BR 1980s Yellow Re Railing tool vans

[37501]

Just after some information on these tool vans please.

The vans in question are ex Mk1 stock with plated over windows and have two large doors on each side. Are these sliding doors? I have looked at a number of photographs and there are no obvious handles or latches which would unlock and allow the doors to be slid across.

Does anyone know how these doors are opened please?

 

Many thanks

John

[balders]

I thought that MK1 tool vans used steel roller shutters. Like those found on commercial  premises. Opened from the inside with a chain pull. When closed, very strong. Take up limited space as they are attached inside across the top of the door opening. The courier vans converted from MK1 BSK's use the same concept. Roller shutters appear flush from the outside but there is usually a lip on the bottom (may be fairly flush to the floor) which enables it to be pulled up from the outside. Flickr link credited to 15038;

 

 

 

 

 

Of course I stand to be corrected! I may be talking garbage

 

Regards

 

Guy

Edited March 12, 2021 by balders
Clarity

[37501]

Thank you for your reply Guy. The later ones certainly had roller shutters but not on the earlier ones. There does not appear to be an ordinary access door so that the large doors could be opened from the inside.

 

John

[Davexoc]

The early ones were definitely sliding. One piece and there is a handle at one end, but I can't recall the latching, probably a bog standard carriage key. All I remember is lugging 30 tonne continuous slings out of one at Slough one Sunday morning to bogie swap a BG with wheelflats.

If you look at this one, you can see the scuff marks near the bottom are horizontal. There used to be loads of images at ontrackplant.com that show doors partly open and more close-ups....

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by Davexoc
Photo restored

[37501]

Good evening Dave,

Thank you for your reply and information. Great photo showing exactly the van in question. I am currently making one like that in OO scale, converted from a Mk1 coach. I will check out Ontrackplant.

 

John

[45125]

Deffo sliding doors on the early ones, sure they locked from the inside.

 

Al Taylor.