Going bananas, steam heated vans confirmation

[rogerzilla]

As a former Sainsbury's worker, I can tell you the three produce items that are never refrigerated:

 

Bananas

Potatoes

Monkey nuts (!)

 

Heating or insulation is as much about stopping the bananas going black or rotting, as it is about ripeniing them.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, markw said:

But wagon turntables were common within docks, where bananas were transfered from ships to the wagons.

 

Especially ex-LNWR docks. It's noteworthy that the first LNWR banana vans - D86 of 1904 - were 9'0" wheelbase, though the D95 vans built the following year for Elders & Fyffes traffic were 9'9" wheelbase. These had overall dimensions in common with the standard D88 covered goods wagons built from 1908; these were certainly compatible with LNWR wagon turntables.

 

Midland banana vans were all 10'0" wheelbase - but the Midland was not a big user of wagon turntables.

 

Refs.

C. Northedge (ed), LNWR Wagons Vol. 2 (Wild Swan, 2011)

R.J. Essery, Midland Wagons Vol. 1 (OPC, 1980)

[mikesndbs]

wow this post has grown massively and interestingly.

 

Going back to the question about the USA tanks, those converted for the docks did indeed have steam heat and even in 60s three were retained in order to heat banana vans in the winter months.

Suggesting the older vans may have been kept for this specific time of year.

 

 

 

[Fat Controller]

3 hours ago, markw said:

But wagon turntables were common within docks, where bananas were transfered from ships to the wagons.

Not so much in the more modern facilities.

[AberdeenBill]

On ‎13‎/‎02‎/‎2020 at 21:42, Compound2632 said:

 

Especially ex-LNWR docks. It's noteworthy that the first LNWR banana vans - D86 of 1904 - were 9'0" wheelbase, though the D95 vans built the following year for Elders & Fyffes traffic were 9'9" wheelbase. These had overall dimensions in common with the standard D88 covered goods wagons built from 1908; these were certainly compatible with LNWR wagon turntables.

 

Midland banana vans were all 10'0" wheelbase - but the Midland was not a big user of wagon turntables.

 

Refs.

C. Northedge (ed), LNWR Wagons Vol. 2 (Wild Swan, 2011)

R.J. Essery, Midland Wagons Vol. 1 (OPC, 1980)

 

That's interesting...   There's a not-very-sharp photo that I've seen somewhere of banana vans at Preston docks, which might(?) be BR 9-foot wheelbase versions.   

 

Bill

[mikesndbs]

Guys, VIDEO GOLD check this out

 

 

 

Who knew they started with a rail journey 

[mikesndbs]

Yet more 

 

[AberdeenBill]

More interesting information and photos re banana imports to Preston docks here:

Thanks,

Bill

 

[AberdeenBill]

 

Fantastic...    In Mike's first link above, the second banana van behind the USA tank at about 3 min 40 sec looks like a 9-foot wheelbase BR van (B 880331?).    And I haven't seen the wave your hand up-and-down signal to indicate that a vehicle is stopping for a long time... 

 

Bill

  

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by AberdeenBill
clarified which previous post it is referring to

[br2975]

On 12/02/2020 at 10:07, Wickham Green said:

They were principally used around Southampton Docks - so steam heat may have been of use for Ocean Liner Expresses too !

 

The last pair of USA tanks left Southampton Docks shed on Saturday 8th July, 1967 (the penultimate day of SR steam), running light engine to Salisbury via Eastleigh.

.

Two USA tanks were kept at Southampton Docks so late to cope with Elders Fyffes banana traffic, with that company's vessels arriving generally, on a Sunday, from when four locos were required to shunt the Empress Dock loading shed and adjacent sidings continuously until at least the Tuesday.

.

The tanks moved the rafts of vans through, one at a time !

.

Once the banana traffic had been cleared, the USA tanks stood dead in Southampton Docks shed, until the next banana boat came alongside. All other rail traffic being handled by the Ruston shunters (Cl.07).

.

Brian R

[AberdeenBill]

8 hours ago, br2975 said:

 

The last pair of USA tanks left Southampton Docks shed on Saturday 8th July, 1967 (the penultimate day of SR steam), running light engine to Salisbury via Eastleigh.

.

Two USA tanks were kept at Southampton Docks so late to cope with Elders Fyffes banana traffic, with that company's vessels arriving generally, on a Sunday, from when four locos were required to shunt the Empress Dock loading shed and adjacent sidings continuously until at least the Tuesday.

.

The tanks moved the rafts of vans through, one at a time !

.

Once the banana traffic had been cleared, the USA tanks stood dead in Southampton Docks shed, until the next banana boat came alongside. All other rail traffic being handled by the Ruston shunters (Cl.07).

.

Brian R

 

We went on a school trip to Southampton docks ca. 1971 and there seemed to be class 07s and banana vans absolutely everywhere, but most of my classmates and teachers were more keen on seeing the QE2 departing for New York complete with tickertape and sirens blaring... 

 

Bill