WMR 48

These photos were taken earlier this month (July 2023)

Dan Harawira working on a door for WMR 48 that was hung later in the day.

One of the doors after painting and glazing.

WMR 52

The photos below are of WMR 52 as we gear up to start work and to separate the walls and roof from the floor. The carriage has been owned by a succession of organisations, during which much underfloor equipment and ironwork has been removed. That will all need to be replaced with new.  With the carriage having been sat on or just above the ground and exposed to the weather for a long time, there is a lot of rot or weathering in framing members. Here some examples are shown, indicating the extent of deterioration. The interior view of the body and floor framing shows where one longitudinal floor member  has rotted and broken away entirely, for much of the length of the carriage. Plenty of work for our members as we complete work on WMR 48!

A rotted and broken bottom plate.  Studs and diagonals have rot in their lower ends which is enabling the diagonals to fall out of place.

Weathered framing of a balcony floor, showing the tenons that hold the headstock in place.

The interior of 52 showing the framing. A floor sill is missing from the transom holding the bogie kingpin for most of the rest of the length of the carriage.

Details of rot that must be repaired as we rebuild the framing.

The south balcony and a cornerpost after the stripping of tongue and groove cladding.

This headstock and balcony are heavily weathered. The end wall behind the balcony indicates the condition of the original cladding. It is still painted in weathered NZR red.

Earlier articles and photos on restoration of WMR 48 and 52 can be viewed under the Restoration Tab.