IAN POPE'S

7MM SCALE MODELS OF

PRIVATE OWNER COAL WAGONS

BUILT BY THE

GLOUCESTER

RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND WAGON COMPANY

For more on the historic records of the private owner wagons built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company and a commentary by Ian Pope click here.

Although requiring more space to store than the more common 4mm scale kit and ready to run wagons, these have the advantage of representing much more of the fine detail contained within the prototype. Among the big names in 7mm scale wagon kits are Dragon Models ( email ChrisBasten@fsmail.net ) and Slaters , while the very popular 4mm Slaters wagon kits can now be obtained from C+L Finescale.

For more on 4mm scale ready to run representations of private owner wagons built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company click here

The first instance found of George Clifford in a trade directory is in Kelly's for 1889 where he is just listed as a coal merchant at Bourton on the Water. The 1901 census shows George to be a building contractor aged 50. In 1906 the address was given as the railway station - between Stow on the Wold and Notgrove. The George Clifford company appears as coal merchants in 1906 but not in 1910 or after so possibly the building business was their mainstay with coal as a secondary interest although they did have a second coal depot at Shipton-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire. Cliffords can be found listed in Oxfordshire trade directories as well as Gloucestershire ones. In 1895 George Clifford is shown to have depots at Shipton-under-Wychwood, Chipping Norton and Fifield and in 1907-1911 at Shipton-under-Wychwood and Idbury. In 1935 George Clifford and Sons appear in Bourton as builders and it may have been around this time that their coal merchants business was sold to Pratt & Haynes of Shipton-under-Wychwood.

Within the reords of the Gloucester Wagon Company, the first reference to George Clifford comes in February 1896 with the signing of a repair contract for seven years on thirteen eight-ton wagons. This appears to have been renewed in May 1902 for 14 years and covered eight seven-ton and five eight-ton wagons. New wagons were also purchased at this time when two eight-ton wagons were taken on seven years deferred purchase. In December 1905 the acquisition of a ten-ton wagon ( Fleet number 33 ) is recorded, followed by another ( Fleet number 34 ) in October 1906, both on seven years deferred purchase. In December 1908 a further pair of new wagons was obtained - numbers 35 and 36 - again on seven years terms. In October 1909 a fourteen year repair contract was signed on two eight-ton wagons - the pair bought in 1902 - marking the last reference to George Clifford in the Gloucester RCW archives. It could well have been that the George Clifford wagon fleet was repainted in Pratt & Haynes (Shipton) Ltd colours.

With the opening of the Forest of Dean Branch as a broad gauge railway in 1854 a siding was built into the ironworks together with a connection to Lightmoor Colliery. Also in that year, William Crawshay transferred 50% of his interest to his son Henry. In 1862 Henry was able to issue a notice stating that he would carry on the works alone, trading as the Cinderford Ironworks. Henry died in 1879 but the works continued under the name of Henry Crawshay & Co until Henry Crawshay & Co ltd was formed in 1889. They closed in 1894.

To supply the ironworks, iron ore mines were developed in the Cinderford area with most of the ore being brought to the surface at Shakemantle. The iron mine finally closed in 1898. A siding was provided with connections at either end from the opening of the Forest of Dean Branch but as Crawshays built their own tramroad connections between the iron mine and the ironworks it was probably used mainly for incoming traffic or ore sold to other ironworks.

Little is known of wagons supplied to Henry Crawshay & Co. Ten 10-ton wagons were supplied from the Western Wagon Co in January 1880 and were booked to Henry Crawshay & Sons. These were followed in September 1881 by twenty 8-ton wagons. These wagons - numbered in the 200 series - are likely to have been used in connection with the Crawshay's other non-colliery interests but could well have been run into Lightmoor Colliery if they were short of wagons there.

Note the lack of tare, load or return markings.

The Darkhill & Ellwood gale was taken by Noah Howell in 1892 and he began trading with his son as the Darkhill & Ellwood Colliery Company. It was not long before Arthur Latham of the Phoenix Coal Company became interested and took a share in the colliery. However, the colliery was not a success and the ledger account with the Severn & Wye & Severn Bridge Railway was closed in January 1897.

In November 1893 two 10-ton wagons were let over 7 years deferred purchase with the tenants to keep them in repair. One was number 50 so it is likely that the numbering sequence started at this point. Two 10-ton secondhand wagons were also let on temporary hire at the same time. In February 1895 two 8-ton secondhand wagons let on 3 months hire for £ 8.00. It was probably soon after this date that the colliery ceased work.

A lot of his trade in the Forest of Dean appears to have been with Trafalgar Colliery - indeed he was a director of the Trafalgar Colliery Company Ltd. Smith must have bought a large shareholding, probably in 1883, although most shares were held by members of the Brain family. He may also have been the "Mr Smith, coal factor" connected with Simeon Holmes in working the Nags Head Colliery.

