Class P Mail vans (formerly class AK before 1940 and class TB before 1900)

An Ashbury Carriage and Wagon Co builders photo of one of the clerestory roofed vans. (RHWA collection)

In 1936 the remaining four-wheeled brake vans were reclassified ZP and thus the P code was empty until in June 1940 the six AK class mail vans were reclassified and renumbered as wagons. Four of these (254-257) were old clerestory roofed vans built by Ashbury Carriage and Wagon Co in 1896-8.

By this time they had been modified from their original condition. They had two large sliding doors on either side and were no longer used to sort mail. At first these vans were listed as "mail, milk, etc" but from 1945 they were just listed as "covered vans".

The WAGR outline diagram is shown below.

The other two (250 and 251) were 1911 built vehicles constructed at Midland Workshops.

After conversion to class P the windows of the vans, to allow the mail staff to work, were boarded over, probably during the war years.

The WAGR outline diagram is shown below.

P658 (ex AK251), the sole survivor, at Bassendean Museum

During the second world war the P class vans formed part of 10 Army Ambulance Train (10 AAT) (RHWA collection).

The renumbering and disposal of these vans was as follows: