GWR Travelling Stores Vans

[Geoff DC]

Anyone know anything about the GWR Travelling Stores Vans?

These pics are from a copy of the Storeman’s handbook which gives an insight into how well GWR recycled in times past and the services that operated out of Swindon.

It was left to me by an uncle who was a former travelling storeman with GWR until the service ceased in 1964.

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I was fortunate to make a trip from Swindon with him in his van in 1956 when I was 9 yrs old, If I remember correctly our final outward station was Neyland

I wonder whether anyone else has iinfo on these stores services as I can't find anything with Google searches.

 

[Glenmutchkin]

There is a fairly brief passage about the weekly stores train in Adrian Vaughan's book 'Signalman's Morning'. Page 66 in the edition I have.

 

[Taunton]

There was quite an amount of supplies moved this way from Swindon to the stations. Sometimes additional plain vans were added if the load was heavy.

I see I referred to them a while ago describing how the carriage roofboards on expresses were distributed from Swindon to the various starting stations.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/carriage-destination-boards.143614/#post-2923523

My understanding was, as they were attached to passenger trains, the storeman commonly travelled in a passenger coach or with the guard rather than inside the van itself. Presumably there were lodging arrangements for the storeman, they didn't sleep in the van. You went with it, you will know.

 

[Geoff DC]

There was quite an amount of supplies moved this way from Swindon to the stations. Sometimes additional plain vans were added if the load was heavy.

I see I referred to them a while ago describing how the carriage roofboards on expresses were distributed from Swindon to the various starting stations.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/carriage-destination-boards.143614/#post-2923523

My understanding was, as they were attached to passenger trains, the storeman commonly travelled in a passenger coach or with the guard rather than inside the van itself. Presumably there were lodging arrangements for the storeman, they didn't sleep in the van. You went with it, you will know.

According to my experience, they all had their own vans, my uncle Bill's was supposedly once part of the royal train.

It was split into 3 compartments: the middle being the office with a coal stove, desk, chair & settee for guests and either side being compartment for stores. From my experience the Storeman travelled in his own van not slumming with the passengers.

The van would be coupled & uncoupled & shunted onto different passenger trains throughout.

I remember staying in Railwaymen's lodgings, one in particular just up from Swansea station on the left and to this day I remember the breakfast about 6am
Really thick gammon rashers then walking in the dark & mizzle up to the sidings - finding the van & climbing up / lighting the stove / then being shunted onto the train west.

After Swansea /Abertawe all talk was in Welsh which at 9yrs old in 1956 I didn't understand, but when I got home I bought a book 'Learn Wesh In 7 Days' never did get it in 7 days but to this day helps with my Kernewek (Cornish)

I maybe the only one alive who was on it & remembers it but I would love to see some pictures of the Vans - Uncle Bills was something special - were they all or was he just lucky ??

 

[Geoff DC]

There is a fairly brief passage about the weekly stores train in Adrian Vaughan's book 'Signalman's Morning'. Page 66 in the edition I have.

Thanks Glenmutchkin I've got it on kindle from Amazon so will have a read

 

[Cowley]

Thanks Glenmutchkin I've got it on kindle from Amazon so will have a read

It’s a great book.

 

[steevp]

I seem to remember there was a "Q" diagram (runs when required) on the Southern in the late seventies where they used an old unit to move stores about. I was a guard at Fratton at the time, but every time I was due to work it from Barnham, it never ran so I can't tell you any more about it