Details of one of Smith's regular trades have survived in a bundle of papers in the Gloucestershire Archives (D5385/1) There are a series of delivery notes, or vouchers, to an F.B. Glossop of Weston-Super-Mare who may have been a coal merchant, he certainly had at least one wagon of his own. The notes date between 1891 and 1904 and show regular deliveries of one wagon load. There are also some letters between the two parties, one of which reveals that all was not smooth in business, In 1890 Glossop had sent his own wagon to load at Trafalgar Colliery on the account of Messrs Read ( possibly Reads of Salisbury who also appear to have acted as factors and who were also dealing with Trafalgar Colliery )

In response Smith wrote:

"he [Read] certainly cannot do better for you than I can and I do not like to lose trucks that have always worked...especially when they belong to one of my oldest friends like you - why is it?"

In August 1877 Smith took out a rental on a coal tip at the lower basin at Lydney Docks, probably in connection with his shipping of coal to the Bridgwater River. In 1932 there is a mention of a "Mr Smith, coal merchant, Stroud" taking coal from Thatch Colliery near Coleford. If this was James Smith then it would appear that he may have scaled down his business as Thatch was a fairly small concern. Smith was still trading in 1935 but he fails to appear in a trade directory for 1939.

As photographed, Ian Pope's model of James Smith wagon 819 lacks the three G plates known to have been applied to each solebar but does capture the dispute over the tare weight: 5-18-0 being chalked out and 5-17-2 being chalked on twice.

This would of course alter the tonnage charges when the wagon was weighed loaded. Note too that the "Empty to" branding is Lydney Junction. As Smith mainly traded to Trafalgar he had the two alternative routes for his empty wagons : via Lydney Junction and the Severn & Wye line or over the Great Western's Forest of Dean branch via Bullo Pill. He also had the same options for his loaded wagons, including a choice of shipping port - Lydney or Bullo. In April 1888 it was reported in the Severn & Wye Railway Minutes that James Smith had applied for a rebate of 2d per ton on his rates as the difference in carriage charges between Bullo and Lydney was 4d. He stated that owing to competition from other traders if the reduction could not be made then all his traffic would have to be shipped via Bullo. It was decided that the reduction would be made over the summer months, April to September, on coal shipped to the Bridgwater River. James Smith fell foul of the Severn & Wye again in July when it was pointed out that not all of his traffic to south western stations was being routed over the Severn Bridge as promised. Some was obviously going via Gloucester.

Strangely, although James Smith had so many wagons from the Gloucester Wagon Company, it would appear that none of them were photographed officially. This is possibly because so many of them were on hire.

In December 1896 John Stephens, Son & Co ordered a covered horse drawn van from the Gloucester Wagon Company and the business traded as John Stephens, Son & Co until in 1901 a limited company was formed to take over the business of jam, pickle and provision merchants described as "purveyors, manufacturers, packers, bottlers, and manufactueres of or dealers in pickles, jams, marmalade, fruits, sauces, soup, jellies, food stuffs, provisions, confectionery etc." At this date some 400 were employed in the business.

The subscribers were: John Stephens, The Lodge, Gloucester. Jam & pickle manufacturer; Albert John Stephens, 29 Denmark Road. Jam & pickle manufacturer; and Hubert Harry Stephens, 13 Denmark Road. Jam & pickle manufacturer together with their wives. The capital was to be £ 100 000 in 100 000 £1.00 shares with the registered office at The Vinegar Works, Worcester Street.

In November 1901 two 10-ton wagons - including number 26 - were ordered by John Stephens from the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Ltd, presumably to bring coal from Eastern United Colliery in the Forest of Dean to power the boilers at The Vinegar Works. Each wagon cost £58/10/- and a repair contract was taken out at the same time and renewed in 1908.

John Stephens appears to have died between 1910 and 1912 and in 1917 the directors were given as Albert John Stephens of "Clovelly" , Denmark Road, and Hubert Harry Stephens, Upton Knoll, Upton St Leonards.

On 3 December 1919 it was reported that the company was to be voluntarily wound up to allow a reconstruction. The name was to be changed to John Stephens, Son & Co (1919) Ltd but in the end the old company name was reused. In October 1932 there was an Emergency General Meeting of the new company when, once again, it was decided that reconstruction was desirable. The company was wound up voluntarily and was presumably reformed, appearing in a trade directory for 1935.

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Unfortunately nothing is known of where Richard Thomas sourced his wagons. He also had wagons in connection with his tinplates works at Lydney. It is presumed that once Thomas's interest in Lydbrook Colliery ceased, the wagons so lettered were absorbed back into his general fleet. Wagons mentioned in the Severn & Wye Railway's letter books which can with certainty be ascribed to the colliery are numbers 51 & 82 off road at Waterloo Sidings on 13 October 1902.

