R22 U/HD Wooden Louvre Van Kit
During 1895-97 167 ventilated box vans, featuring wooden, louvred bodies were constructed by Newport workshops and by contractors, The Braybrook Implement Co. and Robinson and Co. Intended for carriage of perishable goods they were coded U and numbered from 113 to 280. excluding 278. Auto' coupled steel underframes were fitted during the early 1930's but by the 1950's the bodies, which had always required a high level of maintenance, were deteriorating. 1953/54 saw 25 supply their underframes for use under P explosives vans, then being constructed. Further P vans were built on the underframes of wooden U vans, whose bodies had been condemned, during 1958/59. Forty two of the remaining "Robinson Pattern" U vans were recoded HD during 1957/58, for use as Way and Works Plant Trucks. They lasted in this capacity into the 1970's, with steady attrition from 1971 to 1980.
*Model illustrated has been fitted with handbrake, shunter's steps and couplers (not included).