wagon in the garden

Wasnt sure where to put this, but as it needs discussing..... We have been toying with the idea of buying a closed goods wagon and having it on display alongside the railway. It would make a great shed or a host of other things. We have seen a few on sale at some of the Tourist railways but quite honestly they would need virually rebuilding. Obviously they will keep the good ones for themselves!

I am now thinking about building a full size wagon myself (there being all the neccessary dimensions in the
MTVS journals. I thought about buying a couple of lengths of track and two sets of wheels. then i thought what about cutting one flange from an ordinary car wheel. that would look OK wouldnt it? I seek inspiration, suggestions and ideas.

mikey

Mikey... If you're serious keep plugging away and looking.

The tourist railways are trying to make a few euros on something they usually found/were given for nothing.

Sadly I missed a sitter about 5 years ago the Vivarais were giving away 6 K series metre gauge wagons for nothing...buyer collects!

Metre gauge wagons are becoming hard to find but not impossible. There are a lot on the CFBS rotting away, and many on the Blanc Argent which I would seriously make an equiry about as rumours abound about the whole future of the line.
Also the CF Provence may well have some. They never seem to throw anything away!

Rotting, abandoned and forgotten standard gauge wagons are plentiful and it's knowing who to find to get them.

I made enquiries about some at Longueville (AJECTA) 2 years ago and they could have got me two in a bit of a mess but for nothing. I had no where to put them at the time.... but I have now!

I would like to convert one to a caravan for guests. That's another project.

Mikey:
It's a year or two since I went, but there were loads of "couverts" hanging around the Blanc-Argent and it's nearest to you. The preservation society SABA has got some of them but as a tourist operation their need for freight stock and ability to restore it must be a bit limited. Try SABA (on google.fr).
Phil

There were 6 K series wagons at Pruniers - en Sologne (Yes....a real village called 'Plum Trees') abandoned in a siding in front of the goods shed for ages.
just seen in this pic.

Pruniers gare

The station was owned privately by some non-railway enthusiastic 'people' who became very irritated when I tried and asked politely to take photos. These 'anti-railway people' should not be allowed to live in these beautiful dwellings...In fact many of them are just very fortunate squatters.

Anway.... Try this site for a display of standard gauge covered wagons with some converted.

Wagons couverts

If you look carefully around here, I'm sure that most of the goods stock from the KESR now live in various gardens and farmyards.
Once you notice one,they seem to crop up everywhere.No wheels but they make indestructable sheds

Sparkeswood wrote:

...... they make indestructable sheds

They could make an indestructable 'granny' flat......for MIL visits...

In my case they'd have to have a bloody good lock.
Maybe a 'granny flat' with the wheels left on........and a long ..long ....winding siding, disappearing into the distance

Sparkeswood wrote:

In my case they'd have to have a bloody good lock.
Maybe a 'granny flat' with the wheels left on........and a long ..long ....winding siding, disappearing into the distance

.....and I'd have '3rd rail DC' in case she tried to get out.

I saw at the bottom of the link I posted about the wagons

"Plusieurs couverts 2 essieux des années 10 à 30, décrits sur le site du 5ème RG. >> Risquent la destruction en raison de la dissolution du Régiment en 2010"

Maybe worth an enquiry to the French army...?

The 5éme RG (Régiment Genie) 5th engineering regiment has/had a large railway depot near Versailles. They used to have an open day in September on the 'jours patrimoines'.

They were disbanded in June this year.

5RG

I was browsing through the photos of French goods wagons on the link provided, and found this picture of a US Army flat car.



The flat car itself isn't all that interesting, but look at the device in the background. It appears to be a WW2 vintage US Army truck (Dodge PowerWagon?) converted to run on the rails. Now there's a prize for somebody if it still existes at the 5th regiment's depot. Wouldn't that look great in your garden?

I will try and find out Bill.....might you be interested in it for your garden?

Meanwhile I know that Solido make a model of this. Shame it is in the wrong scale (1:43) for us.
Solido Dodge

Carl Hibbs wrote:

I will try and find out Bill.....might you be interested in it for your garden?

I'm afraid the shipping costs would be a killer. Thanks, anyway.

Morning years ago I used to help re-build the W & L wagons and vans at Llanfair, I did enjoy doing it but I know the cost of the timber was expence, they were all timber Les