No record has yet been found as to where Trafalgar obtained its wagon stock. All wagons appear to be either 4 or 5 plank and to be in black livery, lettered with white. A repair agreement was taken out with the Gloucester Wagon Company in February 1895 for eight 6-ton, one 7-ton, seven 8-ton and two 10-ton wagons for the sum of £3 /10/- per annum for a period of seven years. In February 1896 twenty two 10-ton wagons were added for seven years at £2.00. Both of these agrements were renewed at the end of seven years the although the prices had increased to £ 4.00 and £2 /12/6. In July 1908 a repair agreement for 61 10-tonwagons was signed at £ 3.00 with a 5/- advance. This contract was renewed in July 1915 althouh at that date it was only for 51 wagons.

In May 1909 ten wagons were "converted" at a cost of £125.00. "Conversions" were the alteration of elderly dumb buffered wagons to sprung buffers. This work was necessary under the regulations of the Railway Clearing House which laid down that no dumb-buffered wagons were to remain in traffic after 1913. Also in May 1909 a repair contract was signed for seven 6-ton and four 7-ton wagons for 4 years 11 months, for 51 10-ton wagons over 6 years and 5 months, 11 10-tonners and 5 8-tonners for 10 years and one 10-ton wagon for repair and "conversion".

In April 1910 a contract for repairing 22 10-ton wagons for seven years was signed, again probably a renewal of earlier contracts and it was again renewed in May 1917. This was the last mention of Trafalgar in the Gloucester RCW Minutes as it was not long before Trafalgar Colliery ceased to be a family firm.

December 1902 saw two Turners wagons photographed at the Bristol Road works of the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company. Number 25 was a six plank coal wagon whilst Number 26 was a drop sided stone wagon. Both were painted "stone colour" with black lettering and ironwork and red shading on the letters.

The only mention in the Severn and Wye Railway letter books is on 21 August 1908 when wagon 6 was derailed at Coleford Junction. What happened to the wagons when Turners sold their Forest of Dean interests is unknown. It is possible that they were maintained to be used in connection with Turner's works in Cardiff.

In January 1916 The Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company let ten secondhand 10-ton wagons on hire for 5 years. The following month saw a further forty secondhand 10-ton wagons let on hire for 5 years and also a repairing contract was taken out on five 10-ton wagons for 7 years at £3 19s 0d war rate ( £2 12s 6d ordinary rate ). This contract suggests that the colliery may also have had wagons from another builder but had put them with Gloucester RCW for repairs as with their hired wagons. There is also a company letter which mentions a wagon Number 22 in 1916 in trade to Sharpness.

In 1904 the company was taken over by the Monmouth Steam Saw Mills Company Limited and in 1914 the Whitecliff Lime and Stone Company was formed. Behind this company were the Monmouth Steam Saw Mills Company with George Jones, Thomas Gwilliam and Ernest Boulton.

BY August 1930 the owners were Thomas Swan and Company who operated until soon after the Second World War when the quarry was bought by Fred Watkins, who traded as Fred Watkins (Whitecliff Quarries) Ltd. In the mid 1960s the quarry passed to Man-Abell (Whitecliff Quarries) Ltd. After 1917 the quarry traffic was worked by the Severn & Wye Railway's Coleford Branch and this continued until 1967.

In September 1886 three secondhand five plank 10-ton wagons were let on seven years deferred purchase by the Gloucester Wagon Company with the Whitecliff Lime Company to keep the wagons in repair. These 4-18-0 tare vehicles were painted stone colour with black lettering and ironwork and their sloping roofs were fitted with loading doors on either side. In May 1887 a further three 10-ton wagons were let over 7 years deferred purchase.

Presumably between 1904 and 1914 wagons lettered for the Monmouth Steam Saw Mills Company Limited were used which is possibly borne out by a Gloucester RCW order dated 6 April 1914 when three secondhand 8-ton wagons were let on hire for 10 months to the Whitecliff Lime and Stone Company which were described as "late Monmouth Steam Saw Mills."

In September 1915 three 8-ton wagons were sold to the Whitecliff Lime Company on seven years deferred payment.

By 1885 however the concern was in difficulties, probabaly with water, and by 1890 the colliery was said to be disused. The gale was surrendered back to the Crown and was regranted to a committee of Free Miners in 1891 and they formed the Wimberry Colliery Company Limited. By April 1900 the workings had reached the barriers leaving little coal to be worked.

From July 1901 the colliery was leased to Amos Brown but he gave up three years later. No more work was done and eventually the colliery became part of Cannop Colliery.

7 plank 10 ton wagon number 2 was photographed by the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company in December 1896 as part of an order for six wagons placed the previous August. The door was probabaly natural wood or grey with wither a black or red "W" although one source states that the door was Chromium Yellow. The wagons were registered with the Great Western railway and carries Gloucester RCW builders, owners and repairers plates on its wooden body and steel solebars.

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