here's a puzzler

Came across this photo I recently acquired
Can anyone explain the 4 packages under the smoke box of 45493 at Banbury

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/LMSSteam/Stanier-Locomotives/Stanier-Black-5/Black-5s-Pre-1968/Black-5s-Built-1944/45492-45499-Built-LMS-1944/i-pQfBJ4D

45492-45499 Built LMS 1944 - Railway-Photography
railway-photography.smugmug.com
railway photographs from the last 100 years


Neil

 

sausage sarnies

 

My first thought was they were placed there to wind up enthusiasts....
Or the junior porter told to "put then on the front" (van).

On a more sensible level, could they be packages of spares being transferred between depots?
I know the Western Region had a well organised system of parcels vans labelled ENPARTS which toured their region with loco spares. Did that extend north to their former lines beyond Heyford? If the ENPARTS vans didn't go north the loco would be a possible way of conveying spares.

Cheers, Neil

 

It wasn't uncommon to transport small items, usually but not always for internal railway use, such as to a signal box, on the front of the loco. This would save opening a wagon which might otherwise be sealed. Churns od water for the signalmen were often delivered this way.

 

A lovely photo of a working Black 5, just how I remember them. Any idea of the date? Looking at the cars in the background I'm guessing 1963/4. This loco lasted until the final year of steam, withdrawn in January 1968. If only we could have saved it!

 

Sorry no date supplied with photo, here one taken by Nigel Kendall of the same loco in 1966


https://railway-photography.smugmug...ilt-1944/45492-45499-Built-LMS-1944/i-SpjMChR

neil

 

my thoughts w=exactly. The new timetables for the boxes en route perhaps.

 

Hard to be exact because the fence post is in exactly the wrong spot but I believe it's an airflow Cortina which makes it October 65 at the very earliest

 

but at speed they could have fallen off

 

I have been given a photo of Blackmore Vale at Banbury with a picnic basket in the same place

 

if it was the local pick up goods, it wouldn't be doing much speed.

 

Bundles of newspapers another possibility.
Put there for the same reason as before, no need to open a door if its just an odd one or two items.

 

in fact it's hard for anyone who didn't experience freight back then (I didn't) to appreciate how slow unfitted freights travelled.

 

There is an article on the Station Truck which served the Severn Valley Branch on the SVR Wiki. In 1948 the 9.30am freight departure from Hartlebury reached Shrewsbury Coton Hill yard at 6.58pm - over 9 hours for 40 miles.
https://www.svrwiki.com/Station_Truck