HANDOVER OF CHURCHILL'S FUNERAL VAN AT SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS - 3rd October 2007
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Update from Steve Doughty - 4th October 2007
Project Leader and Deputy Chairman, Swanage Railway Trust.
Photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright,Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway, unless otherwise noted.
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Please scroll down the page to see the full set of 150 photos of the handover at Southampton Docks, plus details of how to easily contribute to this project.

Shown with Sir Winston Churchill's funeral van - Southern Railway van S2464S - at Southampton Docks are Swanage Railway Trust Deputy Chairman and Project Leader, Steve Doughty (extreme left) with, next to him, James Cox Swanage Railway Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Manager and the team who loaded the van onto the low-loader on Wednesday 3rd October 2007.

Steve Doughty writes:

After an 8000 mile voyage from California via the Panama Canal, S2464S or the Churchill car (as we have learned to call it when talking to our US cousins) arrived at Southampton on the 'Tamerlane' on Monday 24th September and became a van once more.

For various reasons, Wednesday 3rd October was set for us to collect it, with James Cox, Swanage Railway Loco Carriage & Wagon Manager, Andrew P.M. Wright, Swanage Railway's official photographer and myself arriving at Dock Gate 4 in the Eastern Docks shortly before 10am.

The pier where we collected S2464S and Car 14 (the Devon Belle observation car) earlier this year is adjacent to the old Southampton Terminus Station and the famous crossing into the docks at Canute Road that took the rail lines not just to the docks, but to the old Ocean Liner Terminal.

My own arrival in the Southampton area was interesting from a railway perspective, for a pit-stop at the Rownham services on the M27 found Class 47 47339 waiting in a layby on a Heanor trailer, interestingly on the westbound side, but presumably heading to the scrapyard. More positively, once through the security point and into the docks, my progress towards the Willenius Wilhelmsen Logistics office was halted by the passage of Class 66 66136 on a train of empty car flats, an export cargo having been delivered.

Swanage Railway Trust Deputy Chairman and Project Leader, Steve Doughty (left) and James Cox, Swanage Railway Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Manager loading the van onto the low-loader at Southampton Docks on Wednesday 3rd October 2007.

On arrival the Allely's road trailer and driver Dave were ready and waiting, having driven to Southampton direct from their last job the night before. Thus we were able to make a more of less immediate start, with Peter from WW leading the team of two plant operators who had helped us with Car 14 earlier in the year. That experience certainly made this job easier, for all concerned knew the form and went quickly to work.

First, the bogies are loaded directly onto the low-loader followed by the the body - placed on top by the enormous 50-tonne forklift cum crane at Southampton Docks on Wednesday 3rd October 2007.

However, a different loading plan was adopted this time, with the bogies being placed directly onto the trailer by a medium-sized forklift and the body placed on top by the enormous 50-tonne forklift cum crane - a wonderful piece of kit. With Car 14, we had access to some disused rail lines, so we placed the bogies on these, craned the body on and then winched it up on the trailer. The method used this time saved the Allelys team from having to reconfigure the trailer by removing the wheels at one end to make a ramp, thereby saving time.

We did however use some of the time saved to fit a tarpaulin over the van, as unlike Car 14 the Churchill van was not immediately destined for covered accommodation and it was therefore important that it be protected from the elements. By 12.30, the job was complete, the final paperwork was signed and the van was on its way.

Fitting the tarpaulin prior to transport from Southampton Docks on Wednesday 3rd October 2007.

The general condition of the car, sorry van, is not at all bad, given that it has had nothing done to it bar a poor paint job for over 40 years. The doors are without doubt the weak point, just as they are on all similar Southern design vans, with a marked tendency to develop a sag from the hinges, as well as being inclined to rot. However, the main bodwork is much better, which is pleasing as the restoration programme will seek to retain as much as possible of the original fabric of the vehicle. We have a few welded brackets to remove and the vacuum and steam heat pipes are severly coroded, as one might expect.

Fitting the tarpaulin prior to transport from Southampton Docks on Wednesday 3rd October 2007.

The van is now at Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway, where Cranmore Traincare and Maintenance Services are to undertake a survey for us with a view to undertaking restoration for us. When this is complete, the van will come to the Swanage Railway for display.

The van is secured onto the Allely's low-loader on Wednesday 3rd October 2007.

We still have much to do, for acquisition is in many ways the eaiest part of preservation. In this case that is arguably not so, given the very significant cost and logistical task involved in bringing the van all the way back to the UK. In that regard, I would like to offer my grateful thanks to all who have helped to bring this project to fruition, notably to the City of Industry for their generous sponsorship of the lions share of the transport costs, to Cris Hart, Randy Hees and Sam Sause for managing (again) the US arrangements (this time 500 miles from home - what a team!), Ivan Godfrey for initial making contact with the City of Industry for me, to all the people at WW for putting up with me, to the SR team for their support at a very busy time and last but not least to the many members of the public for their financial support to the project. We do need that support to continue, for we need an estimated £20,000 to undertake restoration and development of the next stage of the plan that will see it make its long term home on the Swanage Railway.

Sir Winston Churchill's funeral van - Southern Railway van S2464S - leaves Southampton Docks on Wednesday 3rd October 2007 bound for Cranmore Traincare and Maintenance Services for assessment and restoration prior to its new home on the Swanage Railway.

The next stage will very much depend on how much can be raised by our supporters. Full details of the repatriation project, including how to donate to the next phase, can be found on our news page at http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news319.htm or the Trust's website via this link or by contacting the Trust's Deputy Chairman Steve Doughty at stephen.doughty1@btopenworld.com.

I am grateful to those who have already contributed to the costs of returning van S2464S to the UK. However, we do still need to raise much more to finish the job so even if you have already contributed please consider sending a cheque to the Swanage Railway Trust (Churchill Project), Station House, Swanage, DORSET BH19 1HB or via our website at this link.

Steve Doughty
4th October 2007

Donations to the Churchill project can be made to the Swanage Railway Trust (Churchill Fund), Station House, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1HB or on-line by debit or credit card via the Trust’s website at ‘www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk’ by following this link.

Please click here to visit the Swanage Railway Trust Appeals section at http://www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk/appeals/index.htm#Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill's funeral train catafalque started its long journey back to the UK from the USA on Monday 13th August, when preparations began at the Industry Hills golf resort near Los Angeles for its move to the port of Long Beach. For a full photo report of the preparations for the journey, please click here, and click here for photos of the first photos of the arrival at Southampton on 24th September 2007

Contact details:
Steve Doughty
Deputy Chairman
Swanage Railway Trust
Station House
Swanage
DORSET
BH19 1HB
Tel: 07860-108754
Email: stephen.doughty1@btopenworld.com

To see the full set of nearly 150 photos of the handover at Southampton Docks, please scroll to the bottom of the page.

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