Rolling Stock

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: Cravens Wagon & Coach Works, Leeds in 1940’s
Number: GR-T3 (TO 211)
Original Location: RNAD Trecwn, Wales

Ex-RNAD Closed Naval Ordnance Transport Van (Powder Van).

Converted to passenger carriage in 2015.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: Cravens Wagon & Coach Works, Leeds in 1940’s
Number: GR-T4 (TO 214)
Original Location: RNAD Trecwn, Wales

Ex-RNAD Closed Naval Ordnance Transport Van (Gunpowder Van).

Converted to passenger carriage in 2016.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds in 1982
Number: GR-T7 (TO 155)
Original Location: RNAD Trecwn, Wales

Several types of steel bodied ‘Bogie Brake Vans’ were built by ‘Hudson Raletrux’ for use in various British Military establishments (including munitions depots) during the 1980s. Often painted green or blue – ones in yellow were from sites utilized for NATO (yellow was the NATO colour for plant equipment).

Our example has a unique additional side door used for the guard.

Arrived at the Gunpowder Railway in 2008. Operational throughout, restored to original condition and livery decoration in 2026.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds in 1941
Number: GR-B4 (B-456)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

Offering a bit of a basic ride, this wagon was used to convey workers around the 2000 acre explosives manufacturing site which used 55 miles of narrow gauge railway. Arrived at the Gunpowder Railway in 2003 and restored in 2010.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: Cravens, Sheffield in 1941
Number: GR-T1 (TO 183)
Original Location: RNAD Trecwn, Wales

Built on the standard flat wagon chassis, the body is constructed of tongue and groove timber planks using seasoned teak. The bodies have not only the usual opening side doors but also a pair of roof doors that can be slid back towards the two ends, giving a completely clear area in the centre of the vehicle for loading and unloading larger items of naval ordnance. They were particularly designed for the transport of sea mines, which were lowered into the vehicle through the roof, the usual load being two, placed one in each end of the interior.

The Gunpowder Railway is fortunate in having two of these powder vans in original condition in its heritage and museum collection, and it is interesting to compare the minor differences in the bodywork of these two ‘standard’ vehicles, resulting not only from the different manufacturers interpretation of the specification, but also from repairs carried out on site during their fifty years of continuous service.

The first heritage/museum vehicle to be fully restored in 2012.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: Charles Roberts & Co Ltd, Wakefield in 1950’s
Number: GR-T2 (TO 184 – TBV)
Original Location: RNAD Trecwn, Wales

These vans are perhaps the most distinctive of all the narrow gauge wagons in use at the various RNAD Royal Naval Armaments Depots and carried almost anything or were used as general stores vans – they are known as Powder Vans.

This rare and unusual example was a later 1950’s build (most, like our other example date to the 1940’s) and as a result is red-brown in colour not the typical grey/black livery.

Restored in 2023.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R & Y Pickering Ltd, Wishaw date unknown.
Number: GR-T6 (TO 292)
Original Location: RNAD Trecwn, Wales

Many flat wagons were used on the R.N.A.D sites, with and without low side rails, and with a wide range of upright ends, reflecting both rebuilds by the Admiralty and differences in manufacturers interpretation of the standard designs. Our example has a typical 3-plank slatted end and would have been used to carry not only general stores, but naval shells and smaller ordnance as well as torpedo components.

Restored in 2022.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: Manufacturer and date is unknown.
Number: GR-D1 (DH63-467)
Original Location: RNAD Dean Hill, Wiltshire

A ‘standard’ RNAD flat wagon, this particular example being fitted with a single up-stand plank at each end and would have been used to carry not only general stores, but naval shells and smaller ordnance as well as torpedo components. In addition the low ends mean that it could be used, in conjunction with another wagon, to carry long loads, such as 30 feet lengths of rail.

Ex- RNAD Dean Hill and generously donated to the Gunpowder Railway in 2022.

