Anybody help identify this van?

[Brack]

On another forum, in a chat about grounded van bodies, a member mentioned he knew of one very far gone body in a field. It's inland from Larne.

I asked his permission to bost the photos here, in the hope that somebody hear might be able to help work out what it is/was?

The folk who own the field reckon it's been there since the 50s, and was once a hen house, but the man who used to keep the hens is long gone. There is somewhere to tie up livestock inside, but whether it's original or not is unknown.

Looks like some sort of brake van with a single balcony end, but with doors for general goods, so a bit like a LSWR road van or the SLNCR drovers vans, but obviously not either of those.

Apparently the body is about 8' wide.

Did the NCC have anything similar? It's in their territory, closer to the narrow gauge than anything else.

He, and the owners would be interested to know what it once was, and any pictures would be very interesting.

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by Brack

[Mayner]

Possibly an ex BNCR Goods Brake Van, the looked like a standard goods van with side doors and a balcony at one end.

Some photos and sketches in New Irish Lines Vol 8 No 2 2017  https://www.dropbox.com/s/xrgk5h1z95zw5go/New Irish Lines Vol. 8 No. 2 - 2017 November.pdf?dl=0

There may be another NIL article on BCDR Brake van as the 2017 article is titled "More on BNCR Brake Vans"!

[Dhu Varren]

Looks like an NCC Goods Brake Van

[jhb171achill]

14 hours ago, Dhu Varren said:

Looks like an NCC Goods Brake Van

Indeed - It's actually of BNCR origin.

14 hours ago, Mayner said:

Possibly an ex BNCR Goods Brake Van, the looked like a standard goods van with side doors and a balcony at one end.

Some photos and sketches in New Irish Lines Vol 8 No 2 2017  https://www.dropbox.com/s/xrgk5h1z95zw5go/New Irish Lines Vol. 8 No. 2 - 2017 November.pdf?dl=0

There may be another NIL article on BCDR Brake van as the 2017 article is titled "More on BNCR Brake Vans"!

That's exactly what it is, yes, a standard BNCR goods brake. Several survived in use well into UTA days.

Edited January 24, 2022 by jhb171achill

[airfixfan]

Well.if it is near Larne would the people in Whitehead be interested in saving this rare survivor?

[Mike 84C]

A good idea but there was not much interest in The Schull & Skibereen box van I posted on here some years ago. So best of luck.

[jhb171achill]

11 hours ago, airfixfan said:

Well.if it is near Larne would the people in Whitehead be interested in saving this rare survivor?

Sadly, it’s way too far gone. Best to measure it up & use the metal bits to build a replica.

[Robert Shrives]

http://www.stanegaterestorations.co.uk/

If any folk are interested in how little can be rebuilt in to a working vehicle.  Vested interest as it is my sisters business!

Robert  

 

[airfixfan]

Well can the RPSI help save this unique survivor?

[jhb171achill]

On 25/1/2022 at 6:23 AM, airfixfan said:

Well can the RPSI help save this unique survivor?

Unlikely. They’re struggling for volunteers to keep operational carriages running, and allocation of a budget towards something which won’t earn a bean - after a 2-year closure with no train income - isn’t practical.

[Westcorkrailway]

3 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Unlikely. They’re struggling for volunteers to keep operational carriages running, and allocation of a budget towards something which won’t earn a bean - after a 2-year closure with no train income - isn’t practical.

Agree, even if this there was a practical thing to restore, it’s condition is too far gone. The CMDR coach(es) in dungarvan are probobly a more rare desirable and better condition item, but no one would touch them with a stick (to be fair alerently the price for them is shockingly bad)

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Agree, even if this there was a practical thing to restore, it’s condition is too far gone. The CMDR coach(es) in dungarvan are probobly a more rare desirable and better condition item, but no one would touch them with a stick (to be fair alerently the price for them is shockingly bad)

Well, he hasn't a hope of selling them. I also heard he was looking for silly money. Even in the Emperorship of Boristan, vehicles THAT far gone are rarely rescued - though that bastion of decent British carriages*, the Isle of Wight Railway, has had some very notable and impressive successes.

Even if some DID take one of those remarkable Muskerry survivors, they would almost certainly not be in a position to pay ANY money. So, like the West Clare diesels, unreasonable greed will kill them. One is falling apart as it is.

(* as opposed to Mk 1 tin cans)

[Brack]

1 hour ago, jhb171achill said:

Even in the Emperorship of Boristan, vehicles THAT far gone are rarely rescued

https://knottycoachtrust.org.uk/history-of-no-23/

These people at foxfield have done some remarkable work, but I agree - if currently restored revenue earning vehicles can't be maintained, I cannot see it being possible to fix up a non revenue earning vehicle that is very far gone. A shame, but I can't see it happening.

[jhb171achill]

12 minutes ago, Brack said:

https://knottycoachtrust.org.uk/history-of-no-23/

These people at foxfield have done some remarkable work, but I agree - if currently restored revenue earning vehicles can't be maintained, I cannot see it being possible to fix up a non revenue earning vehicle that is very far gone. A shame, but I can't see it happening.

Where are those carriages operating now? I want to travel in them!!!

[Galteemore]

19 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Where are those carriages operating now? I want to travel in them!!!

Here, I’d say….https://foxfieldrailway.co.uk/knotty-heritage-train-days/

[Brack]

The tanfield railway also have a few pregrouping coaches - ex NER, GNR and MSLR. Bodies retrieved from allotments and holiday camps, mostly on ex CCT 4w underframes, but they feel more appropriate to the railway and locos than a bunch of Mk1s would.

I rode on the Blonay-Chamby in switzerland in an ex RhB 4 wheeler and in each compartment, tied the the luggage nets was a very nicely put together scrapbook of photos showing that exact coach from builders photo in 1889, with a photo showing each decade of its service life, departmental use, deterioration and then restoration. A really nice touch, making you appreciate the preservation of the coach rather than just the loco pulling you.

I'd hope the knotty coaches have something similar - those who put them back together deserve to have that recognition of the scale of the effort required.

[Dun Aucht]

Just rejoined this forum after many years. The Wagon was a 10T NCC Brake van as correctly identified by other posters above. The van body was near Ballyboley and I measured it up to produce drawings over 30 years ago. It was a lot more complete then.

[Dun Aucht]

Have this NCC wagon diagram scanned of the 10T Brake Van. Maybe of help to someone.

[jhb171achill]

An excellent topic for a model!  Nice original find in the field....... wonder if it's still there.

[airfixfan]

Very interesting