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It isn't, hence the ringed signals. You may like to have a look at https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/185911-signals-for-a-single-line-junction/, which gives the background.

There was a reason why they were called "Wagon chasers"...

A van might contain part consignments for different destinations; if so, it would be necessary to be able to read labels...

It's not particularly conclusive, but a rather random selection of photographs of identifiable fish vans in S Wales in the late 1950s and early 1960s show numerous ex-LNER vans, both original uninsulated and insulated conversions, several BR 1/800, one BR 1/801 and one Insixfish [dated Sept 1962], but no Bloaters.

Only partly. Rebuilding involved the disappearance of the side and end vents of those Bloaters which had them, but more noticeably the replacement of the sliding doors by cupboard doors. But it should have end louvres according to Peter Tatlow [Historic Carriage Drawings vol. 3].

It was built as the residence of the CME in 1873, but demolished in 1937.

The Y11 Fruit D had the same wheelbase but different brake gear, spring suspension and steps. Some were converted to parcels vans circa 1948, but with the bodies substantially rebuilt; any survivors would not have been in fish traffic in the 1960s. Even the modern InSixFish had been transferred away from the WR, and photographs suggest what limited fish traffic there still was on the WR was in BR 4-wheel lwb insulated vans. The same issues apply as apply to Y11 above, plus different wheelbases [apart from the last 50 of V9] and only two doors.

Likewise, except that I use a pale grey, as white looks too stark to me, especially if it's supposed to look as though it had been written weeks previously.

Acrobatic cows?

All of which is true, and for a passenger train the signalman wouldn't pull off 15 anyway; although ringed it's still a "Stop" signal.

There was a W1, a diesel railcar; whether it lasted long enough to get the suffix as well I don't know. W7W probably did. S1S - S3S. Originally blue and dual braked for working on the Night Ferry service. Ceased to be ferry vans 1960, air brake removed and painted green for general use. S1S and S2S were withdrawn in1969; S3S in 1974.

4652 is 8750 sub-class, 7787 was 57xx sub-class. Different cabs and water filler caps.

Parkside do both LMS unfitted and LNER VB cattle wagons, which are to their usual standard. They may not have done a GW one because of the existence of the Coopercraft version. The Airfix BR version can be altered to a GW version IIRC, but I don't remember the details.

Actually, beyond Combe Junct for much of its life was Moorswater Yard, but there were two lines there as Jeremy C has just posted. The layout looks like a composite of Combe Junction and Looe, where the platform is on a single line without a loop, because in steam days the empty passenger stock was run round in the goods yard/quayside area beyond the station. That could be done here, but realistically only with a different operating pattern to Combe Junct. as running occupied passenger trains to the yard to reverse would require quite different signalling. So far as 21 is concerned, I have thought a bit more about the possibilities of, for example, crossing a freight with a passenger train, and have come to agree with you.

It would help to know what period the layout is set in [is it evident from the signals and structures?] as this may affect the answers. To control this track plan as shown, with token and staff for the two lines, a signal box is essential [Coombe Junction had one roughly where the G/F is shown until the line became one train operated between Liskeard and Looe], as a ground frame can't exercise the necessary functions. Is it actually a ground frame or a signal box? There should be a trap point between the terminal yard and the halt, assuming no passenger service [which is presumably why ringed arms are used for 1 and 21?], perhaps the other side of the bridge, with signal 1 before the trap. Quite where 21 belongs I don't know, but it's not really needed where it is. There should be signals [possibly ground signals] to permit entry to and exit from siding A-B, which should also be trapped. However, with the track laid and ballasted the alterations to add the trap points may not be worthwhile now. The layout implies that passenger services are worked by autotrains, as there is no loop at the halt; if passenger trains work into the yard beyond for the loco to run round then the signalling becomes much more complicated, unless the two lines are worked separately, so that only empty stock goes into the yard, unlike the reversal of trains at Coombe Junction [which had a loop at the station].

