) (1938) [Operational]
  B900036 BR 20T "Flatrol SB" (1958 Lancing) [Ex trolley wagon for continental working, now small loco boiler trolley]
  B900920 BR(W) "Weltrol WP" Bogie Well Wagon (1960) (TDB96450) [Ex Motor-rail loading ramp, now Loco Boiler Carrier]
  B904134 BR 'Lowmac MU' Machinery Wagon (low floor) (1957) [Operational]
  RS 1083 MOWT (LNER) Ransome & Rapier 45 Ton Steam Crane (1943) in four units (951516, 102) [Under overhaul]
    1748S MOWT (SR) Joseph Booth & Sons 12 Ton Hand Crane (1943) (DS 1748) [Operational]
   1748SM MOWT (SR) Match Wagon for Hand Crane (1943) (DS 3182) 6.5 Tons [Operational]

While most of the engineering wagons are serviceable, only a few other wagons and vans have been restored, since the main priority of the C&W department has to be the restoration of passenger coaches. However, volunteers with an interest in wagon restoration are particularly welcome, as we are building up this side of the department.

The assistance of David Wigley, Martin Skrzetuszewski and Bob John in the compilation of this list is gratefully acknowledged.

Glossary of Railway Companies, etc.:

BR     British Railways, British Rail (post 1948)
GWR    Great Western Railway (pre 1948)
LBSCR  London Brighton & South Coast Railway (pre 1923)
LCDR   London Chatham & Dover Railway (pre 1899)
LMS    London Midland & Scottish Railway (1923-47)
LNER   London & North Eastern Railway (1923-47)
LSWR   London & South Western Railway (pre 1923)
LT     London Transport
MOD    Ministry of Defence
MoS    Ministry of Supply
MOWT   Ministry of Works and Transport (ordered stock for the railways during wartime)
PBA    Port of Bristol Authority
PLA    Port of London Authority
RCH    Railway Clearing House
RSSB   Rail Safety and Standards Board
SECR   South Eastern & Chatham Railway (Joint Committee of the LCDR and SER from 1899 to 1922)
SER    South Eastern Railway (pre 1899)
SR     Southern Railway (1923-47)
WD     War Department

Wagons which are no longer at the Bluebell Railway:

Chauldron Wagon No.895 or 20. Ex-Seaham Colliery - Photo from 1975
Chauldron Wagon, number unknown. Ex-Seaham Colliery - Photo from 1975
        67 (RCH 43101, BR P.91344) William Cory PO wagon
        68 (RCH 27468, BR P.383095) William Cory PO wagon
        92 GWR Tool Van - Photo from 1990s
       234 Met. Rly. Drop-side Ballast Wagon - Photo, 4 May 1997 by Gerry Bixley
  RNAD 400 WD Goods Van (Registered GWR 85163)
  RNAD 402 WD Goods Van (LNER design, Registered GWR 85126)
    HW 402 LT Ballast Hopper
    HW 433 LT Ballast Hopper
  DS 27730 BR 10T cap Ballast Wagon (IoW, rebuilt from LBSCR or SR Open Wagon) - Photo, April 1994 by Gerry Bixley
  AD 49027 BR Standard Brake Van - Photo from 1975
     51202 SR Ventilated Meat Van body
SUKO 67439 SHELL-MEX & BP Ltd. Class A Petroleum Products Tanker (Registered BR(Sc)2473A)
  B 761349 BR Pallet Van
  B 763305 BR Goods Van
  B 772970 BR Pallet Van
 DB 985854 BR "Grampus" Engineers' Drop Side Wagon - Heritage Wagon Database entry
 DB 988395 BR "Grampus" Engineers' Drop Side Wagon - Heritage Wagon Database entry
 DB 992780 BR "Dogfish" Hopper Wagon - Heritage Wagon Database entry
 DB 993210 BR "Dogfish" Hopper Wagon - Heritage Wagon Database entry

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of former Bluebell Railway wagons.

The Railway Heritage Register Wagon Survey
Viktor Schiffer’s Links for Wagon Enthusiasts page may be of interest.
The NYMR York Area Group are very active in the collection and maintenance of engineers’ wagons.