Rare train wagon unearthed by archaeologists in Antwerp confirmed as British

Archaeologists made a surprise discovery when excavating Antwerp citadel ahead of a ring road project.

As they dug around a wall of the former defensive fortress, they unearthed a red metal structure.

It turned out to be an extremely rare wagon from a 1930s London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train, once used for transporting belongings when people moved house

The urban archaeology team of the city of Antwerp made the discovery in March. In a press statement, the city said the wagon bore several inscriptions, including ‘…niture removal to house,’ ‘Enquire at any station,’ and ‘LNER’.

York-based LNER have confirmed that the structure was one of the company's rare first models and dated back nearly 100 years. Its surprise appearance and location sparked considerable interest at the rail operator.

In the early 19th century, square boxes were commonly used in Britain for transportation via train. Rail companies then transitioned to standardised containers that were easier to load and unload.

According to LNER’s research, the Antwerp find was the first model of a wagon that that they used in about 1930. It was painted in a reddish-brown colour, but a few years later, the colour changed to a distinctive blue.

For the archaeologists, it remains a mystery how the relic, which disintegrated as it was unearthed, ended up in the port city and why it was buried.

One explanation is that it was used as storage when the Northern Citadel became a recreational area. The historic structure was designed as a defensive fortress in 1862, around 100 acres in size, with earthen walls and a large moat.

The excavations by the city were carried out in collaboration with Lantis and Rink as part of the Oosterweel Link construction project, which will complete the ring road around Antwerp.

Photos: ©Stad Antwerpen