The Railway Clearing House designated open goods wagons of standard length as 'Low', 'Medium' or 'High'. Low wagons had a drop side one timber plank high, medium wagons
usually had drop sides of three timber planks in height, and high wagons had taller sides, mainly with a centre drop door (similar to 9604).
Over 10,000 medium goods wagons were built to London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMSR) diagram D1927 between 1935 and 1949 for general merchandise, which was usually goods
in large packing cases. Built to the same diagram as 474558 but to a different drawing number there are a number of differences, including the end
ironwork, between these two medium goods wagons.
M480222 is one of 500 built by British Railways under Lot No. 1522 (comprising Nos. M480150 to M480649) in 1949, with handbrake only, having been ordered by the LMSR to drawing No. 13/4024. They were built at the former LMSR workshops at Wolverton, Buckinghamshire.
Built with a load capacity of 13 tons, M480222 was later fitted with vacuum brake by British Railways. Note the collars welded onto the buffer castings to extend the length of
the buffers, to enable the vacuum-braked wagon to be screw coupled instead of being coupled with a 3-link coupling as used on unfitted wagons.
By 1970 this and many similar vehicles were transferred into departmental use by the Civil Engineer of the Southern Region (gaining a "D" prefix to their numbers) for carrying
spoil and spent ballast from engineering work sites to tips, like those at Hoo Junction or Godstone. The wagon was purchased by Bluebell members after being withdrawn from use in 1973,
and was subsequently donated to the BRPS.
