Curly Roof Van Brakes Cover At 2024 Bygones Weekend

The Ffestiniog Railway’s Bygones Weekend is a highlight in the calendar of many narrow gauge enthusiasts, and Bachmann Europe chose the 2024 event to launch two new models for its Bachmann Narrow Gauge OO9 Scale range.

The first new models depict the railway’s ‘Tin Car’ coaches and four versions are available to purchase from the Ffestiniog Railway now (see separate piece for more details). The second models however have been unveiled as Engineering Prototypes ahead of their inclusion in the Winter 2024 British Railway Announcements and these depict the ‘Curly Roof Van’ and Brake Third Bogie Van.

Three bogie luggage vans entered traffic with the Ffestiniog Railway between 1873 and 1876, the bodies for which were built by Brown, Marshall & Co. and these were fitted with bogies and brake gear at the railway’s own Boston Lodge works. Known at the time as ‘Turtle Roof Vans’ owing to their uniquely shaped roofs, but now commonly termed ‘Curly Roof Vans’, each van comprised a guard’s compartment with end platform, a large luggage compartment and a small compartment for dogs.

Of the three original vans, numbered 1-3, No. 1 was broken up in 1921 and No. 3 suffered the same fate in 1955. Van No. 2 however was rebuilt in 1920/1, receiving a new body which incorporated two third class passenger compartments in place of the dog compartment. The resulting van retained its guard’s compartment and external platform but had a reduced luggage compartment and was built with a conventional curved roof. Van No. 2 was later renumbered to No. 10 and has subsequently carried both numbers at various points in history – the vehicle remains in service today, currently as No. 10.

With no surviving ‘Curly Roof Van’ to the original design, in 2004 a replica of Van No. 1 was built thanks to the support of a generous sponsor. The replica van sports all the hallmarks of the originals, including the wide handrails with curved side rails fitted to the guard’s platform. The same pattern of handrail was carried by the original vans, although an alternative narrower version with straight side rails is also known to have been fitted to Van No. 3, and possibly others.

The result of this chequered history is two markedly different vehicles, both of which are catered for by these new Bachmann Narrow Gauge OO9 Scale models. Each version employs a finely detailed, injection-moulded bodyshell featuring intricate panel and plank engraving, plus hinge and door handle detail. The roof is integral to the bodyshell whilst the prominent duckets are fitted separately. The grab handles found on the brake third are formed from metal wire and fitted separately too. Each glazed aspect of the prototype is replicated with flush glazing, extending even to the duckets.

The body is mounted onto a diecast metal underframe, with engraved planking on the guard’s platform and rivet detail along the solebar and at either end. Further external features include the handrail provided for the guard – including both the wider and narrower design of the handrail – along with the vacuum pipe support bracket and vacuum pipes at either end. Within the guard’s compartment, a handbrake wheel is fitted, whilst the brake third model also features seat and partition details within the passenger compartments and separate step boards attached to the solebar.

Each model runs on a pair of bogies which themselves are highly detailed, with moulded axleboxes and suspension alongside separate brake blocks. Profiled metal wheelsets with curved spoke wheels are employed and the NEM coupling pockets are mounted to the underframe, into which standard OO9 scale couplings are fitted.

Details of the first models to be produced from this new tooling suite will be revealed in the Winter 2024 British Railway Announcements on 6th November 2024, ahead of their anticipated arrival before the end of the year.