Alexander Seal

Milk Tanks

With milk trains running from Penzance to London via Bristol, it seems that none of my western region model railway layouts escape the need for the distinctive 6 wheeled milk tank.

Milk Tanks
© John Langford

Sadly it appears that being non passenger carrying coaching stock there is limited published information about them in coaches or wagon books. Study of period photographs of milk trains, especially those of the Hemyock Branch in Devon, reveal that these workings were not limited to former GWR designs but also ex SR and LMS tanks.

The Dapol model is very close to GWR Diagram O.54 or LMS 1992/3.

BR Milk Tanks

2536 BR??? Quainton
B3192

GWR Designs

Dia Built Lot Nos. Tot Dimensions Preserved Remarks
O35 1931 1473 W2019W 4 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in    
W2020W
W2021W
W2022W
O36 1932 1483 W2071W 3 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in   CWS
W2072W
W2073W
O38 1927 1387 W2011W 23 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in W2504W
W2506W
United, CWS, IMS
6 alum + 4 enamelled steel tanks
P (1543 was one Lot)
W2012W
  1486 W2504W
W2505W
W2506W
W2507W
W2507W
W2509W
1488 W2510W
W2511W
1933 1515 W2528W
W2529W
W2530W
1935 1543 W2540W
W2541W
W2542W
W2543W
1549 W2559W
W2560W
1936 1565 W2568W
W2569W
W2570W
W2573W
O39 1932 1497 W2512W 18 20ft 6in x 8ft 0in W2536W UD(W), United
P
W2513W
W2514W
W2515W
W2516W
W2517W
1934 1517 W2531W
W2532W
W2533W
W2534W
W2535W
W2536W
1937 1585 W2587W
W2588W
W2589W
W2590W
W2591W
W2592W
O42 1935 1561 W2561W 9 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in   Express
Cased
13ft (6ft 6in x 6ft 6in)
P
W2562W
W2563W
1937 1607 W2593W
W2594W
1613 W2595W
W2596W
1938 W2597W
W2598W
O43 1936 1565 W2567W 6 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in   P
W2571W
W2572W
W2574W
W2575W
W2576W
O44 1936 1387 W2001W 10 20ft 6in x 7ft 8in W2009W Rebuilt from O23 of 1927 P
W2002W
W2003W
W2004W
W2005W
W2006W
W2007W
W2008W
W2009W
W2010W
O45 1936 1470 W2013W 6 20ft 6in x 7ft 6in W2016W Rebuilt to 6 wheeled in 1936. P
W2014W
W2015W
W2016W
W2017W
W2018W
O47 1936 1583 W2581W 6 20ft 6in x 7ft 8in   United P
W2582W
W2583W
W2584W
W2585W
W2586W
O51 1938 1619 W2833W 18 20ft 6in x 8ft 0in W2835W
W2960W
United
W2834W
W2835W
W3836W
W2837W
W2938W
1942 1668 W2947W
W2948W
W2949W
W2950W
W2951W
W2952W
1943 1671 W2958W
W2959W
W2960W
W2961W
W2962W
W2963W
O52 1942 1669 W2953W 29     Express
W2954W
W2955W
W2956W
1943 1672 W2964W  
W2965W
W2966W
1676 W2669W
W2970W
W2971W
W2972W
1944 W2973W
W2974W
1944 1677 W2995W Cow & Gate
W2996W
W2997W
W2998W
W2999W
W3000W
1679 W1951W Aplin & Barrett
W1952W
W1953W
W1954W
1945 1680 W1958W
MMB
W1959W
1944 W1960W
W1963W
1945 W1964W
1944 W1965W
O53 1944 1678 W1955W 3 21ft 6in x 7ft 8½in   CWS
W1956W
W1957W
O54 1946 1696 W1968W 10 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in   Express - Cased P
W1969W
W1970W
W1971W
W1972W
W1973W
W1974W
W1975W
W1976W
W1977W
O55 1946 1697 W1978W 18 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in W1985 Cow & Gate
 
 
 
 
W1983W
1698 W1984W Aplin & Barrett
W1985W
1699 W1986W MMB
 
 
 
 
 
1947  
 
 
W1995W
O56 1948 1725 W3055W 32 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in W3176 Independent Milk Supplies
W3056W
W3057W
W3058W
W3059W
1949 W3060W
1733 W3108W Independent Milk Supplies
 
 
 
 
 
1950  
1952  
1950  
 
 
W3119W
1741 W3073W Aplin & Barrett
W3074W
W3075W
W3076W
1954 1760 W3186W Independent Milk Supplies P
1952 W3187W
1954 W3188W
1953 W3189W
W3190W
1952 W3191W
W3192W
W3193W
W3194W
1953 W3195W
O57 1946 1700 W3001W 46   W3018W
W3035W
W3037W
W3043W
W3052W
United
W3002W
W3003W
W3004W
W3005W
W3006W
W3007W
W3008W
W3009W
W3010W
W3011W
W3012W
W3013W
W3014W
W3015W
W3016W
W3017W
W3018W
W3019W
W3020W
W3021W
W3022W
1716 W3031W United
W3032W
W3033W
W3034W
W3035W
W3036W
W3037W
W3038W
W3039W
W3040W
W3041W
W3042W
W3043W
W3044W
W3045W
W3046W
W3047W
W3048W
W3049W
W3450W
W3451W
W3452W
W3453W
W3454W
O58 1947 1717 W3023W 10 21ft 6in x 7ft 6½in   Cow & Gate
Twin Compartment
W3024W
1948 W3025W
1947 W3026W
W3027W
1948 W3028W
1951 1742 W3120W
W3121W
W3122W
W3123W
O60 1949 1727 W3061W 36 20ft 6in x 8ft 0in    
1950 W3062W
W3063W
W3064W
W3065W
W3066W
W3067W
W3068W
W3069W
W3070W
W3071W
W3072W
1743 W3124W
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
O61 1950 1761 W3196 15 20ft 6in x 8ft 0in   P
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3205
O63   1756   12      
 
