Bullion flats.

[Fat Controller]

53 minutes ago, jessy1692 said:

Interesting thought Mike onBFB being coaching stock reference. Would then assume they were transferred into Freight stock as FXA. Certainly B99500 was lettered up FXA at some point after this pic with BFB

In the 1980s, several groups of vehicle moved from the passenger fleet to freight, The Bullion vehicle were one; another were the BR-owned Cartic-4s. Presumably some sort of accounting move?

[Michael Hodgson]

6 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

In the 1980s, several groups of vehicle moved from the passenger fleet to freight, The Bullion vehicle were one; another were the BR-owned Cartic-4s. Presumably some sort of accounting move?

Probably just a logical move given advances in technology/improvements in safety standards, and perhaps also changes in societal attitudes?   

 

The distinction between passenger and goods was a consequence of the British class system in Victorian days.  The powers that be required high safety standards for passengers (especially First Class passengers whose death would be reported in the Times) but for economic reasons goods had to be moved cheaply and workers should know enough to do their job safely.  So accidents to expendable company servants was generally viewed as their misfortune usually attributable to own negligence in failing to observe the rules. 

 

NPCS was always a bit of an anomaly - by definition it didn't carry passengers although running on passenger services for speed forced compliance with safety requirements that just didn't apply to general goods stock.  Horse boxes, prize cattle and the like were long gone, and cartics & bullion vehicles don't carry passengers.  It seems more logical to class NPCS as freight, as modern freight stock's braking, stability and speed characteristics is so much more advanced than the traditional loose-coupled wooden crate on wheels.

[37114]

I take it the flats are long scrapped?

[LNERGE]

I'm not sure if i encountered one being used for tunnel inspection lurking in Hitchin Stockyard for a few weeks some many years ago.

[Steven B]

On 06/08/2021 at 09:23, Michael Hodgson said:

So why not just use a container flat - would standard containers not have been up to spec for the job? 

 

I'm guessing, but wouldn't a Mk1 coach (with or without a body!) running on B4 bogies have a higher maximum speed than a freight-liner flat? (90mph c.f. 60mph?)

 

 

Steven B?

[Fat Controller]

27 minutes ago, Steven B said:

 

I'm guessing, but wouldn't a Mk1 coach (with or without a body!) running on B4 bogies have a higher maximum speed than a freight-liner flat? (90mph c.f. 60mph?)

 

 

Steven B?

Freightliner flats were permitted to run at 75 mph, IIRC. I suspect they used these vehicles because they didn't want to have a vehicle that might be purloined for general container work. 

[LNERGE]

1 hour ago, LNERGE said:

I'm not sure if i encountered one being used for tunnel inspection lurking in Hitchin Stockyard for a few weeks some many years ago.

Thinging about it a bit more i'm sure the flat I encontered in Hitchin Stockyard had B4 bogies. I've searched the net but can't find a picture of it.

[LNERGE]

More progress..

 

 

[Michael Hodgson]

Different containers.  Modified Knightwing?

[LNERGE]

Cut down Triang clad in plasticard.

[Darius43]

Looking at the detailed photos on Paul Bartlett’s website I was wondering what the rectangular box-like installation is atop the buffer beams.  It appears to be a shroud for the tail lamp bracket.

 

Why would the tail lamp need to be shrouded - is there a particular security reason?
 

Cheers

 

Darius

 

 

[Fat Controller]

24 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

Looking at the detailed photos on Paul Bartlett’s website I was wondering what the rectangular box-like installation is atop the buffer beams.  It appears to be a shroud for the tail lamp bracket.

 

Why would the tail lamp need to be shrouded - is there a particular security reason?
 

Cheers

 

Darius

 

 

Freightliner flats had a similar arrangement; they seem to have been removed in later years. Possibly coincident with the end of oil tail lamps? I think they may have been intended to reduce the risk of lamps being blown out.

[LNERGE]

My first real try with brass…

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by LNERGE

[LNERGE]

Doh moment. I bought wheels insulated on one side only so I could use wipers touching the axles for pickups. It works well with plastic bogies. Not so good when everything is brass.