BR AF Container Completed

TheJoint Heritage Coach Fundsponsored restoration of a British Railways 'AF' type transportation container has been completed in Weybourne Carriage & Wagon workshops.

The container, which was delivered to the NNR in 2013 from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre has been effectively built from scratch as the original aluminum constructed container was found to be too far gone for full overhaul. All of the fittings and fittings from the original container were removed for restoration, whilst a steel structure was fabricated to the exact dimensions of the original.

All of the work to restore the container has been undertaken by volunteers and was made possible thanks to donations to the JHCF, the Society's Carriage and Wagon fundraising group. You can find out more information and join the JHCFhere.

It was decided to paint the AF container into 1960s Birdseye livery as these were used widely across East Anglia to transport fish and other frozen goods from the ports of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft across the country. All the lettering and lining on the van is traditionally signwritten.

The next stage is to bring in Conflat wagon B502824 into the works, whereby an intermediate overhaul will be undertaken over the winter months. Vacuum brakes will also be refitted as the wagon is currently unfitted.

It is hoped the AF container will make its first appearance chained to the conflat for the NNR's Spring Steam Gala on 6th, 7th & 8th March 2015.