The subject of my first ever blog is more about learning as I go on this topic rather than profess to that which is already known.

Intending to further prototypical operation on the Goathland layout I have set about building fish vans. Goathland, being on the Whitby to York line must have had fish traffic. There must also be some RMWeb brotherhood members with some knowledge of this subject, who I hope to fish out and interrogate.

Progress so far has been sought from Peter Tatlows excellent volumes on LNER wagons. Construction of two diagram 143 vans from Parkside and a diagram 37 from scratch using products from Evergreen have been completed albeit the weathering.

Plans are afoot to build a North Eastern Railway diagram F6 and LNER diagram 23 from scratch also, as I`m quite pleased with the 23' build. I have no evidence that any of these vans ever ran over the line making it a red Herring but the picture in An Illustrated History of LNER Wagons Vol4A just cried out to be modeled.

Both the NER & LNER recognized the need to run fish traffic in passenger trains and this will be considered when running trains on the layout. Would the fish vans have been attached to local passenger services to coincide with the tidal landing of the local catch one wonders, and even more baffling is how would the empties have found their way back.......

LNER diagram 37 from plastic card.

LNER diagram 143. By mistake these vans received 3 coats of paint. Krylon red brown primer,LNER dull teak (because I neglected to label the jar) and Precision red oxide P67. Next time I`ll just stick with the primer as it is spot on!

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The older build on the left (about the time parkside cast it on to the market) sports brushed Railmatch bauxite done in the days before airbrushing was an option, and shows the vivid difference to the Phoenix oxide. This matt paint holds weathering powder fast as can be seen on the LMS van, which also received LNER oxide. The grime covers even the worst sins.

During a search conducted this afternoon I quite by chance came accross this photograph of Whitby yard. Having already received a reply from the website owner Mr D. Heys most kindly allowing me to reproduce it here, I waste no time.

Getting back to all things fishy, there apears to be a small rake of fish vans in this fantastic shot. My eyesight not being as good as it was I`m going to stick my neck out and say that looks like a diagram 37 second from left. This is definately good enough evidence for me!

At last this has been dug out to finish it , however I have moved the build here