Brake Van R.U. Designation

[Quarryscapes]

Quite a simple (and probably daft) question, what does it stand for?

 

As in 'Portmadoc R.U. No.1' marked on the side of a Toad. 

[Fat Controller]

'Restricted Use', perhaps? The Great Western was very possessive about its 'vans and liked to restrict them to designated workings; in the case of the vacuum-braked 'vans, this would even run to a painted list of the diagrammed workings that a particular vehicle was assigned to. The practice survived Nationalisation, so that BR Standard, and even ex-LMS 'vans used on the WR were often branded to a greater or lesser degree.

[Mark Saunders]

In effect they were treated the same as locomotives! The "RU" was restricted use and the branding would be in effect it's home depot!

 

In many private sidings there were notices that BR locomotives and Brake Vans not to pass this point!

 

Mark Saunders

[Quarryscapes]

What use would these have been put to then? Presumably round trips only? The Pwllheli and both Portmadoc vans are also marked not in common use as well as the RU. 

[Fat Controller]

What use would these have been put to then? Presumably round trips only? The Pwllheli and both Portmadoc vans are also marked not in common use as well as the RU. 

They'd have been intended to work back to their point of origin. Perhaps the 'Not in Common Use' branding was intended for those unfamiliar with the R.U markings... I've seen both BR and LMS-design vans so marked on the Western, so it's not confined to the traditional 'Toad'.

One thing I remember about WR freights in the late 1960s and early 1970s was that they almost invariably had several brake vans scattered through their formations.

[Rivercider]

What use would these have been put to then? Presumably round trips only? The Pwllheli and both Portmadoc vans are also marked not in common use as well as the RU. 

Possibly out and back. on express freights both ways, with the same guard bringing the van back?

Bristol West Depot to Newton Abbot Hackney Yard, and return for instance

 

cheers

[BRealistic]

 

One thing I remember about WR freights in the late 1960s and early 1970s was that they almost invariably had several brake vans scattered through their formations.

 

That's an interesting observation, Brian. Might the train have picked up various sections along it's route... including the brake van that served each section???  Maybe something to replicate. 

[The Bigbee Line]

There are a number of 60s pictures of GW brake vans in departmental use on the Southern Region. In the 80s there was one at Tonbridge with a Creosote tank. In engineers use for soil stabilisation.

 

I noticed a Bachmann version in the local model shop priced at just over £12. Good price when the SR pill box is over twice the price. So I snapped one up.

[TheWeatheringMan]

Quite a simple (and probably daft) question, what does it stand for?

 

As in 'Portmadoc R.U. No.1' marked on the side of a Toad.

[TheWeatheringMan]

Quite a simple (and probably daft) question, what does it stand for?

 

As in 'Portmadoc R.U. No.1' marked on the side of a Toad.

 

Hi,

RU did not stand for 'restricted use' in that it restricted that van to a particular working.

It actually stood for 'restricted user' and informed all staff that the van in question was restricted to use by the depot marked thereon for its traffic workings only- it was not allowed to be 'borrowed' by another yard for a 'domestic, movement from that yard but had to be returned to its home depot either on a working or within the consist of a train travelling to the home depot.

If a van was actually restricted to a given working then this working would be branded onto that vehicle.

Regards

[The Stationmaster]

RU meant 'Restricted User' - i.e. the user was that place or trains named on the van and the van had to remain in their workings and not be taken for anything else.

 

'Not In Common Use' meant exactly what it said - the vehicle could not be declared up to Rolling Stock Distribution as a spare or empty but had to be returned to its owning Company/Region/depot (ideally asap).

[Quarryscapes]

There we go, nice and simple, cheers gents - you'd have thought it would be mentioned in GWW but it isn't (in my version anyway). 

 

Mickey - the branding appears on ex Cambrian double verandah vans so it's unlikely a dislike of single ends. (although the single ended Cambrian vans were all done away with sharpish, though probably because they were wood framed)

[tomparryharry]

Radyr had some 20t vans which were RU for the Maerdy branch.They had extra wire netting on the windows, and I think at least one had a strengthened roof, to deal with attacks on the class 9 traffic from Maerdy colliery. 

[The Stationmaster]

Radyr had some 20t vans which were RU for the Maerdy branch.They had extra wire netting on the windows, and I think at least one had a strengthened roof, to deal with attacks on the class 9 traffic from Maerdy colliery. 

Regrettably they weren't branded 'RU'.  I tried very hard to get them so branded when Cathays did the 'conversion' work for us but they wouldn't do it as it was not an officially permitted marking on vehicles.  They were intended for several valleys which were more akin to shooting galleries for the local yobs although Maerdy was one of the main contenders.  The main reason for wanting them branded was that we knew Aberdare would be likely to try to pinch them so we wanted hard evidence on the vehicles that they were ours - we did lose at least one.

