A Closer Look at the Photo Collection

There are many ways of using the HMRS Photo Collection, apart from just enjoying the photos. Consider the development of the LNER van. The A. G. Ellis Collection has 4 photos of vans at various stages in their development.

ABY312 shows an ex NER 10ton van, a pre-grouping design number 98488. It has a wood body and underframe with cupboard doors and a dropdown door below them. It has a tarpaulin covered roof hatch designed for loading using a crane or an overhead hoist. Wheelbase is 9’ -6” and it is unfitted. Spoked wheels are fitted. The photo was taken in 1947, so it has lasted well.

 

 

ABY321 is an ex GER 10ton van with a wood outside frame body and underframe having full length cupboard doors. It is not as high as later LNER vans. Numbered 632152 it was built in 1920 and photographed in 1947. It is ventilated and has spoked wheels.

 

ABY309 is an early LNER designed 12ton van, still built with a wood body and underframe with wheelbase of 9’. Number 90220. It is unventilated but now has a sliding door and is unfitted with spoked wheels. Photographed in 1947.

 

ABY310 shows a much more modern looking 12ton van number 242735, again photographed in 1947. The body is still wood but now has a 3-part pressed corrugated steel ends with a built-in ventilator, a steel underframe, and a sliding door. Wheelbase is 10’ and it is fitted for running in faster trains. It has both spoked wheels and 3hole, presumably the spoked wheels being a replacement for the originals. The GWR, LMS and SR were all building very similar looking vans by nationalisation with just detail differences and using various combinations of wood, plywood and steel for construction.