Mystery Insulated Container Livery

[cctransuk]

What do list members make of CH06462C 4 ton frozen food container Type F No. F12899B at Okehampton 8/6/62 at :-

 

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/archive/search.htm?company=&subtype=4&location=&srch=&page=0

 

I know that the earliest BR insulated wagon / container livery was the wartime light stone, due to a shortage of white paint, but in 1962?

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[jwealleans]

Is the date definite?

 

Error by an outside contractor? Works using up old paint?

 

As you say, quite intriguing. They don't look tatty enough to have done upwards of 10 years in traffic in that livery. There are at least 3 in view as well, so it's not just a one off which had been hidden in a goods shed somewhere.

[Fat Controller]

I have a vague recollection of some insulated containers, in what was described as a 'yellow' livery, being used to distribute egg cartons from somewhere in East Yorkshire or North Lincolnshire. If I can remember anything else, or can find further information, I'll post here.

[cctransuk]

FM12899 was from Lot 2432 of Diagram 3/202, built in 1951 at Eastleigh.

 

On that basis, it's possible that it was painted light stone when first built.

 

That said, either the date of the photo is wrong or the containers had led a very sheltered life !!

 

..... or - looking closely at the thumbnail photo - the adjacent non-insulated container is in what appears to be the later maroon livery, and somewhat weathered at that.

 

.... and, I think that I can detect a white background to the lettering on the insulated container - as if the container had been repainted buff, but the original lettering, and the immediate background to it, had been left untouched.

 

I recall reference to a custom livery on McGrouthers meat containers - is this perhaps what we are seeing here? There was an abattoir at or close to Okehampton that used rail transport.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[cctransuk]

I have a vague recollection of some insulated containers, in what was described as a 'yellow' livery, being used to distribute egg cartons from somewhere in East Yorkshire or North Lincolnshire. If I can remember anything else, or can find further information, I'll post here.

 

Ahhh - from the definitive history of the line through Okehampton - higglers or egg dealers provided regular local traffic from early the days until closure by BR.

 

I haven't come across reference to repainted insulated containers in egg traffic myself - but it makes sense in this instance.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Fat Controller]

I've not yet found a photo of a container, but I did find one of a label (!) on page 66 of 'British Railways Unfitted and Vacuum-Braked Wagons' by Trevor Mann. The container in question was apparently F 14973, working from Great Yarmouth to Sleaford. The containers apparently had the meat rails removed. The traffic wasn't in eggs, but in the fibre-board trays and cartons to carry them.

[Porcy Mane]

The containers apparently had the meat rails removed. The traffic wasn't in eggs, but in the fibre-board trays and cartons to carry them.

Somewhere amongst my sagging bookshelves I have an Official BR Document that mentions repainting of Containers into Yellow livery to be used for the conveyance of Egg Cartons. A quick 10 minute search didn't find it. I cant remember if there is a date on it.

The only photograph I've ever seen of one (Prior to the RCTS example) is here.

https://flic.kr/p/bMjsHR

 

Date is surmised to early seventies but I thought the reclamation and landscaping of the spoil heap in the background had begun by then. I'm possibly wrong on that.

 

Probably the legend on the RH side of the container would give a clue to the intended contents? Looks like it would be readable on the original negative/transparency so a request to the RCTS might be beneficial.

 

Porcy

[cctransuk]

Somewhere amongst my sagging bookshelves I have an Official BR Document that mentions repainting of Containers into Yellow livery to be used for the conveyance of Egg Cartons. A quick 10 minute search didn't find it. I cant remember if there is a date on it.

The only photograph I've ever seen of one (Prior to the RCTS example) is here.

https://flic.kr/p/bMjsHR

 

Date is surmised to early seventies but I thought the reclamation and landscaping of the spoil heap in the background had begun by then. I'm possibly wrong on that.

 

Probably the legend on the RH side of the container would give a clue to the intended contents? Looks like it would be readable on the original negative/transparency so a request to the RCTS might be beneficial.

 

Porcy

 

I have purchased the image from RCTS, and the detail visible is extremely good.

 

The container which forms the principal subject is FM12899B, but with the M painted over. The traffic instruction is in black stencilled lettering, below the righthand horizontal strap, and reads :-

 

FOR HARTMANNS

YARMOUTH VAUXHALL

GE TRAFFIC ONLY

 

the three lines being centred over each other.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Porcy Mane]

A quick google  turned up Hartmann as a Danish Egg box Manufacturer. Hartmann Fibre Co used to have a factory on Hartmann Road in Yarmouth and went on to become Omni Pac. Looking at Old maps it seems like the "Fibre Works" was never rail connected. Hence the containers?

 

Hth

P