8 Ton Cattle Wagon GWR Dark Grey

BR standard 8 Ton Cattle wagon - Dark grey

At Nationalisation in 1948 there were almost 12,000 cattle wagons in service with the newly formed British Railways. With cattle movement by rail declining the decision was taken to produce a standard 8 Ton BR cattle wagon based on one produced for the Great Western Railway to allow withdrawal of some of the earlier types. Built to lot 353, 1300 wagons were built as BR’s Swindon Works between 1951 and 1953. The last two cattle wagons were withdrawn by BR in 1975 and were preserved by the National Railway Museum. The 8 Ton cattle wagons were fitted with vacuum brakes to allow higher speed running, essential in the movement of livestock. Some wagons were later converted for use on ferry services between Dover and Dunkirk.