This van is typical of the second generation of covered vans built from the mid-nineteenth century to about 1920. The body with external timber frames, diagonally braced with sliding doors, is of a type favoured by many pre-Grouping Companies. The London & South Western Railway built vans to this design on steel underframes from 1899 to 1912, albeit with differences in suspension and brakegear.
Van 2773 is a low roofed van of similar age to 8112. We have few details of its history. It was sold to or requisitioned by the WD and ended up on the Longmoor Military Railway, numbered AD 47773. It was purchased in 1970 by the Bulleid Society and was first used at Liss. With the then impending closure of the Longmoor Military Railway. it was moved to the Bluebell Railway, arriving on 19th September 1971 and remains in the ownership of the Bulleid Society. After its arrival on the Bluebell, the van was repainted in LSWR livery and was allocated the number 2773 as this was similar to its "AD" number.
Recommended reading:
An Illustrated History of Southern Wagons - Volume One: LSWR and S&DJR, by Messrs Bixley, Blackburn, Chorley, King and Newton.
First published by OPC, 1984. ISBN 0-086093-207-9
This book may be available new from the Bluebell Railway Shop.
A used copy may be available from the Carriage Shop at Horsted Keynes which is open most weekends.
Photo © Richard Salmon