IZAL Palvan, BR diagram 1/221

[macgeordie]

I've finally got the IZAL Palvan to a point where I will be happy with it. I've been working on this one for over a year but 'Life' keeps getting in the way. I'm currently working on the final test build but here are a couple of photos of the last test build.

 

 

 

A friend of mine did some research for me and this is the text he produced, for which I am very grateful, it's a far better job than I could have done.

 

In the late 1950s, British Railways were keen to respond to higher customer expectations and changing trends in freight transport. They launched a number of initiatives designed to stem the steady leaching of goods traffic away from rail to road. One of these was the use of sliding-door vans specifically designed to carry palletised goods, then a relatively new form of freight handling and offering a true door-to-door service. A number of different wagon designs were developed, one of the most visually striking being the batch of 250 vans built in 1960 for IZAL. Best known for their pungent-smelling (and famously non-absorbent) toilet paper, IZAL was a company described in an advertisement for the British Industries Fair as a 'Manufacturers of Chemical Products for use in Hygiene Including: Disinfectant Fluids and Powders, Insecticidal Fluids and Powders, Liquid Soaps, Cleansers, Antiseptic Toilet Rolls, etc'. The chemicals used in these products were a by-product of the coke-making processes associated with the South Yorkshire steel industry.  

Based at Chapeltown between Sheffield and Barnsley, IZAL was a subsidiary of Newton, Chambers & Co of Thorncliffe. The parent was primarily an engineering firm and will be known to enthusiasts as the builders of the stock for the Eastern Region's 'Anglo-Scottish Car Carrier'. The IZAL vans, however, were produced in BR workshops at Derby and were owned and operated by BR – the customer livery was just that, and they were never true 'private owner' wagons. The fleet was delivered in 1960 as a single Lot of 250 wagons, the number sequence running from B782274 to B782523. The vans were plywood bodied with flat wooden bracing and unusually they ran on 11ft wheelbase steel underframes; they were 18ft 9ins over headstocks and 22ft 2in over buffers. They were fitted with Morton 8 shoe vacuum-operated brakes with handbrake levers on each side. As built they had J-hanger spring suspension but photographic evidence shows that this was changed to conventional spring suspension later in their lives. Full-height internal partitions divided the load space into four equal sections with a sliding door to each, which without modification would have limited their usefulness in subsequent applications.

Reflecting changing patterns in freight distribution, we understand the IZAL vans were usually seen in traffic in block formation or in short rakes. The vans were labelled with the IZAL company logo and painted in that company's vivid shade of green, with logo in bright red and white. A good guide to livery colours is the otherwise wholly fictitious 12T ventilated van in IZAL livery issued by Peco between 1966 and 1978.  All Dia 1/221 vehicles were branded on the left-hand central door "RETURN TO CHAPELTOWN, E.R.".  Photographs of them – especially in IZAL service – are uncommon but a useful selection is available onlne at https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brizalvan

 

The body is made up in layers to represent the structure of the sides and doors.

 

 

Similarly the ends are made up in the same fashion.

 

 

This is the main bodyshell assembled with a central partition to give it strength.

 

 

The ends have ribs which go below the headstock and to simplify things I have added overlays to replicate a lot of the rivet work behind the ribs and on the outer edges of the van ends.

 

 

There are a number of parts which replicate the door fastening mechanism and lock bolts.

 

 

I will post more photos as the build progresses, I have started on the van chassis but not got very far yet.

 

Ian

[Asterix2012]

Hi Ian

 

Did you find out when they stopped being used on the Izal traffic or were repainted or withdrawn?

[BernardTPM]

Some kept it, in worn out, run down and grubby condition right to the end. See Paul Bartlett's site.

[macgeordie]

13 hours ago, Asterix2012 said:

Hi Ian

 

Did you find out when they stopped being used on the Izal traffic or were repainted or withdrawn?

