Bananas by Rail: The Story of Post-WW2 Banana Traffic in the UK (Video Spectacular) 

I wish more pre-1900 rolling stock were available. Interesting. Informative. Appreciated. Thank you.

I don't know anyone going this in depth of history with railways. Keep at it. :-)

Nice one, Great Nostalgie 👍

Very interesting Mini Documentary, about something we all take for Granted. I was lucky enough to see Geest and Jaffa Ships unloading at Southampton Docks in the Sixties 🥇🙏🏻👍🏻

Thank you found that very interesting . Regards Mark

Very interesting video - thank you.

Cheers Mike , brought back some memories for me. I remember watching trains of bananas coming out of Southampton docks when I was a kid. My dad worked in the docks during the 50s and 60s and told me stories about huge great spiders in the banana sheds. Happy days. Cheers Mike.

Thanks for the history lesson Mike, I really enjoyed the video. Fascinating stuff, learned a thing or two.

Yes we have no Bananas! Thanks for the informative and fun video, i will seriously look into obtaining some banana vans for the layout, mine would be for the 1960's era so in BR brown livery? Then of course perhaps a Merchant navy loco "elders Fyffes" oh dear more money! Kind regards, Alan.

Well that really was interesting. And so good seeing how the stock relates to model railways. Thank you

A really interesting video, certainly learnt something from your excellent description, all the best. Glynn

interesting history, thanks for sharing. I have a rake of white vans which I am using as banana vans

Great Video Mike we used to go over Barry Dock (after visiting the scrapyard to see what new Locos had arrived) and used to pick up loads of green bananas on the dockside and take them home to ripen !

Very interesting and imformative.

Excellent, as usual. Would love to see your take on the transport of ale/beers etc

Very informative I bought some banana Van's, Hornby ones, my period is 1978 to 1985 so in my little world bananas can be shipped by train. Cheers

That was fascinating, thank you!

Hi Mike, thanks for this upload, the thing you mention about Dapol placing various guises on the one moulding, and proclaiming it to be something it patently isn't, is one reason I purchase very little from this company. Yes it saves on mould making, yes it fulfills a need for the less critical or demanding model railway tyro, but it annoys me among many others. Once again keep the uploads coming, it goes a long way to allieviating the tedium of self-isolation.

That video was thoroughly fascinating, and Top Banana! Thanks Mike.

Terrific story and nice layout, congratulations on your research. I have a rake of those white vans which I found at a show years ago and was never really sure what they were used for. Did you make your own decals? I must do a video of my banana train and thanks for the inspiration. Cheers

Mike, went looking for information on Bananas and guess what an interesting and informative video I found! 🍌 Been meaning to do a webpage on Banana traffic but it is a difficult subject to *pick* particularly when time just *slips* away… 👍 I’ve looked for evidence of yellow Banana vans but to no avail; your hypothesis of a promotional livery being applied to a wagon or two could bear *fruit* (cough). 😁 Saturday’s video (Thirties Southern) will feature some SR Banana vans running on Ewhurst Green so keep your eyes *peeled* at 09.00hrs! 😎 Well done for picking up on them being berries - such a shame supermarkets usually only stock the ‘Cavendish’ variety (known in the trade as ‘hotel bananas’) when there are over a 1000 varieties - Colin 🧐

Hi. This an excellent format. Well researched information coupled with lovely rolling stock and a charming layout. More please!

Thank you for a very interesting video. I can remember seeing one of the yellow Fyffes wagons in the sidings at Woking station in the early 1960s.

thanks ever so much! It was fascinating. I have three 'inspiring' photos - from books, a Stanier 8F on a pigeon van special on the South Coast, an S15 at Folkstone with a Lourdes Special from Ireland and a Class W 2-6-4T at Lingfield with a banana van train. Yr post explains the last photo. I 'run' all three trains on my layout. Alas the stock is not accurate but the thought is there! Nice to see the USA shunting. I also have one on my layout. I notice your locos have headcodes. Even tho I have pages of them in various books, ie ABC spotters guides, other than the obvious mainline services - to and from the Kent Thanet coast where my layout is supposed to be. I am a bit confused about what headcodes local/freight services and station pilots would have carried. I do try and find photos of these services but remain confused. even contacted the NRM who never replied. bw

Yes I remember working in a greengrocers when I was about 15. We were always told to watch out for the spiders when opening consignments of bananas. I don't think they were particularly dangerous but I was told they could give you a nasty nip! Fortunately I never got bitten and if I did see one a good stamp with my boot sorted the issue. I don't know if this is still an issue but I guess these days the fruit is treated with some kind of aracnicide?

Excellent really enjoyed that 👍

Excellent job as always Mike. Thank you for spending the time on research, assembling the information and presenting it in an interesting manner. I think some education boards could use some of your videos in their history curriculum. You asked me to tell you if I got a Ruston and Hornsby 0-4-0. I have one now in the army livery. It is briefly shown in my "Highland Valley Railway Update March 2020" video. What an incredible little model. Please continue to bring us these great educational videos and continue to be safe. Regards, David.

Excellent video Mike!...you’re a mine of information!😎 very interesting and loved the old photographs. The class 24 looked splendid hauling those wagons. Loved the picture in picture video part with the Winston Churchill!. Stay safe mate!😎👍🇦🇺

The Wrenn wagons referred to were were orinally produced as part of the Hornby Dublo range by Meccano Ltd

Great idea for a video Mike!! And interesting too. Is a milk traffic one in the offing now??🤔I also think your subject is quite relevant at this time - the world seems to have gone completely bananas!! Good health to you and your viewers from the Antipodes

Hi MIke, from Barry in Spain, Can you tell me where did the wagon come from maker etc at 2.58 mins with the Logo Tropical Banana Co, and did it come with that transfer or did you acquire it from elsewhere ?? Will come back to you on the subject of Bananas, regards from Barry

quick question with the new release from Accurascale.! Can you advise please? Did the Banana companies mix logo'd vans on the trains from the docks or did they run direct block trains to the the respective companies Warehouses

Very enjoyable video. I am local to Avonmouth and cheddar. Avonmouth for 🍌 bananas and cheddar for strawberries.

yes interesting video can do a article for my railway club on them did one on m[lk trains which was interesting getting the information on

Surely LNER wagons not NE wagons considering the date.

Did you make any slip ups when making this video Mike 😂