The Fruit D was the last of the GWR design ventilated fruit vans, this design with three side doors not appearing until after WW2. Many were built in the early BR years and were one of the last GWR types to be found in service, lasting into the early 1980s.
These vans were suitable for running in secondary passenger trains and parcels trains. Later many were adopted by the engineering departments, carrying spare parts for locomotives between depots.
This model painted in the British Rail blue livery applied to the vans still in service from the late 1960s, including those vans employed in ENPARTS (Engineers Parts) service, distributing spares and refurbished parts for the Western regions' diesel fleet from Swindon works to locomotive depots.