 

I didn't know of one with a strengthened roof - the required work was merely the grills over teh glazing on the lookout duckets.

[tomparryharry]

Hi Mike,

 

The van I recall with a strengthened roof had some tin sheet on. At least, it looked like tin sheet from above. I can imagine Aberdare wanting something like that.. The Cynon Valley wasn't the friendliest of places..... Seem to remember that all the windows on the van had wire-reinforced glazing.

[The Stationmaster]

Hi Mike,

 

The van I recall with a strengthened roof had some tin sheet on. At least, it looked like tin sheet from above. I can imagine Aberdare wanting something like that.. The Cynon Valley wasn't the friendliest of places..... Seem to remember that all the windows on the van had wire-reinforced glazing.

They probably asked for something after they saw ours!

 

And yes, the Cynon Valley was more like bomb alley at times - after I'd moved back to England a BT P Inspector going to Cardiff to takeover the section asked me what I thought would be good spots to tackle and the Cynon Valley was head of my list.  He did rather well out of it with lots of 'collars' and it helped make his reputation - when our paths next crossed about 20 years later he was a Chief Supt and offered profuse thanks for my advice, nice of him to say so I thought,

[Huw Griffiths]

Why do people put disagreee and then not  say why?

 

That button should be got rid of, or at least come with an essential "Why I don't agree" box to type it...

 

It's like a Idiot's Charter as it is.

 

I agree - that and the "Indecipherable / Unsure of Meaning" flag.

 

There seem to be a number of people who hit both of these flags - for no apparent reason - in much the same way as they might hit the buttons on a game console.

 

Perhaps, it might actually be a game for some people - hit the negative neutral feedback flags for no reason whatsoever - and refuse to explain their actions - after all, who cares if somebody else might be offended?

 

Who knows? Who cares?

 

 

Well, I care - as (I suspect) do all the other people who also go out of their way to restrict their postings to checkable facts and reasonable opinions, expressed clearly and in such a way as not to conceivably offend anyone. People who are always careful to explain what they're saying (and why they're saying it). People who are careful to clearly qualify personal opinions as such. People who don't indulge in trolling, name calling or threatening posts. In other words, people like you - me - and just about everyone else on this site.

 

 

For this reason, I might be a bit wary about using expressions like "idiot's charter". I know what you're saying here - and I agree with the the basic message - although, if I were saying it, I'd probably choose to use slightly different wording.

 

 

However, what's in no doubt is the way I view the "disagree" and "indecipherable" flags. In fact, this has never been in any doubt, as I've never used either of these flags - and I'm in no rush to do so.

 

If I don't agree with somebody, I explain why - if I don't know what they're trying to say, I ask them - if I can't be bothered to work out a sensible response, then I just do everyone a favour and keep quiet.

 

 

Anyway, I think it's probably time to get back to the trains.

 

 

Regards,

 

Huw.

[Andy M]

 

the Cynon Valley was more like bomb alley at times

Blimey........I didn't realise South Wales was so treacherous for railwaymen. I thought everyone was well behaved in the 50's/60's!

 

Andy.

[The Stationmaster]

Blimey........I didn't realise South Wales was so treacherous for railwaymen. I thought everyone was well behaved in the 50's/60's!

 

Andy.

It was the '70s by then Andy (but I understand from various locals that in some respects the '60s weren't much better).  The big trick on the Cynon Valley was to build a pile of junk in the four foot which would cause a Down loaded train to stop and the locals would then nip out from their hiding places and open the doors on a hopper wagon thus releasing its contents - ready to help themselves.  That apart it was typical Valleys fayre of stone and bottle throwing.

[Fat Controller]

It was the '70s by then Andy (but I understand from various locals that in some respects the '60s weren't much better).  The big trick on the Cynon Valley was to build a pile of junk in the four foot which would cause a Down loaded train to stop and the locals would then nip out from their hiding places and open the doors on a hopper wagon thus releasing its contents - ready to help themselves.  That apart it was typical Valleys fayre of stone and bottle throwing.

 

It was the '70s by then Andy (but I understand from various locals that in some respects the '60s weren't much better).  The big trick on the Cynon Valley was to build a pile of junk in the four foot which would cause a Down loaded train to stop and the locals would then nip out from their hiding places and open the doors on a hopper wagon thus releasing its contents - ready to help themselves.  That apart it was typical Valleys fayre of stone and bottle throwing.

Further west, the wagons were so rotten that there was no need to open doors; the coal leaked out through the gaps in the bottoms of the sides...Sometimes, whole chunks of wagon side would fall out after a particularily hard brake application; I remember seeing this happen, and a swarm of old fellows arriving with bikes, sacks and shovels within minutes.