| VCT News 2014 |
|
4 December 2014 - Christmas at Ingrow - 7th December 2014
Join in the festive fun. Come and experience
some traditional Christmas activities in the magical railway setting of Ingrow
Station. Ingrow Station is part of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and has a large car park, or you can catch a special 1960s diesel train from any of our other stations on the day. 4 December 2014 - Sir Berkeley back at Ingrow Sir Berkeley returned to Ingrow on 26 November, and is now in the workshop. Sir B will be pulling VCT's 50th anniversary train on Saturday 10th January 2015.
15 November 2014 - Second Official Trailer released for Testament of Youth Trailer can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKt_G23eUJc Testament of Youth is the film adaptation of Vera Brittain’s powerful WW1 memoir. VCT carriages were used in the production. 2 November 2014 - Testament of Youth showing at the Leeds International Film Festival
Testament of Youth is the film adaptation of Vera Brittain’s powerful WW1 memoir. VCT carriages were used in this production. 20 October 2014 - a reminder - Bellerophon to star at Warley on 22nd and 23rd November 2014
Vintage Carriages Trust is pleased to announce that our historic 0-6-0WT “BELLEROPHON” is to be an exhibit at the 2014 Warley Model Railway Show at the NEC on 22nd and 23rd November. The locomotive will be exhibited along with the Foxfield Railway’s “Knotty” coaches Nos 127 & 61 to form an effective “early railway passenger train” for visitors to enjoy. VCT Chairman, Trevor England, said “We are very pleased to see “BELLEROPHON” on display at Warley. This introduces the work of the Trust to a new audience and continues our work to bring our collection to the attention of as many people as possible.” Further information from Ian Smith, VCT Committee Member, 0113 2760349 / 07976 569178 19 October 2014 - VCT's Annual General Meeting Day 18 Oct 2014 This year we were fortunate to be able to offer rides in our Great Northern 6 wheel carriage, within Ingrow yard, pulled by the Coal Tank 1054. Lord Mayor was also brought out of the museum, for a breath of air. Click on a photo to enlarge.
We are grateful to our friends at Bahamas Locomotive Society for the use of the Coal Tank. And to Ian Smith and David Kay for the photos. 7 October 2014 - VCT to extend Museum of Rail Travel The Vintage Carriages Trust has begun work to extend the award-winning Museum of Rail Travel rearwards, in the Keighley direction. This will once again allow the entire VCT collection of carriages to be housed entirely indoors on the same site and also give more engineering space for workshop activities. Work has already started on site clearance and it is hoped that the foundations and floor of the new extension will be completed by Spring 2015. An appeal has been opened for funding towards the cost of the new extension and donations towards this aim will be gratefully accepted. 22 August 2014 - Added link to Testament of Youth - Official Trailer on Film and Television Credits page. 17 August 2014 - BELLEROPHON at Shildon on 20th and 21st September
Our historic locomotive, BELLEROPHON will be making a return visit to Shildon on 20th and 21st September. Locomotion at Shildon are having a special gala which invites previously visited locos back to the site. BELLEROPHON is one of the invitees and having had substantial attention recently, the old engine should be in fine fettle, giving rides on the demonstration line. The repairs carried out last year have proved very satisfactory and the engine has settled down to work very well at Foxfield and elsewhere. SIR BERKELEY continues to work well at Middleton and is, as always, kept immaculate. The engine comes out of ticket in 2016, so we are planning to get both SIR B and BELLEROPHON together at Foxfield’s July 2015 Gala – watch this space! 11 August 2014 - BELLEROPHON at Foxfield
On Thursday 7th August our historic locomotive “BELLEROPHON” hauled the two North Staffordshire Railway coaches 61 and 127 at the Foxfield Railway, on their official first run. The event was well organised and involved BELLROPHON hauling the two coaches into Blyth Bridge and thence to Dilhorne Park. The inaugural train was flagged off by Sir William Cash, Tory MP for North Staffordshire. In his speech he mentioned that his family were accountants to the NSR and also to George Hudson and amused the audience by pointing out that Hudson’s financial peccadillos were somewhat worse than anything done by members of parliament recently!! The two coaches looked superb and rode extremely well on their journey to and from Dilhorne park. It was announced during the event a at least two more NSR coaches, including a much-needed brake, had been found at Rudyard Lake and were being salvaged for rebuilding in due course, to make a complete NSR period train. This is great news and I am sure our members wish the Knotty Trust all the best with this project. 26 July 2014 - BELLEROPHON at the Welland Valley Traction Engine Rally 24th to 27th July
Our historic 0-6-0WT BELLEROPHON is working at The Welland Valley Traction Engine Rally, near Upton on Severn this weekend, hauling a GWR brake van, as illustrated. VCT hope many people will take the opportunity to ride behind the engine. See article below for details. 21 July 2014 - Southern Railway Brake Third S3554SThe Chatham has recently returned to the workshop and is currently receiving new brake blocks.
14 July 2014 - Railbus 79962 now in the VCT workshop
Following asbestos removal, Railbus 79962 has now arrived at Ingrow, and is currently in the workshop, for assessment. 7 July 2014 - BELLEROPHON goes to a Traction Engine Rally 24th to 27th July
Our historic 0-6-0WT “BELLEROPHON” is to visit the 2014 Steam Rally at Welland, in Worcestershire, on 24th to 27th July inclusive. The loco will be operating with a brake van on the site’s small standard-gauge railway throughout each day. This rally is the 50th one on this site and is thus a special occasion and VCT is delighted to be able to support the Ross & Wye Steam Engine Society on this great occasion. The rally field is at Woodside Farm near Malvern and car parking is available. 15 May 2014 - Midland Railway six-wheeled Composite coachThis project has seen many hours of work recently. The partitions, which had been installed many years ago, have been removed, in order to make it easier to fix the roof. The roof sags badly and will have to be removed in order to replace the roof supports. It's difficult to see in the photo, but there is a string line above the roof which shows the extent of the sag.
25 March 2014 - VCT carriages out in the sun on 24 March
11 March 2014 - Great Northern Railway six-wheeled Brake Third carriage No. 589Almost complete, this needs a few finishing touches, such as the communication cord, and wiring up the lights.
1 February 2014 - VCT acquires railbus 79962
The Vintage Carriages Trust has concluded negotiations with the Keighley &Worth Valley Railway to purchase one of the line’s two Waggon und Maschinenbau railbuses, No. 79962. The German-built railbus, which has been out of action for over 25 years, is to be restored to its original appearance as far as possible and will also be fully operational. Following restoration, it is expected to see occasional use at events on the KWVR and will also be available for hire to other railways. As the vehicle requires dismantling for body repairs, the opportunity is being taken to remove residual asbestos, following which attention will be given to the wheelsets before it is transferred to the VCT workshops for full restoration, which should take approximately 3 to 4 years. Unlike sister vehicle No. 79964, which received a replacement AEC engine in the 1960s and remains in regular use on the KWVR, No. 79962 is fitted with an original Buessing engine, which proved to be problematic when in BR service. This engine has already been fully overhauled for further use. VCT Chairman Trevor England said “We are delighted to have been able to conclude negotiations to acquire 79962 and overhaul it to original condition. It will provide an interesting comparison with 79964, which has had a number of modifications in both BR and KWVR service and we look forward to the day when both vehicles will be able to operate together.” |
