Rail Express April 2015

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Route Learning to Inverness

FRANCHISE

FOCUS

50 YEARS OF SCOTTISH SLEEPERS

Essential reading for today’s rail enthusiast

VIRGIN TAKES OVER EAST COAST Eight-year franchise begins with new look fleet

RAIL EXPRESS No. 227 APRIL 2015

Northern

319s enter service 40 PAGES OF MODELLING ● ● ●

GBRf’s rebuilt Class 73/9s in detail Full history of BR’s Tube wagons Bachmann announces Colas ‘70’

EUROPHOENIX:

First 37 nears completion

GBRf locos get sleeper livery

Battery EMU in speed trial

CONTENTS

Issue No. 227 April 2015

N IO 8 T P 7 RI S p C BS FER SU OF 8

HEADLINE NEWS

18

BACK FROM THE GRAVE

20

New East Coast franchise begins; Northern ‘319s’ enter service; Government blueprint for the North; more DRS loco-hauled; CAF to build new sleepers.

Europhoenix found a niche sending ex-BR locos overseas, but now its first Class 37 is nearly ready the spot-hire market at home.

71 72

75

HIGHLAND FLING

With the new Caledonian Sleeper franchise set to begin in April, we look back over the past 50 years of overnight Anglo-Scottish workings.

27

0-59½: BATTERy CLASS 379

28

LIFE AS A DERBy TRAINMAN

In a break from the norm, this month’s time trial looks at how Bombardier’s battery EMU performs.

Part two of his series sees Tim Helme continue his training to become a freight guard in the 1990s.

29

ExPRESS MAILBAG & REVIEWS

30

TIME TRAVELLER

80 82

90

Mystery cab; Warrington wagonload; Royal 47s.

Looking back over five decades of news.

MODELLING BR Tube wagons were designed to carry steel tubes but ended up being used for a much wider range of traffic, as this full history explains. Plus GBRf’s Class 73/9s in detail, and reviews of the latest from Hornby, Bachmann, Farish, Dapol and Heljan.

93 94

95 96

LU WORLD

How London Underground chooses which ‘D’ Stock sets to withdraw; overhauls due for 1992 Stock.

RAILTOURS

Welcome back No. 37418! The EE type 3 hauled its first trains after a lengthy overhaul, which included an engine change, at the East Lancs diesel gala on March 7-8. It is seen on the second day at a rainy Summerseat with the 12.46 Rawtenstall to Heywood, its logos and numbers yet to be applied. Duncan Langtree

West Coast Railways’ Class 37 fleet in charter train focus; ‘Skirl o’ the Pipes 4’ in ‘Hellfire Corner’.

PRESERVATION

‘MacRat’ Class 27 changes hands; North Norfolk gains Class 104 DMU; Mid Hants and Worth Valley announce diesel running days; further details on plans to restore the AC Loco Group’s Class 89.

POWER By THE HOUR

GBRf to use old and new AC electric locos to work the Caledonian Sleeper trains.

POWERSCENE

Our authoritative class-by-class review of notable workings over the last month.

UNITARy AUTHORITy

More Class 458/5s enter service with SWT, however one is taken out with fire damage; lengthening of Class 378s to five-car continues.

SHUNTER SPOT

Alstom Class 08 fleet expands again.

COACH COMPARTMENT

Wensleydale Mk.2 set gains main line certification for use in GBRf crew training; first FGW Composite HST coach emerges from Wabtec.

WAGONS ROLL

DB Schenker releases a ‘Coalfish’ conversion.

IRISH ANGLE

End of an era as Mk.2s enter preservation; DMU car preserved after 28 years in store; Mk.4 Tralee trial run; cross-border work sees progress.

The eight-year Virgin Trains East Coast franchise officially kicked off with this reliveried launch train at King’s Cross on March 2, formed of loco No. 91124, Mk.4 set BN03 and DVT No. 82219. The train is pictured at the London terminus ready to depart with the 11.00 to Edinburgh. Paul Bickerdyke

EDITOR’S COMMENT PRINT & DISTRIBUTION Newstrade & distribution COMAG, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE. 01895 433600 Printed by William Gibbons and Sons,

Paul Bickerdyke

Wolverhampton Published Third Thursday of every month This issue March 19, 2015 Next issue April 16, 2015 Advertising deadline March 31, 2015 ISSN No 1362 234X

Rail Express Editor

All change on East Coast

T

HE beginning of March saw Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) take over the franchise running intercity trains from King’s Cross to the North of England and Scotland, which was significant in many ways.

First of all there was all the razzmatazz you would expect from a brand like Virgin, with a Government minister wheeled in for the official launch, a striking new livery unveiled, and promises of bigger, better, faster.

It was also significant because it sees an effectively nationalised operation back in private hands. Former operator East Coast was run by Directly Operated Railways, part of the Department for Transport. DOR turned round the fortunes of the service, and many wanted it to remain in public ownership to provide a benchmark for other rail franchises, to show what could be achieved.

Others went further, calling for all franchises to be run by DOR when their current contracts run out – which would effectively be a backdoor re-nationalisation of passenger services.

Transport Minister Claire Perry categorically ruled that out, saying that the Government is committed to the franchise model.

But with the General Election in May, that could still change depending on who gets in to power for the next five years. VTEC is a joint

venture between Stagecoach and Virgin, and although the trains will carry the Virgin logo, the company is 90% owned by Stagecoach. This makes a lot of sense, because Virgin is a more widely recognised and ‘cooler’ brand, helping to make the service more attractive to passengers.

Such things count because the franchise has big promises to live up to. It is due to pay the Government £3.3 billion over the next eight years, while DOR managed £1.1 billion over the previous five. It will also be a period of change, with the current fleet of HSTs and Class 91+Mk.4 sets being replaced by Class 800/801 sets from Hitachi. And all this with the knowledge that the two previous franchisees, GNER and National Express, gave up mid-term after struggling to meet their financial commitments.

But we wish VTEC well. Over the next few years it will introduce more departures from more stations, serve new destinations, and bring the standard King’s Cross to Edinburgh journey time down to under four hours.

Virgin and Stagecoach have together transformed the service on the West Coast Main Line out of Euston, and there is no reason to believe they cannot do the same on the East Coast too.

Paul Bickerdyke

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HEADLINE NEWS

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Northern ‘319s’ enter service Ex-Thameslink EMUs start work between Liverpool and Manchester Airport via Earlestown.

By Paul Bickerdyke NORTHERN introduced its Class 319 fleet into passenger service on March 5 after the Office of Rail Regulation approved their use on the Chat Moss line.

The class had a low key launch, being used for a new route connecting Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Airport via Eccles and Piccadilly.

