NVC BG conversion…info needed please

[Mr Grumpy]

 

 

 

Hi

I’m building up some 1980’s parcel stock and got a bit carried away and bought a MK1 NSE liveried BG at a good price. However, I can’t find any evidence of one on a parcel train. (I think they were possibly as rare as hens teeth). I have decided to re-paint it in to a blue NVC BG with ‘Newspaper’ branding. 

I don’t wish to model a full newspaper train, but wondered if one may have been attached to a parcel working? 

Any photos of such a working would be a great help !

 Thanks,

Richard

Edited May 8, 2021 by Mr Grumpy
Incorrect title

[Steven B]

Here's one of the NSE BGs on a parcels train in Newcastle in 1989:

https://flic.kr/p/2kP5xAx

 

Plain blue BG were common on parcels trains. I'm sure I've seen Newspaper branded ones on parcels trains but can't find any pictures at the moment!

 

Steven B

[Mr Grumpy]

Many thanks for the photo Steven. It’s tempting to leave the coach as it is, but I do like the rail blue BGs too :-)

 

Richard

[Steven B]

Here's an interesting one:

https://flic.kr/p/4vGc4v

 

The picture shows from the right a GUV, BSK, All blue BG and then another BSK or SK (probably a SK). This looks like the return working of the early morning Manchester to Cleethorpes/Grimsby working which ran with a couple of passenger coaches and a selection of parcels/newspaper vans.

 

I'd have thought you'd be able to model something similar without needing the 10+ vehicles often found on the empty newspaper trains such as Heaton to Red Bank.

 

Steven B.

[montyburns56]

When the Newspapers trains stopped running in the 80s I doubt if the BGs were all instantly scrapped or repainted so they probably soldiered on for a few more years being used on parcel trains etc.

[Mr Grumpy]

Thanks for the further photo Steven :-)

I have tracked down a Bachmann blue BG with ‘Newspapers’ insignia and I’ll be buying that and keeping the NSE BG  too. 
Just for interest, here’s a photo I took in May 1986… 47567 ‘Red Star’ on the Bristol Temple Meads-Paddington vans which really got me interested in parcel trains. The long gone Western Tower land mark is in the distance.

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Mr Grumpy

[Steven B]

Whilst looking for photos of class 128 DMUs I found this picture of one hauling a NSE Mk1 BG in Manchester:

Class128DMU@McrPicc by Richard Vogel, on Flickr

[Ragtag]

On 11/05/2021 at 14:05, montyburns56 said:

When the Newspapers trains stopped running in the 80s I doubt if the BGs were all instantly scrapped or repainted so they probably soldiered on for a few more years being used on parcel trains etc.

 

I'm fairly sure some of them even saw Res livery, but don't have time to check at the mo.