6 WHEEL MILK TANKERS

Hello guys:

I think this one might be for Steve Best, however can anyone tell me how many of these survive and where please?

Bestregards
Chris:

 

There are a few on the KWVR sat down just off the turntable headshunt at keighley

 

A GWR 6-wheel milk tank wagon, No W2506 (Swindon, 1934), is based on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, and currently awaits restoration.

 

Theres two at the Midlad Railway Centre as far as I know:

1 is under general overhaul at the mo, the other is a chassis only, acting as a crane runner wagon.

 

Theres a lovely restored example on the Bluebell

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/4430.html

 

Thanks guys, keep "em coming.

Best regards
Chris:

 

Swanage Railway have IU024982 [ADW (ex-M) 44013; ex-LMS 5291) built to LMS Diag.1993 in Lot 1077 at Derby in 1937/8. Once used by United Creameries Ltd, this 3,000 gallon Milk Tank ended its BR days at Immingham TMD.
http://www.departmentals.com/photo.php?photo=024982
Sees occasional use during steam galas and may well be in a demonstration wagon rake during the next SR Grand Steam Gala on 10 - 12 Sept.

 

Hi Chris
This is what I have details for. the (zz - Miscellaneous Locations - zz) entry is at BRIGHTLINGSEA BOATYARD. Shipyard Estate, Brightlingsea, Colchester, CO7 0AR.
Diagrams [23] [24] [O23] were built as 4 wheelers but r/b to 6w in 1936/37.
Steve

Number Origin Class/Type Owner/Operator Details Notes Other Number

638 LMS 6w Milk Tank Churnet Valley Railway Derby 1927 [24] std 44000/041499
640 LMS 6w Milk Tank Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Derby 1928 [24] 44002
1985 GWR 6w Milk Tank Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway Swindon 1946 [O55] 041960
2009 GWR 6w Milk Tank Mangapps Railway Museum Swindon 1927 [O23] 041988
2016 GWR 6w Milk Tank South Devon Railway Swindon 1927 [O23] (opbGWR813) 041357
2504 GWR 6w Milk Tank Severn Valley Railway Swindon 1932 [O38] (opbGWR813) 061067
2506 GWR 6w Milk Tank Bodmin & Wenford Railway Swindon 1932 [O38] std 041358
2536 GWR 6w Milk Tank Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Swindon 1934 [O39]
2835 GWR 6w Milk Tank Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway Swindon 1942 "[O51] ""Cotteswold Dairy"""
2960 GWR 6w Milk Tank Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway Swindon 1943 [O51] 041348
2972 GWR 6w Milk Tank zz - Miscellaneous Locations - zz Swindon 1944 [O52] 079073
3018 GWR 6w Milk Tank West Somerset Railway Swindon 1946 [O57] (opbGWR813) 041356
3035 GWR 6w Milk Tank East Somerset Railway Swindon 1946 [O57]
3037 GWR 6w Milk Tank South Devon Railway Swindon 1946 [O57]
3043 GWR 6w Milk Tank Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway Swindon 1946 "[O57] ""St Ivel"""
3052 GWR 6w Milk Tank West Coast Railway Co Swindon 1946 [O57]
3176 GWR 6w Milk Tank Rutland Railway Museum Swindon 1950 [O64] u/f/o
3192 GWR 6w Milk Tank North Yorkshire Moors Railway Swindon 1952 "[O56] ""Express Dairy"" Demo Train Goathland" 041888/975449
4409 SR 6w Milk Tank Didcot Railway Centre Lancing 1931 "[3152] ""Express Dairy"""
4430 SR 6w Milk Tank Bluebell Railway Lancing 1933 "[3157] op ""United Dairies"
5289 LMS 6w Milk Tank Midland Railway Centre Derby 1929 "[24] ""United Dairies""" 44018/041961
5291 LMS 6w Milk Tank Swanage Railway Derby 1929 [24] 44013/024982/041963
5364 LMS 6w Milk Tank North Yorkshire Moors Railway Derby 1929 "[23] ""St Ivel"" Demo Train Goathland" 44019/041882
6093 LMS 6w Milk Tank Midland Railway Centre Derby 1931 [1994] conv Runner for ADRC95202 in 1961 44180/ADM395780
42801 PO 6w Milk Tank NRM York /1966 [??] ex MMB r/b body WH Davis in 1981
44044 LMS 6w Milk Tank East Somerset Railway Derby 1934 [1994]
44047 LMS 6w Milk Tank Doncaster TMD Derby 1937 [1994] 041963
44057 LMS 6w Milk Tank NRM York Derby 1937 "[1994] ""United Dairies"""
44065 LMS 6w Milk Tank Gwili Railway Swindon 1937 [1994] u/f/o in undergrowth Cynwyl Elfed 060997
44069 LMS 6w Milk Tank Tyseley Locomotive Works Derby 1934 [1994] dsm u/r 061007

