Tariff vans

[Chrislock]

Greetings.

 

I am currently assembling a few MR/LMS wagons and vans .

 

In a copy of MRS journal ( 47-48) I came across reference to tariff vans ( which were called station vans on the GW I believe).

A quick search of Google reveals nothing.

Their purpose was to convey smaller packages which did not warrant a whole van or wagon load, but still had to be conveyed under the common carrier rule.

 

The MR built 60 brake vans (D382A) in the 1890s for this purpose ( one wonders if that might explain the photos of Midland goods trains with a brake at the front end?); but clearly this would not have been adequate in number, and so ordinary vans ( and wagons) were also likely assigned for this purpose.

 

They were loaded by the goods staff in station order, and the guard needed a receipt for each parcel conveyed in this way.

As they were unloaded and reloaded at various stations en route ( and even different companies) , the conveyance was often slow and took several days for goods sent in this way to arrive.

 

Anyway, two questions for anyone who can help:

 

1. Would an ordinary box van have been used,or would it have to be ventilated ( as it might be carrying anything from chickens to foodstuff to machinery?

 

2. I assume it would it have been chalked "tariff" on the outside; or marked in some other way; and placed in a certain position in the train?

 

I would like to designate one of my vans for this purpose to add interest to my stock, so would be grateful for any extra information.

 

Regards,

Chris

[Poor Old Bruce]

Are there no photographs in the Journal?

 

Tarrif vans generally seemed to be specially built Goods Brake type vans with extra (double) doors in the sides. The WS books on Midland Wagons contain some diagrams of these vehicles which look as if they could be fairly easily built using the ex Slater's 10T GBV as a basis. There doesn't appear to be any larger, later-built vehicles so the practice presumably died out at some time such that thes items were carried in a normal GBV as seen in the Titfied Thunderbolt.

[Fat Controller]

Try searching 'Road Van' as well; this was the name the L&SWR used, and others as well. If it were an ordinary van that was used, rather than a goods brake van, then I doubt that it would be specifically built or allocated for this 'sundries' traffic, but just a van from the general stock.

[Chrislock]

Are there no photographs in the Journal?

 

Tarrif vans generally seemed to be specially built Goods Brake type vans with extra (double) doors in the sides. The WS books on Midland Wagons contain some diagrams of these vehicles which look as if they could be fairly easily built using the ex Slater's 10T GBV as a basis. There doesn't appear to be any larger, later-built vehicles so the practice presumably died out at some time such that thes items were carried in a normal GBV as seen in the Titfied Thunderbolt.

 

I'm not aware of any photos, but I will be following up the MRS route anyway. Thanks for the link to the WS books.

I suspect that after the decline of these, it would be more likely that the guard carried the odd parcel in brake van! It seems, after all,that he was held personally responsible for them!