Gunpowder vans

[dannyboy]

I have two of the Modelbahn Union vans and they are, as you say George @Bealman , a limited edition of 100. (Might be slightly breaking the rules here, but they are for sale if anybody is interested  ).

[Richard @ N'Tastic Scale Models]

Dapol wagon is based on the GWR iron mink not a gunpowder van. Gunpowder was used alot at one time a moved around alot in secure vans, and marked up as it need handling carefully. Improvised wording is so that everyone knows not to rough handle that van as a gunpowder vans were built stronger and more secure. They are pictures of these improvised vans floating around on the internet, can't remember the cut off for them and when gunpowder stopped being moved around in bulk.

[Neil of Teesside]

If you can get hold of the Rail Express Modeller Train Formations Handbook there's a whole chapter on commercial explosives trains focussing on the BR period from the 1970s onwards. I relaise that this is outside of your period but it does give ansight into the handling of commercial explosives on Britiain's railways.. There were 6 locations that explosives were dispatched from at the start of this period: Annan, Ardeer, Gathurst, Penrhyndeudraeth, Snodgrass and Alfreton (the first 5 were factories run by Nobel and the last was run by Explosives and Chemical Products. Consists were typically in single van loads to various locations around the UK, mainly to mines and quarries. The wagons loaded with the explosives would have at least one barrier wagons either side of it usually in the R series of TOPS Code, but other wagons could be used. The rest of the train could be wagons loaded with other goods. The only loads that couldn't be include the obvious: atomic waste, petroleum products and toxic gases.

There's also this website: http://igg.org.uk/rail/7-fops/fo-expchem.htm. It gives a brief outline on the handling of explosives.

[crewearpley40]

The handbook Neil suggests can be purchased from https://www.classicmagazines.co.uk/product/5542/bookazine-rail-express-train-formations-handbook

[Dalteth]

The handbook Neil suggests can be purchased from https://www.classicmagazines.co.uk/product/5542/bookazine-rail-express-train-formations-handbook

That book looks really useful. Copy on order!

Is there a similar one for earlier eras...? (Search of that website didn't bring anything up)

[crewearpley40]

Sorry Dalteth not that I know of. i did notice this https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/43516-movement-of-gun-powder-vans/