Units Nos. 319362 and 319363 were used on the launch day, which individually made a total of eight round trips. They are the first of a fleet of 20 such units for Northern, which have been cascaded from Thameslink duties around London. Other routes will be added in due course as further electrification in the area is completed, with that to Wigan Wallgate via St Helens being the next in line.

The ‘319s’ are based at Allerton depot, near Liverpool, but have been overhauled at Wolverton Works. They have been given an internal refresh with new seat covers, while externally they now carry a new version of the Northern purple livery with ‘Northern Electrics’ branding.

The third rail shoes formerly required for use on the Southern region have been removed, although there has been no other major work done to the mechanical equipment.

One key change, however, is the addition of door controls for the conductor within each carriage. This

The newly commissioned stabling sidings at Allerton depot, with Northern-liveried No. 319362 on the left and No. 319379 on the right. The latter unit is still to visit Wolverton for upgrade work. All pictures taken on February 24 by Paul Bickerdyke

means the conductor does not have to return to the rear cab at every station, allowing them to walk through the train and be a visible staff presence to passengers.

FLEET DETAILs

Initially, Northern was only due to receive 14 units, but this was increased to 20 after TransPennine Express announced it would lose its Class 170 DMUs to Chiltern Railways. To replace

the first six of these, Northern will supply TPE with six Class 156s, gaining the extra ‘319s’ as compensation.

Allerton has been the base for driver training, from where regular daily trips have run to Crewe and back. The depot, which is also home to a fleet of Class 156 DMUs, has been expanded to cope with the extra workload. New sidings have been added, while the shed buildings are being extended and three inside roads are being electrified.

The depot work is expected to be completed in October, when there will be capacity for 48 Class 319s. However Northern is adopting a policy of only having units on shed when they need to be there for servicing, which maximises crew utilisation while cutting down on the number of empty stock moves. In connection with this, there will be greater use of out-stabling and a number of locations, such as Blackpool, are being looked at as possibilities.

ABOVE: Driver training continues, this being in the cab of No. 319365 at Crewe.

RIGHT: The upgraded interior of unit No. 319365 has a smart appearance.

LEFT: Northern-liveried No. 319364 inside the shed at Allerton. The three roads in this building are due to be electrified this year along with the addition of side pits.

April 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 13

HEADLINE NEWS

Follow us on twitter @railexpress

NYMR marks 50 year closure anniversary

THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway ran a series of special trains over the weekend of March 6-8 to commemorate 50 years since services between Whitby and Malton were withdrawn by British Railways.

The line from Grosmont to Rillington Junction closed on March 6, 1965, as part of the Beeching cuts – the same day as direct services were also withdrawn between Whitby and Scarborough.

A preservation society was formed two years later, eventually leading to the line north of Pickering reopening as a heritage railway in 1973.

The line south of Pickering to Rillington was lifted, however, with the route through Pickering town centre being built over.

The NYMR marked the anniversary using steam locos Nos. 61994 and 62005, which worked through to Whitby to officially open the rebuilt second platform there. A photographic exhibition documenting the last day of services in 1965 runs until October at Pickering station.

iN bRieF UK GOVERNMENT SELLS EUROSTAR SHARES THE Government announced on March 4 that it will sell its 40% stake in the cross-Channel train operator Eurostar to an Anglo-Canadian consortium for £757 million. Patina Rail will acquire the UK Treasury’s entire share of the highspeed rail service, with the remaining 60% still owned by the French and Belgian national railways. Chancellor George Osborne said the stake had fetched “far more than people expected we’d be able to sell it for”.

Class 40 No. D259 arrives at Pickering on a chilly March 6, 1965, with the final 08.55 Whitby to Malton. Bridge Street signal box can just be seen. Maurice Burns

FOLLOWING completion of a four year overhaul, Class 37 No. 37025 has been booked to haul selected tours for SRPS Railtours and North East Railtours this year. The first will be from North Berwick to Plockton and Kyle of Lochalsh on May 2, with the loco supplying steam heat from its now working boiler. It will be paired for this tour with a classmate from the West Coast Railways fleet.

HITACHI RAIL BUYS ANSALDOBREDA

The view south of Pickering station today shows why the line to Rillington is unlikely to be rebuilt. Paul Bickerdyke

Fifth ballast cleaner train is ordered by Network Rail

‘BCS5’ will be capable of use on third-rail lines without disturbing the conductor rail.

By Gareth Bayer NETWORK Rail has ordered a £50 million ballast cleaner and its associated support equipment from Plasser & Theurer.

Codenamed ‘BCS5’, this is the fifth purpose-built ballast cleaning system to join Network Rail’s fleet and it is due to be delivered in 2016.

The on track plant will boast the latest technological advancements in

MIDDLESBROUGH STEEL CENTRE OPENS:

AV Dawson opened a new 102,263sq ft centre on February 4, with a connection to Middlesbrough Goods Yard.

It will provide a base for steel producers such as Tata to store up to 58,000 tonnes of steel coil, which is used to supply the automotive sector in the region. Steel is delivered into the centre by rail – usually using one of Dawson’s fleet of Class 08 shunters, but DB Schenker’s No. 66001 was inside as part of the opening ceremony. Ian Cooper

MAINLINE TOURS PLANNED FOR STEAM HEAT ‘SYPHON’

track renewals, benefitting from reduced fuel consumption and emissions, and incorporating measures that are intended to reduce any workforce exposure to ballast dust, including mist-based suppression systems.

In a UK first, the new cleaner will be built for ‘third-rail’ operation, allowing the conductor rail to safely remain in place throughout the cleaning process. BCS5 will consist of a

RM900 high output ballast cleaner, a new ballast power wagon and spoil power wagon, a consolidation machine (in-train tamping with double bank dynamic action) and 44x MFS conveyor spoil/ballast wagons.

The support plant includes a pair of 09-3X dynamic tamper–track stabilisers, one ‘third rail’ compatible 09-2X dynamic tamper–track stabiliser, one USP5000 ballast regulator and the first of type ‘third rail’ ballast regulator.

JAPAN-based Hitachi has announced it has bought rail engineering firm AnsaldoBreda from Finmeccanica.

AnsaldoBreda manufactures locomotives, units, trams and signalling technology for use around the world, its acquisition being said to be a milestone in Hitachi Rail’s strategy to become a global leader in total rail solutions.

WEST HIGHLAND TIMBER A NEW flow of timber is expected to start running from Rannoch, on the West Highland Line between Crianlarich and Fort William, from late March/early April. It is understood Class 66s will be used to haul the new trains three times a week during the night.

Plans are also being drawn up to run freight trains to and from the BSW sawmill at Corpach, near Fort William.

The company already uses rail from Grangemouth using the Malcolm Rail Terminal.

FGW LOCO-HAULED FIRST Great Western is to again run a loco-hauled passenger diagram in the West Country on Summer Saturdays.

