The Numbers

With restoration in the final phase, my motor car is pictured with the last number it carried before the VGN/N&W merger, number 109. However to recognize its history I have placed the car's original number on the back, lower cross beam, number 905.

Another picture shows the various N&W numbers the car wore after the VGN merger with the N&W in 1959. When sanding the front the first day I owned the car, the Virginian number appeared on the left, VGN 109! Also, one picture shows the N&W number on a back, lower brace; N&W N 109. As I worked to find the car's original number, nothing new appeared on the front as the old paint was removed. My last chance was on that lower, back brace, I hoped. As I sanded away the N&W on the left side, nothing appeared. Virginian must not have had any lettering there. However on the right side as I sanded N 109, I thought I was seeing 1005. But 1005 was in the series of Virginian's Sheffield model 40-b motor cars. I sanded even more lightly and I found that what I thought was a 1, actually was the right side of the letter N. The last two digits, 0 and 5 were clear, but the digit to the left of the 0 was not. More careful sanding showed faintly that the digit was a 9! My car was originally 905! The layers of paint were: red primer was the first layer; orange; yellow; then N&W paint - lighter yellow for two more layers. I have added an illustration to show this sequence.