Product Highlight: OO Scale Western Wagons

Our first GWR wagon is the 5 Plank China Clay Wagon from Bachmann Branchline. These models feature fine detailing which is engraved and moulded onto the body, whilst the chassis features brake gears and tie-bars between the axle boxes. The wagons come with either a tarpaulin or hooded cover as appropriate to the era.

The Great Western Railway used 5 plank wagons to carry Kaolin, which is more commonly known as China Clay, from the quarries in Corwall to wherever it was needed. The wagons were often covered with a tarpaulin or hood in order to protect the load from the effects of the environment.

The next model is the GWR 12T Ventilated Van which is also from Bachmann Branchline. These vans feature an accurate bodyshell with fine plank engraving and further moulded detail. On the underside of the wagon, there are brakes, brake handles and other associated gear all present, whilst the wagons are carried on disc wheels with 3 holes. There are metal buffers and cosmetic coupling hooks on the bufferbeam. The wagons also feature NEM coupling pockets.

There are multiple types of GWR Ventilated Van on their way, with the first being the standard van. There are also the 12T ‘Parto’ vans, which were differentiated from the the GWR’s standard vans by having internal partitions that could be repositioned in order to protect their loads from damage in transit by securing them in place.

Another type of specialised van used by the GWR was the 12T ‘Mogo’ van, which was designed for the purpose of carrying cars. This was achieved by having double doors at each end, through which the cars could be driven, loaded and unloaded. The vans also featured conventional side doors which allowed them to carry regular goods.

The GWR started to manufacture ventilated goods vans on a 10 foot wheelbase in the early 20th century. Their design was based on their existing vans but with improvements that allowed them to carry loads as heavy as 12 tons. The vans continued to be used when the GWR was absorbed into British Railways in 1948.

During the time of the Great Western Railway, it was a requirement for all goods trains to incorporate a brake van, and therefore it’s appropriate that our next model is the GWR 20T ‘Toad’ Brake Van. The bodyside of these vans features an injection moulded bodyshell with plank detail with handrails and lamp brackets on the sides and ends. The open veranda surrounds the handbrake wheel and sandboxes, whilst there are footboards and spoked wheels under the solebar. The wagon also features NEM coupling pockets.  

The 20 ton ‘Toad’ brake van was designed by the GWR towards the end of the 19th Century to provide braking power. The design featured a spacious open veranda at one end with a spacious enclosed cabin at the other. The design was successful and examples were continued to be built and used even after the GWR became part of British Railways in 1948. The vans were withdrawn in the latter half of the 20th century and many can still be found preserved on heritage railways across the county.

Our final wagons are the GWR’s 10T ‘Bloater’ and ‘Bloater A’ Fish Vans. Three different variations are available, with representations of the the Diagram S8, S9 and S10 vans all produced by EFE Rail. The planks, doors and supports are all modelled along the bodysides, with footboards and louvres where applicable. The rooves feature rain strips as well as shell ventilators and gas light tops where applicable, whilst the underside sports brake gear and pipe runs along with gas cylinders or Westinghouse air brake equipment where suitable. The wheels are spoked metal wheels, and the ends feature sprung metal buffers and NEM coupling pockets with close-coupling mechanisms.

The 10T ‘Bloater’ vans were built by the GWR in 1916 to transport fish.  They were primarily used on trains between Cornwall and Pembrokeshire, and could be easily attached to passenger trains. Initially there were also variations with Westinghouse Air Brakes as well as the standard vacuum brakes available, which were known as ‘Bloater A’ vans until the air brakes were later removed. The ‘Bloater’ vans continued to be used after the amalgamation of the GWR into British Railways, after which the need for fish vans was reduced and the wagons were repurposed for parcels and other departmental tasks.

Moving on from GWR wagons to wagons that would have been used in the BR Western Region, our next models are BR 16T Steel Mineral Wagon with Top Flap Doors. These wagons have a pressed steel end door and side doors which have top flaps. There are different variations of bottom discharge doors, wheels and brakes as appropriate, as well as separately fitted metal door stops, brake gear, linkage and hand brake levers, metal buffer heads and cosmetic coupling hooks and NEM Coupling Pockets.

These mineral wagons were first designed during the Second World War in order to carry coal and when the railways were nationalised, British Rail continued to produce more in order to replace the wooden-bodied wagons that had been used by previous railway companies and private owners.

Our final variant of mineral wagon is the 16T Steel Slope-Sided Mineral Wagon. Available as tippler wagons or with rivetted doors and bottom discharge doors, these wagons all feature double-sided brakes and disc wheels with 3 holes. There are several separately fitted parts including metal door stops, brake gear, linkage and hand brake levers, along with metal buffer heads and cosmetic coupling hooks. The wagons also have NEM coupling pockets.

Steel-bodied mineral wagons started to be used in the 1930s, with the slope-sided design pioneered by the wagon builder Charles Roberts. The wagons with rivetted doors lasted in use until the 1960s, whilst the tippler wagons continued to be used as late as 1981.

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