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GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton
Moor Street Station: gwrms1725
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A British Railways' covered van in Shed B, beside the banana
ripening rooms belonging to Francis Nicholls Ltd. The large white circle at the
far end of the wagon indicated that this wagon was steam heated. Right from the
early days of the Great Western Railway traffic from Avonside, the owners of
the fruit were allowed to affix small advertising posters to the wagons
carrying their produce. Under this Geest Bananas poster are the
letters 'XP' and below this 'WB 10 0'. The requirement for this
information came from regulations issued in the September 1938 Alteration
and Additions (G.A.4.) notice which amended the General Appendix to the
Rule Book. These regulations governed the running of four wheeled vehicles in
passenger trains and required these vehicles to comply with the following
requirements: i) Vehicles to be fitted with: Oil
axleboxes, automatic brakes or through brake pipes, screw couplings and long
buffers. ii) Minimum tare to be 6 tons.
iii) Vehicles with a wheelbase of less than 10 feet to be
prohibited
The regulations contained a note that stated
'All four wheeled non-passenger carrying coaching stock and braked freight
stock of 10 foot and under 15 foot wheelbase suitable for running in passenger
trains carrying A headlamps will be marked 'XP' on the right hand
corner of each vehicle or the right hand corner of the solebar. The wheelbase
will be shewn underneath the letters 'XP'.'
Robert Ferris
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