From May 23 to September 5, the loco off the overnight Paddington-Penzance sleeper will use the seated coaches to form the 2P20/11.25 Par-Plymouth; 2E75/13.35 Plymouth-Exeter; and 2C51/17.50 Exeter-Penzance.

A FGW HST will also work the 1O72/09.06 Bristol-Weymouth and 1V72/17.28 Weymouth-Bristol.

SLEEPER DISPOSALS DB REGIO disposed of seven Mk.3a Sleeping cars for scrap to CF Booth, Rotherham during February.

Nos. 10540/554/647/681/701/ 710/727 all made the move from Long Marston by road.

April 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 15

FRANCHISE FOCUS

A Highland fling With the new dedicated Caledonian Sleeper franchise between Euston and Scotland about to begin on April 1, Rail Express looks back over 50 years of changing fortunes for the Anglo-Scottish overnight services.

F

ASTER daytime services and competition from domestic airlines have all but killed off the once extensive network of sleeper services in Britain. However, the remaining two from Euston to Scotland are not only thriving but now also secure with the start of a new Sercorun franchise due to start on April 1.

This 15-year deal will introduce new stock and an enhanced service, with Transport for Scotland promising it will be a ‘Gateway to Scotland’.

The demand for overnight train services dates back to the early days of railways, when trains were the only real option for long-distance overland travel.

Roads were poor, there were no airlines, and right up to electrification of the West Coast Main Line in the 1960s and 70s, daytime trains were much slower and less frequent than today, which made same-day return trips impossible on the Anglo-Scottish routes.

Using sleeping car services was therefore seen as a useful way of saving a day, and a look at the timetable of 50 years ago (see page 20) shows there were more overnight services between London and Scotland than there were during the day.

The 1964 timetable shows four daytime departures from Euston to Glasgow, Perth and Inverness, with a similar number from King’s Cross to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, plus a single train from St Pancras to

Edinburgh over the Waverley route.

In contrast, there were eight overnight trains from Euston to various destinations in Scotland, six from King’s Cross and one from St Pancras. This was in addition to Motorail sleeper services, which allowed motorists to take their cars with them overnight.

The same basic pattern continued through to the early 1980s, apart from the withdrawal of the St Pancras services. There were five nightly departures to Scotland from King’s Cross that conveyed sleeping cars to either Aberdeen or Edinburgh, while from Euston there were two each to

“1964 saw nine daytime services from London to Scotland, but 15 overnight” Glasgow and Inverness, one of which conveyed a Fort William portion, plus another that ran to Stranraer.

At this time, there was also an overnight cross-country service from Bristol to Edinburgh/Glasgow via Birmingham, which divided at Carstairs, plus there was a Scottish internal service between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Inverness, with portions that joined at Perth in the northbound direction and split at Stirling coming south.

Service rationalisation

Following the replacement of the Mk.1 fleet by new Mk.3s in the early 1980s (see box on p23), British Rail made a number of key decisions that affected overnight operations.

BR introduced sector management in 1982 and the sleepers were allocated to the InterCity business, which was a significant decision as the services were then expected to generate an operating surplus that included finance charges.

Although a number of the core Anglo-Scottish services operated on a dedicated basis, conveying only sleeping cars with a limited amount of seated accommodation, sleeping cars to other destinations were part of mixed traffic trains that also carried mail, parcels, and newspaper traffic.

Although the style of management adopted then has since been regarded as successful, it can be seen in retrospect that it created difficulties where services fell into more than one sector. When the parcels business was established as a separate entity, it became evident that including sleeping cars in the train formation was an unwelcome complication, particularly as it became clear that the cost of shunting vehicles at stations and depots was excessive.

Demand for sleepers was also falling as daytime services speeded up and airline competition increased. As a

Rationalisation of the network saw five Scottish destinations served by two trains from 1988. The Fort William portion consists of two through sleeping cars from Euston, with two seating coaches added at Edinburgh, and was Class 37-hauled until 2006, when the restrictions on using Class 67s were finally overcome. On July 26, 2000 No. 37405 and the four coaches are seen stabled alongside the station at Fort William ready for that night’s up working to London. DC Collection

20 RAIL EXPRESS April 2015

FRANCHISE FOCUS

Sleepers ran to Scotland via the East Coast Main Line until 1988.

Ten years earlier, on February 4, 1978, ‘Deltic’ No. 55012 Crepello waits at York with a northbound overnighter, its steam heat boiler keeping passengers toasty in the rake of Mk.1 vehicles. David Hayes

result, what might be described as the peripheral services began to be withdrawn. An answer to a Parliamentary question in 1983 revealed that in England between 1969 and 1981 the number of journeys by sleeper between Liverpool and Euston fell 65% from 20,000 to 6900 a year, and between Manchester and Euston by a similar percentage from 21,000 to 7900 a year, while twice as many people used sleepers travelling south as compared to travelling north.

All this led to a major rationalisation of the sleeper network in 1988, and it was decided to concentrate operations between London and Scotland on the West Coast route, which meant the end for the long-established East Coast services. The reasoning was that the ability to use electric haulage for the greater part of the route would produce immediate operational savings, while maintaining the main destinations served and improving the load factor.

To justify the loss of services to intermediate stations, BR produced figures that showed there was a

substantial loss for each passenger carried. For example, it said that between London and Newcastle the cost per passenger was an average £35 more than the fare paid, which is about £90 in today’s money. This could only be funded by cross-subsidy from daytime passenger services, as the InterCity sector was required to eliminate losses on its trading account.

In this period of rationalisation, the Scottish Region identified that the Fort William service was grossly uneconomic, with the suggestion it was losing as much as £2.5 million each year. Unlike today, the calculation used to assess the benefit-cost ratio in terms of the wider economic benefit of providing a specific service was not a part of the agenda, with the Treasury demanding cash savings from the then nationalised railway budget.

It was proposed to withdraw the Fort William service in 1995, and the decision seemed to be confirmed when the specification for the first ScotRail franchise excluded it from the passenger service requirement. But

when BR moved to withdraw the trains, the decision was challenged by the Highland Regional Council, who contended it was a railway closure that must go through the statutory process.

Rather than go through the closure mechanism, which would have delayed awarding the Scottish franchise at a time when privatisation was being hurried through, the service was instead added back in to the timetable that the new operator would be required to run.

Present services

Today, there are two Anglo-Scottish sleepers operating between Euston and destinations in Scotland. The formation of the trains has evolved to provide a mixture of berths and seated accommodation, and the fleet is now made up of 53 Mk.3 sleeping cars and 22 Mk.2 seated coaches that have been converted with suitable interiors for overnight travel.

There are three types of seated coach: 11 BUO (Brake Unclassified Open) vehicles, which have 31 reclining

seats in a 2+1 layout and two retention toilets; nine RLO (Sleeper Reception Car) with lounge style seating, a servery and one toilet; and two RFB (Buffet Open First), which were earlier conversions with 25 first class seats in 2+1 layout and one toilet.

