Well Travelled Wagon

[Narrow Minded]

At the Butterley Garden Railway Association we have this "Well Travelled Wagon"..............



As you can see, locations it's visited are written on the sides and ends. (Unfortunately I was lost in a Mamod Moment when I took the photo's and forgot to set my camera to macro - I'll get some clearer shots on my next visit )



Now, we'd like to know more about the history of this little ambassador and its travels.
We know it arrived at Butterley from the Timpdon Lake, but when?
It's been to such places as the AJR; Canada, Manoa Valley; Oahu, CMR; Maryland, the Longlands and Western and what looks like the PTLR in England.

If anyone knows anything about the wagon can you PLEASE let us know

Also, we think it's about time it continued its "tour" and we'd like to send it to Europe - hopefully Germany, but I'm sure if we can get it across the channel it would stand a good chance of getting there anyhow! Again, any nominations / applications to host its next stop, please get in touch.

A PLEA If you can get in touch with any colleagues and associates that don't frequent this illustrious forum and ask them to help, we might be able to piece together the definitive history of this great little piece of rolling stock. It would be nice to type it up and present it with the wagon on its journey

Many thanks in anticipation guys

[mhlr]

I did see somewhere on the internet a breif history about this wagon... god knows where it was though If it's been to the PTLR, one of the PTLR crew on this forum may be able to help And the Longlands and Western, just email Tag from Garden Rail mag

[laalratty]

It could be a different PTLR, but knowing Cecil and co it is probably the Pine Tree Light Railway, which is a pitty as it would make an interesting visitor to PTLRfest (if MDLR could bring it up from Butterly). Wasn't there a webpage set up about this wagon, I'm sure I remember reading about a travelling wagon on the internet?

[DolwyddelanLightRail]

Wasn't there a webpage set up about this wagon, I'm sure I remember reading about a travelling wagon on the internet?

I have a feeling that may have been for a 00 gauge wagon, which travelled the whole of the UK, and most of the world as well!

And it got lost in the post somewhere coming back from America I think Shame really!

[laalratty]

No it was definatly a 16mm scale one I remember reading about, although it would be much easier to do with 00

[Narrow Minded]

I've Emailed Tag and asked him if a) He knows anything and b) If he could print a query in Garden Rail.

His reply has been really helpful and this website details the origins.

http://www.theoaks.ca/transferwagon.html

Sadly, it comes to an abrupt end just after the wagon arrived here in the UK.

I have some more leads from Tag, but they're people on t'other side of the pond. I'll be following them up to see if they have any info, but it seems it's down to us "Brits" to get the project back on track. (pun intended!)

Anyoldhow, thanks for the help so far guys, keep 'em coming

[maxnod]

Good work, Gregs!
I've signed the "Wheldon Wagon" guest book to say where it is now.

[Hancockshire]

Wow. what a history behind that wagon. Imagine what the original one must be worth!!!!

[SillyBilly]

No more than an any other wagon just like it.

It's a very interesting story, I look forward to the next installment.

[Narrow Minded]

I'm still waiting for a reply from Ron Brown who started this whole "chain wagon" saga and Chris MacKenzie, who it's thought was the last link (so far!)

A part of the puzzle is a guy named Bob Walker in Canada. After contacting him, here's part of his reply........

It's good to see that the Wheldon Wagon is on its way again. Its my friend Tony who does the web site. To my knowledge it was first sent to the UK to Tag Gorton. He unfortunately left it on a shelf for months, and then with my prodding he finally passed it on, but information is very scarce about where it went although some pictures came to me and I sent them on to Tony. I believe he is contacting Tag to find information about the pictures. I will forward your letter to Tony.

I'll be contacting Tony to find out how much info he's got and where any "gaps" are up to present.

So come on gang, somebody must have a contact somewhere with some more information. Remember, each line it visited should have taken a photo of it to post on its website.

