Buffer Depots

I am not sure whether I understand this fully with regards to the original numbering of buffer deports, but it went something like this:

When they were first created, the first depot of each BD group was allotted a number in rotation, irrespective of location, and became the basis on which the group was founded, in separate towns of localities. When another depot was added to the group in England and Wales, the first depot was given the letter 'A', the second depot 'B' and so on to 'X'. Things get a bit confusing after letter 'Z' had been used, with many variations occurring such as AB, through to AZ and then BA through to BZ etc which was the recommended method. However, certain operators used other numbering systems such as ZA, ZB to ZZ, while those in South Wales used numbers. In Scotland the first depot of a group, remained as number only such as BD196, and the second depot became BD 196/A etc.

It all gets rather interesting too, with the introduction in 1946 of the Romney hut at new Buffer Depots, those erected at existing sites such as BD356, where the existing building was re-numbered BD356A and the Romneys became BD356A1 - 2 (two Romneys) or BD 387 became BD 387A and the Romneys BD387A/1-4. At site BD471E, it consisted of all Romneys and these were numbered BD471E/1-6 - I have no idea yet where these sites were.

I have no idea either on the wartime groups, numbering and locations, but in 1952, the following were in use:

BD Groups 1-149: England & Wales

BD Groups 150-299: Scotland

BD Groups 300-399: England and Wales

BD Groups 400-410: Elders & Fyffes in the UK mainland

BD Groups 450-526: UK

BD Groups G900-G916: Grain Warehouses

BD Groups 1001-1029: London Zone Area

BD Groups 4001-4313: Owner operator or 'X'-Type depots in England and Wales

BD Groups 4501-4512: Owner operator depots in Scotland 'X'-Type

BD Groups 6001-6017: Huts on cold store sites

BD Groups CS 7000-7027: MOF standard cold stores - mostly half stores although Kilmarnock and Paisley are whole stores

Source: MAF 325/37

Cold Store List with TNA Source prepared by John McCrickard

All opening dates refer to commissioning of rail connections & construction not the opening of the depots themselves, although these dates will be close together, if not actually coincident! All stores to 'standard' designs of either ** or ** cu/ft approx capacity, except as denoted below. All cold store sites visited, except as denoted. No information on current use is given here.

NOTES:

? Existence of store to be determined
P Photograph(s) available
r Site visit required

Note that a building's status may be out of date

(1,2,3 Number of Cold Store construction programme)

GWR

rAvonmouth St Andrews Road [AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & MT29/95pg208]

Banbury Banbury Jn. Extant. [P, AN2/1045 & AN2/1045>]

rCardiff Queen Alexandra Docks [AN2/1045]

rHereford (Moorfields) [AN2/1045 & AN2/1045>]

r?Knowle [MT29/95pg165]

rLlantarnam [AN2/1045]

rNewbury Hermitage [AN2/1045 & see TLD23/37]

Oxford Sandford. Sdgs, conn to dgl & controlling GF (released from Sandford SB) biu 10 JUL 42. Believed demolished. [AN2/1045, see MT29/97pg41, see TLD27/8 & CRC GWRLOND]

Reading Scours Lane. Extant. [P, AN2/1045 & MT29/95pg160]

rShrewsbury Harlescott [AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & MT29/96pg10]

rStourport Demolished c1993. [AN2/1045, AN2/1045>, see MT29/98pg76 & see TLD32/27]

Stratford-on-Avon Possibly demolished c1993. [P, AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & MT29/95pg164]

Warwick Warwick North. Extant. [P, AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & MT29/95pg168]

rWells [AN2/1045 & see RIWpg13]

LNER

rBishops Stortford Hockerill? [AN2/1045 & MT29/97pg95]

Doncaster Wheatley Park? Extant. [P & AN2/1045]

rEly Chettisham. Extant. [P & AN2/1045]

rGoldsborough Extant. [P & AN2/1045]

rHexham Extant. [P & AN2/1045]

rLincoln either Skellingthorpe Road or Boultham Gate Crossing (LMSR). Believed demolished. [AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & MT29/98pg16]

Luton Skimpot Lane (Crossing?). Demolished. [AN2/1045]

Northallerton [P, AN2/1045 & MT29/98pg42] Demolished JUN 95.

rPeterborough Belsize Avenue [AN2/1045]

St Albans Butterwick (?) Sdgs. Demolished c1985/86. [AN2/1045 and see BLN132/69pg1]

St Helen's Auckland St Helen's Colliery Jn. Demolished c1992. [AN2/1045]

rWillington [AN2/1045]

York (Eason View) Dringhouses down sdgs. Demolished c1986. [AN2/1045 &
AN2/1045>]

LMSR

rAintree Sefton Arms [AN2/1045]

rBedford [AN2/1045, MT29/95pg153 and RM MAY1969pg285(N+N)]

Chelford Extant. [AN2/1045 & MT29/96pg15]

Conway Marl Sdg, Llandudno Jn. Extant. [AN2/1045 & MT29/95pg121]

rCrewe Gresty Green. Extant. [AN2/1045 & MT29/96pg13]

Derby Friargate. Extant. [P & AN2/1045]

rHeywood Broadfield. Believed demolished. [AN2/1045 & MT29/95pg247]

rKilmarnock [AN2/1045]

rLeeds Pepper Lane [AN2/1045]

Leicester Wigston. Extant. [P & AN2/1045]

Loughborough Extant. [P, AN2/1045 AN2/1045>]

rMansfield (Sutton Jn) Sutton-in-Ashfield. Extant. [AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & MT29/96pg63]

Northampton Boughton Crossing. Extant. [P & MT29/96pg23]

rPaisley [AN2/1045]

rPerth [AN2/1045 & MT29/95pg86]

rPreston (Cromwell Road) Ribbleton? [AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & RIEL pg 61/P]

Tamworth (Kettlebrook) Extant. [P, AN2/1045 & AN2/1045>]

Wolverhampton Extant. [P, AN2/1045, AN2/1045> & MT29/95pg181]

SR

Alton Froyle. Extant. [P, AN2/1045 & MT29/97pg6]

Exeter Pinhoe. Extant. [AN2/1045 & MT29/94pg76]

Guildford Peasmarsh Jn. Extant.[P, AN2/1045 & MT29/95pg126]