LMS van 117870

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	LMS 12 ton Ventilated Van, number 117870 Above: LMS D1814 12 ton ventilated van 117870 restored to original LMS livery on 17 July 2004 This van was one of 999 built at Derby in four batches in 1933, to diagram 1814. The design represents a transition between the vertical planked style of late MR and early LMS vans (represented by the MR 12 ton van) and the later LMS vans with horizontal planks (such as number 500851). It is 17'6" long, 8'1" wide over the doors, and 11'10" high. The style of corrugated metal end with a single ventilator bonnet is the style first adopted by the LMS, and is made up of a pressing in two halves. There are minor detail difference between this and the later LMS van number 500851, and the BR 12 standard vans. These vans were mostly built with handbrakes only, to the Moreton design, but a few were equipped with full LMS vacuum brake fittings including 8-shoe clasp brakes, long buffers, screw couplings and auxilliary suspension. Above: LMS 12 ton ventilated van diagram 1814 as built in LMS grey livery Number 117870 was one of the vacuum brake fitted batch and would therefore have spent most of its working life on express freight trains. Originally it would have carried LMS grey livery on the body and solebars, with black running gear. The lettering was in white, with a large "LMS" painted on the doors, an "X" to denote a fast freight van. Less noticeable was a small "N" at each corner to indicate it was not part of the common user pool, and had to be returned to the LMS system when empty. After 1936 it would have been repainted in bauxite brown livery with smaller lettering, and after 1948 would have carried BR bauxite livery with the number prefixed with an "M". As a fully fitted van with a wheelbase of 10'0" it would have qualified for "XP" branding and the ability to work in passenger rated trains. Above: LMS D1814 12 ton ventilated van when restored to BR bauxite livery as M117870 After 31 years service number M117870 was last repaired and lifted on 25 August 1964, but then withdrawn later that same year. It was sold to Marston's Brewery in Burton-on-Trent for use on the internal railway system there. Together with 500851 it was donated to the infant Foxfield Railway and has proved very useful as a store for permanent way materials. For the first few years at Foxfield it remained in its faded BR paintwork but was eventually restored to its 1936 LMS livery. By the late 1990s it was in need of further attention and was repainted in BR bauxite livery with XP branding. During 2004 it has been repainted again, back into full LMS livery, including grey underframe, as built in 1933, although it will soon require some bodywork repairs. There are many other LMS vans preserved throughout the country but number 117870 is believed to be the only survivor of this design. It is usually to be found in the yard at Caverswall Road station. Below: LMS 12 ton ventilated van diagram 1814

LMS 12 ton Ventilated Van, number 117870

Above: LMS D1814 12 ton ventilated van 117870 restored to original LMS livery on 17 July 2004

This van was one of 999 built at Derby in four batches in 1933, to diagram 1814. The design represents a transition between the vertical planked style of late MR and early LMS vans (represented by the MR 12 ton van) and the later LMS vans with horizontal planks (such as number 500851). It is 17'6" long, 8'1" wide over the doors, and 11'10" high. The style of corrugated metal end with a single ventilator bonnet is the style first adopted by the LMS, and is made up of a pressing in two halves. There are minor detail difference between this and the later LMS van number 500851, and the BR 12 standard vans. These vans were mostly built with handbrakes only, to the Moreton design, but a few were equipped with full LMS vacuum brake fittings including 8-shoe clasp brakes, long buffers, screw couplings and auxilliary suspension.

Above: LMS 12 ton ventilated van diagram 1814 as built in LMS grey livery

Number 117870 was one of the vacuum brake fitted batch and would therefore have spent most of its working life on express freight trains. Originally it would have carried LMS grey livery on the body and solebars, with black running gear. The lettering was in white, with a large "LMS" painted on the doors, an "X" to denote a fast freight van. Less noticeable was a small "N" at each corner to indicate it was not part of the common user pool, and had to be returned to the LMS system when empty. After 1936 it would have been repainted in bauxite brown livery with smaller lettering, and after 1948 would have carried BR bauxite livery with the number prefixed with an "M". As a fully fitted van with a wheelbase of 10'0" it would have qualified for "XP" branding and the ability to work in passenger rated trains.

Above: LMS D1814 12 ton ventilated van when restored to BR bauxite livery as M117870

After 31 years service number M117870 was last repaired and lifted on 25 August 1964, but then withdrawn later that same year. It was sold to Marston's Brewery in Burton-on-Trent for use on the internal railway system there. Together with 500851 it was donated to the infant Foxfield Railway and has proved very useful as a store for permanent way materials. For the first few years at Foxfield it remained in its faded BR paintwork but was eventually restored to its 1936 LMS livery. By the late 1990s it was in need of further attention and was repainted in BR bauxite livery with XP branding. During 2004 it has been repainted again, back into full LMS livery, including grey underframe, as built in 1933, although it will soon require some bodywork repairs. There are many other LMS vans preserved throughout the country but number 117870 is believed to be the only survivor of this design. It is usually to be found in the yard at Caverswall Road station.

Below: LMS 12 ton ventilated van diagram 1814