Midland Railway 8 Ton Fruit Van - did they get the same LMS additions as the standard 8 Ton Van

[Rob Pulham]

Hi all,

 

I am currently building a couple of Slaters 7mm Midland Railway 8 Ton vans under LMS ownership.

 

Like this - photo linked from Slaters Plasticard site.

 

 

I intend to build one of these as the fruit van variant with louvres on the sides and ends as per the example in Essery's Midland wagons volume one (sorry I don't have my copy to hand to quote the page/diagram number at present).

 

What I am trying to work out is whether the Fruit van variant received the extra strapping supports under the door runners and angled plates half way up the headstocks etc. which further photos in Midland wagons shows that the standard 8 ton vans did under LMS ownership?

 

If they got them I would like to represent them as being something a little extra to the basic kit build. 

 

Many thanks for any assistance you can offer.

[Spitfire2865]

I cant give you a definitive answer, but the LMS was slow on bringing their wagon fleet up to date. Wagons could go years before seeing work done on it.

You say you have photos of some with bracing, so Im failing to see your question. Could you be more specific on your request?

[Rob Pulham]

Hi Spitfire2865,

 

My aplologies if what I am asking isn't clear.

 

The photo's that are in the Essery book with the LMS additions, are of the basic 8 ton van not the fruit van version which I am building. What I would like to know is did the 8 ton fruit vans receive similar enhancements since they are basically the same van with louvres replacing some of the planking.

[Spitfire2865]

I would assume if a van fitted with vents went into the works for whatever reason, it could be strengthened if weaknesses were detected. So you could model some with and some without. It all depends on how you fancy really. A more beat up van probably would get bracing if attention was drawn.

Unless someone can bring up photos of such a van, then any choice you make could be claimed as true. There is a prototype for everything afterall!

Where exactly did the standard vans get bracing mostly? Since they are pretty much the same van, I would logically assume if need be, bracing would be in similar places.

[Rob Pulham]

 Since they are pretty much the same van, I would logically assume if need be, bracing would be in similar places.

 

That was my thought and where the original idea came from, although I was rather hoping that some learned soul would confirm it for me.

 

In terms of where they received bracing, there was a plate added to where the outside framing met the top of the door frame to the left of the door when looking side on; there were support brackets going from the solebar to the bottom runner track for the sliding doors - presumably to stop the runner from sagging under the weight; and finally there were angle steel stanchions added to the face and running approx half the height of the wooden end stanchions. My copy of the Essery book is in County Durham at the moment but when I go at the weekend I will bring it hope and scan a section of a photo to illustrate what I mean.

[Spitfire2865]

I understand the hope for confirmed information, but pregrouping stock seems a rare subject. Even standard common stock. Ive found 5 photos of an LNWR brake van in my searches. So the lack of photos for a fruit van doesnt seem out of the question.

I have checked the photos Ive amassed and unfortunately I have nothing for fruit vans.

I would say its very possible, and would give something individual to your van.