Edward Burtt had established himself in business as a beehive manufacturer by 1889, however by 1894 he was also operating a coal depot in Gloucester, so clearly had expanded into other lines of business.
There have been suggestions of confusion among the Burtt wagon numbering as wagon 5 appears in 1983, while a number 4 is delivered in 1900. However it seems the wagons were often taken on hire, rather than outright purchased and Mr Burtt took out a a repair contract with the Gloucester RC&W in 1889 for three 6-ton wagons, the contracts appearing to have been renewed up to 1910.
In 1893 Mr Burtt ordered a new 10 ton wagon, numbered 5, from the Gloucester RC&W who also record a wagon taken on hire, quite possibly numbered 4. Another 10 ton wagon, number 6, was ordered in 1899, believed to have been a 5-plank wagon, followed by a new number 4 in 1900. 7 years being a common long-term hire period it is quite possible this was the 1893 hired wagon, or it's replacement, being purchased. Wagon number 7, a 7 plank open, joined the fleet in 1903
There may have been other wagons from other builders or hire companies, Edward Burtt certainly took wagons on long-term hire from Gloucester, while repair contracts were renewed until the Gloucester repair contracts transfered to Wagon Repairs Ltd in 1918. E J Burtt appears in business directories up top 1906, but not after, though the renewal of repair contracts suggests Burtt was still trading, it is possible he had further diversified into building materials or similar. Burtt and Son appear in the RCH list for 1926, but not in 1933, however later advertising suggests the company was still operating as 'Bee Appliance Manufacturers' and advertising as 'Wholesale and Retail' picture framers... Perhaps the joinery business which once made beehives was still flourishing until the second war.
The 6 plank wagon was designed to carry 10 tons and was built until the 1907 RCH specification was introduced when a 7 plank 12 ton design became standard. The top plank(s) of the 6 and 7 plank wagons were usually continuous, providing added strength to the body, though sometimes a top flap door was fitted. Coal merchants usually ordered wagons with both ends fixed (no end doors) as they rarely needed or had facilities for end-tip discharge. Coal would often be shovelled out direct onto a delivery lorry or into bags, with the wagon itself being used as a storage until almost completely discharged, when the owner would want it completely emptied ready to be sent for its next load.