 

Hi Mark

Here is a bit more text from that which my friend researched for me, it explains a bit about the vans subsequent use etc.

 

Alas the experiment with palletised IZAL traffic was not a great success. Within a few short years at least some of the vans were being used to carry parts for the Ford Motor Company between Dagenham and Halewood, marshalled indiscriminately with Ford's altogether larger blue-liveried, 35ft long, 20ft 9in wheelbase diagram 1/235 Palvans. Almost certainly the diagram 1/221 vans in Ford service retained their IZAL green livery, by then very shabby and travel-worn while some kept their original logos; others carried Ford branding. A number of these pallet vans also worked on the Campbells soup traffic out of Kings Lynn, Norfolk and there are photographs that appear to show them repainted in what may well be plain bauxite livery, branded PALVAN, but there's no compelling evidence to suggest any of them definitely joined the general revenue fleet. The TOPS code was VPV and according to Paul Bartlett they were out of revenue service by 1976 or so, although some were subsequently seconded to the engineers or employed as internal users (the Ministry of Defence took a few, repainting them pale green) and lasted into the early 1990s.

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Do you have a date for the alterations to the springs Ian.

I feel another addition to the macgeordie roundtuit pile coming on!

 

Mike.

[macgeordie]

On 19/01/2023 at 09:57, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Do you have a date for the alterations to the springs Ian.

I feel another addition to the macgeordie roundtuit pile coming on!

 

Mike.

Hi Mike

 

I have no concrete proof of when they changed the springs from 'J' hanger to standard types but photographic evidence suggests they probably started around 1969 or 1970. Needless to say this would have been done on an Ad Hoc basis as and when a van was either repaired or modified for a new role, they wouldn't have all been done at the same time so mixing vans with both styles in one bloc train on a layout depicting post 1970 would be perfectly acceptable.

 

Ian

[macgeordie]

I got a bit done on the chassis today.

 

The solebars have an overlay which saves having to press out lots of rivets.

 

 

 

The axleguards and wheel bearings are in place.

 

 

The little pegs on the upper side are the door guides.

 

 

 

The next job is the vacuum cylinder and the NEM pocket. The latter can be left off if working couplings are to be fitted. I'll post a couple more photos tomorrow showing the progress.

 

Ian

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

When you're ready Ian, the money is in the jar marked "Macgeordies latest triumph"

Seems not to stop in the jar very long though!

 

Mike.

[macgeordie]

I've opened the book on this one now, so you are on the list Mike.

 

I got a bit more done today, the brake operating parts are now in place along with the buffers.

 

 

 

Next job is the brake shoe assemblies. I haven't fitted the brake hand levers yet as they make it more difficult to fit the springs later in the build.

 

Ian

[stewartingram]

Is this a kit that is up for sale? If so, any details please.

[macgeordie]

On 22/01/2023 at 08:56, stewartingram said:

Is this a kit that is up for sale? If so, any details please.

Hi Stewart

 

Yes I will make this kit available when I have finished this test build and assuming I am happy with it. Everything has gone together well so far but I never release a kit until I am happy everything fits as it should.

 

I have used a lot less nickel silver in this kit as the cost of the nickel silver etches I use in the kits has virtually doubled over the last year, consequently, I expect this kit will probably come out at about 35 quid.

 

If you want to go onto the list please message me as it is easier for me to keep track of everybody that wants a kit that way.

 

Ian

Edited January 24, 2023 by macgeordie
typo corrected

[macgeordie]

I assembled the rest of the brake gear today, so the shoes and yokes are now in position.

The shoes are a fold up assembly as you can see here.

 

 

 

 

 

Ian

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Impractical I know, but, you could do worse than release the brake shoes as a separate item, it knocks the vast majority of plastic kit efforts and a fair few RTR versions into the proverbial cocked hat.

 

Mike.