All vehicles are maintained at Inverness and work diagrams that cover an eight-day cycle to bring them back for servicing in rotation, plus there are also facilities at Wembley in London and Polmadie near Glasgow.

The working arrangements are complex, in that two trains are run on the West Coast Main Line from Euston to serve five destinations at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William. The train marshalling is based on eight-car formations, with six sleeping cars and two seating saloons in each.

The ‘Lowland’ operation is the simplest: it splits at Carstairs with each eight-car half going forward to Glasgow and Edinburgh. The ‘Highland’ service is more complicated, dividing at Edinburgh to serve Inverness and Aberdeen, with

›

April 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 21

RAILTOURS

David Russell

West Coast ‘37s’ in focus Now becoming increasingly rare on railtours, the fleet of Carnforth-based ‘Syphons’ is put in the spotlight.

HAVING covered the DRS Class 37 fleet in the January 2015 issue of Rail Express, this month we turn attention to the English Electric Type 3 machines operated by the West Coast Railway Company. The Carnforth-based operator currently has five operational Class 37s, with a further examples expected to return to service during the course of 2015.

With WCRC being primarily a passenger operator, it is unsurprising that of all its active Class 37s have seen use on railtours at some point. Their use on charter trains tends to be somewhat limited now, however, with their main appearances being on tours in Scotland to destinations such as Oban or Kyle of Lochalsh, or in a supporting role on steam-hauled charters.

The generator van owned by WCRC (No. 6312) has not seen any use on tours for a couple of years, while none of its ‘37s’ offer train heating. This makes them generally unsuitable for charters, particularly in winter months, and even at other times they need to work with a loco that does have operational train heating.

Consequently, they often handle empty stock movements that do not require the coaches to be heated. They also see regular use on the Royal Scotsman luxury train, which has its own generator.

The five operational locos are Nos. 37516, 37518, 37668, 37685 and 37706 – with No. 37669 about to re-enter traffic.

No. 37706 is a ‘heavyweight’ RA7 machine, which restricts its use on lines in Scotland. It tends to operate out of WCRC’s southern base at Southall and, during 2014, saw regular use on the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Dorset Coast Express’ steam specials, performing the Weymouth to Southampton leg of these tours as well as the associated empty

West Coast Railways’ Class 37s often find themselves reduced to empty stock moves as they are not fitted with train heating. On January 6, Nos. 37706 and 37668 were so employed on a lengthy 5M43/10.32 Southall to Carnforth - seen near Winwick Junction, north of Warrington. John Illingworth

stock moves into and out of Waterloo and Victoria stations.

The other four locos are more versatile, being lighter and categorised as RA5, which means they can visit lines where other traction is restricted.

Among the trips they were used on in 2014 were two North East Railtours outings, the first being on May 5 to Oban, which is one destination where locos of RA6 or above are unable to visit. Nos. 37516 Loch Laidon and 37685 Loch Arkaig were used as power for this tour.

No. 37516 was also used on North East Railtours’ other trip, which ran to Stranraer on September 27, another route restricted as to what locos can travel over it. On this occasion, No. 37516 was joined by InterCityliveried No. 37518 Fort William/An Gaerasdan. This loco joined the WCRC fleet in 2013 after being purchased from Ian Riley. The same pair also

worked an SRPS special from Aberdeen to Kyle of Lochalsh on October 5.

Another recent addition to the active WCRC fleet is No. 37668, which returned to traffic in September 2014 following overhaul. Its first passenger outing was on a Royal Scotsman trip paired with No. 37685 on September 25, while its first appearance on a more conventional railtour took place three days later when it hauled the InvernessKyle (and return) leg of Statesman Rail’s ‘Lord of the Isles’ landcruise.

Its only tour south of the Scottish border to date is its most recent outing, the ‘Christmas Sussex Belle’ on December 10, 2014, which worked this train between Eastbourne and Hastings.

In due course, No. 37668 and No. 37669 (which should return to service during 2015) are to be fitted with ERTMS equipment, enabling them to be used on Cambrian lines from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli.

Stored locos

In addition to the locos mentioned already, WCRC also has a number of Class 37s which it has previously used but are now laid up at Carnforth.

No. 37214 was stopped in 2006 and, having been used as a spares donor, is unlikely to appear in traffic again, while No. 37676 Loch Rannoch was stopped pending repairs in March 2013.

‘Heavyweight’ No. 37712 suffered a fire in November 2008 (having only been returned to service by WCRC five months earlier) and, after being returned to Carnforth, has remained there ever since. It has since been used as a source of spares and is unlikely to return to service.

For the sake of completeness, the above three locos are included in the list of the most recent charter workings of WCRC’s Class 37s (see table), although locos that have yet to be returned to service by the company are considered outside of the scope of this review.

Mention should also be made of one other Class 37 which has operated for WCRC in recent years, namely No. 37248 Loch Arkaig. This preserved Class 37 was hired to West Coast from 2006 to 2009, moving to the GloucestershireWarwickshire after the hire agreement expired. Its last main line passenger working was in November 2008.

WCRC CLASS 37s: LAST CHARTER WORKINGS Loco 37214 37516 37518 37668 37676 37685 37706 37712 Expected back in traffic this year is WCRC No. 37669 (right), which is seen at Barrow Hill on February 4 in the company of large logo Class 47 No. 47847, itself expected to be back in traffic on hire to GBRf in the near future. Paul Bickerdyke

72 RAIL EXPRESS April 2015

Status SU OP OP OP SU OP OP SU

Date 05.06.06 16.10.14 16.10.14 10.12.14 09.08.12 12.10.14 11.12.14 27.09.08

Details ‘Western Tour’ (RS) ‘Classic Journey’ (RS) ‘Classic Journey’ (RS) ‘Christmas Sussex Belle’ (RTC) ‘Scarborough Spa Express’ (WCRC) ‘Lord of the Isles’ (SR) ‘Catherals Express’ (SD) ‘Settle for Edinburgh’ (SP)

Status codes: OP – Operational, SU – Stored Unserviceable.

Promoter codes: RS – Royal Scotsman, RTC – Railway Touring Company, SD – Steam Dreams, SP – Spitfire Railtours, SR – Statesman Rail, WCRC – West Coast Railways.

RAILTOURS

CLASS 68 ‘RUGGEX’: DRS provided No. 68005 Defiant to work the 1Z69/07.10 Carmarthen-Edinburgh charter on February 13, pictured calling at Neath, in connection with the Six Nations rugby match between Scotland and Wales. This is believed to be the first Class 68 to visit West Wales, the trip being organised by Pathfinder and Arriva Trains Wales. No. 68005 worked through to Carlisle via Cardiff and Shrewsbury, but was then replaced by classmate No. 68002 for the final leg to Waverley. Richard Williams

IN BRIEF MORE CHARTER WORK FOR ‘DELTIC’

THE Deltic Preservation Society’s No. D9009 Alycidon has been booked to haul the northbound leg of an A1 Steam Loco Trust charter from King’s Cross to York on June 2. It means that after an absence from railtour work since 2013, the loco is due to operate three tours in consecutive months.

