THE GLOUCESTER RAILWAY CARRIAGE & WAGON COMPANY
AND ARGENTINA
The first two pictures illustrating this article are by Martin Polech and the rest by José Bodnar
With thanks for translations to Luis de la Fuente and Anahi Lopez Favilli
Lanus State University was built in 1998 on part of the Remedios de Escalada workshops of the former Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway. And – upside down - among the debris left on the Universidad Nacional de Lanûs campus was a four-wheeled covered wagon with a Gloucester worksplate.
University Chancellor Dr Ana Jaramillo saved the seven metre long wagon from being scrapped, and had it turned the right way up and moved next to a redundant platform.d had it turned the right way up and moved next to a re
After that, Cristina Enghel, the Director of the Department of Institutional Relations, contacted artist Pedro Polej to create a high relief mural called "The Wind Rose that Points South" near the wagon. . Miss Patricia Durruty, Mr Guillermo Tangelson and Mrs Karina Dappiano, from the same Department, approved the use of the wagon as a place to store the material for the Mural Workshop.in
But when the vehicle’s high quality of design and workmanship was appreciated a decision was made to make the interior an art classroom – with a difference. The southern end boasts a display about to the Mapuches people – who live in Patagonia and southern Chile - while the northern end is dedicated to Gloucester!thern end boasts a display about to the Mapuches people – who live in Patagonia and southern Chile - while the northern end is dedi
The students involved
Around the sliding door wagon Senor Polej and his students - Margarita Castillo, Sandra Díaz, Marta Esturi, Alicia Favilli, Ruben Graziano, Mabelen Miccio, Sergio Orellano, and Mabel Varela - are also creating a museum of English tools found on the site. But to complete the cultural space - which the University dubbed "Town of the Workshops" – more information was needed.
Another view inside
Following an email from Senor Polej I visited the GRCW archives in the Gloucestershire County Records Office and found that The Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway (BAGSR) bought many vehicles from Gloucester in the 1880s including passenger carriages and a breakdown train. The Director's Minute Book noted on 13 January 1885 that a 5% discount would be offered to the BAGSR for 2 covered wagons, each costing £ 160.50.
Tracing from original GRCW archive photograph (Alan Drewett)
Two sepia photographs in an album -dated November and December 1884 - also showed a light-coloured four-wheeled covered wagon with vertical wooden planks and sliding doors. Numbered 1701 and lettered FCS (Ferro Carril Sud ) the wagon was built to the Argentine Broad Gauge of 5’6" and originally featured a sliding section in the corrugated iron roof and another small loading hatch at one end.
Tracing of original roof opening detail (Alan Drewett)
"I’m planning to make an anniversary party" Senor Polej wrote in his email about the blue painted wagon’s 120 years in Argentina in 2005. "And would like to make contact with any Gloucester school or association with an interest in our project. I hope that this exchange will prove fruitful for both cultures, which have been intertwined since the 19th century, and that we will be able to keep this railway heritage alive both in Gloucester and Lanús." The Universidad Nacional de Lanûs wagon arrived in Buenos Aires harbour in July 1885.
If anyone would like to be "twinned" with Gloucester built wagon 1701, please email me!
In the meantime, I hope to expand this feature when time permits to celebrate the long association between Gloucester RCW and railways in Argentina. One example is the Kerr Stuart engined railmotor depicted above, also delivered to The Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway (Luis de la Fuente collection)