'Big Boy' goods vans - GSWR / GSR / CIE

[Mol_PMB]

It appears that the GSWR introduced some unusually large goods vans, which survived into the 1960s and some into the 1970s. I've seen one reference where these are referred to as 'Big Boy' vans which seems appropriate even if they aren't Union Pacific Mallet locos - they are bigger than the rolling stock around them.

I've gathered some photos but would welcome more information especially a drawing or a list of numbers.

 

To illustrate the type of van I'm talking about, here's one pictured later in its life, image posted by Ernie on Flickr:

They were significantly taller than the H vans and most other vans. I think they were also a bit longer, but this was exaggerated by the relatively short wheelbase and small W-irons and journals which gave them an 'elephant-on-a-skateboard' look!

 

This HMRS photo of van 1150 dated 1907 shows an early variant with wooden body ribs; most of them had metal structural members. As far as I can tell they all had metal underframes.

https://hmrs.org.uk/-abn530--10t-goods-van-gswr-1150--op--1907-r3l--open-spoke-wheels-photo-no--s-801.html

This IRRS photo dated 1969 shows number 924, presumably in the same number series as 1150 above. However, 924 is the more common type with metal body framing and planked sides and ends.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511622719

 

The other photos I've found all seem to be in the 15000 series. Most have horizontally planked sides and ends, with vertically planked doors.

Here's 15236 in 1975:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511125251

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53570652283

15175 towering over an older 'convertible' van in 1957:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54252992446

15279 in 1963:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54257012444

15506 and 15515 in 1968:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53570455881

A couple of partial views from Ernie including 15458:

 

The first photo I posted showed a van re-clad with ply, but retaining planked doors. There's a similar one here, partly hiding but nevertheless obvious owing to its height:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53507606107

 

Has anyone got more info on these: drawings, dimensions, more photos, a model you have built?

Cheers,

Mol

[Mol_PMB]

A few more pics found with another trawl through Flickr - more to show how these 'Bog Boys' stood out in a train of H vans or older vans, being higher and a bit longer. Ernie's photos on Flickr:

 

There was also a type of van that was similar in appearance but standard size.
The rake of vans here includes both types - the nearest van on the extreme right-hand edge is a nortmal-sized one, whereas the one in the distance just to the right of the loco is a 'Big Boy'. Planking arrangements and styling are similar. The normal-sized ones have deeper and narrower W-irons, and the vertical ribs on the sides are closer to the ends, whereas on the 'Big Boy' the vertical ribs are further from the ends (because the ends are extended).

 

[Mol_PMB]

A few more of the big ones.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54257197990/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54252071342/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508510346/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53501260495/

A bit of 15239:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54255280193/

Height comparable to a Palvan; they both stand tall above the other types of van:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511154776/

Another ply-skinned one, 15578:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54255882812/

Here's a ply-skinned one which has been repainted with a roundel:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511613289

 

On the other hand, here's one of the similarly-styled but normal-sized ones. These also seem to have a different door latch and handle arrangement to the big boys, and they have the narrow plate W-irons and taller journals:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54253237643/

Middle van of the near three is another normal-sized one, compared to a GNR 10t van and an H van:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508655478/

 

[Mol_PMB]

Here's one of the wooden-framed type, now re-clad in ply, in 1955:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49202953702