Wagons & Vans

Dogfish Ballast Hoppers 

Three ballast hoppers of the type known as Dogfish are currently on the railway, all built to diagram 1/587. All three are in working order.

DB983010, built by Chas Roberts of Wakefield in 1957, lot no 2939 with a weight of 24 tons
DB983197, built by Chas Roberts of Wakefield in 1957, lot no 2939 with a weight of 24 tons
DB993054, built by Metro Cammell in 1959, lot no 2820 with a weight of 24 1/2 tons

From the top:
DB983010, DB993054 and DB983197 (the only item of rolling stock carrying the EVR name!) in Warcop Yard, May 2010

Lowmac 

Low Machine Wagon (Lowmac) KDE263282, TOPS code ZXW was built by the LNER in Darlington in 1945 and originally carried the number E263282. It sees regular use in works trains where its low floor is of great benefit and is pictured below in a short works train in 2010. The wooden floor was completely renewed in 2011.

Sturgeon 

The Sturgeon is a multi purpose rail, sleeper and ballast wagon, code YBB. Our example, DB994430 was built in 1960 by British Railways at Lancing, lot number 3265 to diagram 1/647.

It has seen much use on works trains as it’s size allows us to transport large loads, such as that seen in the photo below.

DB994430 in Warcop Yard with a lot of sleepers neatly stacked on it.

DB994430 in its naked state, Warcop Yard, May 2010

Shark (DB993860)

British Rail’s ballast plough brake vans were known as Sharks: DB993860 was built in 1957 by Birmingham Railway and Carriage Works, lot number 2040, to diagram 1/597. It has seen regular use with the works train, and was formerly used for brake van rides when the Eden Valley began running trains. It has recently undergone an extensive overhaul to replace a lot of the woodwork.

The Shark in May 2010

A closer view of one of the ballast ploughs on the Shark

The rather naked Shark in 2014, with almost all of the woodwork removed and the new frame in place.

The completed Shark in August 2016. All the interior woodwork and fittings have also been refurbished.

CCT M94749 

M94749 is one of 822 Covered Carriage Trucks (CCT) built in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was built by BR at Earlestown in 1960 to diagram 816, lot number 30614. Following withdrawal it passed to the Mechanical and Electrical Engineers’ department as an electrification stores van and was renumbered KDB977141. At Warcop it was used until the end of 2012 as The Warcop Emporium. Having been replaced by MLV S68010 it is now being used as a storage space and has recently had a repaint to brighten it up.

M94749 in use as the Warcop Emporium in 2010

M94749 in its current position and livery by the car park at Warcop

14 ton Motor Car Van (B889020) 

In the late 1950s British Rail built thirty 14 ton Motor Car Vans for use on continental ferry services. B889020 was built at Lancing in 1958, lot number 3022 to diagram 1/291. On withdrawal it became an internal user vehicle numbered 042187.

It is currently in use at Warcop as a stores vehicle and is in a very difficult position for the photographer. This is the best I can do.

High Speed Freight Vehicle 4 (HSFV4 – RDB787319)

Originally built as a ferry van, this vehicle was fitted with an experimental suspension at Derby in 1968 in order to trial high speed running of four wheeled freight vehicles. It was renumbered RDB787319 and given the designation HSFV4. Following the end of the trial it was subsequently used for general test work and had a flat roof fitted for use in overhead line testing trains. After use as a mess van and tool store for the S & T department it was dumped out of use at Morpeth before moving to Warcop, where it is currently looking rather worse for wear and awaiting restoration.

For a fuller explanation of the experimental suspension and some photographs of HFSV4 in use see here.

HSFV4 in it’s early days at Warcop

HSFV4 in more recent times, looking a little worse for wear

Ferry Vans 

786897 and 787277 are two 20 ton ferry vans built to diagram 1/227, lot 3472 at Ashford in 1963. Prior to arriving at Warcop they had both been in use as S & T stores vans.

786897 photographed just after arrival at Warcop (upper) and a more recent shot (lower)

For a long time 787277 has been difficult to photograph. This was my best effort

Standard Vans (B762586 and B785252) 

B762586 is an all plank standard ventilated goods van built at Wolverton in 1954, lot 2595, to diagram 1/208. It is currently in poor condition but restoration is scheduled to commence in 2018.
B785252 is a plywood bodied standard ventilated goods van built by Pressed Steel in 1961, lot 3398, to diagram 1/224 and is in use for storage at Warcop.

The two vans together in the early days at Warcop when they were part way through painting.

A closer view of B762586 at the Flitholme end of a rake of stock in 2010

B785252 in January 2018. It took a bit of fence leaning and an 18mm lens to get this shot on a rather gloomy day

20 ton tube wagon (B730189) 

B730189 is a 20 ton tube wagon built in Darlington in 1949 to diagram 1/445 and based on an LNER design. At some point it has been repaired and one of the doors is now 4-plank rather than 5-plank, but when this happened is unknown as it was like this when it arrived at Warcop.

It has recently undergone a thorough restoration and is in use in the works train.

B730189 in the line of stock at Flitholme in 2010

A recent shot of the almost completed restoration of the wagon

12 ton Pipe Wagons 

B740255 is a pipe wagon built at Derby in 1949, lot 2004, to diagram 1/460, based on an LNER design
B741271 is a pipe wagon built at Wolverton in 1955, lot 2712, to diagram 1/462

B740255 at Warcop in May 2010

B741271 in the middle of the rake of wagons on the embankment at Flitholme in May 2010

Independent Snowplough (ADB965197)

Date and place of construction are currently unknown. It is a conversion from a steam loco tender

ADB965197 at Warcop in 2009 and needing a coat or two of paint

The snowplough in July 2013 after receiving some of that paint and in January 2018 wearing a black topcoat and some Cumbrian weather related discolouration.