Parcels trains and other company stock..

[nutford]

Quick question re parcels trains.

I understand that brake vans generally stayed within their 'owning company' tracks, but how about parcels/brake vans, in parcels trains?

Did these just get all jumbled up, or did they just go to an exchange point on territory borders for reloading into another company's vans? Or did they stay in a fixed rake from the company of ownership?

Might we have expected to see a train with a mix of Southern/GWR/LMS and LNER vans/brakes as a parcels train - or not?

[jwealleans]

Vans went the whole distance, but there were specific traffics and workings, it wasn't the free for all seen after 1948.

Steve Banks published an article in Model Rail which covered the Siphon of rabbits which worked to Sheffield daily and there must be plenty of other examples around, but there was far more opportunity for the railway companies to route traffic by their own metals even if it meant a very circuitous journey.

Horseboxes would have been the most commonly seen foreign stock outside of regular workings, I believe.

[Hatfield Shed]

The LNER's BG's when in racing pigeon transport service must have gone to 'off system' release points on occasion? But it will have been out and home loaded: the baskets had to be restored to their owners. I imagine the LMS must have had a significant share in originating this traffic, but my ignorance of their activity may safely be regarded as boundless.

[JASd17]

Parcels trains were something of a rarity on the LNER especially pre-war.

As Jonathan says, vans had specific traffic and routes.

John

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I have done a small study of LNER parcels train, they nearly all ran as passenger trains,so an overnight parcels train, nearly always had a couple of coaches in the consist.

manna

[nutford]

Interesting stuff - thanks guys.

From that, I'd deduce that the parcels got sent to nearest 'home centre' to destination and reloaded.
I suppose speed wasn't the essence it is today.

Many thanks!

[jwealleans]

Or for intermittent traffic vans were requisitioned and attached to train son an as required basis. The WTTs specify which trains can and cannot have vehicles attached.

[Hatfield Shed]

...From that, I'd deduce that the parcels got sent to nearest 'home centre' to destination and reloaded...

Where's the Post Office role in this? They must have used the railway systematically to move parcels over longer distances.

[JASd17]

Parcels trains were something of a rarity on the LNER especially pre-war.

I had better revise the above statement. Looking at the Summer 1939 WTT between York and Newcastle only on weekdays.

There are 5 No.1 Express Parcels services going the whole way departing York at:

12.30am, 1.20am, 2.45am, 10.30am, and 9.51pm.

There is also one service running between Thirsk and Northallerton departing Thirsk at 11.58am. This is heading for Eaglescliffe and had time to transfer parcels from the 10.30am York to Newcastle service.

Some of these were part of a much longer journey. The 1.20am, 2.45am and 10.30am are York to Newcastle only. 12.30am is from York to Edinburgh and conveys passengers when necessary. The 9.51pm departure originated at King's Cross.

John

[drmditch]

In Peter Coster's 'Book of the V2 2-6-2s', on Page 13 there is a picture of V2 No.884 taking water with what appears to be an outside-framed Southern Railway van immediately behind the tender.

The caption reads:
'Gatesheads No.884 is about to leave Grantham for the north in December 1946 soon after being fitted with a modified pony truck.'

I rather like the SR (and constituents) outside-framed luggage vans and would like an excuse to run one or two.

Is this likely to be an indication of a regular practice before nationalisation, and might it also have occurred pre-war?

[jwealleans]

In 1946 it may be military traffic of course. An offscene base is a good excuse for foreign stock and workings.

Off the top of my head I can't recall seeing any of those vans off SR metals prior to 1948, whereas they seem to have spread like the plague immediately afterwards. I can only think they were useful/well liked as everyone seems to have kept them and you see them all over the place from almost the day after Nationalisation.