The LNER Encyclopedia

Hi

While on holiday in the UK in 2008 I went sailing on the Thames Sailing Barge Edme and noticed a bottle crate being used as a wine rack that was labled *LNER EDME Return to Mistley LNER*. I know that the EDME company was (and still is) a malting company, but what I was wondering was how common these types of crates were and if many companies used similar packaging.

Cheers

EDME was and still is a traditional maltster enterprise operating out of Mistley near Manningtree in Essex. Right next to Mistley station originally, with fairly extensive sidings and a rail link into the factory and waregouse, most of their output would have been by rail via Harwich (Parkestone) and throughout Europe. Mush of the malt extract produce would have been in bottles and jars and this is where the dedicated branded boxes must have originated.

There is no rail or quay facility now, but judging by the smell (I was there earlier today) business is still brisk!

The brage was built at Harwich in 1898 and used until 1949 when it became a lighter. It was bought by the EDME group, and restored and returned to use in about 1992 - nominally based at ST Osyth.

I recently visited the UK again and went sailing on the EDME again (my uncle and grandfather are part owners). This time I took some photos of the LNER crate and have put them on Flickr.

EDME LNER malt crate
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54978969@N ... hotostream
Crate makers stamp
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54978969@N ... hotostream

Wonderful - what a lovely little piece of history

Ay up!

I particularly like the fake bolts included in the stamp. A nice touch.

And a real piece of history.

Many thanks.

Ocean Swell wrote:I recently visited the UK again and went sailing on the EDME again (my uncle and grandfather are part owners). This time I took some photos of the LNER crate and have put them on Flickr.

EDME LNER malt crate
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54978969@N ... hotostream
Crate makers stamp
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54978969@N ... hotostream

I may be wrong, but I do not think that these are LNER crates, rather they are the property of EDME and 'LNER Mistley' is merely a place for them to be returned to, in effect a Private Owner crate. The 'return to' destination has the same purpose as that on, say, a colliery-owned wagon.

I have a milk churn marked 'Return to Ware LNER'

As an occasional home-brewer, more frequently brewing in the past than I do now, I was a little disappointed a few years ago when EDME stopped selling their "DMS" diastatic malt extract. Now there's a term to get the more curious amongst you looking in the dictionary, or encyclopaedia, or cheating by use of Google. DMS was a handy short cut for home brewers seeking to produce something more like real beer, but lacking the time and inclination to spend a full day mashing, boiling, cooling and so on. Anyway, this is a bit of a digression from the railway theme so I'll shut up now.

And I thought all the LNER crates were a result of Thompson's vindictiveness.

R. pike wrote:I have a milk churn marked 'Return to Ware LNER'

The same comments apply. AFAIK the LNER did not own any dairy farms, dairies, or milk processing plants. The dairy companies even owned the milk tanks; the railway companies just provided the underframes on which they were carried.