Trashed S2 GPO van

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firedrake1942
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Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by firedrake1942 »

From the MMO Facebook page, a rather sad looking S II PO / GPO van which appears to have lost an argument with a train. Possibly early to mid 1950's. I would love to know the circs of the incident. Event the rubber wings didn't protect it ! Huge battery as per the period.

VRM is OXN 81 or OKN 81

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 135&type=3
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firedrake1942
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by firedrake1942 »

I love the internet....

From the following site:

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_edin_t/0_ ... cident.htm

From:
Christopher Hogan
Hon Editor, Post Office Vehicle Club
The Post Office Van


'A fascinating photograph! Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

The van is OXN 81 (GPO serial number 50120), part of a batch of 680 Morris Minor mailvans registered NYH 498-999 and OXN 1-178. They were registered on 22nd April 1954 but delivery extended through 1954 and into early 1955.

We hold the GPO records for most mailvans from 1950 to 1985; the card for OXN 81 is missing suggesting that something "happened to it". We also hold the licensing sheets (GPO vans didn't have individual road fund licences but carried Crown Exemption Certificates) for most mailvans - this lists London County Council as having been advised of sale or break-up of OXN 81 on 8th December 1958. This date is much earlier than normal withdrawal of these vans - they generally lasted until 1963 or 1964.

The record card for a later Morris Minor - UXH 285 new on 16th October 1958 shows it to have replaced 50120 (accident). UXH 285 was based at Dalkeith in Head Postmaster Edinburgh's area with the van maintained at Carlton Road in Edinburgh.

Location and Date

The GPO did use rail transport for the movement of its vans certainly until the early 1960s but that would only be for long distances such as delivery from Birmingham or possibly for repair at one of its repair depots.

The picture doesn't show either of the types of truck used for such movements (Lowfits or Lowmacs) and I think we can discount the possibility that the mailvan was being transported anywhere by rail. (It would have travelled into the local workshop at Carlton Road, Edinburgh for inspection, servicing and maintenance).

By a process of elimination, it looks as though there was a mishap at one of the freight yards in the Dalkeith area in which the mailvan got hit by the derailed rake of trucks sometime just before 16th October 1958.'

And the mystery solved

'This accident occurred shortly before 8am on Oct 8, 1958, at a level crossing connecting a farm road with Smeaton Colliery, Dalkeith. Dalkeith is about seven miles SE of Edinburgh.

Report in the Press

Below is the Evening Dispatch report of the accident. The Edinburgh Evening News Oct 8 and Scotsman Oct 9, also carried brief reports of the accident.

VAN DRIVER IN CRASH ESCAPES BY 'A MIRACLE'

A Post Office driver was trapped in the cabin of his van and dragged along upside down for 150 feet after collision with waggons near Dalkeith today.

Three of the waggons were derailed and the van ended up across the rails on its roof, a total wreck. But the driver, George Harrison escaped with only minor bruises and shock.

"It was a miracle" said colliery worker, William J Brown who was one of the first on the scene.

The accident happened shortly before 8am on a level crossing connecting a farm road with Smeaton Colliery, Dalkeith. The van was delivering mail to the colliery's preparation plant. As it went over the crossing it was caught by waggons which wee being shunted.

At the side of the railway, workers in the colliery smithy stood watching the smithy operations. Then 17-year old Thomas Dixon, 25 Dean Town Avenue, Dalkeith shouted "There's an accident."

TRAPPED IN CABIN

The men rushed up the embankment and found Harrison trapped in his cabin. Said Mr Brown of Whitecraigs Gardens, Dalkeith: "His right trouser leg was ripped and his left foot was jammed. We freed it and he climbed out himself."

"His first concern was for the mail. He actually ran about collecting the scattered mail and packages and refused to go to the first aid centre for treatment until the last package was found."

As the workers tried to release the van driver, Brown handed over a knife to cut a boot from Harrison's foot but they managed to treat him without it. Harrison, after treatment at the first aid centre was allowed home.