On May 16, it is booked to haul the Belmond British Pullman from Victoria to the Severn Valley Railway, marking the 50th anniversary of the SVR Preservation Society, and on July 4 it will head for Kingswear on a Pathfinder trip from Derby.

UK RAILTOURS REVEALS SUMMER PROGRAMME

CHESSINGTON ‘CHOPPERS’: Pathfinder’s ‘Buffer Puffer 12.0’ ran on February 7 from Crewe to Paddington to visit a number

of branches in the London area, including Windsor & Eton Riverside, Chessington South and Hampton Court. The train was formed of five Mk.1s and a generator car, top-and-tailed by Class 20s Nos. 20308 and 20309. The latter is pictured leading though Tolworth, which has distinctive art deco platform canopies, on the Chessington South branch as the tour heads for Waterloo. Neil Walkling

‘FIVE days – five new tours’ was the UK Railtours’ slogan during one week in February, when it announced the remainder of its summer 2015 tour programme.

Among the new trips on offer are an outing to the Mid Hants Railway and Ardingly on June 6 using Class 73s as the main power, and a Class 66-hauled tour of Yorkshire/ Nottinghamshire freight lines in August 31, including the Thoresby Colliery branch, Doncaster north chord and South Yorkshire Joint line.

April 2015 RAIL EXPRESS 73

COACH COMPARTMENT IN brIEF GREATER ANGLIA OvERhAuL LATEST

RESTAuRANT First Modular (RFM) No. 10216 emerged from Wabtec after overhaul on January 28, returning to Greater Anglia behind No. 37059 as the 5Z14/14.40 Doncaster West Yard-Norwich Crown Point.

The same loco took another RFM, No. 10228, to Doncaster for attention on February 3, and two days later hauled Tourist Standard Opens (TSO) Nos. 12067/110 back from Wolverton after overhaul.

February 6 saw No. 37059 in action again, taking Driving van Trailer (DvT) No. 82143 away for attention as the 5Z43/09.07 Norwich Crown Point-Brush, Loughborough, returning with No. 82112 in tow.

Three days later, it took First Open (FO) No. 11077 and TSO No. 12109 away for overhaul as the 5Z55/08.04 Norwich Crown Point-Wolverton, and on February 23 it brought No. 11099 back from Wolverton to Norwich,

ChILTERN MOvEMENTS

David Russell

Wensleydale Mk.2 set gains its main line certification Six coaches are loaned to GB Railfreight for crew training as part of the Caledonian Sleeper contract.

THE Wensleydale Railway’s air-braked set of coaches, made up of six Mk.2a vehicles, has been passed for main line running at 90mph and loaned to GB Railfreight to enable the operator to carry out crew training.

The freight company has an increased need for passenger crews from April when it takes over the operation of the Caledonian Sleeper services between London and Scotland.

The six coaches, details of which appear in the accompanying table,

were collected by No. 47812 on February 23, leaving the Wensleydale Railway as the 5Z46/10.40 Ainderby Loop-Doncaster Roberts Road. There the vehicles underwent tyre turning prior to returning to the heritage line for a period before being put into use in their new role.

Their last appearance on Network Rail metals had been back in 2004, when they were delivered to the Wensleydale Railway after purchase from Riviera Trains. Once their use with

WENSLEYDALE MAIN LINE FLEET

Type TSO TSO TSO(T) TSO TSO BSO

Number 5304 5307 5364 5373 5378 9417

Name Emma Madison Robynne Stephanie Sarah Rosie

GBRf is over, the rake will move to Barrow Hill for use at the depot’s Rarities Gala in April, before returning to the Wensleydale Railway for the main operating season.

Green-liveried No. 47812 heads south on the East Coast Main Line near Doncaster with the 5Z46/10.40 Wensleydale Railway to Roberts Road empty stock move, which will be used to train GBRf crews for passenger workings. Mark Allatt

OvERhAuLED Kitchen First (RFM) No. 10271 returned to Chiltern on January 30 after overhaul, No. 31601 being used to haul the catering car as the 5Z34/10.13 Bristol Barton hillWembley LMD. The next day, the ‘Goyle’ took Standard Open (SO) No. 12614 away for attention on 5Z35/11.55 Wembley LMD-Bristol Barton hill. The same loco was used for two moves on February 23, taking the aforementioned No. 12614 back to Wembley after overhaul prior to collecting No. 12621 and transferring it to Bristol Barton hill.

DEPARTMENTAL AND INTERNAL uSER MOvES

FORMER Mk. 1 CCT No. 94752, which became Internal user No. 083439 at Wimbledon way back in 1982, was moved to Nemesis Rail at Burton on February 18.

Dumped out of use for several years, Weedkilling Spray Coach No. 99019 (originally Mk.1 RMB No. 1870) left York on January 31, sandwiched between Nos. 47851 and 47832 as the 5Z47/13.40 York Works-Carnforth.

SHEDTALK Correct to March 1 Renumbered 11013 – 12182 11027 – 12183 Allocations 5226 – deleted 10206 SBXH-MBCS 11074 SBXH-MBCS

12092 SBXH-MBCS 17170 – deleted Planned formation NC64: 11007/48, 10212, 12011/78, 12133/22/38, 82126 Stored/stopped locations Carnforth: 99019 Eastleigh Works: 3366, 5700, 9488

Operational 12182-85, 35479 Sold Mayflower Locomotive Co.: 35479 Disposals C F Booth, Rotherham: Cut dates: January 8: 10709; January 9: 11026; January 17: 12083, 82140; January 21: 10253; January 26: 12045

First FGW Composite hST coach emerges from conversion THE first Trailer Composite (TC) conversion for First Great Western, No. 46015, was released from Wabtec, Kilmarnock, during the first half of February, returning to Laira by road.

Converted from Trailer First (TF) No. 41179, it made its first appearance on February 19, when it was included in the formation of set LA08 on 1A75/05.30 Plymouth-Paddington. The coach was locked out of use, however, as its inclusion on this train and two subsequent services was a way of moving it to Old Oak Common for a

94 RAIL EXPRESS April 2015

press launch at Paddington on February 20. For the launch, it ran from Old Oak Common to Paddington and back sandwiched between power cars Nos. 43135 and 43136.

Other TC vehicles to emerge from Kilmarnock have been Nos. 46010 (ex41125) and 46011 (ex-41139), which departed for Allelys yard, Warwickshire, and Laira respectively during week ending February 20.

