Gold bullion by ECML

[Wickham Green too]

13 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

... The vast majority of gold bullion transactions don't involve any physical movement of gold, ... but sometimes international sales do require large amounts of the stuff to be moved usually to overseas governments/banks. ...

... and it's amazing how many shipwrecks on the seabed contain such shipments .............................. allegedly ! 🙄

[The Stationmaster]

At one time there were regular shipments of gold bullion coming into Britain from South Africa via Avonmouth and arriving in Londo at Paddington t for collection by the Bank of England.

[MarkC]

On 10/01/2023 at 14:03, The Stationmaster said:

At one time there were regular shipments of gold bullion coming into Britain from South Africa via Avonmouth and arriving in Londo at Paddington t for collection by the Bank of England.

Union Castle were also involved with bullion shipments from SA, berthing in Southampton. The mail ships had special bullion holds.

 

On one occasion some of the crew of the Capetown Castle tried to *ahem* augment their wages...

 

https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/threads/attempted-gold-theft-union-castle-line.6137/

[Mark Saunders]

On 19/02/2016 at 18:05, Fat Controller said:

I remember these at Tyneside freight depot; I think the load was more new coin and notes for the Bank of England's outstation in Newcastle, rather than bullion. There would also be sacks of notes that had gone through the washing machine, caught light and so on- there was a specialist team at Newcastle that dealt with these. I worked somewhere overlooking TCFD for a while, and the arrival of the bullion was always amusing, as the local police practiced setting out a perimeter and so on.

Just down the road on the Team Valley trading estate was the De La Rue security printing works also known as the funny money factory as the did foreign bank notes!

[Mallard60022]

On 19/02/2016 at 22:03, 96701 said:

Ex Bullion van when it was on the Gloucester Warwick Railway. I was assisting Geoff Brewin to measure it up so that he could make a model of it for Comet. The window half way down has been added since it stopped being a bullion van, but the periscope was still there as were the two 'toilets'; one with a wc in it, the other with a sink. The coach was ETH pressure ventilated on B5 bogies.

 

(Time to get out of the anorak).

and a damn fine Kit it was/is too Phil

P

[Mallard60022]

In some lost World I've a picture of a 31 with Flats and Coach and a 47 with Coach and a Train; Service or ECS I don't know.

I built a couple of the Comet Kits. As said above. Sold on now, way back.

Phil

[roythebus1]

I remember converting a Trix coach to a bullion van back in the late 1960s. 

[MRE2]

As a secondman and driver at Kings Cross, I worked the bullion trains a few times. Most memorable day was on the 'last leg' from Finsbury Park to Stratford FLT, where the containers were unloaded onto lorries, complete with heavy police escorts. While this was happening the guards that had travelled with the train were getting off. With the usual waves and 'thank-you' to the footplate crew, I took a chance and asked if I could go into the coach to use the toilet, which was agreed as long as I was quick. It seemed well kitted out for the purpose - kitchen, comms compartment, and what I took to be an armoury, with compartment seats for the guys. I think it was once a BR MK1 brake 2nd that was converted/dedicated for bullion train use
When on the longer journeys (between Finsbury Park and Doncaster usually) we had to be quite accurate on the timings, and would pass plenty of Police cars on bridges and at level crossings keeping an eye on our progress. Not brilliant jobs from a footplate point of view, but a change to do something different for the odd day here and there.

[adb968008]

There was a bullion van dumped at Stafford for years, anyone know which one it was and where it ended up ?

 

it was there throughout the 80’s and I recall seeing it in my university days in the early 90’s.

Edited January 26, 2023 by adb968008

[keefer]

It was 99204 which became Internal User 025030.

Moved to Peak Rail at Rowsley in 2003, latest sighting noted 18/06/2022

https://www.departmentals.com/departmental/025030

(4th image under 'Photos' shows it at Stafford)

[Steven B]

21 hours ago, MRE2 said:

I think it was once a BR MK1 brake 2nd that was converted/dedicated for bullion train use

Five were converted from Mk1 BSK, between '66 and '67. They were withdrawn between 1983 & 86. Some were taken into departmental stock and used as staff vans with ballast cleaners.

 

I believe four have been preserved.

 

In all cases the toilet and neighbouring compartment were left as standard with all the other compartment windows being plated over. Additional double doors were fitted and apart from the passenger door next to the toilet all external door handles were removed.

 

Steven B.

 

 

[adb968008]

does anyone have any pictures of the interior ?

 

i assume these were a response to the Great Train Robbery in some way ?

Edited January 28, 2023 by adb968008