TOPS Wagon Pool Identities

[Fat Controller]

Does anyone have access to a list of TOPS wagon Pool codes allocated to traffic flows in the 1970s/80s? I'm particularily interested in the '74xx' Pools

Thanks in advance.

[Rivercider]

I don't think I have seen a list of pool numbers. However the 1975 local trip booklet

for the Westbury area includes pages detailing the stone traffic from Merehead and Whatley

which lists the destinations, planned loads and wagon sets allocated, and loco types.

 

Where I show the number of wagons that is contract load for the train, there will be extra spare wagons in the pool.

7515    33 HTVs Melton/Ipswich

7517    33 HTVs  Melton/Ipswich

7523    26 HTVs  Allington

7529    35 HTVs  West Drayton

 

7601   30 MSV  Fareham

7603   30 MSV  Fareham

7605   30 MSV  Fareham

7607   30 MSV  Fareham

7613   40 MSO/MSV Acton

7615   40 MSO/MSV Acton

7617   40 MSO/MSV Acton

7619   31 MSO/MSV  Brentford

7621   31 MSO/MSV  Brentford

7623   34 MSV  Leagrave

7625   34 MSV  Leagrave

7633   33 MSV  Banbury

7635   33 MSV  Banbury

7637   38 MSV  Bletchley

7639   38 MSV  Bletchley

7663   20 MTV 20 MSV  Theale

7665   20 MTV 20 MSV  Theale

7675   25 MSO/MSV  Basingstoke

7677   26 MSV   Basingstoke

7681   38 MSV  Northampton

7683   38 MSV  Northampton

 

From my time in Bristol TOPS 1978-1985 I remember we had sets of MSVs for Tytherington to Appleford/Oxford Banbury Rd, and Theale for which 7641 rings a bell.

 

cheers

 

[Rivercider]

 

The 74xx pool numbers included the clayhood wagons.

A quick trawl through Paul Bartlett's site shows that he has identified the pool number on a number of the photos.

The most common pool numbers seen are 7405 and 7423. Although there are anomalies with the stencilled instructions on some wagons I would confidently say 7405 was for ball clay. One of those shown as pool 7459 B743613 was roller bearing fitted which I hoped was significant, but B743870 in 7459 was not  roller bearing fitted, so that theory did not work! 

Edit all those identified as 7405 are hooded. All those identified as 7423 are not hooded, and show no sign of the tarpaulin bar fitment, so were they on domestic traffic to Scotland/Kent as Paul photographed many at Exeter or Plymouth Friary?

 

 

7401  UCV

7405  UCV   Hooded - Ball clay only

7423  UCV   Not hooded.

7449  UCV

7455  UCV

7457  UCV

7459  UCV  (B743613 roller bearing - B743870 not roller bearing)

 

cheers

Edited March 6, 2021 by Rivercider
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