Evening Dispatch: October 8, 1958, p.1

On page 8 of the Evening Dispatch on October 8 there was a photograph of the accident, not so dramatic as the photograph above.

The caption read: A post office driver escaped with minor injuries after his van had been hit and dragged 150 feet by rail waggons at Dalkeith today.

Front Page of the Paper

The Evening Dispatch usually published photos of accidents on its front page.

However on October 8, its page 1, headline and photo, related to a report in the Italian paper 'Il Tempo' - headline: "PIO XII E MORTO".

In fact this report of the Pope's death was a little premature and the Italian papers carrying the news were later seized by the police. The Pope died the following day, October 9, 1958.
BrianHawley
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by BrianHawley »

I think I may go out and buy a roll cage :)
Brian

Image "Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.
firedrake1942
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by firedrake1942 »

No need, just keep away from large marshalling yards.
philthehill
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by philthehill »

Appears to be a Ransomes and Rapier railway breakdown crane to the rescue which would have made quick work of getting those wagons back on the track or casting them to the side of the track for later recovery or scrappage and without having to put out the cranes stabilisers.

firedrake1942
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by firedrake1942 »

And there was me hoping it was there to offer first aid (albeit probably without hope) to the Minor van ! Nice rolling stock though !
philthehill
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by philthehill »

I would suggest that the two wooden bodied wagons on the right appear to be NCB internal user, the steel bodied 10 ton wagon could be either.
As the incident happened on the colliery site the wagons may have been in the process of being loose shunted, it is near impossible to hear railway wagons running free especially when inside a vehicle.

firedrake1942
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by firedrake1942 »

How would you get one of those wagons inside a Morris ?
philthehill
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by philthehill »

I know that you are joking but if you are not you will not even in its component parts.
It would take several trips to get just the completely dismantled body/chassis parts home but the wheels would have to be delivered by a lorry with hiab crane.
But of course you may be thinking of the wagon crashing into the rear of the Morris Minor van but that would be ill advised. :wink:

An interesting read:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smeat ... e_Lothians

firedrake1942
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by firedrake1942 »

Ah pre Beeching! He got the blame but it was in essence the corrupt Marples (he of the construction companies) behind it and guess who won the contracts to build the roads and motorways. In later life, he was elevated to the peerage before fleeing to Monaco at very short notice to avoid prosecution for tax fraud. Ring any bells?
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by BrianHawley »

firedrake1942 wrote:No need, just keep away from large marshalling yards.
Unfortunately large marshaling yards and railways generally are another weakness of mine.
Brian

Image "Jodie". '67 Traveller, 1275, discs, suspension mods etc.
philthehill
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Re: Trashed S2 GPO van

Post by philthehill »

Unfortunately or fortunately depending upon your point of view most large marshalling yards have now gone.
Mainly due to merry go round container yards and the demise of the small 10 ton (or thereabouts) rail wagon.
At least the shunter now does not have to handle the three link coupling, screw coupling or 'instanter' coupling as they would in a real old time marshalling yard.
Marshalling yards were also very dangerous places as the wagons would run free with the shunter trying to catch them to apply the brakes with his brake stick. Shunters used to ride the brake stick but if they fell off there was a good chance they would fall under the wheels and loose at best a arm or a leg.
Thank goodness we have moved on.
Keep well away from railway lines unless you have good cause and permission to go near them and especially keep away from 25kva overhead power lines.
If you do have to go near railway lines make sure that you have had a Personal Track Safety (PTS) briefing and are under the supervision of a authorised track supervisor and you know the nearest position of safety.
Railways are dangerous places and even the best and careful railway worker does get caught out.
Here is a link to a film about March marshalling yard and you will see what I mean about old time marshalling yards being dangerous places. But do not thing that modern yards are any safer as there are still plenty of pitfalls you can encounter.
http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/205507
Phil

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