Wagon Sheets

Does anyone have a source please for wagon sheets/tarpaulins, preferably BR-era? Either new replicas, or if anyone has some originals lurking around somewhere.

Looking to have a 'bit of a play' with a couple of wagons to go in our freight...

 

This would certainly be of interest to us, if anybody knows of a replica supplier! I think the NVR had one produced a while back?

 

Wasn't this question asked a few months ago?
Anyway my answer then was that if you want new sheets then get in touch with a HGV sheet manufacturer or Agricultural dealer.
They both supply any size required.

 

If you're wanting new, I think that Union Industries still do traditional canvas tarps (although is it several years since I last dealt with them.)

http://www.unionindustries.co.uk/

 

From the Bluebell suppliers page http://www.mitco.co.uk/canvas.html and also http://www.tarpaulins.co.uk/ ( but no mention of canvas on the later but they do state "YOU CAN HAVE ANY SIZE AND ANY MATERIAL THAT YOU WANT. JUST RING US AND ASK! WE MAKE IT FOR YOU."

 

Thanks all for the pointers.

It looks like replica is therefore the way to go; does anyone happen to have a drawing or, even better, an original sheet I may be able to copy please? I want to try to make this as authentic as possible.

 

As mentioned above we made one at NVR out of lorry curtainside material from Cunningham's Covers (an Irish firm). We used the thicker 900gsm sheet which is quite a matt finish and with the correct texture ( we are lucky to have a sample of an original Br wagon sheet). Compared together, it was a very close match. Interestingly, the original is embossed all over with 'BR' inside an oval - impossible to replicate but its quite subtle so you'd never notice it on the wagon anyway. We did a lot of research to get it as accurate as possible. Will try to dig out some of our info/photos for you when i get a chance. From memory its 21' x 14'.

 

That's great, thank you.

 

No problem. Photo of the final result can be found on our website here: http://nvrwagons.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/its-a-cover-up/ I need to fire up my proper computer to dig out other info.

 

Ok, now had a quick search through my computer and have the following.

Overall dimensions: 6400mm x 4265mm (21' x 14'). Eyelet spacing @1270mm centres to give the right number of eyelets as per the originals.

Supplied by Cunningham Covers Ltd, Glenshane Industrial Park, Maghera, BT46 5DR
Tel: +44 28 79642638
Fax: +44 28 79643511
www.cunninghamcovers.co.uk

My mate did the lettering and most of the historical research, so I would need to find out that kind of stuff from him I'm afraid. The general layout of the lettering was based on a photo (possibly even a film still) of a sheet hung up to dry in a works. Will update on here if I can find out any more about that side of things, particularly sources of drawings and images he used. From historic photos I believe he found there were several variations in terms of lettering layout, not being as standardised as might be expected.



The above overall image shows the sheet folded on itself during the lettering process: the 'BR' and 6-digit sheet number are at the ends of the wagon, with the central part of the sheet folded under out of view. The 9/53 is the month/year of manufacture (in our case September 2013, suitably back-dated to suit our desired time period...)



Lettering detail image gives a rough idea of scale.

 

Photo of it in place on our shock open wagon - the 'Cunningham Covers' logo (far left, on the end) needs to be painted out, but that's all.

Hope the above helps - will try to find out historic source notes but cannot make any promises.

 

Aren't you referring to the later (post '68) BR style tarps which were a 'plastic' material. If so, beware of the sparks that steam locos occasionally(!) decide to throw out. A couple of our SR PMV's had this as a roof covering and they gave up being waterproof!

 

No, we have the original BR painted canvas tarp as our sample, but the heavy duty lorry tarpaulin looks and feels very similar despite the difference in material - has the same surface coarseness/texture, although isn't as stiff (possibly age related too?) Good point about potential sparks though, although ours is a cosmetic feature rather than being a necessity to keep the rain out as would be the case with a roof. The various suppliers should send small samples on request to be sure of suitability before ordering. Also don't be deceived, although these lorry curtainsides are made from plastic material, they are very tough.

 

Does the number on the wagon sheet refer to the wagon number
Or does the number on the sheet refer only to the sheet?

 

The number is for the sheet. In practice, it would have been near impossible to keep a given sheet with a given wagon. Looking at the pre-grouping era, there are photos of wagons from one company carrying sheets from another - everything got mixed up over time, though clearly efforts were made to return sheets to the owning company, just as wagons were returned to the owning company.

Tom