Black colliery wagons with a large white cross.

[doilum]

A familiar sight in many coalfields and now made famous by Rapido, I assumed that the livery was decided by the newly formed NCB in 1947. Yesterday the YouTube algorithm sent me a two minute clip of a wartime government information film extolling the importance of coal and the need to be economical ( miners toiling with pick and shovel, housewife recycling last night's cinders).

There were lots of railway images and amongst the grubby PO wagons of Cory and Ackton Hall was a newly repainted wagon in black with the large white cross. Was this an individual colliery that needed to clearly identify it's internal use non pool wagons or was it part of the government planning that pooled wagons on the outbreak of war?