Thanks for the help so far, keep it up and I'm sure we'll crack it!

[Narrow Minded]

Just to keep you up-to-date

Wow...

Great to here that the Wheldon wagon might get back on the rails. Here is a link to the whole story.

http://www.theoaks.ca/transferwagon.html

I have maintained the web site for a number of years. As you can see the little wagon has been to Hawaii down through thr USA and up through and accross Canada. If folks donot have access to the web, the wagton exploits have been documented in the 32mm newsletter.

Check out the web site and email me. I am hoping there will be enough interest in England to have the little wagon continue it's journey.

If the interest has waned for this project I will gladly pay for the shipping back to it's originator.

Sincerely Tony Owen

.........Interest Waned?.............Shipped Back To It's Owner??

Surely not!

[laalratty]

I'd happily have it doing a tour of the NWAG lines if I get the chance, then maybe a couple of other area groups before heading for another country

[Sir haydn]

Could go to brain on the MDLR as it is one of the oldest 16mm scale lines in the area before it leaves for a different part of britian.

[laalratty]

That would work very well if Brian makes it to PTLR fest, although I've just had a thought, it would be criminal if the wagon didn't make an appearance at Stoneliegh! How about running it on Dixon Green, or maybe Phurcombe Hall?

[Sir haydn]

Im in charge of mount dowd at stoneleigh. So its more than welcome there

[Narrow Minded]

I've just received a reply from the actual builder of the wagon Rob Kuhlman, after my daisy chain of Emails finally reached him!

Greetings, Greg!

My name is Rob Kuhlman. Both Ron Brown and Tony Owen emailed me in the
last day including copies of emails which you had sent to each of them.
Thanks so much for getting in touch about this! I suspect Tony will be
contacting you at some point, but he recently sold his home and railway
and moved with his wife to a boat, so I suspect he gets online less
frequently than he did when he started the project.

The idea behind the project was Tony's; I just volunteered the car, and
took the first 'shift' with it 4 or so years ago. It made the rounds in
the states, went up to Canada, and I believe it then went to the U.K.
directly from the Diamondhead event one January two or so years ago,
perhaps with Alan Walker? It was at that point that Tony and I lost
track of it. I remember contacting Peter Jones maybe 18 months ago and
he said he had stirred the pot a bit and either he or Tag had discovered
its whereabouts. And then it got stalled again, apparently, and Tony
and I had pretty much resigned ourselves that it would gather dust on
someone's shelf from here on in. So...thanks so much for bringing it to
life once again!

I would suspect by now that it's running out of space to enscribe the
various hosts. I can't remember any more whether or not the coal load
is removeable; if it was it'd be a great place to stow a 'road log'.
Alternatively, if there was a carrier underneath to store a USB drive,
that would be neat, but USB drives weren't really around much back when
this got started, so we never thought about it at the time.

If you would do a giant favor for me, that would be terrific. Would you
please affix a label of some kind on the under surface (assuming there's
any empty space...) with my name and email address as a contact? That
would really help to ensure it doesn't get stranded again. I'd like to
have the car return home someday.

If you've reviewed Tony's website describing the travels of the wagon,
you can see that there are some major holes in recording its journeys in
the U.K. So please encourage folks to take some photos and email them
with some caption info to Tony so he can build the website up to include
its recent travels.

Thank you so much for all your help in this!

Take care,

Rob Kuhlman

So, we're definitely back on track All we need to do now is try and "fill the gap" as best we can

[mhlr]

Im in charge of mount dowd at stoneleigh.

Oh well you'll be seeing a lot of us lot, mainly myself, Andy and Dan running a triple header of Berties...

[Sir haydn]

I was in charge last year too so i saw u all then

[mhlr]

Oh was it you? Can't remember, well you'll most likely see us too then, then!!

[Narrow Minded]

Getting back on topic

I've received info from Tag Gorton, including a photo from the LWR with Chippy Joe.



Any more to come??