IR / IE Tool Vans

[DJ Dangerous]

I've seen IR / IE "Tool Vans" released by the wonderful John, and by the pioneering Silver Fox, but I know nothing about them.

A quick search on the forum reveals zero results in content titles, so I thought I'd ask, in case anybody else is ignorant like me.

What are they for, from when until when did they run, in both IR and IE liveries, what did they replace, what were they replaced with, and with what train did they run?

Are they an integral part of something for which we already have available in RTR form, like Spoils or Weedspray?

They look suspiciously like Tin Vans, so I'm sure JHB will be on the floor with laughter at me posting this thread.

"See, DJ, they DO have a use in the real world! They're not just for old-timey homogenous-steam-loco worshippers"...

[jhb171achill]

The Tool Vans (I think there were two) were or were not “tin vans” depending on what way you look at it!

Under what is now understood as a generic heading, there were four variants of “tin vans”; the four-wheeled luggage van and heating vans making up the vast majority. There were four (maybe 6; I’d have to check) 4w TPOs, two of which were eventually converted to passenger brake vans; plus, in 1965, a small number of six-wheeled heating vans.

HOWEVER, the railway staff only referred to the luggage vans as tin vans. The others were never called that at all - they were called heating vans or “hot water bottles”.

The yellow yoke in your pic is one of two TPO vans converted as such, the final survivor of which is now at Downpatrick. You can tell the TPO ones as they’ve windows on one side only.

[DJ Dangerous]

So there were only ever two Tool vans, both ex-TPO conversions?

So when did they enter service as Tool Vans, and when did they retire?

What trains were they used on?

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, DJ Dangerous said:

So there were only ever two Tool vans, both ex-TPO conversions?

So when did they enter service as Tool Vans, and when did they retire?

What trains were they used on?

Departmental stock is not my strong point; once something's out of normal traffic, it has always gone off MY radar, but I'm sure others here can fill in the details if I'm missing something.

My understanding is that they spent their post-service time in the weedspray train. I am unaware of any other use, but if there was one, it would be perhaps on some sort of maintenance or PW train.

As PO vans, their use will be in the 1960s on mail trains, such as Dublin - Sligo, Galway and Cork. They will have travelled alongside other PO vehicles; mail trains generally had passenger accommodation in the form of one coach in latter days.

By the mid 70s, four were converted to a standard passenger brake, fulfilling the function of an "ordinary" "tin van". On pages 55 & 78 of "Rails through North Kerry" you can see one of these, showing both the "window" and "non-window" sides. By 1976, at a guess, they were withdrawn.

So the two "departmental" ones at least, saw a new life as tool vans. They were painted in the Dublin bus "desert sand" beige colour, rapidly faded with the assistance of weedspraying chemicals. I presume they were painted yellow later at some stage, but I'm not even certain of that.

The one at Downpatrick had been out of use for many years - as far as travelling in trains was concerned, anyway; it appears to have been used in a static position at Heuston Station for a long time too. When I mentioned it to the Downpatrick Railway first, it had been sitting in the same position for a number of years, and that was probably five or six years ago.

Thankfully it is saved now. Myself and another DCDR / RPSI member have hatched a plan to go up there and work on it, once the lockdown is over; it will make an excellent passenger brake there, and will match the restored Park Royal 1944 very well. It will also be used for carrying wheelchairs / prams / dining car supplies / Santa presents / Easter eggs, etc.

As an aside, nearer the time, I will post a note here, to the effect that if anyone wants to accompany us from the Dublin area, we can all go....

Incidentally, the vans that John Mayne is doing are goods brake vans, rather than "tin vans".

[DJ Dangerous]

@Noel will probably know the specifics, he's mad for the yellow stuff.

[jhb171achill]

In all reality, as an operational model IN a moving train, a thing like this has somewhat limited prototypical use - but then so does many a thing.

[Mayner]

22 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Departmental stock is not my strong point; once something's out of normal traffic, it has always gone off MY radar, but I'm sure others here can fill in the details if I'm missing something.

My understanding is that they spent their post-service time in the weedspray train. I am unaware of any other use, but if there was one, it would be perhaps on some sort of maintenance or PW train.

As PO vans, their use will be in the 1960s on mail trains, such as Dublin - Sligo, Galway and Cork. They will have travelled alongside other PO vehicles; mail trains generally had passenger accommodation in the form of one coach in latter days.

Incidentally, the vans that John Mayne is doing are goods brake vans, rather than "tin vans".

Just to clarify the CE 4W Heating & Luggage, 4w Luggage & 4W PO Van/Tool Van will be supplied as complete kits except for adhesive/solder, paint and couplings. 

There is a 1984 photo of a 4w tool van at the rear of a  Southbound track relaying train near Ballybrophy in Barry Carse's  Irish Metrovick Book, interestingly the train is hauled by a double headed (2 drivers) pair of B201 Class locos.