diff --git a/src/saveload.cpp b/src/saveload.cpp
index 420e5e98a1..26dc7df516 100644
--- a/src/saveload.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload.cpp
@@ -744,7 +744,6 @@ size_t SlCalcObjMemberLength(const void *object, const SaveLoad *sld)
 			default: NOT_REACHED();
 			}
 			break;
-		case SL_WRITEBYTE: return 1; // a byte is logically of size 1
 		case SL_INCLUDE: return SlCalcObjLength(object, _sl.includes[sld->version_from]);
 		default: NOT_REACHED();
 	}
@@ -782,19 +781,6 @@ bool SlObjectMember(void *ptr, const SaveLoad *sld)
 		}
 		break;
 
-	/* SL_WRITEBYTE translates a value of a variable to another one upon
-	 * saving or loading.
-	 * XXX - variable renaming abuse
-	 * game_value: the value of the variable ingame is abused by sld->version_from
-	 * file_value: the value of the variable in the savegame is abused by sld->version_to */
-	case SL_WRITEBYTE:
-		if (_sl.save) {
-			SlWriteByte(sld->version_to);
-		} else {
-			*(byte*)ptr = sld->version_from;
-		}
-		break;
-
 	/* SL_INCLUDE loads common code for a type
 	 * XXX - variable renaming abuse
 	 * include_index: common code to include from _desc_includes[], abused by sld->version_from */
diff --git a/src/saveload.h b/src/saveload.h
index 7589db5f2b..24dc9f231f 100644
--- a/src/saveload.h
+++ b/src/saveload.h
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ enum SaveLoadTypes {
 	SL_STR       =  3,
 	SL_LST       =  4,
 	// non-normal save-load types
-	SL_WRITEBYTE =  8,
 	SL_INCLUDE   =  9,
 	SL_END       = 15
 };
@@ -201,8 +200,6 @@ typedef SaveLoad SaveLoadGlobVarList;
 
 #define SLE_CONDNULL(length, from, to) SLE_CONDARR(NullStruct, null, SLE_FILE_U8 | SLE_VAR_NULL | SLF_CONFIG_NO, length, from, to)
 
-/* Translate values ingame to different values in the savegame and vv */
-#define SLE_WRITEBYTE(base, variable, game_value, file_value) SLE_GENERAL(SL_WRITEBYTE, base, variable, 0, 0, game_value, file_value)
 /* Load common code and put it into each struct (currently only for vehicles */
 #define SLE_INCLUDE(base, variable, include_index) SLE_GENERAL(SL_INCLUDE, base, variable, 0, 0, include_index, 0)
 
@@ -214,7 +211,6 @@ typedef SaveLoad SaveLoadGlobVarList;
 #define SLE_VARX(offset, type) SLE_CONDVARX(offset, type, 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 #define SLE_REFX(offset, type) SLE_CONDREFX(offset, type, 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 
-#define SLE_WRITEBYTEX(offset, something) SLE_GENERALX(SL_WRITEBYTE, offset, 0, something, 0)
 #define SLE_INCLUDEX(offset, type) SLE_GENERALX(SL_INCLUDE, offset, type, 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 
 /* End marker */
diff --git a/src/vehicle.cpp b/src/vehicle.cpp
index daae5c0c9c..66d0ac6a07 100644
--- a/src/vehicle.cpp
+++ b/src/vehicle.cpp
@@ -2714,7 +2714,6 @@ extern const SaveLoad _common_veh_desc[] = {
 
 
 static const SaveLoad _train_desc[] = {
-	SLE_WRITEBYTE(Vehicle, type, VEH_TRAIN, 0), // Train type. VEH_TRAIN in mem, 0 in file.
 	SLE_INCLUDEX(0, INC_VEHICLE_COMMON),
 	    SLE_VARX(cpp_offsetof(Vehicle, u) + cpp_offsetof(VehicleRail, crash_anim_pos),         SLE_UINT16),
 	    SLE_VARX(cpp_offsetof(Vehicle, u) + cpp_offsetof(VehicleRail, force_proceed),          SLE_UINT8),
@@ -2732,7 +2731,6 @@ static const SaveLoad _train_desc[] = {
 };
 
