Unique ballast wagon restored

Описание: Some footage taken earlier this year of a unique ballast wagon (1329) built in the 1920's to a design that was essentially late Victorian,but on a steel chassis.The wagon was removed from its long-established place in the Museum of Scottish Railways,having undergone some conservation work, and was brought into the Carriage Shed for woodwork repairs.Briefly, the procedure was to re-attach the buffer guides use these to help lift the end doors into position, and then lay the redwood decking starting from each end.Although the wagon is expected to remain under cover, all woodwork has been treated with wood preserver and any gaps filled with mastic to prevent ingress of water.Also, in view of the hammering and drilling involved in extracting some of the original bolts, most of the 170 -odd replacements are of stainless steel. Unusually for a ballast wagon, No.1329 was originally fitted with screw couplings and these have been reinstated .When tightened,these would have reduced jolting and the attendant risk to personnel when heavy materials such as sleepers were being unloaded from a moving train. The axel boxes were shielded by metal flaps known as "aprons" to deflect falling ballast during unloading. Two of these have survived - more or less - and were used as patterns for new ones made by the Steam Loco Dept. The wagon has been finished in what is believed to be the correct shade of grey, with ironwork picked-out in black and now carries the cast-iron replica plates provided some years ago by long serving society member Kevin McCallum.The other job still outstanding is the lettering.Because of their large number plates GNSR wagons did not have the number painted on the sides,but have it painted on each end.When complete,the wagon will return to its accustomed place in the museum building.The grease axle boxes would tend to discourage demonstration use even if it was given a new set of springs. GNSR ballast wagon restoration work was done by John Forrest Trustee of the Scottish Railway Museum Collection Trust and his specialist volunteers .