92206 1960 Dawlish
An Up class C Express Perishables train conveying rakes of empty Banana vans back to their receiving ports (Avonmouth or Barry) with Vanfits further down the train. Geest had opened a new banana ripening depot at Heathfield, on the branch from Newton Abbot that same year, 1960, so it would be a fair assumption that the rake of vans were added at Newton Abbot Hackney Yard for the start of their return journey to Barry, the port used by Geest. The Vanfits were probably carrying boxed Royal Navy ammunition left over from WW2 found in a store in Devonport around this time. There was a regular Tavistock Jcn - Avonmouth train of empties shown in the Winter 1957-58 WTT as departing at 02.55 on Sundays only. Given the time of day the photo was taken this could well be an additional train booked by Notice, or possibly a WTT amendment, or the train was retimed because of engineering work etc.
Photo: Cecil Ord/Rail Archive Stephenson