 static const SaveLoad _roadveh_desc[] = {
-	SLE_WRITEBYTE(Vehicle, type, VEH_ROAD, 1), // Road type. VEH_ROAD in mem, 1 in file.
 	SLE_INCLUDEX(0, INC_VEHICLE_COMMON),
 	    SLE_VARX(cpp_offsetof(Vehicle, u) + cpp_offsetof(VehicleRoad, state),          SLE_UINT8),
 	    SLE_VARX(cpp_offsetof(Vehicle, u) + cpp_offsetof(VehicleRoad, frame),          SLE_UINT8),
@@ -2752,7 +2750,6 @@ static const SaveLoad _roadveh_desc[] = {
 };
 
 static const SaveLoad _ship_desc[] = {
-	SLE_WRITEBYTE(Vehicle, type, VEH_SHIP, 2), // Ship type. VEH_SHIP in mem, 2 in file.
 	SLE_INCLUDEX(0, INC_VEHICLE_COMMON),
 	SLE_VARX(cpp_offsetof(Vehicle, u) + cpp_offsetof(VehicleShip, state), SLE_UINT8),
 
@@ -2763,7 +2760,6 @@ static const SaveLoad _ship_desc[] = {
 };
 
 static const SaveLoad _aircraft_desc[] = {
-	SLE_WRITEBYTE(Vehicle, type, VEH_AIRCRAFT, 3), // Aircraft type. VEH_AIRCRAFT in mem, 3 in file.
 	SLE_INCLUDEX(0, INC_VEHICLE_COMMON),
 	    SLE_VARX(cpp_offsetof(Vehicle, u) + cpp_offsetof(VehicleAir, crashed_counter), SLE_UINT16),
 	    SLE_VARX(cpp_offsetof(Vehicle, u) + cpp_offsetof(VehicleAir, pos),             SLE_UINT8),
@@ -2782,8 +2778,6 @@ static const SaveLoad _aircraft_desc[] = {
 };
 
 static const SaveLoad _special_desc[] = {
-	SLE_WRITEBYTE(Vehicle,type,VEH_SPECIAL, 4),
-
 	    SLE_VAR(Vehicle, subtype,       SLE_UINT8),
 
 	SLE_CONDVAR(Vehicle, tile,          SLE_FILE_U16 | SLE_VAR_U32, 0, 5),
@@ -2810,8 +2804,6 @@ static const SaveLoad _special_desc[] = {
 };
 
 static const SaveLoad _disaster_desc[] = {
-	SLE_WRITEBYTE(Vehicle, type, VEH_DISASTER, 5),
-
 	    SLE_REF(Vehicle, next,          REF_VEHICLE_OLD),
 
 	    SLE_VAR(Vehicle, subtype,       SLE_UINT8),
@@ -2864,6 +2856,7 @@ static void Save_VEHS()
 	/* Write the vehicles */
 	FOR_ALL_VEHICLES(v) {
 		SlSetArrayIndex(v->index);
+		SlWriteByte(v->type);
 		SlObject(v, (SaveLoad*)_veh_descs[v->type]);
 	}
 }
@@ -2881,7 +2874,8 @@ static void Load_VEHS()
 			error("Vehicles: failed loading savegame: too many vehicles");
 
 		v = GetVehicle(index);
-		SlObject(v, (SaveLoad*)_veh_descs[SlReadByte()]);
+		v->type = (VehicleType)SlReadByte();
+		SlObject(v, (SaveLoad*)_veh_descs[v->type]);
 
 		switch (v->type) {
 			case VEH_TRAIN:    v = new (v) Train();           break;