Fish traffic, EC versus WC routes?

[TheSignalEngineer]

On 20/06/2020 at 12:38, The Border Reiver said:

I remember one always had Palethorpe Pork Sausages wagon(s).

That would have been the Perth vans returning empty to Dudley Port.

[johnd]

2 hours ago, great central said:

 

Yep, used to be the highlight of the day in the latter days of the GC, early evening through New Basford. Immingham Britannia on the front and definitely not hanging around!

You could smell it for some time afterwards on a still summer evening.

 

Visiting from Manchester the area made a welcome change. Occasionally it would be held at the signals ( near the Dog & Duck ) but always made a fine sight looking up at it from below the embankment.

['CHARD]

9 hours ago, pH said:

Just out of interest - did they use the goods lines, or did they run through Citadel?

 

... and had they both reached the border via the Caley?

[The Border Reiver]

Both came down the Caley and through the station as they were treated as express trains, and were followed by the up Condor

[2251]

On 20/06/2020 at 08:10, Compound2632 said:

 

Open fish trucks were common in the 19th century - the North Eastern and Midland had them in addition to the LNWR; the other main northern companies too, I presume

 

Not just the northern companies. The GWR had its tadpoles (I think some were six wheelers and some bogie stock), some of which were provided with a accommodation for a guard:

 

 

 

 

[harry lamb]

Reminds me of the days I worked on Grimsby Fish Market as a youth on school holidays in 1960. Actually, when I left school 2 years later I stayed with what I knew and was very happy with! They were the best years of my life! But, if modelling a fish train out of Grimsby Fish Docks don't be tempted to add an ex. LMS 6 wheeler or the BR Swindon built 'insixfish' as six wheelers could not manage the curvature in places such as 'Bass House Corner' or the 'Swing Bridge', to name a few places because of the track curvature around the the dockside!  

[Compound2632]

9 hours ago, harry lamb said:

Reminds me of the days I worked on Grimsby Fish Market as a youth on school holidays in 1960. Actually, when I left school 2 years later I stayed with what I knew and was very happy with! They were the best years of my life! But, if modelling a fish train out of Grimsby Fish Docks don't be tempted to add an ex. LMS 6 wheeler or the BR Swindon built 'insixfish' as six wheelers could not manage the curvature in places such as 'Bass House Corner' or the 'Swing Bridge', to name a few places because of the track curvature around the the dockside!  

 

Interesting. Were there any bogie vehicles in use in your time? The Great Central had some bogie fish vans. One ran daily to Birmingham in the 1920s, via Lincoln and the Midland. The Midland itself had 4-wheelers exclusively up to 1907, when the 6-wheelers from which the LMS 6-wheelers are descended were first introduced. Some of the 4-wheelers were branded for return to Grimsby, others to Ramsden Dock (Barrow) but most carried no permanent instruction.

[TheSignalEngineer]

8 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

One ran daily to Birmingham in the 1920s, via Lincoln and the Midland.

Grimsby fish vans to Birmingham were still running in 1964 when the station reconstruction started.

It came in on 4M78 the 1.25a.m. from Sheffield Midland to Birmingham Central. It unloaded the traffic for Birmingham Fish Market in New Street station at 4.30a.m.

[Trog]

I remember being told years ago by one of the ballast cleaner operators that one Up Fish train on the WCML was regularly put into Watford Lodge Loop. Years  later the Up Northampton beside the loop was ballast cleaned, and the disturbed ballast stank.