GL5 Forum

Hi Folks,

just reading a book dated 1928 "Trains and their control".
I found a picture of a coaling stage with a Midland 5 or 7 plank wagon in the background.
The wagon was marked:

M R

LOCO COAL ONLY

Would it be correct to have a wagon like this in a regular freight train or were these wagons only to be found near the coaling stage?

Best regards

Holger

I can only assume they had to get to their destination somehow, so were probably included in pick-up freights as I doubt there were specific merry-go-round workings for them. I don't really understand the condemned wagon branding sometimes seen similar to "one trip loco-coal only", unless a wagon was broken up at the locomotive shed. Loco coal I assume was also a specific size and grade, probably much bigger than typical house coal.

Well, in Germany "Bahnhofswagen" are quite common. They do not leave the station and are used mainly as storage facilities. Some have not moved for years. This was what I was thinking about when seeing this picture. Looked to me like "for internal use only".