Non-Passenger Coaching Stock (NPCS)
The division between passenger and goods stock was
blurred in the middle. Some traffic other than passengers
needed to travel with passenger trains, or at
passenger train speeds, and was transported in non-passenger
coaching stock. NPCS vehicles were fitted with
continuous brakes  , and so were allowed in
passenger trains.
- Full brakes and luggage vans.
- Travelling Post Offices.
- Carriage trucks, open and closed: Open versions were for
transporting horse-drawn carriages originally with the
occupants still in them. Closed versions later used for early motor cars.
- Fruit and milk vans: Ventilated by slats in the side.
- Horse boxes: Three horses could be conveyed, side by side.
Compartments for the grooms were always included, and many
had a luggage compartment as well. The horse’s head was
protected by padding.
- Fish trucks: Fish, both live in tanks and dead, had to
be transported with alacrity to prevent deterioration.
- Bicycle vans: Bicycles manufactured in Coventry were
distributed in bogie vans commonly called ‘Boff vans’
after a guard who had suggested the design of racks
fitted inside to hold the bicycles during the journey.
Access was by extra-large doors.
- Scenery trucks: Flat bogie wagons for transporting
theatrical scenery in luggage containers.
- Portable Gas Receiver wagons: Gas tank wagons to
supply gas for recharging gas-lit carriages at
points not equipped with gas-producing plant. Fitted
with screw couplings and long, coach-type buffers.
Full brakes , bicycle vans , parcel vans
and travelling post offices (TPO )were
painted in the same livery as passenger carriages; others
such as covered carriage trucks, horse boxes, scenery trucks and fish
trucks were originally similar but after 1900 were painted —
“quick brown” which was a simplified version intended to imitate
the more expensive lake. Lettering was originally in gold edged black,
later (from 1910 onwards) changed to yellow, although the WCJS and certain
other saloons retained gold lettering until the grouping.
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