Changes

In summer 1968 the opportunity arose to acquire seven redundant coaches from Didcot, including two GWR Hawksworth Full Thirds and five LMS coaches. The Association began [[Severn Valley Railway Society]] was still in 1968 as the 'Great Western Rolling Stock Fund' (also referred process of raising the money to as acquire the 'GWR Coach Fund')line itself, so funds to acquire rolling stock needed to come from individuals and quickly began to accumulate pre-nationalisation carriages groups. Members of the C&W Department, which were being withdrawn from service by BR at had just been established in the time.<ref name=GWSVRA>newly leased [[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/background.html GW(SVR)A website ‘Background’Bewdley Goods Shed]] (retrieved 8 February 2019)</ref> In 1972 a separate group, hastily formed the ‘Great Western Locomotive '''Hawksworth Coach Fund''' and Carriage Society’succeeded in acquiring [[GWR 829 Full Third]], was formed with the intention of saving a locomotiveother Hawksworth, [[GWR Mogul 7325 | Collett Mogul 9303/73252119 Full Third]], from [[Barry Scrapyard]]being acquired by an individual member.<ref>SVR News 25</ref> The two groups shared common aims and members, and in 1973 merged to form the Great Western (SVR) Association,<ref name=SVR128>SVR News 128, “The Great Western (SVR) Association celebrates 25 years”</ref> the somewhat convoluted title being chosen to avoid any confusion with the Didcot-based Great Western Society.<refSVR157>SVR News 157</ref> The first Annual General Meeting of the new Association was held on 18 May 1974.<ref>SVR News 34</ref> The Association’s 25th Anniversary was noted in SVR News in 1998.<ref name=SVR128/> The Constitution which governs the Association’s status as a registered charity was adopted on 24 October 1998.<ref>Charities Commission website</ref>

Although this first purchase was successful, it was clear that pre-nationalisation stock was being withdrawn at an 'alarming rate' and that fundraising at short notice was not easy. The Hawksworth Coach Fund members therefore decided to form a more permanent fund, adopting the new name of '''Great Western Rolling Stock Fund''' (also referred to as the 'GWR Coach Fund'). At that time there were fewer than ten members and only a very informal structure with no officers or meeting minutes. The Fund continued to accumulate pre-nationalisation carriages, including part of the Swindon test train in 1969, the last opportunity to acquire complete GWR passenger coaches in good condition.<ref name=SVR157/> In 1972 a separate group, the '''Great Western Locomotive and Carriage Society''', was formed with the intention of saving a locomotive, [[GWR Mogul 7325 | Collett Mogul 9303/7325]], from [[Barry Scrapyard]].<ref>SVR News 25</ref> The two groups shared common aims and members, and in 1973 merged to form the '''Great Western (SVR) Association''',<ref name=SVR128>SVR News 128, "The Great Western (SVR) Association celebrates 25 years"</ref> the somewhat convoluted title being chosen to avoid any confusion with the Didcot-based Great Western Society.<ref name=SVR157/> The first Annual General Meeting of the new Association was held on 18 May 1974.<ref>SVR News 34</ref> During 7325's restoration, the Association acquired another set of wheels from Large Prairie 4156 (which had been scrapped at Barry in 1980) to replace the original wheelsets which had very thin tyres.<ref>SVR News 68/60</ref> 7325 entered service in 1992 and was withdrawn in 2000. The original wheelsets spent many years in storage at the [[Stourport Triangle]]. In 2019 2002 the Association received a request to sell their spare wheelsets to the Betton Grange Group.<ref>SVR News 142</ref> Although nothing came of the proposal at the time, in 2011 the GW(SVR)A agreed to loan their spare driving wheels to the 6880 Betton Grange Society.<ref>[https://www.6880.co.uk/grange-finds-its-feet/ www.6880.co.uk]</ref> They were re-tyred in 2012, with 6880 being wheeled for the first time in 2013.<ref>[https://www.6880.co.uk/category/wheels/page/2/ www.6880.co.uk]</ref> The Association announced it will run 's 25th Anniversary was noted in SVR News in 1998.<ref name=SVR128/> The Constitution which governs the Association’s status as a registered charity was adopted on 24 October 1998.<ref>Charities Commission website</ref> It ran a special train on 12 May 2019 to celebrate “the 50th Anniversary of the Association on the Severn Valley Railway”.<ref>Leaflet circulated to members, January 2019</ref>. This anniversary relates to the 1968 origins rather than the Association’s formation in 1973.

{{As of|20192024}} the Association owns 19 is custodian of 20 [[Carriages | carriages]], and [[:Category:Non Passenger Carrying Coaching Stock (NPCCS)| Non Passenger Carrying Coaching Stock]] (NPCCS) (three of which are owned by Association members). It also possesses one [[GWR 1257 Siphon G Bogie Milk Van| Siphon G Milk Van]], a [[GWR 141 Breakdown Tool Van|Breakdown Tool Van]] and [[GWR 89 Riding/Dormitory Van| Riding/Dormitory Van]], and a [[GWR 107291 Macaw B Bogie Bolster| Macaw B Bogie Bolster]].<ref>[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/stock_list.html Stock list on the GW(SVR)A web site (retrieved December 2018June 2024)]</ref>. A full list of SVR-based rolling stock owned by the Association may be found [[:Category:Rolling stock owned by the Great Western (SVR) Association | here]].

===RestorationsMost recent restorations===Only 3 of the carriages have not yet been returned to working order.<ref>GW(SVR)A booklet</ref>*The association’s Association's restoration of [[GWR 9103 Nondescript Saloon | GWR 9103 Nondescript Saloon]] was the overall Winner in the Heritage Railway Association’s Association's Carriage and Wagon Competition for 2015.<ref>[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/news.html GW(SVR)A website] (retrieved 6 January 2017)</ref>*[[GWR 650 Brake Third Open (Excursion)|Art Deco Brake 3rd 650]] entered service in November 2015*[[GWR 6045 Bow-end Composite|Bow-end Composite 6045]] whose restoration was completed in April 2020.

The Association’s most recently ===Yet to be returned to working order=== Only three carriages have yet to be returned to working order.<ref>GW(SVR)A booklet (since publication 6045 has been completed restoration project was [[Carriages|Art Deco Brake 3rd 650]] which entered service in November 2015. and 2242 acquired)</ref> {{As of|20192023}} work on 2426 and 4786 is in progress at [[Carriages|Bow End Composite 6045Bewdley Down Yard]] is internally complete and awaiting final painting and bogie overhaul, while repairs to Hawksworth Brake Third 2242 have been paused waiting the work on 4786 is now the roof and space in progress at BewdleyYard for work to continue on the interior<ref>[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/news.html GWR(SVRA) Newsletter published Jan 2019October 2022 news update] (Retrieved 14 October 2022)</ref>.

*[https://www.facebook.com/groups/1802133566694120/ The GW(SVR)A on Facebook] (Private group) [[Category:Featured articles]]