That top plank on 7-plank wagons

[t.s.meese]

So this is what I understand - during the war there was a shortage of general merchandise wagons, so some 7-plank mineral wagons were converted by removing that top plank in the region above the door. That helps with unloading and makes sense to me. But then, I think independent of that, there are some mineral wagons that have about half of the top plank removed in that region. I think this is called the London plank, so presumably it is specific to private owners in that region. These wagons were still used for coal. What was the reason for doing this, and why was it regional? (I'm thinking maybe it improved line of site when shovelling out of the wagon, but if so, why just in London?)

 

[Guy Rixon]

Coal porters (not the dancing kind) in the London area earned a higher rate when they had to lift coal above a certain height when unloading. Although the threshold for the higher rate was probably set with reference to water craft, it happens to affect the taller railway wagons. In some 10-ton wagons, reducing the top plank brings them under the threshold. For even taller wagons, the top plank over the door could be hinged to fold back. 

[Il Grifone]

For the same reason the BR built mineral wagons have top flaps above the side doors. Whether these were ever used is another matter....

 

The war time modifications were to allow them to be used as general merchandise wagons of which there was a shortage.

[RfDforever]

Coal porters (not the dancing kind) in the London area earned a higher rate when they had to lift coal above a certain height when unloading. Although the threshold for the higher rate was probably set with reference to water craft, it happens to affect the taller railway wagons. In some 10-ton wagons, reducing the top plank brings them under the threshold. For even taller wagons, the top plank over the door could be hinged to fold back. 

Interesting. In the 1960's, when I first wondered about the removable panel above the door on 16t mins. I was told that it was to allow elevator loaders to be used - the suggestion being that loading customers' elevators were insufficiently high to clear the sides. This I imagined to refer to agricultural produce as most minerals were loaded mechanically from above.

I would like to hear if anyone else recalls this - I'm not sure that there was a great deal of manual loading in London; and why, if there was, it was ok just to load the centre of the wagon

[Il Grifone]

Most mineral wagons were unloaded when they reached London and returned empty. In the event of loading by elevator, the load would spread out over the floor and leave a mound in the centre. This would probably flatten further during the journey.

Edited November 29, 2017 by Il Grifone

[Guy Rixon]

Interesting. In the 1960's, when I first wondered about the removable panel above the door on 16t mins. I was told that it was to allow elevator loaders to be used - the suggestion being that loading customers' elevators were insufficiently high to clear the sides. This I imagined to refer to agricultural produce as most minerals were loaded mechanically from above.

I would like to hear if anyone else recalls this - I'm not sure that there was a great deal of manual loading in London; and why, if there was, it was ok just to load the centre of the wagon

 

 

I think the rate for cargo shifting in London was originally an agreement with the Watermen and associated labourers. It particularly relates to throwing a load out of a vessel with a shovel. The arrangement probably pre-dates railways and was only incidentally applied to railway wagons. However, there was also, at least in the early days of railway coal movement, some transhipment from rail to water for the final delivery.

 

I guess that lowering the wagon above the door was an owners' way of complying with the letter of the agreement without actually helping the workers very much.