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London, Midland & Scottish Railway (BR-built)
M480222 - 3-plank drop-side medium open goods wagon (built in 1949)
Richard Salmon

M480222 is one of 500 built under Lot No. 1522 (comprising Nos. M480150-M480649) in 1949, with handbrake only by British Railways. They were ordered by the LMSR to drawing No.13/4024 and were built at the former LMSR workshops at Wolverton.

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 with 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 The wagon was withdrawn from use and purchased in 1973.

Compare this planked design with the later steel-bodied B458525 and B461224,

Recommended reading:
An Illustrated History of LMS Wagons - Volume 1, by R.J.Essery. Published by OPC, 1981. ISBN 86093 127 7
An Illustrated History of LMS Wagons - Volume 2, by R.J.Essery. Published by OPC, 1983. ISBN 86093 255 9
The LMS Wagon, by Essery & Morgan. Published by David & Charles, 1977. ISBN 0 71537 357 9

These books are not available new. Why not try the Carriage Shop at Horsted Keynes for a used copy on your next visit?