Photos:
Trevor Page - HTO coal hopper No. B418128 is seen in the down yard goods train.
Trevor Page - After a great deal of hard work, Roger Wornham found a Presflo wagon under an odd-shaped mass of old cement. Here is the result.

Towards the end of 1986 the decision was taken to increase the Society's collection of goods vehicles as examples of characteristic types were fast disappearing. Assistance was sought and gained from the Science Museum and Roger Wornham then took on the job of tracking down serviceable examples worthy of preservation.

First to arrive was the 21-ton unfitted coal hopper wagon No. B418128, previously used by National Smokeless Fuels (TOPS code HTO). The vehicle was built at Shildon in 1955 to Lot No. 2731.11 was rebodied in 1971 , also at Shildon, and last received a major repair in 1980, prior to sale to NSF. The hopper wagon arrived at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre during late March 1987 and within days had been repainted for the British Coal sponsored Steam Heritage Awards ceremony. This was at the expense of British Coal. It must be pointed out that the bright red livery carried by the HTO is - at least for this example fictitious, but was required by NSF to illustrate their current livery. The wagon will receive the correct light grey livery when repainting becomes due.

The next and latest wagon to arrive was the Presflo cement carrier, Tunnel Cement No.6, built in 1960 by Butterley Engineering of Codner Park, Nottingham. Originally the vehicle was used in Kent, but later transferred to Pitstone, near Tring, being employed on block trains to Bevois Park, Southampton distribution depot. When the company changed from privately owned vacuum braked vehicles to hired air-braked examples, No.6 was withdrawn and laid up at Pitstone. Upon Roger Wornham's enquiries, Castle Cement (formerly Tunnel Cement) generously offered to present the vehicle to the Society and it was formally handed over at a ceremony held on 11 October. Much hard work was put in to return the wagon to its former red oxide livery, as the entire outside surface was liberally covered with rock-hard cement. However, the end result is very smart and a welcome addition to the goods trains, which are a popular feature of our open days. The Presflo wagon was registered with BR as No. TC 8956, weighs 13½ tons and is capable of carrying 22 tons of cement.

Some members have commented that these two vehicles look rather modern to be part of the collection at Quainton and it is true that they are a great contrast to some of our early wooden examples. However, the HTO, for example, is well over 30 years old; not far off the age of our LMS brake van when it was first acquired by the Transport Trust a considerable time ago! The preservation of wagons such as the hopper and cement carrier is, therefore, very much a sign of the times.

In 1988 two more wagons are likely to be acquired - a 1910 vintage tank wagon and one of the famous clay hoods from Cornwall. It should be pointed out that in these times of stringent economy none of these vehicles will cost the Society a penny. All are being funded by private donations, the aforementioned Science Museum grants or presentation of the actual wagon itself.

Notes:
The text in this Quainton Railway Society publication was written in 1987 and so does not reflect events in the 27+ years since publication. The text and photographs are repeated verbatim from the original publication, with only a few minor grammar changes but some clarifying notes are added if deemed necessary. The photos from the original publication are provided as scans in this internet version of this long out of print publication.

Reference:
Wagons - Quainton News No. 64 - Winter 1987 / 88