Fruit D wagons were large ventilated wooden bodied vans designed for the fast and efficient transportation of fruit. They were first constructed in the 1930s for GWR use and later (early 1950s) a batch was commissioned by BR. The vans themselves had three large double side doors to enable easy loading and unloading and were usually seen as part of passenger or fast goods trains. Often when out of the fruit season, these vans were also used as parcel and luggage vans.
As road transport took over as the principal means of conveying fruit, fruit D vans were modified and used as permanent parcel or stores vans and remained in service in t his way until the early 1980s.
Features
- Profiled wheels
- Accurately applied livery
- Highly detailed body moulding
- NEM pockets with self-centring couplings