6 ton GWR 'Mica B' Refrigerated Meat Van Profile and Models

6 ton GWR 'Mica B' Refrigerated Meat Van

105873 at the Severn Valley Railway. Date unknown. ©Gareth Price

'MICA B' was the GWR's telegraphic code for Refrigerated meat vans, fitted with ventilation. 149 diagram X8 MICA B vans were built in the mid-1920s and were mainly used to transport chilled beef carcasses from ports such as Birkenhead to markets at Smithfield and elsewhere. The vehicles were fitted with a revolutionary carbonic acid machine to keep the perishable goods fresh, with roof mounted trapdoors for loading dry ice. The interiors featured hooks for hanging the meat. 

Type of Vehicle

Refrigerated closed goods van

Builder

GWR Swindon Works

Build Dates

1923 to 1926

Total Built

149

Wheel Configuration

4-wheel

Operated By

Great Western Railway
British Railways

Main Duties

Meat transport

In Service Until

1960s

Surviving Examples

2

 

OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)