Great Western Railway Churchward Coaches

Early Toplight coaches are wooden panelled, similar to the last Dean coaches, but with elliptical roofs and wider bodies. Their distinguishing feature which also gives them their name is the small glass lights or windows above the main windows. Over the years, as repairs became necessary, these toplights got plated over. Also the panels got plated over and slowly a toplight coach start with time to look like a later steel body coach. This is best illustrated by the photo of camping coach 9930 below which has been partially plated over.
Dimensions
Width over cornices 8' 11¼
Width over body at waist 9'
Width over handles 9' 5
Height to gutters 10' 7¼
Height to top of roof 12' 6¼
Height over ventillators

Diagram Dimensions
Length x Width
Wheelbase
Numbers
Conversions
C27

10 compartment third
with 2 lavatories

 70' x 9'

63'6 wheelbase

 20 built in 1906

16 built in 1906

12 built in 1907

 2401 to 2409, 2411 to 2421

3601 to 3616

3617 to 3628
C27 © Real 25011		 Condemned 1951 to 1957
D43

4 compartment brake third
with 1 lavatory

 70' x 9'

9' American bogies

63'6 wheelbase

 14 built in 1906

10 built in 1907

 3479 to 3492

3493 to 3502
D43 © HG Tidey		 Condemned 1950 to 1956
E79

9 compartment composite
with 2 lavatories

4 first class and 5 second class compartments

 70' x 9'

9' American bogies

63'6 wheelbase

 6 built in 1906 (7)1512 to (7)1517
E79 or E81 © HG Tidey		 Condemned 1953 to 1957
E81

9 compartment composite
with 2 lavatories

4 first class and 5 third class compartments

 10 built in 1906 (7)1675 to (7)1684 Condemned 1948 to 1957
E80

8 compartment brake tri-composite
with 2 lavatories

2 first class, 2 second class and 4 third class compartments

 70' x 9'

9' American bogies

63'6 wheelbase

 10 built in 1906

10 built in 1907

 (7)1658 to (7)1667

(7)1655 to (7)1657, (7)1668 to (7)1674

 Condemned 1953 to 1957
F13

7 compartment tri-composite double slip with 2 lavatories

2 first class, 2 second class and 3 third class compartments

 70' x 9'

9' American bogies

63'6 wheelbase

 15 built in 1909 (7)1685 to (7)1699
F13, No.7697. © Photomatic		 Slip gear removed from most in 1954

Condemned 1953 to 1959
H13

Second Class Restaurant Car

Vestibule, Kitchen
7 dining tables seating 4 and 7 dining tables seating 2

 70' x 9'

9' American bogies

62'6 wheelbase

 4 built in 1906

6 built in 1906

 401 to 404
renumbered 9522 to 9525 in 1907

407 to 412
renumbered 9528 to 9533 in 1907
H13 or H14. © Real 25011

H13 was fitted with bench seats at the 4 seat tables,
H14 was fitted with individual seats.

 All but 9522 & 9523 received 6 wheel bogies between 1938 and 1946.

All but 9524 were refurbished in 1938 and fitted with large windows and airstream ventillators.

9522, 9524 to 9531, 9533 were fitted with "Gangways and Adapters for Buckeye Couplers and Pullman Vestibules" in 1953/4

All condemned between 1949 and 1961
H14

Second Class Restaurant Car

Vestibule, Kitchen
7 dining tables seating 4 and 7 dining tables seating 2

 2 built in 1906 405 & 406
renumbered 9526 & 9527 in 1907
H15

Restaurant Car

Kitchen
7 dining tables seating 4 and 7 dining tables seating 2

 70' x 9'

9' American bogies

62'6 wheelbase

 12 built in 1907 9534 to 9545 9534 was damaged by enemy action and fitted with a new moderised body in 1946 (69'6 x 8'11)

9534 & 9543 received 6 wheel bogies in 1946 and 1938 respectively.

All were refurbished in 1938 and fitted with large windows and airstream ventillators.

9534 to 9537, 9538 to 9540, 9542, 9543, 9545 were fitted with "Gangways and Adapters for Buckeye Couplers and Pullman Vestibules" in 1953 to 58

All condemned between 1955 and 1961

Under Construction.  This project is definitely work in progress. If you would like to receive an email when I update these pages please contact me in the Carriage Shed.

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GWR Coaches -- www.GWRCoaches.org.uk -- Richard Spratt 2021 -