GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Moor Street Station: gwrms1725

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

back