BR 4 ton Container type BD

Above: BR type BD container at Caverswall Road in 2000

A typical wooden container built to remove the need for transferring goods from rail vehicles to road vehicles in order to collect and deliver from customers premises. Containers were originally developed in the 1920s and 30s for furniture removals, refrigerated fish and meat, and other specialised traffic, but BR adopted the idea widely and used them on fast long distance freight services. They paved the way for the modern "Freightliner" or shipping container which is a frequent sight on the railway today. Each container could carry 4 tons of goods, and be craned from a lorry onto a special flat wagon, the BR design being codenamed "Conflat A". The containers were painted in BR bauxite livery and carried the distinctive express parcels "lozenge" on the sides. As modern steel containers were introduced the wooden types rapidly became obsolete and were sold off in huge numbers in the 1970s for use as sheds, etc. They are quite lightly built and do not last well without regular maintenance. 

Unfortunately the identification plates on this container have disappeared, and there is no "Conflat" or other suitable flat wagon at Foxfield on which to display it. It was acquired for use as storage behind the signalbox at Caverswall Road station, where it has been repainted in a light brown livery and can still be seen.

Below: BR type BD container diagram