GN&SR Diag. L1

The Great Northern & Southern Railway Diagram L1 was a group of 43 luggage vans built by the GN&SR between 1858 and 1861.

Prior to 1858, luggage was transported in open wagons in seperate trains or on the top of coaches as if they were stagecoaches. This both limited the capacity of luggage on passenger trains or forced passengers to wait for their luggage to arrive at the same station as them. In 1858, the first of the Diagram L1s was built with 42 more being built over the coming years. They were used on all services on the GN&SR's network with some of the longer distance trains having upto three luggage vans as part of the rake. The Diagram L1s were used on the mainline until around 1883 when the majority of them had been displaced as newer luggage vans had been introduced; these new examples having a higher capacity and more robust design.

While some had been scrapped, some were transfered to branchlines where space was limited; these, along with the remaining examples, all had air brakes fitted as per Etorean Law. Some L1s were also transfered to other roles like milk or parcels traffic though all would be withdrawn by 1902, the last in service being a stores van used by the Signalling Department. It was stamped "Signalling Department, Tattonshire Division, Whitwell".

Two Diagram L1s have survived into the present day, one is part of the Shipston Valley Railway Society's Arthurian Train and a second is derelict on a farm in Aleyeshire, the owner of the latter example intends to restore it privately befor transfering ownership to a Railway Preservation Society (RPS).  

Build Year:	Numbers:	Current Location:	Details:
1859	76, ED 141	SVLR	Used as Engineer's Dept stores van from 1887, now forms part of vintage train, restored 1998.
1861	102	Private Site	Currently derelict of an Aleyeshire farm, location withheld.