GWR S8 Bloater
To cope with fish traffic from South Wales and West Country ports, the Great Western had many odd vehicles in service up to and during the 1914-18 war, some built as far back as 1880. As most of these wagons were quickly being condemned, a completey new design of fish wagon was planned, and between the years 1919 to 1923 one hundred and forty-seven vehicles were made to this diagram. The telegraphic code name was 'bloater', but the diagram was S8. To carry 10 tons their wheelbase was 18ft. They were fitted with three sliding doors on each side, which were in pairs, fastening in the centre. Equipped with gas lighting, they were also later fitted with six ventilators. DC III brakes and screw couplings. Their length required a short truss system using non-adjustabale angle steel with queen posts. Because of the long wheelbase, four V-hangers were used to avoid udualy long push rods to actuate the brake shoes.
28ft 6in overall with an 18ft wheelbase
S8 shows sprung-rod buffers and S9 self-contained buffers and only Lot 1358 had sprung rod buffers.
1916-1919
10T
11-16
Carr L1258 2139-2213 (75)
2114-2213 2268-2288 1919
2601-2629 1923
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DW150135 wearing red paintwork and white lettering and has lost its roof vents and outer steps. Seen at Theale in 1969. © David Larkin |
