JZ Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 (edited) Picked up some Slimrails kits, namely a couple of pigeon vans and an LMS 6-wheel fish van. The instructions state maroon for BR days, but should they have maroon or black ends? Edit to add mid 1950s to mid 1960s. Edited September 9, 2017 by JZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted September 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 9, 2017 I painted my BR crimson version with black ends. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 If only there was a single or simple answer to the subject of van end colours in BR days. Bogie vans seemed invariably to be treated like passenger coaches and got black ends. Meat vans and other short wheelbase vans seemed to get 'red' ends. Horseboxes defy logic and got both red ends and black ends. At the end of the day, it is best to work off one photo and number your model as such. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 9, 2017 I'm pretty sure I remember some coaches with maroon ends as well. I'm not helping, am I, mummy... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 I'm pretty sure I remember some coaches with maroon ends as well. I'm not helping, am I, mummy... That was after paint spraying came in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 The Fish van could be either. http://www.alextrack.co.uk/model_railways/2mm_finescale/non_passenger_carrying_coaching_stock/fish_vans_lms_d2115_6_wheel_non_ventilated.html The LNER Brake Van* seems to be body colour. But I'm sure I've seen them with black ends as well. Scroll down to end of page. http://www.steve-banks.org/prototype-and-traffic/167-parcels-traffic-in-br-days *There has been quite a bit of debate whether they were actually ever used for pigeon traffic. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 The elderly one at Luton had certainly had a black end at one stage. http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/lmsfish Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 10, 2017 That was after paint spraying came in. Ah, that makes sense. It seemed to be associated with mk1s that had had the end steps removed for safety reasons after the introduction of main line 25kv OHLE. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yardman Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 BR started painting coach ends Crimson in 1963. Not all coaches got painted in this fashion by the time the Blue & grey came in in 65/66. Early Mk 2. coaches (FK's) came out Crimson with Grey ends. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 10, 2017 I believe any van with fold down shelves was liable to be used for pigeons, but of course these were always special workings and not circuit diagrams; the stock was presumably 'borrowed' from traffic at weekends, or spare out of carriage sidings. But I would like to know more about pigeon traffic. Were only bogie vans used? Were corridor connections required (can't see why, but they seemed to have attracted such vehicles)? Was the same stock used to return the baskets, or did those go by ordinary parcels traffic? What arrangements were there for cleaning them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted September 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 10, 2017 The Fish van could be either. http://www.alextrack.co.uk/model_railways/2mm_finescale/non_passenger_carrying_coaching_stock/fish_vans_lms_d2115_6_wheel_non_ventilated.html The LNER Brake Van* seems to be body colour. But I'm sure I've seen them with black ends as well. Scroll down to end of page. http://www.steve-banks.org/prototype-and-traffic/167-parcels-traffic-in-br-days *There has been quite a bit of debate whether they were actually ever used for pigeon traffic. Jason Not sure on the identity of the vans in the background http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=British%20Transport%20Commission&objid=1996-7038_BTF_185_41 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted September 10, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2017 BR started painting coach ends Crimson in 1963. Not all coaches got painted in this fashion by the time the Blue & grey came in in 65/66. Early Mk 2. coaches (FK's) came out Crimson with Grey ends. maroon, not crimson 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 Not sure on the identity of the vans in the background http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=British%20Transport%20Commission&objid=1996-7038_BTF_185_41 I think the one nearest the loco is a 4 wheeler like http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lnercctc/ee3a7a2c and the 2nd is similar but there is a guards lookout. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris45lsw Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 I think the one nearest the loco is a 4 wheeler like http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lnercctc/ee3a7a2c and the 2nd is similar but there is a guards lookout. Paul I think the second one is a NER 6 wheel brake van, probably diagram 171. Chris Knowles-Thomas, Notts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 31A Posted September 10, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2017 I think the one nearest the loco is a 4 wheeler like http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lnercctc/ee3a7a2c and the 2nd is similar but there is a guards lookout. Paul The LNER built ones only had a Guard's lookout on one side of the coach. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 31A Posted September 10, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 10, 2017 Not sure on the identity of the vans in the background http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=British%20Transport%20Commission&objid=1996-7038_BTF_185_41 Even more , but the place in the picture looks like Welwyn Garden City! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 What I meant was they weren't exclusively used for pigeon traffic, but are often described as pigeon vans. More a passenger brake van that was occasionally used for pigeon traffic and other duties. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 11, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 11, 2017 Oh, yes. The few still around when I was working on the railway in the '70s were called pigeon vans, and were used exclusively for parcels work at that time, pigeon traffic no longer being carried by rail. Strangely, a common Red Star item was day old chicks, going cheep, in wicker baskets. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Where's the Groan button? Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonnieS Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 I believe any van with fold down shelves was liable to be used for pigeons, but of course these were always special workings and not circuit diagrams; the stock was presumably 'borrowed' from traffic at weekends, or spare out of carriage sidings. But I would like to know more about pigeon traffic. Were only bogie vans used? Were corridor connections required (can't see why, but they seemed to have attracted such vehicles)? Was the same stock used to return the baskets, or did those go by ordinary parcels traffic? What arrangements were there for cleaning them? Pigeon traffic - UK Prototype Questions - RMweb Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 14, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 14, 2017 The Conservative Club at the end of my street is involved in pigeon racing, and members can be seen passing baskets, either empty or full of birds, out of a bay window in the front of the building in order to be collected in a van and taken somewhere. The baskets look identical to the ones I remember as a child. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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