Three more coaches have been moved to Wabtec for TC conversion.

No. 41065, which will become

No. 46005, departed Laira during week ending February 6 and arrived at Kilmarnock the following week after a short stopover at Allelys. Later in the month, No. 41055 was despatched to Kilmarnock for conversion to No. 46004, followed by No. 41168, which will become No. 46014.

OThER OvERhAuLS

Meanwhile, TS No. 42553 (previously No. 41009) has entered service, and in late February was operating in set OC49. Also in this set is No. 42385,

which, after seating modifications, is due to become No. 42583.

Overhauled set LA14 (formed of Nos. 40733, 41144, 42183/295297/350 and 44039) returned from Kilmarnock on January 30, traction being supplied by Nos. 47760 and 57316, the train running as the 5Z00/12.47 Wabtec, Kilmarnock-Old Oak Common.

The same locos returned to Kilmarnock the next day with coaches from set OC37 (Nos. 41132, 42073/ 184/271-273, 44002/33) in tow.

DETAILED LOOK AT GB RAILFREIGHT’S REBUILT CLASS 73/9 ELECTRO-DIESELS

No .1 32

DIESEL AND ELECTRIC ERA MODELLING

Examining the history of the BR wagons as Bachmann’s new model arrives

R YOU

GEINSG A P 40 E L L OD OF M

RTS STA !

E HER

Hornby releases budget TTS sound Class 37 in ‘OO’

Heljan adds OAA open wagon to its 7mm range

All new Brush Class 31 added to Farish ‘N’ range

NEWSDESK

Bachmann consolidates for a second year The focus for 2015-16 is catching up on previous announcements as a muted new ‘OO’ catalogue is unveiled.

THE second day of March saw Bachmann unveil its new ‘OO’ gauge range, this as usual covering the next 18 months or so of production. However, there was a sense of disappointment for the many modellers that were hoping for a return to the widespread announcements of 2013 and earlier as the manufacturer revealed a conservative programme of new models for the second year running.

The root cause of this scaling back of new tooling was attributed to the various production delays that have occurred over the past couple of years, meaning that there is still a considerable backlog of previous 4mm scale announcements to work through.

Indeed, this is amply illustrated by the progress report given on the opposite page, where models unveiled two years ago, such as the headcode box Class 24 and Warflat, have yet to even move beyond the initial research and development stage.

Bachmann freely admitted that the past two years have been difficult for the company due to the previous well reported problems of dealing with new legislation and ever rising production and labour costs in China along with the closure of the Sanda Kan factory. In the face of these issues, the manufacturer achieved its targets for 2014 but only just.

It also reiterated its commitment to continuing to produce high-specification models and not following Hornby’s example of reducing detail levels in order to cut costs. Similarly, Bachmann will continue to support its retail customers with no plans to move into direct online sales, an avenue that has proved controversial in recent months for its red-boxed competitor.

catalogue, with increases introduced immediately across the range. While Bachmann has stated that it has reduced its own margins in an effort to lessen the impact of the new prices, typical increases vary from £5 to £15.

For example, the revamped Class 150 DMU introduced at the end of last year has increased from a RRP of £149.95 to £164.95 while the second run of the popular Polybulk hoppers will now cost £59.95, a rise of £5 on the previously advised and already increased price for the pristine Traffic Services version.

Clearly, price rises of this magnitude will prove unpopular with many modellers, a fact that several internet forums will attest to, but Bachmann is at pains to point out that its models are still less expensive that European equivalents even though they are more or less now on a par in terms of quality.

It is an unfortunate fact that the days of relatively cheap high quality models in the UK are now behind us and unlikely to ever return.

Tooling tweaks

With the above in mind, only a limited amount of new tooling was unveiled by Bachmann. As far as D&E modellers are concerned, the two headline models involve minor alterations to existing tooling to produce new variants of the General Electric Class 70 diesel and the Siemens ‘Desiro’ EMU. Arguably a year late in appearing in the Bachmann range, the Class 70 will receive tweaks to add the additional bodyside cooling vents as well as remove the diagonal panel joint from the cabsides, which disappeared from

No. 70007 onwards. This will allow the model to appear in the much requested Colas Rail colours as No. 70805 while No. 70015 will portray a similarly upgraded Freightliner machine.

Similarly, the existing Class 350 ‘Desiro’ model will lose its pantograph and receive the other minor alterations required to portray the South West Trains Class 450 variant. Two models of the four-car units will be produced, portraying No. 450073 in pristine condition and No. 450127 with factory weathering. No price has yet been set for any of these new models but the EMU is expected to be some way north of £200.

Big hook steams in

Somewhat disappointingly for a manufacturer that has done much to improve 4mm rolling stock over the years, there is only one such new item in this catalogue. It is quite an interesting one though, taking the form of the Ransomes & Rapier 45-ton steam crane.

While not as recognisable as the Cowans Sheldon design, these cranes were employed on both civil

engineering and recovery duties across the UK for several decades. Examples were still in operation into the 1980s, making it of interest to modellers of the British Rail era.

The model will initially be manually poseable with features including a rotating body and movable jib and hook.

Ultimately, Bachmann has ambitious plans to make the crane compatible with DCC operation but this is some years away from occurring as yet. Four versions will initially be produced, carrying Southern or Great Western black, BR black with early ‘cycling lion’ emblems and BR breakdown train red.

A mixed bag of wagon reliveries include a host of weathered models, including the JGA aggregates hopper in RMC orange and Buxton Lime Industries blue/white, the EWS HTA coal hopper and MBA box (both with and without buffers) and the Tiger Rail POA open in ARC mustard and unbranded light grey.

A new innovation is a triple pack of Railtrack green PNA ballast opens, all with a weathered finish and using the five-rib body.

The Metalair PCA gets new running numbers in pristine Blue Circle Cement

Price increases

Inevitably though, the unpopular price rises that began last year have continued with the release of the new

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Supplement No.132

NEWSDESK

and plain grey while the ‘Seacow’ ballast hopper receives clean EWS maroon and weathered olive green, the latter finish also appearing on the Southern Pillbox brakevan. Among the traditional goods vans, there are weathered bauxite finishes for the BR plywood body 12t van, LMS 12t planked van and LNER nonventilated van, while the BR 10t insulated van gets a new number on its distinctive ice blue livery.

Pullman return

A significant returnee this year is the Blue Pullman DEMU, albeit still in original Nanking blue rather than with the muchrequested tooling alterations to allow the reversed BR grey/blue livery to be produced. To differentiate this new run of the six-car Midland Pullman from the original release, it will appear in attractive ‘special collectors’ edition’ packaging and include specially produced literature and a set of steward and train crew figures.

