Queen Mary Brake Vans

[Zippyrascal]

I have attached a photograph of a Queen Mary Brake Van taken at Dover Town Yard in the late 1980's. Being green, brown colour blind I have a question in relation to the livery. To me the photo looks like the livery is bauxite brown with yellow ends. However, I understand that these interesting vehicles also appeared in DCE olive green which is very similar in colour and is difficult, almost impossible, for me to distinguish.  

 

The vehicle looks like it's attached to a Cargowagon flat, would anyone have any information what the requirements were for brake vans during this period and in this location, I assume it's because of dangerous goods being conveyed in the train? 

 

Incidentally, my profile picture is of a very similar vehicle only this time taken at one of the BR open days at Aylesbury in the mid 1980's. The proud looking railwayman is my late farther, Frank Hewer, who at the time was a train crew supervisor at Aylesbury. He was doing what he loved the most, playing trains!! 

 

As always any advice or help greatly appreciated. 

 

David 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2018 by Zippyrascal

[Dave John]

Looks like its the olive green livery to me. 

[Wickham Green]

Looks like its the olive green livery to me. 

I'd agree with that ...... though the angle of the light doesn't help - and it's a colour that weathered from green to brown anyway .......... not to mention the brake dust !

[SRman]

The van in the photo definitely looks like olive green to me.

Of possible interest in OO models, Bachmann's 33-829 model was in grey with the yellow bits matching the photo, or 33-826 was in olive green but with wasp stripes on the ends (and with sand boxes fitted on the end platforms).

[CloggyDog]

Definitely olive green with yellow ends/duckets, 'D'-prefix to the number and other departmental branding ('ME' is visible on cabin side in the photo)

 

Bachmann certainly did one release of their QM in olive green.

 

Regards,

[Wickham Green]

The van in the photo definitely looks like olive green to me.

 

Of possible interest in OO models, Bachmann's 33-829 model was in grey with the yellow bits matching the photo, or 33-826 was in olive green but with wasp stripes on the ends (and with sand boxes fitted on the end platforms).

Odd that the sandboxes have been removed on this van ....... unlike the four-wheelers, the queen Mary's verandah end is steel so the sandboxes were securely attached ( welded ? ) and most lasted a very long time.

[Jules52]

Hi all, I'm new here, in fact this is my 1st post. Yes, I know, I'm nearly 4 years late! But if it's of any interest to anyone I've managed to zoom in on the number of this brake van and it is ADS 56299. This happens to be the same brake van as Bachmann modelled using code 33-826a in virtually the same livery.

[hmrspaul]

DS56299 https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/srbogiebrakevan/e23694e81 turned into a model by Bachmann many years ago - 30 probably. 

 

Paul

[KingEdwardII]

There is the very recent spectacular restoration of the Queen Mary at the GWSR, in SR livery as here:

 

 

They were doing brake van rides at their last gala at the end of 2021.

 

Yours,  Mike.

[Nearholmer]

Does anyone recall what the van shown in the OP was used for?

 

It belongs to M&E, and I vaguely recall two being used as brake force when moving ‘stripped’ emus to scrap yards. All the valuable, reusable bits like brake valves and doors were recovered to stores, then the set s went to the graveyard. But, if it is one of those, what’s it doing at Dover?

[Grizz]

GWSR….Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway????

[Nearholmer]

Does anyone recall what the van shown in the OP was used for?

 

It belongs to M&E, and I vaguely recall two being used as brake force when moving ‘stripped’ emus to scrap yards. All the valuable, reusable bits like brake valves and doors were recovered to stores, then the set s went to the graveyard. But, if it is one of those, what’s it doing at Dover?

[Fat Controller]

2 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Does anyone recall what the van shown in the OP was used for?

 

It belongs to M&E, and I vaguely recall two being used as brake force when moving ‘stripped’ emus to scrap yards. All the valuable, reusable bits like brake valves and doors were recovered to stores, then the set s went to the graveyard. But, if it is one of those, what’s it doing at Dover?

It was used on minestone and aggregate traffic, to assist in propelling moves at Shakespeare Cliff and Sevington.

[Les Bird]

One or possibly two of these were sent to Romford (GE) after some wagons ran away down the incline into the yard and ended up in South Street.

[KingEdwardII]

3 hours ago, col.stephens said:

GWSR?  Where's that? 

GWSR = Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway

Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway along the Honeybourne line between Cheltenham and Stratford on Avon:

 

https://www.gwsr.com/

 

For the shade of red on the end panel, I am no expert, but the restored Queen Mary on the Bluebell Railway seems a similar shade:

 

 

You might like to post a question regarding the shade of red on the GWSR Carriage & Wagon blog here:

 

https://gwsrcarriageandwagon.blogspot.com/

 

Yours,  Mike.

[Nearholmer]

Venetian Red is one pf those colours that is splendidly ill-defined, because it originated as a natural pigment, and it shades very differently according to how much pigment is used, and in what base. The British Army redcoat started out as venetian red, being the colour of the New Model Army during the Civil War, and the C17th colour seems to have been somewhat less vivid than the later versions.

 

In a white-lead base as used for wagon painting, and fresh, it almost certainly was quite vivid (why choose it for job if not?), but probably darkened with exposure to the air.