RCH 1907 5 plank & 7 plank opens Profile and Models

RCH 1907 5 plank & 7 plank opens

John J. TIms No 191. Official works photo. ©HMRS

In the pioneering years of the railways, wagons were not built to set standards, resulting in numerous incidents and maintenance issues. In 1887, the Railway Clearing House set out their first set of standards for private owner wagon construction - which they then updated several times. The 1907 specification 5 and 7 plank wagons were built in their thousands for collieries, factories and other industrial operators across the UK. These vehicles lasted a long time in active service, with many passing into BR ownership and then on to indsutrial service past the 1960s.

Type of Vehicle

Open Plank Wagon

Builder

Railway Clearing House

Build Dates

1907 - 1910s

Total Built

Thousands

Wheel Configuration

4-wheel

Operated By

Various Private Owners & Industries

Main Duties

Coal/ Coke Transport
General Freight

In Service Until

1970s

Surviving Examples

Some in preservation