British Railways Diagram 1/204 covered vans were built at Wolverton Works during 1949 and 1950 as part of BR’s early post-nationalisation standard wagon programme. Although constructed after nationalisation, the design clearly followed established LMS practice and can be regarded as a planked-bodied version of the BR Dia. 1/200 plywood vans of a similar period.
The vans featured horizontal plank bodies with LMS-pattern corrugated steel ends and were vacuum-fitted from new. Brake gear followed LMS practice, employing 8-shoe clasp brakes with ‘J’ hangers to the springs, combined with BR-pattern W-irons. Buffers were of the standard fitted-stock type. As built, the vans were most probably fitted with underslung LMS-style vacuum pipes, although some vehicles were later converted to upright vacuum pipes of LNER pattern.
The corrugated steel ends were constructed in either two or three separate sections. Photographic evidence shows that both arrangements existed from new, with examples of three-part ends predominating, although at least one newly built vehicle from Lot 2109 is known to have carried two-part corrugated ends.
Production was spread across three lots, all built at Wolverton:
| Numbers | Quantity | Built | Lot | Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B751300 to B751799 | 500 | Aug 1949 to Nov 1949 | 2003 | BR Wolverton |
| B751800 to B752349 | 550 | Aug 1949 to Dec 1949 | 2013 | BR Wolverton |
| B753430 to B754429 | 1,000 | Apr 1950 to Oct 1950 | 2109 | BR Wolverton |
Design Variations
Contemporary photographs indicate a degree of variation within the diagram. Roof vents do not appear to have been standard and were rare; only one confirmed example from Lot 2013 is known to have carried four roof vents, and it is likely that some vehicles had vents removed during later repairs. Axleboxes varied between BR ‘split’, ‘plate front’, and ‘square’ patterns. By the later years of service, several vehicles had been converted from underslung to upright vacuum pipework.
Several vans survived into departmental service, with examples recorded into the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Models
In OO scale, Diagram 1/204 vans were produced by Airfix in a variety of liveries, including British Rail bauxite and ‘Persil’ green. While no longer in production, these models are readily found on the second-hand market. The body is a reasonable representation of the prototype, although the underframe is incorrect for a Dia. 1/204 and should be replaced for accurate modelling. The moulded corrugated ends represent the two-section form; three-section ends can be produced with minor modification.
Plans
No published general arrangement drawings of Diagram 1/204 vans are currently known to the author. For underframe and brake gear details, reference should be made to Official Drawings of LMS Wagons No. 1 by R J Essery (Wild Swan) and An Illustrated History of British Railways Revenue Wagons, Volume 1 by Paul Bartlett et al. (OPC). If you are aware of any additional published material, I would be very pleased to hear from you.
Photographs
The following photographs of Diagram 1/204 vans have been identified:
- B751390 – Basingstoke, November 1969 (David Larkin, Wagons of the Early British Railways Era)
- B751405 – Marshmoor, early 1970s (Geoff Gamble, British Railway Vans)
- B751707 – Dinton, 1969 (BR Standard Freight Wagons)
- B752153 – Currie, 8 October 1960 (Don Rowland, British Railway Wagons)
If you know of any further photographs, please do get in touch.
Preserved
- B752301 – Midland Railway Centre
https://ws.rhrp.org.uk/WagonSurvey/displayvehicle.php?Ref=UC6HJ3XPVAMW1IBENLF8 - B753473 – North Yorkshire Moors
https://ws.rhrp.org.uk/WagonSurvey/displayvehicle.php?Ref=UM5CDOZ8T9SJIVWNEABL - B753722 – North Yorkshire Moors
https://ws.rhrp.org.uk/WagonSurvey/displayvehicle.php?Ref=AV10TCHDB5Q69Y7GXRLN - B753792 – Barrow Hill
https://ws.rhrp.org.uk/WagonSurvey/displayvehicle.php?Ref=S3TJI9FUA0RWYX71C2KB
More Information
For further reading, you might find the following resources helpful:
- Bartlett, Paul. “BR/LMS Vans.” Paul Bartlett’s Photograph Collection, https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brlmsvan.
- Bartlett, Paul., et al. An Illustrated History of British Railways Revenue Wagons, Vol. 1. Oxford Publishing, 1985.
- Essery, R. J. Official Drawings of LMS Wagons No.1. Wild Swan Publications, 1996.
Gamble, G., compiler. British Railway Vans (Railways In Profile Series No.3). Cheona Publications, Cheona Publications, 1997.Gamble, G., compiler. British Railway Vans Volume 2 (Railways in Profile Series No. 11), Cheona Publications, 2000.Larkin, David. BR Standard Freight Wagons. Bradford Barton, 1975.- Larkin, David.Wagons Of The Early British Railways Era – A Pictorial Study Of The 1948-1954 Period. Kestrel Railway Books, 2006, pp. 48-49.
Rowland, Don. British Railway Wagons – The First Half Million. David and Charles, 1985.- Wilcock, Duncan. “BR diagram 1/204 vans.” Central London Area Group of the Scalefour Society, April 1999, http://www.clag.org.uk/airfix-204.html.
https://ws.rhrp.org.uk/WagonSurvey/displayvehicle.php?Ref=3D72SMR9YEQLB8TCZ1GN