Modelling a traditional parcels train

[C&WR]

Both Stanier and Thompson six wheelers. And look at those brand new 432s on the Warflats.

 

Not sure the one to the right is.  There's some kind of skirt plate over the front sprocket.

[77philg]

Not sure the one to the right is.  There's some kind of skirt plate over the front sprocket.

 Possibly an Abbot  SPG they were same chassis as 432 some had a small side skirt some didn't [Abbot]     phil

[brian777999]

I have seen shots of ordinary 4 wheeled brake vans and 4 wheeled vans mixed in so they should be included and sometimes passenger stock such as BCKs

 

Mirfield_with_eastbound_parcels_train_on_Calder_Valley_main_line_geograph-2723112-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpgMirfield_with_eastbound_parcels_train_on_Calder_Valley_main_line_geograph-2723112-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg 26/6/1964

 

Why is the brake van in the middle of the train ?

[TheSignalEngineer]

Why is the brake van in the middle of the train ?

Sometimes it was a case of convenience for attaching and detaching vehicles en route, based on the train engine or local pilot doing it and where the vehicles had got to be left.

[Fat Controller]

A bit soft and a bit grainy, but I'm sure you get the gist........six of the best (Siphons) passing Didcot in May 1977

img202.jpg

Empty 'Papers', probably from Bristol or South Wales; there's a Mk 1 (probably a BSK) for the packers to ride in during the Up (empty) journey.

[The Stationmaster]

I never saw one move - I did see the last one at Brizzle in 76 hiding around the back with some green 03's.

 

Can't be helped (or can it?).  I saw all of them and travelled behind a number of them - all without experiencing a single delay due to 'loco problems' (it was in their later days while they were at Barrow)

[The Stationmaster]

Empty 'Papers', probably from Bristol or South Wales; there's a Mk 1 (probably a BSK) for the packers to ride in during the Up (empty) journey.

 

The packers always travelled up by passenger train - the empty vans usually went to Old Oak and the packers tended to arrive later and, of course, went direct to Paddington.

[Fat Controller]

The packers always travelled up by passenger train - the empty vans usually went to Old Oak and the packers tended to arrive later and, of course, went direct to Paddington.

I sit corrected; I should have known, as my first landlady's eldest son worked on the Bristol one. He used to leave for London about 20:00ish. I did blag a ride on the Down Bristol once- January 1976, after going to see 'Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen' at Hammersmith. Got in to Paddington to see the tail-lights of the last service train passing the country end of the platform; there was a young lady in a similar predicament. One of the staff suggested we ask the Duty Manager if we could go down in the coach attached to the Down 'Papers. After we'd spun a sob story, he very kindly said we could, so we got back to Bristol at about 03:00

[The Johnster]

Why is the brake van in the middle of the train ?

 

Ease of shunting as Signal Engineer says.  Up to 20 non-passenger carrying bogie vehicles, NPXXS or ecs, could be marshalled behind the brake van in which the guard was riding, or up to 10 passenger carrying.  For brake van substitute back cab of loco post single manning agreement 1969.

 

The down Carmarthen papers was a booked passenger train as well, and, running via the Badminton cutoff and Severn Tunnel, overtook an earlier departure from Paddington that ran via Gloucester, something very useful to know if you were having a night out in 'that London'.

[Oldddudders]

Was that brake actually being used, or just being moved? Wouldn't the guard have preferred the relative comfort of the bogied brake vehicle behind? 

[TheSignalEngineer]

Depends on the temperature outside. If June 26th 1964 was like this year he would have the stove going.

[The Stationmaster]

Ease of shunting as Signal Engineer says.  Up to 20 non-passenger carrying bogie vehicles, NPXXS or ecs, could be marshalled behind the brake van in which the guard was riding, or up to 10 passenger carrying.  For brake van substitute back cab of loco post single manning agreement 1969.

 

The down Carmarthen papers was a booked passenger train as well, and, running via the Badminton cutoff and Severn Tunnel, overtook an earlier departure from Paddington that ran via Gloucester, something very useful to know if you were having a night out in 'that London'.

 

10 passenger carrying vehicles behind the van didn't come in until about 1966.

 

I sit corrected; I should have known, as my first landlady's eldest son worked on the Bristol one. He used to leave for London about 20:00ish. I did blag a ride on the Down Bristol once- January 1976, after going to see 'Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen' at Hammersmith. Got in to Paddington to see the tail-lights of the last service train passing the country end of the platform; there was a young lady in a similar predicament. One of the staff suggested we ask the Duty Manager if we could go down in the coach attached to the Down 'Papers. After we'd spun a sob story, he very kindly said we could, so we got back to Bristol at about 03:00

 

The paper trains, various, provided almost an hourly service through most of the night between Paddington and Reading with a number also serving Didcot and they all had a BSK or suchlike for the Guard/personal needs of the packers.  Technically not available to the public of course but not at all unusual to find an odd 'civilian' among traincrews travelling passenger.

[Southernman46]

The 0410 papers out of Victoria to Ramsgate had a BSK as 1st vehicle for the use of the public and was often full with the overspill being accommodated in the rear cab of the 73 particularly if she was a looker ............... looker  !   I said looker !!

