BR Dia.1/801 Fish/Parcels Vans from Rapido Trains UK

[RapidoCorbs]

 

During the nineteenth century, the expanding railway network helped create a boom in the fishing industry. With fast, reliable services fresh fish was able to be transported by rail across the length and breadth of the UK. As early as the mid-1840s special fish trains were operated by several railway companies using specially built rolling stock. As technology developed faster services were offered with trains operating on the East Coast mainline all the way from Scotland to London.

 

 

Fish vans on the LNER originally featured a short wheelbase but later developments settled on a larger 15ft wheelbase on the Diagram 214 12t Insul-Fish vans designed by the LNER but built under BR from 1949. These vehicles were designed to operate in passenger trains and featured LNER 8-shoe brake gear and steam heat pipes. British Railways continued to build a variation of these vans – Diagram 800. These were built with standard oil axleboxes but some were later upgraded to roller bearings in later life.

The final diagram of fish van built by British Railways was the 1/801 diagram. Like the 1/800 this featured a 15ft wheelbase and 21’8” body. Roller bearings were used from new and allowed the wagons to travel at speeds of 60mph. As they were roller-bearing fitted, they gained the ‘Blue Spot’ designation on the bodysides. This design however featured several differences on the body, most notably the diagonal end bracing and around the side doors along with the adoption of the BR clasp brake system. Three batches of vans were built between 1960 and 1961 with a total of 558 vans being produced.

 

 

With the decline in fish traffic services ceased in 1968. Many vans were transferred to Parcels Traffic (coded NRV and later SPV) and sported BR rail blue livery with ‘double arrow’ logo. Other vans found use in Engineers use, barrier vehicle use and even as support vehicles for breakdown cranes carrying a number of different liveries. This resulted in vans being seen all across the network.

A small number of Diagram 1/801 vans have survived into preservation at locations such as the Swanage, Great Central and Bluebell railways.

 

 

This model will be the first Diagram 1/801 van ever produced in OO gauge ready-to-run. The model features the usual wealth of detail alongside many separately fitted parts including steps on the engineers versions, and two different types of buffers as seen on the prototypes. Separate label boards will also be provided for modellers to fit as required. Metal bearings will aid super smooth running enabling prototypically long trains to run with ease.

 

Browse the full range on our website

 

 

 

Edited April 19 by RapidoCorbs

[hmrspaul]

Good to have them break cover.

 

Some photos of a few prototypes

 

957011 https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brfish/e97932d2   BR 1/801 Barrier Van – No.M87990

 

957012   https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brfish/e74f676f  BR 1/801 Barrier Van – No.W87573

 

957013  https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brfish/eb8c41f5  BR 1/801 Departmental Van – No.ADB975377

 

Paul

 

PS just noticed this in the description (coded NRV and later SPV under TOPS)   This is incorrect, the SPV designation predates the introduction of TOPS codes, for example on this 1970 photo by my late friend Tony Dyer https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brfish/e3e013bfa  (I realise this is the earlier design on an LNER type brake rigging and slightly different body)

Edited April 19 by hmrspaul

[giz]

Finally, after three versions of the Dia 1/800 (Dublo, Parkside and Hornby) we get the 1/801. Was just thinking about this version the other day when I found my almost complete Parkside kit.

[steve1]

An excellent choice and a great price.

 

Rapido won’t be able to manufacture them fast enough!

 

steve

[caradoc]

1 hour ago, RapidoCorbs said:

(coded NRV and later SPV under TOPS) 

 

Surely SPV was the original code and NRV the later TOPS code?

(Sorry, just noticed hmrspaul had already commented)

 

But another wonderful and much needed product from Rapido, thanks!

 

Edited April 19 by caradoc
Duplicated earlier post

[franciswilliamwebb]

39 minutes ago, steve1 said:

 

Rapido won’t be able to manufacture them fast enough!

 

They’ll sell like hot hakes😉

[GMKAT7]

Good afternoon folks,

 

Order plaice-d (I'll stop now) for a blue spot version, to keep my two Parkside fish vans company (LNER and LMS types).

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[Fredo]

Hi Rapido, Looking forward to the Fish Vans. What is the difference between the 1/800 and the1/801. Thanks Fred

[hmrspaul]

16 minutes ago, Fredo said:

 What is the difference between the 1/800 and the1/801. Thanks Fred

They explain that in their description. 

 

See in https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brfish

 

Paul

[Suzy Sulzer]

Shrewd marketing by Rapido .Well it is 'Fish Friday'.

Edited April 19 by Suzy Sulzer
typo

[MarkSG]

59 minutes ago, Fredo said:

Hi Rapido, Looking forward to the Fish Vans. What is the difference between the 1/800 and the1/801. Thanks Fred

 

The most visible differences, as far as I can see from product images, are different side stanchions - the 801s had four vertical stanchions, the 800s only had two. There are also differences in the door handles and the bracing.

 

Here's a Hornby 1/800, compare that with the same coloured 1/801 from Rapido pictured upthread and it's fairly easy to tell the difference.