 

Many thanks Steve as ever.

I notice though that only two S R tankers survived although a greater number of LMS and GWR ones went into preservation.

Would the knowledgeable amongst you know what the differences are between the different railway companies, or are they all basically the same?

Many thanks
Chris:

 

It seems a shame that no LNER examples survived.

 

An image of unrestored example 638 (44000), the first on Steve's list, at the Churnet Valley can be found here.

 

The underframes of the milk tanks were generally built and owned by the railway companies, as opposed to the tanks themselves which belonged to the dairies. There are some detail differences between the underframes of the big four companies, including features such as the axleboxes, brake handles, buffers and the diagonal stays from the end timbers down to the chassis. For instance GWR tanks generally have these stays attached inside the chassis solebars, whereas other companies generally attached them to the outside of the solebars. Many of the 44xxx LMS tanks were latterly transferred to the Western Region, for use on the West Country and South Wales milk traffic which lasted much longer than elsewhere. This may possibly account for why there are many more preserved LMS and GWR tanks than LNER and SR.

David

 

Thank you David, I am obliged to you.

Regards
CW:

 

If my idea for a water carrier for 2500 holds any water this is the place to look...

 

Pun of the day Award right there sir!!

ORR might be a bit sticky regarding running a rigid wheelbased wagon on a passenger train at speed? (it's just like a tender I suppose, but they may not see it that way!)

 

What was their maximum service speed when in normal use? Thought it was quite swift and I'm sure they ran with BG's and other bogie-ed coaching stock.

 

I am sure they ran at passenger train speeds, likely to be in the region of 60/75 mph. However an issue is likely to be they have vacuum brakes, and white metal bearings. So at the very least somebody would have to design an air/dual brake conversion.
Slightly off topic DW101 is at Didcot built as a water tank but on a GWR 6 wheel milk tank underframe. As the tank was put back on many years ago as a temp measure [by me] It is level not sloping towards one end. It does look a lot like a 6 wheel milk tanker.

 

Very true, there are photographs of them in service on even express passenger services. However, if I remember correctly, in the 50s/60s there was a move against high-speed rigid wheelbased stock on high speed services. I would imagine that that remains.

 

Thanks for the Pun award. Clearly not a little bit of work would be needed to turn a Heritage wagon into something acceptable for the mainline. breakes, bearings etc would have to be modified and perhaps how it is coupled to the loco... making it a defacto tender, but at the end of the day itwould look plausible... You could probably hide a couple of thousand gallons inside a 'Queen mary' brakevan, but this would look a little odd between 2500 and a passenger train....

 

It would look very plausible, and if the ORR were happy with the speeds involved it would be my first choice - as it would be lighter than a BG or GUV (and more appropriate for a loco in LMS colours, if painted LMS livery to match).

Not sure a permanent connection would be such a good idea though, as without it 2500 wouldn't need to be turned at destinations (again, this is only if the ORR were happy for the loco to run at maximum allowed speed in both forward and reverse). If it were allowed to run in reverse, some form of water pipe would have to be supplied on the front of the loco as well as the rear, of course.