Tricycle Van Grand Union Canal Company

Tricycle Van Grand Union Canal Company

The Tricycle Van was a light commercial vehicle introduced in the 1930s and put to a wide variety of uses right up until the 1950s. Here we see it as Service Van No. 2 used by the Grand Union Canal Company, 5 Lloyd’s Avenue, EC3.  Decorated in bright blue with white lettering registered FGK 315,  there is a map of the route of the Grand Union Canal on the cab doors, showing the extent of the 137 mile London to Birmingham waterway, which to this day has spurs off it to other major English towns and cities on the way. The model also features a bright red front mudguard and wheel hub surround and a single headlamp built into the framework above.  

Further masking detail creates an illusion of circular windows on the back doors while the front windscreen is masked in silver and black. In 1929, five canal companies joined together to form the Grand Union Canal Company operation which with the purchase of the Associated Canal Carriers based in Northampton formed the start of the fleet.

In 1934, an expansion programme was launched and the company changed its name to the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company.  We can therefore date our little replica van to the period leading up to this new phase in 1934.