Sun Chariot
Established Member
Good stuff @xotGD The photos I found of those diagram 801 trains, were monsters. 50 vans length not uncommon on the Aberdeen to Kings Cross Fish.
Blue Spot marked vans were fitted with roller bearing axle boxes, non-Spot (or spotless!) ones had oil lubed axle boxes.
At Nationalisation, BR perpetuated a "consignment" pricing. Essentially, if you wanted BR to move your fish by rail, your fee was based on the size/weight of what you were sending. If a van only contained one consignment, that van would be running to its destination near-empty and at a loss.
In 1964, BR amended the model, from "per consignment" to "per vanload". Suddenly, the cost to the fish vendors jumped - paying for van's "full load equivalent" irrespective of how little fish was being carried in it.
That pricing policy change - coupled with the improvements to Britain's trunk roads and road haulage timings - meant the majority of the fish traffic moved to road transport; removing BR's loss-making business and also creating more flexibility for fish vendors.
BR's fish business declined rapidly and it was all but gone in 1968.
Blue Spot marked vans were fitted with roller bearing axle boxes, non-Spot (or spotless!) ones had oil lubed axle boxes.
A lot of traffic-loss was due to how British Railways changed their pricing model for the conveyance of fish.Brixham which is a lot further SW had fish traffic (and still is an important port for fish), but even that wasn't enough to save the Brixham-Churston branch.
At Nationalisation, BR perpetuated a "consignment" pricing. Essentially, if you wanted BR to move your fish by rail, your fee was based on the size/weight of what you were sending. If a van only contained one consignment, that van would be running to its destination near-empty and at a loss.
In 1964, BR amended the model, from "per consignment" to "per vanload". Suddenly, the cost to the fish vendors jumped - paying for van's "full load equivalent" irrespective of how little fish was being carried in it.
That pricing policy change - coupled with the improvements to Britain's trunk roads and road haulage timings - meant the majority of the fish traffic moved to road transport; removing BR's loss-making business and also creating more flexibility for fish vendors.
BR's fish business declined rapidly and it was all but gone in 1968.
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