 
 
 
  1757        
 
 
 
 
 
 
O64 1950 1759 W3166 20 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in W3176W P
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3185
O65 1951 1758 W3148W 6 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in   P
 
 
 
 
3153
O41 1935 1548 W2547W
13 21ft 6in x 7ft 10in   L Co-op Twin 1500 gallon tanks
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
W2558W
O50 1940 1653 W2932W 4 21ft 6in x 7ft 9in   L Co-op Twin 1500 gallon tanks
W2933W
W2534W
W2535W

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrbrmilktanks

Preserved Examples

O37 O48 049- Milk Tank Trailer Truck

LMS Designs

LMS milk tanks

Dia Built Lot Running Nos. Tot   Dimensions Preserved Remarks
1989       3        
        1        
        1        
1990       5        
        2        
        1        
1991       3        
1992 1937-9 1077 (part) M44006-11
M44016-9
M44032-5
14 Derby      
1993       25        
1994       3        
        5        
        6        
        2        
        2        
        6        
        6        
        3        
        4        
        3        
        12        
        2        
        3        
        1        
        3        
        6        
        5        
        4        
        3        
        1        
        3        
        1        
        12        
        5        
        1        
        2        
        3        
        2        
        6        
        4        
        4        
        6        
2173 1950 1580 M44500-9 62 Derby &
Earlestown
20ft 6in x 7ft 9in    
  1950 1614 M44510-1    
  1950-1 1640 M44512-61 Derby    
2174 1950 1641 M44263-8 6 Derby 20ft 6in x 7ft 9in    

ADW44018 Midland Railway Centre
ADW44044 Lot812 East Somerset Railway
44057 National Railway Museum

LNER Designs

Dia        
121 Four-wheeled glass-lined 2000 gallons 12T  
122 14T  
166  
183 Six-wheeled truck for mobile road milk tanker -    
184 Six-wheeled glass-lined 3000 14T Some converted from 122
220  
222 2000 12T Conversions Dia. 121
295 Six-wheeled truck for mobile road milk tanker -    
323 Six-wheeled glass-lined 3000 14T  
325  
333  

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/lnermilktank

SR Designs

Dia Built Lot Running Nos. Tot Built Type Dairy Preserved Remarks
D.3153 1932   S4410-4413 4 Lancing Aluminium     Type 2 Casing
D.3154     S4414-4418 5         Mobile Tank Type 2 (10?)
    S4425-4426 2    
D.3155 1932   S4419-4424 6 Lancing Glass United Dairies   Type 3
D.3156 1933   S4427-4428 2 Lancing Stainless Steal     Type 4 Casing later removed
D.3157 1933   S4429-4432 16 Lancing Glass United Dairies   Type 5
1943-44   S4455-4466
D.3158 1935   S4433-4434 2 Ashford Glass     Type 6
D.3159 1937   S4404-4409 6 Ashford Glass Express Dairies   Rebuilt from 4 wheelers
D.316-       3         Mobile Tank
D.3161 1937-44   S4435-4454 20 Ashford / Eastleigh Stainless Steal     Type 7

4409 11/31 New Frame 02/37 withdrawn 1972 Didcot Railway Centre
4430 09/33 withdrawn 1980 D.3157 Bluebell Railway

All 20’6 over headstocks with 6’6 x 6’6 wheelbase.

Photographs
John Langford Hemyock Don't Click Here!
Don't Click Here!

Supervised by three diary personnel and one BR employee, a milk tank moves across the road under its own mommentum at Hemyock on 23 August 1964.

© John Langford
Western Steam In Devon And Cornwall

Mark Yarwood / Great Western Trust Hemyock Don't Click Here!
Don't Click Here!

Class 1400 0-4-2T 1450, together with two six wheel milk tank wagons stands at Hemyock on 28 August 1964.

© Mark Yarwood / Great Western Trust
The Changing Railway Scene: Western Region

Books
BR General Parcels Rolling Stock On British Railways BR General Parcels Rolling Stock On British Railways
David Larkin
Bradford Barton
978-0-85153-320-9
Buy Online
Railways In Profile Series: No. 6: British Railway Non-Passenger Rolling Stock British Railway Non-Passenger Rolling Stock
(Railways In Profile Series No. 6)

Geoff Gamble
Cheona Publications
978-1-90029-806-3
Buy Online
The Changing Railway Scene: Western Region The Changing Railway Scene: Western Region
Laurence Waters
Ian Allan Publishing
978-0-7110-3275-0
Buy Online
Great Western Coach Appendix Volume Two Great Western Coach Appendix Volume Two
Specific Duty Coaches And The Brown Vehicles
J.H. Russell
OPC
978-0-86093-154-6
Buy Online
Great Western Wagons Plan Book Great Western Wagons Plan Book
J.H. Russell
Oxford Publishing Co.
978-0-902888-67-8
Buy Online
Historic Carriage Drawings Volume Three Non-Passenger Coaching Stock Historic Carriage Drawings
Volume Three Non-Passenger Coaching Stock
Peter Tatlow
Pendragon Partnership
978-1-899816-09-5
Buy Online
Railways In And Around Newton Abbot And Torbay Southern Railway Passenger Vans
David Gould
Oakwood Press
978-0-85361-428-9
Buy Online  
Western Steam In Devon And Cornwall Western Steam In Devon And Cornwall
Michael Welch
Capital Transport Publishing
978-1-85414-327-3
Buy Online