Albyn Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 I recently acquired an old whitemetal "Model Wagon Co" kit for a G&SWR Corpse Van. However the instructions are very basic and there is no drawing to show the layout of roof ventilators or the brake gear - a brake lever is included and a vacuum cylinder and V hangars but the layout is not explained. Should ther be two brake levers or is the one included a stray? Could somebody please post a photo or a drawing to show me the way please? These unusual wagons are rather interesting. Most railways had corpse or funeral vans or used a ventilated butter van or similar to transport coffins. The SECR used a luggage van to transport the coffin of Edith Cavell, shot by the Germans for aiding British prisoners to escape and also Captain Fryatt's coffin - shot by the Germans for trying to ram a U-boat and also the Unknown Warrior, all in the First World War. The van is normally at Bodiam on the Kent &East Sussex Railway, but is currently on loan to the Severn Valley Railway, I believe. The North British used something that looked like a lime or salt wagon with a peaked roof for coffin transport however. On a less sombre note the NBR and the Caledonian both had prison vans to transport prisoners from Edinburgh, which had no prison, to Peterhead near Aberdeen or Barlinnie at Glasgow for the really serious offences. Drawings from 1945 or 46 Model Railway News attached. Albyn 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Ian@stenochs of this parish is your man to help you with this. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Kirkham Posted June 5, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2018 Interesting to see that Reggie Perrin contributed to Model Railway News, doubtless when he was a mere apprentice at Sunshine Desserts. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian@stenochs Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Hi, The Corpse van was one of the last kits MWC produced and it only sold a few examples. It must be around 35 years since production ceased. I can help with a couple of pictures, this is the official G&SWR view of one of the vans. This is my model which shows the livery quite well. As befitting their purpose the vans were kept in very tidy and clean condition and allocated to Kilmarnock which was roughly the centre of the system so easily despatched? where required. Ian. 8 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 I'm sure I ought to know who Col. Sir Eric Hutchinson Bt was but google is not my friend in this. Railway Inspectorate? (Might explain the morbid interest in corpse and prisoner vans.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 I'm sure I ought to know who Col. Sir Eric Hutchinson Bt was but google is not my friend in this. Railway Inspectorate? (Might explain the morbid interest in corpse and prisoner vans.) Try this link http://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category:Sir_Eric_Hutchison . Found by not including 'Colonel' in the search. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted June 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2018 Try this link http://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category:Sir_Eric_Hutchison . Found by not including 'Colonel' in the search. Jim Evidently some rather fine Highland models there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Pre-grouping modellers and historians with an interest in things north of the border owe a considerable debt to Sir Eric and his contemporary Henry Orbach. They photographed, measured and recorded a wide range of stock, buildings and miscellaneous railway features from the pre-grouping era. Our knowledge of these would be considerably weakened without their information as there was simply no effort to record things otherwise. The Railway Modeller ran articles every month or two, typically with two or three wagons in each article for many years. If you are of a pre-group bent, they are well worth finding. The link from Caley Jim is interesting, I am not sure this is widely known. Your model Ian is very fine indeed! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albyn Posted May 7, 2019 Author Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 05/06/2018 at 22:27, ian@stenochs said: Hi, The Corpse van was one of the last kits MWC produced and it only sold a few examples. It must be around 35 years since production ceased. I can help with a couple of pictures, this is the official G&SWR view of one of the vans. This is my model which shows the livery quite well. As befitting their purpose the vans were kept in very tidy and clean condition and allocated to Kilmarnock which was roughly the centre of the system so easily despatched? where required. Ian. A belated thank you - for some reason I never was notified of replies to this topic. Whre did you acquire the transfers please? regards, Albyn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 NBR study group are doing the 4mm NBR Corpse van https://www.nbrstudygroup.co.uk/modelling/products.php Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davknigh Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 2 hours ago, micklner said: NBR study group are doing the 4mm NBR Corpse van https://www.nbrstudygroup.co.uk/modelling/products.php That looks a bit austere. Where do the pall bearers ride? Hopefully in a separate vehicle. Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 1 hour ago, davknigh said: That looks a bit austere. We are talking NBR here!! Jim (ducking for incoming) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 2 hours ago, davknigh said: That looks a bit austere. Where do the pall bearers ride? Hopefully in a separate vehicle. Cheers, David Indeed, and fortunate for them that they did, these were renowned for having a stiff ride.... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2750Papyrus Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 On 30/11/2019 at 15:08, micklner said: NBR study group are doing the 4mm NBR Corpse van https://www.nbrstudygroup.co.uk/modelling/products.php Did this last into LNER days? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBR906 Posted November 26, 2020 Share Posted November 26, 2020 The NBR Corpse Van were in regular use until the end of WW1 but their use became less common into the Grouping - probably due to cost and the advent of the motor hearse. They passed into LNER stock but it is unlikely they were repainted or renumbered and they were scrapped by the end of 1926. But maybe not all - it appears one, possibly more were sold into private ownership to the Dunragit Creamery which had its own siding off the Portpatrick Railway and operated over the G&SWR. Livery is believed to have been a dull yellow. If anyone is interested in the 4mm resin kit, a couple are still available from the NBRSG, £34·00 each (£28·50 to NBRSG members) plus £4·00 post and packing. Details on how to order are here A step-by-step build can be found here 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Alex TM Posted November 26, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2020 (edited) On 05/06/2018 at 20:18, Albyn said: transport prisoners from Edinburgh, which had no prison Just saw this thread and noticed this comment. You will find that Edinburgh had a prison before it had a railway. Try searching for 'Calton Gaol'. The current prison site in the Saughton Mains area dates from the earlier part of the last century; it had replaced Calton. I don't know when those held for certain serious offences began to be segregated to 'Special Units' in Glasgow and Aberdeen however Calton would have held a few in its day. To go back on thread this is really quite interesting. Thanks for starting it. Edited November 26, 2020 by Alex TM Hit 'post' by accident before finishing. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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