Restored in 2024.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds in 1939
Number: GR-B9 (428)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

Ex-ROF Bishopton. Built to transport bulk supplies of acid between storage tanks and the mixing houses as cordite production requires large quantities of both nitric and sulfuric acids.

Restored in 2024.

Status: RESTORATION IN PROGRESS
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds in 1940
Number: GR-B1 (625)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

Ex-ROF Bishopton. A specialized wagon to transport freshly mixed cordite paste (an explosive propellant) between processing stages within the factory. These wagons were designed for safety, containment, and ease of handling in highly controlled environments. This wagon is a rare survivor with its original bodywork, and is currently undergoing a full refurbishment to original condition in the Gunpowder Railway workshops and is expected to resume its place in the ‘Cordite Train’ display in spring 2026.

Currently under restoration.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds in 1941
Number: GR-B6 (451)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland & RGM

The chassis is from ROF Bishopton however the body originates from the Royal Gunpowder Mills and is historically from the site. These vans were part of a larger convoy of wagons used in cordite production and moved cordite paste into drying rooms to evaporate acetone from cordite to allow it to be safely stored.

Restored in 2023.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds in 1938
Number: GR-B3 (435)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

A rare survivor with its original bodywork, these wagons were used at Royal Ordnance Factories (ROFs), RNAD depots, and naval armament sites to transport sealed cordite canisters from magazines to filling stations or gun-loading areas. It was one of the first museum/heritage wagons to be refurbished by the Gunpowder Railway Team in 2012, and has been used for display purposes ever since.

Restored in 2017.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds between 1938-1952
Number: GR-B2 (643)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

A rare survivor with its original bodywork, cordite disposal wagons were developed for Royal Ordnance Factories and RNAD sites during and after World War II, when cordite was widely used in ammunition.At regular intervals (at Waltham Abbey it appears to have been once a week) the loaded wagons were moved to the ‘Burning Ground’ where the waste material was destroyed under controlled conditions.

Restored in 2025.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: Original manufacturer and date is unknown.
Number: RGM R-R321 and R-R306
Original Location: Royal Gunpowder Mills

These wagons were built locally on site at the Royal Gunpowder Mills during the First World War and were designed to eliminate double or treble handling of materials between road and rail vehicles, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood of damage or spillage of sensitive loads.

A compact, four-wheeled industrial vehicle designed to operate both on narrow-gauge railway tracks and on paved or hard surfaces.

Restored in 2025.

Status: STATIC DISPLAY
Built: Royal Carriage Department at Woolwich Arsenal in 1892 (replica from 2003)
Original Location: Royal Gunpowder Mills

These compact, 18-inch gauge four-wheeled trucks featured a gable-topped design and were manually pushed by workers within restricted process zones. Their primary role was to carry cordite paste and other explosive compositions loads that were substantial despite the trucks’ modest size. Lacking braking systems they relied entirely on careful handling. At least four distinct configurations were in use, tailored to different operational needs. Each wagon (and there were many) cost £40, a significant investment at the time.

Photograph dates to 1917 showing a larger version on site.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds in 1940
Number: GR-B5 (427)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

A classic works van used to transport tools around the site and to different buildings as needed for repairs. Sides are unusually made from aluminium with drop flap sides to keep the rain out.

Restored in 2010.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: R Hudson & Co, Leeds probably 1941
Number: GR-B8 (422)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

An unusal open wagon – and a fully drop sides variant with an end-lift. Used for ballast transportation wagon used to move ballast around the railway. Still in use today – see our Diary.

Restored in 2023.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: ROF Bishopton on-site works in 1980’s.
Number: GR-11 (28)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

Was built within the works at ROF Bishopton, currently used to transport the locomotive Stuart J and its bead is fitted with 18″ gauge track.

Restored in 2024.

Status: OPERATIONAL
Built: ROF Bishopton on-site works in 1980’s.
Number: GR-B12 (26)
Original Location: ROF Bishopton, Scotland

Was built within the works at ROF Bishopton, original purpose unknown currently used to transport a mini digger around the Gunpowder Railway.

Restored in 2023.