LMS Route: Stratford Midland Junction - The Shakespeare Route

E&WJR and SMJ - Locomotives and Rolling Stock: smjsa333

A Midland Railway Banana Van, of the type used on the Avonmouth to St Pancras trains routed over the SMJ Broom Junction to Ravenstone Wood line. This example is No 109858 built to Diagram D387 and constructed as part of lot 724 in 1909. Bananas were unloaded from ships is an unripe 'green' condition and shipped in specially built vans which were both insulated and fitted with steam heating coils. The heating was applied as the train made its way to St Pancras and began, or accelerated, the ripening process. In 1905 the Midland Railway company ordered a 225 8 ton Banana vans. These wagons were built by the Midland Railway, in Derby. They were similar to the standard Midland design but they had twin cupboard doors rather than the sliding one of the Midland. In addition the vans had two vents in each end.

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