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Were banana vans every yellow?


mikesndbs
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30 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

I'm confused, not having previously realised that bananas were mined in South Wales.

When the banana traffic stopped, a lot of the vans found further employment as 'fitted heads'  on coal trains, and on the ore trains from Llanharry to Cardiff.

Bananas were a significant part of the South Wales economy; Welsh band 'Man' even did a tribute:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c_3Licm2KI

 

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I know we've strayed way off topic, but 'yes, I have more bananas !"

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Tadpoles" - ex-Banana vans, bring up the rear of this August, 1972 Llantrisant - Cardiff East Moors iron ore working, behind 6990.

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The location is Pengam Junction (the then Freightliner terminal is out of shot, right) on the eastern outskirts of Cardiff.

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The train worked 'up' the SWML to this point, with the 'fitted head' correctly at the front (head) of the train.

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However, to reach the East Moors steel works ore handling terminal, the train needed to reverse here, with the Cl.37 running around, then heading toward the Cardiff Tidal / Marshalling / Swansea Street complex.

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With the "Tadpoles" at the rear,the train is now unfitted.

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Note the two brake vans, to speed up the running around process.

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Brian R

6990-Pengam Junction-xx0872-mod-1.jpg

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I wonder if when they originally made the yellow banana van models in the 1930s whether they were confusing them with the yellow Blue Circle Cement vans?

 

They were yellow with large blue and white logos.

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/photographs/assoc-portland-cement-sw1-10t-steel-van-177-op-sundon-built-1921-r3l-lettered-blue-circle-portland-cement-with-roundel.html

 

Maybe they took that livery idea and changed it to bananas as it would be more attractive to the general public or possibly had an opportunity to sell them as sponsored advertising?

 

 

Jason

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  • 3 months later...
On ‎18‎/‎02‎/‎2020 at 10:06, Compound2632 said:

I'm confused, not having previously realised that bananas were mined in South Wales.

 

Me too, for years I had believed that at one time the current commercial cultivar of bananas were all grown under glass in Derbyshire.

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On 16/02/2020 at 20:42, Compound2632 said:

 

True, but those are mostly less specialised vehicles. I can justify two or three cattle wagons, especially on a branch line,

There are photos of groups of four S&DJR cattle wagons at the quayside on Highbridge Wharf, probably in the early 20th century. I don't know whether they shipped cattle to and from South Wales, but some of the doors are open, facing the shipping. There was a substantial cattle dock away from the water, which served the local cattle market, just across the river. I doubt that the S&DJR ran block cattle trains, despite their tracks traversing good cattle country. But I have been proved wrong on more than a few occasions.

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On 29/05/2021 at 18:16, phil_sutters said:

There are photos of groups of four S&DJR cattle wagons at the quayside on Highbridge Wharf, probably in the early 20th century. I don't know whether they shipped cattle to and from South Wales, but some of the doors are open, facing the shipping. There was a substantial cattle dock away from the water, which served the local cattle market, just across the river. I doubt that the S&DJR ran block cattle trains, despite their tracks traversing good cattle country. But I have been proved wrong on more than a few occasions.

 

It would be reasonable to expect an agglomeration of cattle wagons at the cattle docks serving a cattle market but I think one would only see a block of them in a train on a cattle market day. Likewise with banana vans: one would normally expect to see them en bloc on their usual route on the day the banana boat came in but otherwise not at all.

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On 15/02/2020 at 15:21, Phil Parker said:

The Ratio kit is nice, but fit metal wheels and brass bearings rather then the plastic ones in the kit.

 

Sounds like good advice, and I like Ratio kits. Just wondering, which metal wheels and brass bearings are best/appropriate?

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25 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

Sounds like good advice, and I like Ratio kits. Just wondering, which metal wheels and brass bearings are best/appropriate?

I tend to use the standard Romfords as supplied in Parkside kits. 12mm diameter, 3 hole.

 

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