Penrhyn (Replica) Coach Restoration
The Penrhyn coach chassis was made up in the OKLR yard, it was made from two skip chassis,
Work started in January 1988. The bare chassis was transported to Clive Walters (Buzz) house on 10th April 1988.
This is as close a replica to the original as we could get, except that the 'real thing' used thicker timber and not ply.
Buzz produced a marvelous job on the body, as testified during the recent rebuild, when; for example the amount of work that was evident in the forming of the beading around the curved edges was very apparent.
On 23rd July the coach was returned to the railway presumably in readiness for Rustic Sunday. The body was unpainted at this time and photographs exist of it in this state.
The actual painting of the body did not occur until February and March 1989.
Note the chassis at this time was unsprung and it gave for a very lively ride. Our 'Chief Mechanical Engineer' Frank Saxby recalls his first visit to the line and riding in this coach and being jarred to the bone. So some 20 years later he did something about it and fitted springs.
in 1997 the coach was withdrawn from service
It wasn't until 2009 that any real work started in earnest on this.
The coach was covered with a tarpaulin and languished in the yard for several years. Various AGM's came and went, when discussions on rebuilding were mooted and then quietly forgotten about.
Terry Alesbury and Frank Saxby put their minds to this
and the chassis was totally rebuilt with new wheelsets, horn guides and
springs. It was strengthened up with additional plates welded in.
The body was found to be in remarkably good condition, and once reunited with its rebuilt underframe, was set to by our master mender of such things, Bernie Knibbs. With damage repaired to bodywork and attention paid to a small section of rot in the floor the paintbrush was quickly in action. Safety chains to the open doors have also been fitted.
The coach now resplendent in its new red livery was lettered up by Ron Neal and re-entered service again on Saturday 1st May 2010 for the “Model Railway Day”.
 |  |
