The 25 year long restoration of GWR Railcar W20W is now approaching its final stages.
W20W was built in 1940 and is one of just two GWR Diesel Railcars with the Razor-edge design to exist.
W20W is the only one left to be fitted with a dual-range gearbox, which originally meant it could operate on both branch lines and out on the mainline.
Fast forward to 1974, and W20W made history when it formed the first public passenger train to depart Tenterden Town on the line’s reopening day.
In 2022, the Association for Industrial Archaeology awarded the project a £20,000 grant, and this was matched by the railway’s board.
Inside the GWR Railcar // Credit: KESR
This, in turn, inspired the 20 for 20 appeal that was launched in memory of KESR Director, Andrew Webb, who led the project until he sadly died in 2019.
Since the grant funding, a range of tasks have been completed:
- Roof panels and saloon glazing have been installed to ensure a waterproof shell
- Both cabs have been rebuilt by a specialist fabricator.
- New insulation, ceiling panels, lighting and luggage racks, alongside remanufactured upholstery, make for an authentic experience
- A new diesel-fired hot water heating system has been installed to replicate the layout of the original system. This replaces the original steam heat boiler, which was beyond economic repair
- Both engines have been overhauled, with testing underway
Before the railcar can be handed over to the Operations Department for testing and commissioning, a few more tasks need to be completed, including final wiring inside the cab, windscreen installation and drive-train coupling.
The railway says that the completion of W20W will support the KESR’s future sustainability, as well as support the extension to Robertsbridge.
