Oxford OR76BAN004B

GE Banana Van - Patched SR 632901 1:76

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Prototype Era
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)

Manufacturer description

Built in 1923 by the newly formed LNER, the GER Diagram 85 banana vans were built to transport imported bananas under carefully controlled conditions. Based on a Great Eastern Railway goods van, these vans featured vacuum brakes, steam heating, and thick insulation to keep the fruit at a stable 57°F from dockside to distribution centres like Stratford Market in East London.

Only 100 were constructed, numbered 632822–632921. Some were later loaned to the Southern Railway in the 1930s, even receiving SR branding. Despite their specialist role, they remained in traffic into the late 1950s.

Catalogue listing

The Oxford Rail model is a representation of a Great Eastern Railway Diagram 85 banana van, specifically the SR patched version with number 632901. This model is part of the Oxford Rail range.

The model represents a period in railway history known as the Big Four, which spanned from the 1920s to the 1940s and saw the consolidation of the four main railway companies in the UK: LNER, LMS, GWR, and SR.

The real-life banana vans were built in 1923 by the London and North Eastern Railway and were designed to transport bananas from the docks to distribution centres. They featured vacuum brakes and steam heating to maintain a stable temperature of 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Only 100 of these vans were constructed, numbered 632822-632921. Some were later loaned to the Southern Railway in the 1930s and were rebranded with SR markings.

The model is a 1:76 scale representation of these historic vans and is a product of the Oxford Rail range.