Rectank ADB531001 (center) at Perth North yard prior to preservation.

ADB531001 was originally build as a 'Rectank' wagon in lot 3259 its original build date and number are unclear.  This is because she was converted to become a 'Conflat C' at Townhead carriage and wagon works 1973 at this point she was allocated the number B531001 and was used the movement of Baulk whiskey.  Subsequently the vehicle was withdrawn and allocated to departmental use with the Mechanical & Electrical Engineer's department.  Eventually she was withdrawn in EWS's Perth North Yard and was sold for scrapping in March 2002.  In May 2002 ADB531001 was purchased by SEng and moved to the Caledonian Railway (Brechin) Ltd.  On the railway she forms part of SEng's shadow PWay train which provides additional engineering vehicles to replace the Railway company's own when they are undergoing maintenance or provides a hire pool.

Key Information

Current Status

This vehicle is currently without a deck as the wood present at purchase was rotten to a point which made it made it unsafe and had to be removed.  All equipment and fittings which can be removed from the chassis easily have been removed and de-scaling of the chassis has begun.  Refurbishment work is currently on hold as the wagon had to be moved from working position and I was typed up with my day job.  The vehicle has now been allocated as the track panel carrier for the 2002-2003 Pway season so it is unlike that it will be available for further refurbishment until Christmas.
This vehicle is available for hire.

History

The Rectank family of vehicles emerged during the first world war for the transport of the new 'tank' wonder weapons.  The Caledonian Railway (Brechin) ltd and the Brechin Railway Preservation Society  have three of these original Rectanks.  These vehicles provided the mainstay of the railway's PWay and engineering flat capacity for years, they are however now, in 2002, showing there age and are gradually being withdrawn from normal use.  Two are in use as static spares carriers for the Caledonian Railway Diesel Group and third has just been withdrawn from PWay service pending bogie repairs. 

The original Rectanks were mounted on 2 axle Diamond frame bogies on 10"x5" bearings.  The classic Rectank shape of a slight well appears in these wagons they are braced under the I-beam with a tube framework.  They were also fitted screw Jacks under the buffer beams and under the framework which were used to stabilize the wagon during loading.  The design was revised during the second world war and was augmented by the introduction of the warflat design of wagon four wagons of this design are based on the Caledonian Railway (Brechin).  These warflat wagons have taken over the rolls which used to assigned to the Rectanks.

The final evolution of the Rectank was British Railways Diagram 440 a specialist wagon which retained the overall appearance of original Rectanks, three lots giving a total of seventy-eight wagons were built.  Diagram 440 although similar in appearance to the original Rectanks introduced a number of improvements over the previous designs.  Mounted on cast-steel bogies and roller bearings the new Rectanks also lacked the screw jacks and the tube bracing on the original wagons which was replaced with heavy duty angle.  Other features included boxes for the storage of chains and a through vacuum pipe.

Markings on SEng's Rectank indicated that it was built as part of lot 3259 however its number is unclear as it no longer carries its original plates and the number stamped on the frames has been corroded away.  Only the numbers 909 are clearly visible the last number appears to be a 7.

Rectanks were adapted for specialist rolls a number were converted for use carrying nuclear flasks.  [See Picture Plate 130, Pg125, British Railway Wagons the fisrt half million, Don Rowland, 1985]  SEng's Rectank was one of a number converted use in the movement of whiskey in Scotland.  She was allocated her current number when the conversion to place in 1973

Converted as part of

Number series        B531000 - 531017
Description:           38T Bogie Container Flat Wagon
Builder:                 BR (Townhill C & W)
Diagram:               1/204 [Don’t think so]
Tare Weight:         15.5t
Design Code:         YV050A
Fishkind:               Conflat C, Rectank II
Lot no.:                 3814
Built:                     1973
GLW:                     54.0t
Tops Code:            YVP
 

ADB531000
ADB531001    SEng
ADB531002    (W) 

[ Home ] [ Up ]

Send mail to second_engineering@btinternet.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2002 Second Engineering
Last modified: 11/30/02