Scottish pre-Grouping goods vehicle insignia

This sheet provides a wide selection of insignia for the wagon stock of the five main Scottish companies as painted up to 1923. Many vehicles retained their pre-group insignia well into the 1930's. Special markings for each company are to be found mainly below the company's initials. Associated markings are grouped together as far as possible. Information given is based on photos, but not guaranteed to apply to every vehicle of a type. Work from photos wherever possible. For space reasons many items are printed closer together than on the vehicle.

CALEDONIAN RAILWAY

Some vehicles had 18" initials - most had the 12" size. The very large 1etters are for 30t bogie wagons, the small ones for low sided wagons, bolsters etc. Most special brandings (Lime Wagon, Hamilton Section, etc.,) appear at or near the top of the side. Tare shown usually as e.g. 5.6 in 2???" or 3" figs. at left of bottom plank (near centre of solebar on brakes, left of solebar on low wagons). Load x Tons if shown bottom right of side. Number centre of solebar in 6" or %" figs. on ballast bolster and low sided wagons, centre bottom of side on some brakes. Number sometimes repeated on ends. Side numbers on most wagons cast plates only. Depot or service middle of side on brake vans. Loco coal lettered C . R on left side, LOCO on right. C . R on flush boarded brakes. Passenger stock vehicles, painted coach lake, had yellow lettering, but tare figures (left of solebar) were white. Carriage trucks and Fish and Fowl vans marked at centre of solebar e.g. C.R 1618.

NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY

Most goods vehicles lettered in white, some in black. 18" or sometimes 20" letters on larger vehicles, 10" on lowsided. Note variations in style of N and letter thickness. Quatrefoil symbol usually between letters, sometimes to one side. Inverted crescent usually to left (occasionally right) with year of last overhaul (03,21 etc.) in contrasting colour figures. Tare figures e.g. 6.13.2 usually bottom left of body, normally 3" if white, 4 1/4" if black Numbers usually as cast plates only but sometimes painted on as well in 5???" nos. Typical brake lettering N.B.R fairly high on side with Goods Brake just below and depot at bottom with number. 7" figs., on lookout and quatrefoil between lookout and door with crescent and tare below it at bottom. Passenger stock vehicles lettered in yellow. Vans and fish trucks had Quatrefoil but no crescent Horse boxes and carriage trucks had neither.

GLASGOW & SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY

Note variations of letter shapes and sizes. Large size "& S" sometimes same size as G and W, sometimes slightly smaller - align all letters at bottom. Tare shown as e.g., 6.6 or 5.18.0 at left of solebar or bottom left of body. Numbers normally as cast plates only.

HIGHLAND RAILWAY

Two sizes of lettering H R apparently used indiscriminately. Tare bottom left of body e.g. 5. 12 or 5.13.0. Number usually as cast plate but sometimes in 4" nos. to left of "H". 6 wheel brakes lettered H R high in centre of body with number below in 8??? figs. (sample nos and spare 0 provided). Goods and Brake at body ends.

GREAT NORTH OF SCOTLAND RAILWAY

Tare figures e.g. 6.8.1 bottom left of body. Words LOCO COAL above G and S in 9??? 1etters. Running numbers as cast plates only.