Who operated wagons with curved ends?

[Penrhos1920]

Looking through my wagon stock I don’t see a single 2, 3, 4, 5 plank wagon with curved ends.  I recon that for a layout set in 1920 that is probably an error.  I’ve read that the GWR removed almost all curved ends prior to 1920.  So who was still operating wagons with curved ends in 1920?

[Steamport Southport]

By that time I think it was mostly the SR companies. Particularly the LBSC and SECR.

 

If you are looking for models Cambrian do the LBSC 5 plank.

 

https://www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk/store/C33-LBSC-SR-5-plank-Open-Wagon-p94430416

 

They also do a PO wagon with the raised ends. Which is something a bit different.

 

https://www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk/store/C74-4-plank-Fixed-End-Wagon-15-0-Wheeler-&-Gregory-p94440061

 

 

 

Jason

[phil_sutters]

Looking through my bible - Chris Handley's The Maritime Activities of the Somerset & Dorset Railway - I can only find a couple on Highbridge Wharf. One is a round ended LBSCR wagon in a photo dated to 'the late 1920s'. The other, which I have never noticed before, on page 50, is of a S&D rounded end wagon that appears to be long-wheelbased. It is in an undated photo, which looks likely to be earlier as the shipping is sail. It is from the Randall Collection S&DRT.

Colin Maggs' 'Highbridge in its heyday' shows wagon 210 in an undated official photo with two plank high rounded ends and a central fixed timber bar.

I made a model of a motive power department stores wagon, which was half covered van and half round-ended open with central bar on a lwb chassis. I made it based from memory of a photo of a model in a magazine - possibly MRN or MRC back in the 1960s. Someone later said that there had been a wagon like that based at Bath mpd.

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/26356095/in/album/512733

Edited April 18, 2021 by phil_sutters

[Nearholmer]

I'm fairly certain that round-ended wagons from all three of the main SR constituents survived into the 1920s in significant numbers. The LSWR ones weren't as generously curved at the earlier LBSCR and SECR ones.

 

'Britain from Above' is useful in this regard, because if you can find good quality shots of goods yards in the area that you model, you can spot the round-enders. Likewise have a look at 'Disused Stations'.

[billbedford]

Certainly the Notty https://mousa-models.co.uk/product/bwk1681-4-nsr-longbottom-3-plank-wagon-2/

 

Also the GN had some 15' wagon with round end and a pole for holding a tarpaulin. Ay least one was photoed in LNER livery. The M&GN had some similar ones, which may have lasted long than the GN's. 

[Compound2632]

Plenty of PO wagons with raised ends still around in the early 20s - not semicircular like those SECR / LBSCR wagons but either continuous arc or flat at the centre curving down at the sides, generally 9" or so above the height of the sides. But you'll be wanting South Walian examples, I presume.

[NCB]

Here's a model of a SR diagram 1309 wagon with raised ends:

 

 

Parkside kit for the 3mm Society. The ends may have been cut down later in life but I'm not sure when.

 

Nigel

Edited April 19, 2021 by NCB

[Nick Holliday]

A number of companies built raised end wagons with a tarpaulin bar for carrying "floor cloth" a.k.a. linoleum. The GWR had a few, and, if I have interpreted Atkins correctly, they survived with round ends beyond grouping, and the NBR had 6 wheeled wagons, with triangular ends.

Although most PO wagons with raised ends had only an extra plank or two at the ends, many of the lime and salt companies went for higher profiles. Some were clones of the LBSCR style, whilst others had triangular ends, with bars.  These were in addition to the cottage roof wagons, that were used more like vans - the opens were for more industrial loads, as lime and salt were used extensively within the chemical industry. 

[wainwright1]

5 & 9 Models do some LB & SCR wagons with high and low curved ends, plus some LC & DR and SER wagon kits with curved  ends. These tend to be earlier wagons, so I am not sure whether they would have still been in service in 1920 and whether the ends were cut down.

 

www.5and9models.co.uk

 

D & S Models also did kits for LC & DR, SER and SE & CR wagons, but these have been out of production for some time.

 

ABS Models did a LSWR kit, but that is currently unavailable. It may come back into production once the new owner of the range gets all the masters and moulds sorted out.

 

All the best

Ray

 

 

[MarcD]

I have photos of M&SWJR ones as well. The S&DJR were split between the Midland and LSWR in 1914 just be for WW1 so it possible that the midland had a few.

Also the NER operated round ended hopper wagons in large numbers. These were to dia.P4. 

 

Marc

[Guy Rixon]

The SE&CR was still building wagons with high, curved ends in 1905-ish, maybe as late as 1907 (my books are not to hand). These would have lasted until grouping, easily.

 

Conversely, many of the older wagons with curved ends were "reconstructed" with low, flat ends from 1912 onwards. Whether reconstruction was literal carpentry or actually meant replacement is unclear.

 

IIRC, most of the ex-LCDR wagons, the ones with elliptical ends, were gone by grouping and the SE&CR did not build more.

[Doncaster]

I believe some of the GNR ones lasted into LNER ownership.  I've modelled them in both 4mm and 7mm scale.  Here's the 7mm ones.

[Penrhos1920]

On 19/04/2021 at 23:27, Compound2632 said:

Plenty of PO wagons with raised ends still around in the early 20s - not semicircular like those SECR / LBSCR wagons but either continuous arc or flat at the centre curving down at the sides, generally 9" or so above the height of the sides. But you'll be wanting South Walian examples, I presume.

 

Or PO coal merchant in between Bristol, Oxford, Reading & Salisbury.

[Compound2632]

32 minutes ago, Penrhos1920 said:

Or PO coal merchant in between Bristol, Oxford, Reading & Salisbury.

 

... or Midlands, London, etc. - South Wales steam coal was in great demand, even, or perhaps especially, in areas producing other grades of coal.