six wheel milk tankers

[Karhedron]

On 16/10/2020 at 09:25, Nearholmer said:

Colour of this one might be slightly too pale, and it would be interesting to know which photo the text was taken from.

 

The lettering matches that on this preserved SR example. The numbering and lettering on the chassis looks correct as 44170 was an example built by the LMS in 1931 for Express Dairies.

 

[melmerby]

The lettering must be fairly standard as in Russells GWR Wagon Appendix, there is one almost identical to SR4409. It was built in 1935 and the colour is quoted as "Navy Blue"

Even the chassis (2395) is very similar with springs and hangers of almost the same type, it even has the same length of 23' 11".

The biggest difference is a semi-circular cover over the top half of the tank (tank is number 49).

An earlier one from 1931 (chassis 2022) is again "Navy Blue" with a top cover but omits the "Staybrite Steel Tank" lettering and has more obvious GW ownership above the chassis. Tank is 35.

Edited October 22, 2020 by melmerby
length

[Karhedron]

44170 very probably had a sunshade when new but these tended to be removed over time. I think the Blue livery with plain white lettering is the post-war version so may well be correct for the un-shaded version of the tank. You would need a photo to be certain though. I would say there is nothing in the photo of the model that looks anachronistic.

[melmerby]

It mentions in Russell that the sun shades didn't last long, mainly because of the smell of stale milk. (presumably spilt between the two layers!)

Royal Blue was the pre-war colour and a swatch with Royal Blue on isn't that far off the colour photo of the preserved one.

Edited October 22, 2020 by melmerby

[Karhedron]

On 13/10/2020 at 09:16, HGT1972 said:

The two-axle TRV/TRF tanks did see some use. In 1984 a short-term contract saw a new milk train start from Swindon to Carmarthen. The Swindon loading point had been busy from the 1970s, sending milk to West Wales, Cornwall and Carlisle to suit creamery capacity. At Carmarthen the milk was transferred to road tankers and delivered to the Green Grove creamery at Felin Fach. The refurbished two-axle tanks were in pool 0345 at the time while the three-axle refurbished versions were, at the same time, working to and from Whitland.

 

Fascinating, I must have missed this post the first time around as I have only just found out about this flow. I don't suppose you know of any photographs by any chance?