[HarryLamb2]

Good morning Ian, I remember quite clearly that many of these vans, obviously brand new, were kept in storage behind the British Titan Products huge factory just adjacent to the tram shed of the former Grimsby-Immingham tramway and terminus at Pyewipe, Grimsby. This plant had an extensive railway system but many of the sidings, which held these vans, could only be viewed from the sea wall side of the plant which was only accessible by cyclists or pedestrians. Like many of the large industrial sites of the period long time storage of privately owned rail vehicles appeared to be quite lucrative for the owners with such of an amount of spare siding capacity that could be let out for storage hire. Which was exactly why they where there, apparently. However, I cannot remember how many vans they had in storage but all carried the green livery with the Izal logo and were obviously brand new, filling a couple of lengthy sidings! These vans must have been in store there for well over a year if not more, but getting rather old myself now it would be interesting if anybody else could remember them. However, again! I have Just remembered! There is some colour film footage on YouTube that actually shows some of these vans being loaded in the Sheffield area on a BR promo film about cutting the amount of marshalling yards prior to the building of Tinsley. OK time for bed now. Regards.    

Edited January 23, 2023 by HarryLamb2
2 sheds and railway

[macgeordie]

I fitted the van roof and the roof edge detail today. The edge detail was actually just a cover to go over the rollers, presumably to keep the dirt off and stop the rails clogging up.

 

 

 

Ian

[macgeordie]

Brake levers now in place and the springs are fitted. This is a 3D printed item from Rumney Models. This side of the van has the Morton clutch fitted.

 

 

 

 

 

[macgeordie]

The vac pipes and lamp irons are now fitted and everything else has gone together as it should.

 

 

I'l probably be ordering the etches towards the end of next week for those members who have requested one of these kits. If anybody else wants to go on the list please message me before then.

 

Ian

[macgeordie]

I took this photo down at the clubrooms yesterday evening on one of the club layouts. It's the two earlier test builds, I painted them with Railmatch 'Early DMU green' with a tiny dash of white added. The transfers are from John Isherwood (Cambridge Custom Transfers).

 

 

I am going to order the etches for those members who have requested one of these today, I'll order a couple of extra sets in case there are any latecomers.

 

Ian

[hmrspaul]

They look really well. I've always had a soft spot for the Izals since reading the Transport Age article about them, and my father bringing an official photo home when I was looking for another use for the 11ft wheelbase frame of the Airfix Cattle van. I managed a snap from a passing train at Camden a bit later.  I even measured the body at Derby Works less than 24 hours before my daughter was borne - unusually for those days Julie refused to come out to Derby with me 🙂 Later David Monk-Steel and Trev Mann found one on its frame and finished the measuring job. We have never understood why the auxilliary suspension was removed. 

 

Very nice. 

Paul

[Enterprisingwestern]

9 hours ago, macgeordie said:

I painted them with Railmatch 'Early DMU green' with a tiny dash of white added

 

Bog standard livery?

 

Mike.

[macgeordie]

Just a quick update, I have had the quote from the etchers and the kit price is slightly less than the 35 quid I originally estimated, It has worked out at £33.90. The down side is that they are quoting up to 8 weeks for delivery which is a bit disappointing but there's not much I can do about it. 

 

Ian

[macgeordie]

Another update, I have just received the etches for this kit. I need to get them all wrapped and I also have to roll the roof sections for them all. I should therefore be contacting those who have requested one of the kits in a few days time.

 

Ian

[macgeordie]

Everybody who requested a kit should now have them, there are a couple of spare kits left if anybody else wants one.

 

Ian

[macgeordie]

I have another four of these kits going spare, one of our forum members requested them but hasn't responded to my messages. If anybody fancies one please pm me.

 

Ian

[Enterprisingwestern]

2 hours ago, macgeordie said:

I have another four of these kits going spare, one of our forum members requested them but hasn't responded to my messages. If anybody fancies one please pm me.

 

Ian

 

Stop it!

 

Mike.