Studio Scale Models

                                                           

"Supplying Irish themed rolling stock and accessories for over 30 years"

GSR / CIE 1935 Bredin Parcel Van

As part of the coach building programme embarked on by the GSR in the mid-thirties, bogie brake van 2548 was built for the new mail train. There were to be a number of the new design, but in fact only one was built and it was numbered in the same series as the earlier bogie vans. It was similar in general layout but was built on a 60ft underframe as for the new coaches in place of the earlier 57ft underframe and the sides were flush steel panelled matching the new coaches. The window arrangement was almost identical to the earlier vans with four fixed windows on each side and small end windows, all with protective bars inside.

Following overhaul during the CIE period the window frames were replaced with standard sliding lights which were not chromium plated as in the original GSR design for the passenger coaches and presumably the protective bars were dispensed with. The sliding doors were flush when closed as in the case of the earlier vans.

Van No. 2548 was still in use at the end of 1978. CIE introduced a further series in 1960 of very similar vans but with Commonwealth bogies and a different truss arrangement, numbered 2549 to 2558. The Great Southern maroon livery with yellow lining and crests matched the coaches of the same period with the crests apparently located under each of the two centre windows.
Original window layout

Later CIE layout