Essentially this was a single commodity block train of empties, London to South Wales, presumably without intermediate stops, possibly with a couple of loaded ones the other way [loco coal and domestic coal separately], run that way because there was enough traffic to justify it. Smaller numbers of coal empties from local stations on the way out of London would probably be picked up by local goods trains and, at a guess, be collected at Acton yard and form part of another through train to South Wales, not necessarily made up only of empty coal wagons, perhaps with intermediate stops. Both trains would be classified as through goods, but, as you imply, rather differently organised, because meeting different needs.

The biggest/tallest, in the pale colour - white, possibly? See https://gelligaerhistoricalsociety.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/NEwsletter67-January2023.pdf [16 page pdf, copy of this photograph and article on p7]

To clarify, the reference here to "intermediate yards" refers to sorting yards, not goods yards; although the two might be adjacent, they had different purposes. Through freights would work between two major sorting yards, and might serve intermediate sorting yards as well, where they would leave and collect traffic as necessary, sorted as stated, usually into sections by destination, each possibly with separate VB and unfitted sub-sections. Large intermediate goods stations would probably be served by trip workings from a local sorting yard or yards. Through freights were assembled in sections according to written instructions which also laid down the class of train and the maximum number of vehicles, as well as such matters as types of traffic which could or could not be conveyed by that train. The whole process was remarkaby complex.

Not all WR named trains came from/went to Paddington https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/84189-the-devonian/ In the 1960s the northern terminal of the Cornishman was also at Bradford, after a period at Wolverhampton.

All the aircraft whose names were used for Castles were in RAF service during the Battle of Britain.

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.]

I would have thought that a wire rope rated for 45 tons [plus a safety margin] and of a very specific length, is likely to have a noticable influence on the sale price of a crane, as without it the crane is effectively useless. Not only is the boiler of a steam crane subject to inspection, but so is the rope, particularly on a crane which is only used irregularly. There is a lot of paperwork to go with it as well. Unless you have a real need for it, keeping such a crane in certification is likely to be demanding on staff time for limited returns, and requires someone competent to carry out inspections; insurance is dependent on compliance.

Nothing at all, but what's on the van is not what the actual label looked like. I suspect that it's painted as well, rather than a paper label...🙂 Your photos B881061_BANANA__m_at Staines Central 67-01-04 and B880681_BANANA__m_at Southampton Docks 69-04-17 respectively show the earlier and later labels. Which is the same as the 12/1949 edition [I have both]. Mea culpa. Being interested in the period circa 1960, I tend to overlook the "boxed" era. I presume that the use of Vanfit was short lived, replaced by the TOPS code VVV as shown on one of the other vans in the photographs?

But note that the "Vanfit" code officially never appeared on the wagon in BR days, while, also under BR, Shocvans did not carry the GWR style "Not in Common Use" black plate with branding in white, whilst some other BR codes changed over time. Always approach the livery and markings of anything preserved with caution. If possible use contemporary photographs, not, for example, https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/570027.html which has the wrong code, BR or LMS bauxite livery but no "M" prefix to the number or "LMS" above it to show ownership, odd placement of wording, a white circle which it should not have and an inaccurate "Fyffes" label.

I agree entirely, but the advanced starters were added when the other changes were made. The original layout had FPLs on the points from main to loop at both ends. Whether they were 'main line only' at that stage I don't know, but making them 'both ways' would only need different locking; the new layout would have to be locked from scratch in the new box anyway. The added FPLs were all in the loop, for traps and the connections to the siding. The homes were replaced with equal height brackets at both ends so both lines could be used bi-directionally, with the possibility of a faster train overtaking a slower one as well as crossing it. The Cambrian main line didn't come into that category, especially in summer. Crossing two stopping trains would require one train, after station work was finished, to back out into the section it had arrived from, after having surrendered the token on arrival. It can then pull forward into the loop; meanwhile the second train can be accepted with the home on and the line set for the loop, and is then held at the home. One the first is in the loop, the second enters the platform and surrenders the other token, after which the signalman can offer both trains on to the next box. With the advanced starters the signalman can permit those movements himself; without them the backing move has to be authorised by the signalman at the other end and a token issued, and then returned once the movement is complete. There seems no other possible reason for adding advanced starters at a station which did not previously have them, but I'm open to correction. I think that this station was not the only one on the Cambrian where this procedure was followed, but can't remember where now, I'm afraid.