I think, once again, the issues of nomenclature are derived from the shortening of the description. They are all National hives to the British Standard. Unfortunately the 'standard' part was used to refer to the deep box when used as a brood, along with the (normal, rather than the standard) shallow as a super. The shallow is called a 'half' when used as a brood in normal circumstances. Many beeks used a brood and a half - a deep and a shallow - which is, to all intent and purpose, a two piece 14 x 12!
When I started with WBCs and deep Nationals, one of the first things I noticed was that the WBCs swarmed before the National deeps + shallows. One of the several reasons for simply adopting the extra deep British Standard National frame format, instead of running 10 or 11 frame brood boxes with shallow broods above.
Maybe, in those days, I could have retarded the swarming instinct by better utilisation of the brood box(es), but that is history. I went to extra deep British Standard format for less swarming, easier over-wintering, use of OMFs (with one box over the winter), and a few others. In those days a 14 x12 box was not a problem for me to move, let alone lifting single frames!!
Yes, they likely retain more honey crop than deeps - an important consideration for bee farmers - but that does not affect me. Then along came the Dartingtons which mostly used extra deep frames (I have one that utilises deep frames). Robin called his hive a long deep when it should, perhaps, have been called a long extra deep hive or similar, to denote frame format.
My 9 frame radial extractor, bought from thrones, has tangential screens which will accommodate extra deeps. Italian, not thrones slightly smaller made in-house version that did not. When purchased, I am not sure whether the extra deep frames were even considered, but they may have already been in the back of my mind when deciding on the extractor purchase. It was a sale offer, I believe, and recommended by a past member of staff, as I recall.
Nearly all my 14 x12 Nationals could be converted back to deeps - a matter of 4 screws and new frames. They could also be changed back to bottom bee space, but I am not thinking of doing that just yet. To me, the box accommodates the optimum brood nest shape, as a starter, over-winters well with an OMF, and I can still lift a full frame easily! A little more effort when removing that first frame, than a deep, but far better (IMO) than two brood boxes. I have broken a lug off maybe a dozen frames over the years - a nuisance, but not the end of the world, for sure.
As an aside, I don't think I have come across anyone, who adds that second smaller brood box, does it for any other reason than the bees need the extra space. I could quite easily reduce an extra deep box by simply exchanging frames for dummies, if I really wanted to. So many choices, it is not worth arguing about - use whatever box, or combination, you find best suits you (and your bees, of course). I did not need to worry which box my queen was in, for instance, when using one box with a queen excluder.
So I consider one sided claptrap from that beek, just that. But new beeks do not get
a balanced view from such biased entries. The site will deteriorate as time goes on but it will not affect me. I am able to think for myself and consider my options, not be swayed by what is basically black bee propaganda.