Staying with multiple units, the 4CEP receives new numbers in both plain green and green with yellow panels while the 2-EPB gets a run in plain green and weathered BR blue. There are no new liveries on the Class 101 but the Met-Camm DMU does receive weathered versions of BR green/yellow panels and BR blue/grey while the two-car Class 108 gets dirty BR blue.

Supplement No. 132

The predilection for a weathered finish also dominates, some may say far too much, on the new diesel models.

This includes a brace of BR green locos with full yellow ends and TOPS numbers in the form of Nos. 20141 and 47256, the Type 1 featuring a blue bonnet door while the Brush machine gets a repainted fully light green cabside. Dirty ‘Deltics’ also feature as No. D9001 St. Paddy in green with full yellow ends while No. 55007 Pinza appears in blue with the much-loved Finsbury Park white window surrounds.

The last of the weathered locos is Class 40 No. 97407 (ex 40012) Aureol in BR blue while pristine classmates are split box No. D338 in BR green/yellow panels and BR blue centre headcode box No. 40159. A welcome release for many will be a ‘bog standard’ BR large logo blue Class 47 in the shape of No. 47436 while the only new privatisation era reliveries beside the Class 70s is a brace of GMs as No. 66416 in Freightliner ‘Powerhaul’ colours and DRS plain blue No. 66434 with ‘compass’ logos.

Maroon saloon

Most notable among the new coaching stock models is the LMS inspection saloon as No. DM45029 in EWS maroon/gold, while it will also receive BR maroon with maroon ends and a new number in blue/grey.

The renaissance of the Mk.2a coaches continues with the Tourist Second Open (TSO) appearing in both plain and InterCity-branded blue/grey while the Brake First Corridor (BFK) also returns for the first time in unlettered form only. After the success of last year’s mini Network SouthEast revival, the Mk.2a TSO and BFK are both back with new numbers as is the Mk.1 Brake Second Corridor (BSK).

With Bachmann continuing to ignore the case for adding the diagram 73 Mk.1 First Open (FO) to its range, it will instead use the existing Restaurant First Open (RFO) tooling to produce the three identical FO coaches built to diagram 71 (Nos. 3000-02). These will appear in crimson/cream, maroon and blue/grey. Staying with the corporate colours, the Mk.1 Pullman Second Parlour (PSP) gets standard blue/grey as one of the reclassified First Open vehicles, this having only previously appeared in limited edition form.

The PSP also receives a new number in Pullman umber/cream while other BR blue/grey releases are the Miniature Buffet (RMB) and second class sleeper (SLSTP), both receiving BR maroon as well.

BR blue features to a fair degree on parcels stock, the Mk.1 Full Brake (BG) appearing in both plain blue and blue/grey while the General Utility Van

(GUV) gets plain blue as well as BR maroon. Rounding things off is the LMS 50ft Full Brake in weathered BR blue.

The Scenecraft range features a whole host of new items this year.

Highlights for D&E modellers include a non-working four-aspect colour light signal with optional feathers and route indicator box, a four-lever ground frame, a platform digital passenger information screen and driver-only operation platform end monitors and camera.

Also new are a depot crew room, electrical relay room, industrial lorry weighbridge with office, concrete footbridge and a new design of lowrelief flats and an office block. Finally, a new scenic range for this year is a modular quayside wall set along with associated structures.

STATE OF PLAY Highlighting the backlog of 4mm scale models, the headcode box Class 24, Class 90, FFA/FGA Freightliner wagons, bitumen TTA tanker, ‘fishbelly’ Warflat, Mk.1 Travelling Post Office Stowage Van and intermodal tank containers all remain at the initial research and development phase.

Finally progressed to design is the re-tooled Class 158, this joining the Mk.2f coaches and Driving Brake Second Open (DBSO) at the same stage; Bachmann confirming that the airconditioned coaches will go ahead in the wake of Hornby’s disappointing Mk.2e models.

Undergoing tooling at long last after various design issues were overcome is the Wickham engineers’ trolley, while livery samples are being worked on for the Southern Railway utility vans and black-liveried LMS prototype ‘twins’ Nos. 10000 and 10001 for Rails of Sheffield.

Lastly, the Mk.1 Travelling Post Office Sorting Van with lineside mail exchange equipment still in place is in production in China, this being due to appear in 1960s Royal Mail red along with BR blue/grey.

April 2015 RAIL EXPRESS Modeller M11

D&E FILES

BR’s versatile Tube wagons With the Pipe wagons covered previously, Trevor Mann now looks at their bigger cousins, the long-lived Tube opens, which saw BR perpetuate pre-Nationalisation builds before creating its own design.

THREE of the ‘big four’ railway companies had built long-wheelbase open wagons, coded Tube, during the period immediately before Nationalisation in 1948. Further examples of each type were built during the early years of British Railways as it sought to renew and modernise its inherited wagon fleet.

Perhaps the most successful of these early designs was that developed by the LNER, this being illustrated in Picture 1. A total of 115 examples had been built, in two batches, before Nationalisation to LNER diagram 98 and an additional 500 were built at Darlington Works during 1949-50, these being allocated BR diagram 1/445.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the design bore a striking resemblance to that of the Pipe wagons considered in Rail Express Modeller No. 128.

The five-plank wooden body

combined fixed ends with sides arranged to drop open in two sections on either side of a central stanchion, itself removable to allow the full length of the side to be cleared for loading and unloading. The wagons measured 30ft 4¾in long over headstocks in order to provide a 30ft internal loading length, while the steel underframe had a wheelbase of exactly 19ft and was equipped with vacuum brakes of the distinctive LNER design.

These vehicles proved to be highly versatile, being used in traffics such as aluminium ingots, car components and palletised soft drinks, in addition to their intended loads of steel tube. Eventually displaced from revenue-earning traffic by air-braked opens, many saw further use with the engineers’, a few air-piped examples even surviving well into the Privatisation period.

1

2

The immediate precursor of the BR ‘standard’ Tube was the final development of the LMS design, a type first introduced in 1947. Almost 500 such vehicles were built by BR between 1951-54, but shown here is one of the 300 examples built before Nationalisation. The design resembled a stretched version of a contemporary open merchandise wagon, complete with corrugated steel ends and a central side door. No. KDM492448 had been transferred to the S&T engineers by May 1980, when captured at Warrington, but was still clinging to the remnants of its unfitted BR grey livery. Empty cable drums were a typical load for Tube wagons relegated to departmental use.

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Supplement No.132

D&E FILES

Photographed at Ayr in July 1984, No. KDB730231 was one of the 500 Tube wagons built at Darlington during 1949/50 to a LNER design; a type allocated BR diagram 1/445.