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

I wasn't going to fish pun but when in Rome...

 

This grouper is a little disappointed

 

Peace ✌️😅

[BluenGreyAnorak]

If they're anything like their ferry vans, these'll be great. There's definitely a plaice for them on my layout, so a couple have been duly ordered from Kernows.

[phil gollin]

.

 

Did the fish vans only run in dedicated fish express trains, or were smaller numbers cut out of the expresses to go to as part of ordinary fast goods to smaller destinations ?

 

Also, why did they have steam heating pipes as I thought fish needed to be kept cold  -  were they just steam through pipes ?

 

.

[MarkSG]

30 minutes ago, phil gollin said:

.

 

Did the fish vans only run in dedicated fish express trains, or were smaller numbers cut out of the expresses to go to as part of ordinary fast goods to smaller destinations ?

 

Also, why did they have steam heating pipes as I thought fish needed to be kept cold  -  were they just steam through pipes ?

 

This photo may answer those questions:

 

 

Photo credit: Ben Brooksbank CC-BY-SA

 

Found here: https://www.bloodandcustard.net/bluespot.html 

[ChrisMitchell]

1 hour ago, MarkSG said:

The most visible differences, as far as I can see from product images, are different side stanchions - the 801s had four vertical stanchions, the 800s only had two. There are also differences in the door handles and the bracing.

 

Here's a Hornby 1/800, compare that with the same coloured 1/801 from Rapido pictured upthread and it's fairly easy to tell the difference.

 The brake arrangements, the roof ribs, and if I recall correctly, the curvature of the ends is also different between the two diagrams

[Cwmtwrch]

23 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

This photo may answer those questions:

But note that this is a 1/800 van, not a 1/801. Did the latter vans ever work off the ECML? [Don't know, just asking.]

[MarkSG]

9 minutes ago, Cwmtwrch said:

But note that this is a 1/800 van, not a 1/801. Did the latter vans ever work off the ECML? [Don't know, just asking.]

 

That's a good question, and my limited Googling so far hasn't turned up a definitive answer. But all the pages I've read which talk about fish vans suggest that they were used interchangeably, the 1/801s were simply a later variant that suplemented the existing 1/800 stock rather than having a more specific use.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Excellent, and also an excellent opportunity for some of the characteristic weathering of these vehicles in fish traffic, with the scraped off filth on the doors, which I at least find difficult to achieve really neatly by DIY. 

 

Now, about the traction to haul them. Yes, it's largely covered, but the ECML South of Doncaster has the gaping hole of a GNR J6 'Knick Knack' 0-6-0, much employed as the 'maid of all work' to move wagons about to off-load points, and marshalling for empty return. Just saying...

[Flood]

I was so close to buying a Rumney Models kit recently.

[The Johnster]

Good call, Corbs.  I have a Hornby but it has never run particularly well and I don't find it to be a life-enhancing experience; it is very much a 'design clever' period model.  TTBOMK these were used wherever there was fish traffic, and I can certainly remember them on the Milford Haven-Paddington Goods fish train.  I will find one very hard to resist, as there is a food processing factory at Glynogwr on the Cwmdimbath branch and the trains come up to the terminus to run around. 

 

Might be fun to swap the Hornby body around occasionally.

[stovepipe]

Good choice, I’ll have some of the ice blue ones. Hornby’s version with the white buffer stocks must be someone’s idea of humour.

 

Actually the last block fish trains ran on the ECML in1976/7, not 1968. Single wagons were often seen on Far North and West Highland passenger services for a while afterwards too, which makes for some nice variation.

 

[Southernman46]

2 hours ago, MarkSG said:

 

The most visible differences, as far as I can see from product images, are different side stanchions - the 801s had four vertical stanchions, the 800s only had two. There are also differences in the door handles and the bracing.

 

Here's a Hornby 1/800, compare that with the same coloured 1/801 from Rapido pictured upthread and it's fairly easy to tell the difference.

Great news 👍

 

The 1/800 Express Parcels version also done by Dapol as B533, WR3-08 and also as a barrier van B564. The Signalbox MR as a 300-piece limited edition SBB6.  An OK body moulding IMHO - I've added metal handrails, proper buffers, new  lettering and replaced the diecast / clunky plastic running gear with Parkside chassis'.

ISTR it was a pair of these vehicles that departed the rear of a newspaper train near Newington in Kent back in the day - the disappearance of which only became apparent when the orchards' owner phoned BR to ask when they were coming to recover their wagons - the missing tail lamp on the remaining train had been quietly "forgotten" about as many things that happened at night once did ......

[Daddyman]

1 hour ago, Flood said:

I was so close to buying a Rumney Models kit recently.

Rub the salt in, why don't you. 😉

[hmrspaul]

2 hours ago, Cwmtwrch said:

But note that this is a 1/800 van, not a 1/801. Did the latter vans ever work off the ECML? [Don't know, just asking.]

Fish are a seasonal catch. Herring, which were once very common and important source of protein, migrate around our islands and the fish vans followed. 

 

Paul