Above: BR 12 ton banana van B881724 as restored at Caverswall Road

A variant on the latest design of plywood-bodied BR standard Vanfit,  these vehicles were equipped with thick insulation, but unlike earlier designs they did not have steam heating to enable bananas to be ripened during their rail journey from major ports such as Southampton to distribution centres. They were steam piped, however. Usually operated in block trains, they were characterised by a large yellow spot on each side and were the subject of a popular Hornby Dublo model in the early 1960s.

B881724 was built at BR Wolverton Works in 1959 to diagram 1/246, lot 3209 and was purchased privately in superb condition from use as a stores vehicle at ROF Glascoed where it had been number Army 80896. Since arrival at Foxfield on 24 October 1994 it has been extensively restored and fully repainted in BR bauxite livery.

Below: BR 12 ton banana van B881724 as delivered to Caverswall Road in 1994