 

slightly different arrangement though since the papers were already packed as they could leave later due to the distance being so small to destination.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Southernman46

[Clive Mortimore]

10 passenger carrying vehicles behind the van didn't come in until about 1966.

 

 

The paper trains, various, provided almost an hourly service through most of the night between Paddington and Reading with a number also serving Didcot and they all had a BSK or suchlike for the Guard/personal needs of the packers.  Technically not available to the public of course but not at all unusual to find an odd 'civilian' among traincrews travelling passenger.

Myself and my mates use to go to a club under Charring Cross station that kicked out about 3 am, we would walk up to Liverpool Street and catch the paper train to Colchester. The packers were busy on the out journey so no one really minded that we traveled in empty coach, we did have valid tickets. The train arrived at Colchester giving me enough time to walk to the barracks in time for breakfast, ready for a day's work with no sleep.

[AberdeenBill]

Hi all,

 

I confess that I haven't checked the entire thread to see if it's already been posted, but here is a nice colourful parcels train with one of the cleanest green CCTs that I've seen:

http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p557772082/h6b096caf    The B looks like one of those with yellow/orange panels.   What is the vehicle at the rear of the train?

 

Bill

 

(edit to correct link)

Edited July 14, 2017 by AberdeenBill

[hmrspaul]

Presumably you mean this one.

 

http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p557772082/e6b096caf

 

I suspect the final van is LMS 42ft PMV http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lmsparcels/e157ec466

 

Paul

[Downendian]

I sit corrected; I should have known, as my first landlady's eldest son worked on the Bristol one. He used to leave for London about 20:00ish. I did blag a ride on the Down Bristol once- January 1976, after going to see 'Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen' at Hammersmith. Got in to Paddington to see the tail-lights of the last service train passing the country end of the platform; there was a young lady in a similar predicament. One of the staff suggested we ask the Duty Manager if we could go down in the coach attached to the Down 'Papers. After we'd spun a sob story, he very kindly said we could, so we got back to Bristol at about 03:00

Nice anecdote Brian. The class 31 on the Siphon Gs was a routine mid-afternoon sight at Bristol Parkway in the mid 70s on a working from South Wales to London. It was almost always an OC-allocated loco with "Newspapers" branded Siphons, must get those detailed Limas sorted for a representation of that train, but with a Hymek up front. I do remember the occasional class 37 on that service, will look up the headcode for it.

Edit : would be interested to hear more about the Temple Meads-London service

Neil

Edited July 14, 2017 by Downendian

[Enterprisingwestern]

Presumably you mean this one.

 

http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p557772082/e6b096caf

 

I suspect the final van is LMS 42ft PMV http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lmsparcels/e157ec466

 

Paul

 

As it only seems to have two windows, could it be one the ex cream vans Paul?

 

Mike.

[bingley hall]

Loving this thread. My N Gauge Society Collett full brake in blue just arrived in the post so looking for some possible parcels combos to put together.

[hmrspaul]

Nice train here https://flic.kr/p/WtUGaG

 

Paul

[Signaller69]

Nice train here https://flic.kr/p/WtUGaG

 

Paul

Very nice indeed Paul, particularly the 2 "Enparts" vehicles, en route to Swindon works possibly?

 

Martyn.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Signaller69

[Fat Controller]

Very nice indeed Paul, particularly the 2 "Enparts" vehicles, en route to Swindon works possibly?

 

Martyn.

The first vehicle looks as though it could be a former 'Fruit C', quite a few of which ended up as Enparts vans. Beyond that are a brace of SPVs, before the final portion, which is largely Siphon Gs. This bit is probably the Up (empty) 'Papers, with a brake coach towards the end. This one looks like a Mk 1 (in blue and grey), suggesting the Bristol train. The West-of-England had an all-blue Stanier BG allocated to it.

[The Stationmaster]

The first vehicle looks as though it could be a former 'Fruit C', quite a few of which ended up as Enparts vans. Beyond that are a brace of SPVs, before the final portion, which is largely Siphon Gs. This bit is probably the Up (empty) 'Papers, with a brake coach towards the end. This one looks like a Mk 1 (in blue and grey), suggesting the Bristol train. The West-of-England had an all-blue Stanier BG allocated to it.

 

If it's the Malago Vans - as described in the caption - then it will be news vans towards the rear with a Swindon portion on the front.  I'm not entirely sure what the SPVs are doing there but the Enparts will clearly be for Swindon as will the vehicle behind it - and maybe the SPVs too for some reason.

[AberdeenBill]

If it's the Malago Vans - as described in the caption - then it will be news vans towards the rear with a Swindon portion on the front.  I'm not entirely sure what the SPVs are doing there but the Enparts will clearly be for Swindon as will the vehicle behind it - and maybe the SPVs too for some reason.

 

What was actually transported in Enparts vans?   Presumably nothing too heavy... 

 

Bill

[The Johnster]

Enparts, parts for engines, valves, crankshafts, pistons, bearings, cylinder heads, tappets, that sort of stuff.   Some of it quite heavy even stripped down to components, especially if you were used to car engines.

 

In crates, mostly.