The steel plates attached to the side planking on either side of the central stanchion reveal that this example had seen service carrying crated motor vehicle components between the Ford plants at Dagenham and Halewood; these plates being fitted to allow the doors to be closed using a forklift. These wagons were popular with the Signal & Telegraph (S&T) engineers, their drop sides proving ideal for the delivery of concrete troughing and signal components to depots and worksites. All photos by the author unless stated

GWR & LMS designs

In contrast, the GWR design appears to have been relatively unsuccessful. Just a single batch of 100 wagons had been built to GWR diagram O41 prior to Nationalisation, and only 100 more were added by BR, these being allocated diagram 1/446. The design was a development of the long-wheelbase ‘Open C’, which had been introduced as long ago as 1908. The wagons featured four-plank timber bodywork with central 5ft side doors, which was mounted on a steel underframe that was 30ft long over headstocks and had a wheelbase of 19ft. Perhaps crucially, these wagons were built unfitted and none received vacuum brakes. Just six BR-built examples survived into the mid-1970s, with the final ones being scrapped in 1978.

Paradoxically, the LMS design of Tube wagon, illustrated in Picture 2, appears to have been only moderately successful, certainly in comparison with its LNER counterpart, yet was to form the basis for all future developments of the type. A batch of 300 examples had been built in 1947 to LMS diagram 2116, and an additional 490 were constructed in three batches between 1951 and 1954. Allocated diagram 1/447, they effectively became the early BR ‘standard’ Tube wagon.

In design terms, these vehicles resembled a stretched version of the

Supplement No. 132

contemporary open wagons. The body consisted of five-plank wooden sides, with a 4ft 9in doorway cut centrally, in combination with corrugated steel ends.

The steel underframe was 30ft 6in long over headstocks with a wheelbase of 17ft 6in, and was again unfitted, being equipped with the RCH 20-ton handlever brake.

It is perhaps surprising that none of these wagons were converted to vacuum brakes while in revenue-earning traffic, but this may have been because their 30ft 1¼in internal length precluded their loading with 30ft tube or billet. Only about a quarter of the BR-built examples survived into the mid-1970s, and most were scrapped by the end of the decade. A handful were fitted with a vacuum pipe and eked out a few more years in service with the Signal & Telegraph engineers but the type was effectively extinct by the mid-1980s.

The BR ‘standard’ design

What was to become the BR ‘standard’ 22-ton Tube wagon was introduced during 1954. Allocated BR diagram 1/448, this was initially just an elongated version of the LMS design that had been in production since 1947.

The length over headstocks was increased by 18 inches to 32ft exactly, thereby making the available load length 31ft 7¼in, while the wheelbase was also

3

Introduced in 1954 and allocated diagram 1/448, the BR ‘standard’ 22-ton Tube wagon was effectively a slightly elongated version of the LMS design. Although all of the wagons built in later lots were vacuum-braked from new, those built as part of the initial batch were originally unfitted, being equipped with the RCH 20-ton hand-lever brake illustrated in the previous picture. Following the publication of the BR Modernisation Plan, these wagons were recalled to workshops for conversion to vacuum brake and, as the brake gear used was identical to that fitted to later vehicles, the two variants then became indistinguishable. Photographed at Mossend in July 1984, No. DB731615 is an example from this initial batch. It had recently been transferred to the Civil Engineers, recoded ZAV and given the ‘fishkind’ name of ‘Cod’ for block-train movements of sleepers to prefabrication depots.

lengthened by a foot to 18ft 6in.

The first 450 examples of the new design were built unfitted, and were equipped with the RCH 20-ton hand-lever brake, illustrated in Picture 2.

However, the publication of the BR Modernisation Plan in 1955, with its unequivocal commitment to a fully fitted wagon fleet, resulted in these vehicles being recalled to workshops during the late-1950s for conversion to

vacuum brakes; just four examples apparently escaping the net to remain unfitted until withdrawal. Picture 3 illustrates one of these wagons following conversion; note that the spindle buffers, three-link couplings and oil axleboxes originally fitted were replaced by Oleo pneumatic buffers, Instanter couplings and roller-bearing axleboxes during the same modification programme.

›

April 2015 RAIL EXPRESS Modeller M17

0

GAUGE 7mm:1ft

1970s2000s

EXPRESS RATING

REVIEWS

ERA

Heljan opens up with 7mm OAA The manufacturer’s ‘O’ gauge wagon range has seen its second release in the form of the air-braked open.

HELJAN’S second model in its new range of ‘O’ gauge air-braked wagons is now available from retailers. This depicts the 100-strong fleet of OAA open wagons (Nos. 100000-099), which were constructed at Ashford in 1971 and formed BR’s first production build of long wheelbase air-braked open wagons.

Much like the VAA/VBA van reviewed last month, the OAA is a very sensible choice by Heljan as the design has enjoyed a long life in both revenue and departmental use. The wagons were originally used for all manner of general merchandise traffic that required an open vehicle but, from the late 1980s onwards, surplus examples were transferred into the civil engineers’ fleet. This saw them recoded as ZDA with some acquiring the codename of ‘Squid’.

Privatisation brought the wagons under EWS ownership with many returning to the revenue fleet as OAAs once again, while 1999 saw a number

of the fleet receive new mesh doors for use on concrete block traffic, particularly from Merehead. The latter can still be found today in engineers’ use but those still retaining wooden doors, by now in a patchwork of colours, gradually faded from traffic as more received new doors as the 2000s progressed.

Planks aplenty

Open wagons always present manufacturers with a slight challenge due to the need to model both the floor detail and the inside face of the doors.

Heljan has obliged in both cases with the OAA, although the plank joins are perhaps a touch heavy. The separate sides could also have been a slightly better fit to the floor but, given the abuse the doors used to suffer, a bit of daylight when looking from above is perhaps not unrealistic! The hinge detail on the doors is well moulded while the separate tie-down cleats along the solebars and on the ends are

a very nice touch. Door restraint chains are provided in an accessory bag but, while a good idea, the metal links are rather over-scale.

The underframe is much the same as the VAA/VBA van in that it is well detailed and correct, albeit chunkily executed in places. Sprung buffers and screw couplings again feature as do disc brake inserts on the wheels and bufferbeam brake pipes. Both models pictured here feature standard roller bearing axlebox covers, which are fine for later years in some cases, but the OAAs originally sported unusual ‘clipped’ axleboxes, which would be needed to faithfully re-create the as-built appearance. The wheelset and axlebox assemblies are once again stiffly sprung to give compensation, putting the ride height out slightly.

Finishing of both models is to a high standard with accurate colours for both the freight brown (reference no. 1050) and civil engineers’ grey

and yellow (1054) liveries. The former is numbered as 100013 and displays its ‘Open AB’ code in the ’boxed’ style of lettering while a bit of colour could be added by applying the yellow ABN (Air Braked Network) circles.

Meanwhile, No. DC100065 carries a full set of departmental branding, including ‘Squid’ code and ‘Civil Link’ lettering, this repaint dating from 1988. Much like the VAA/VBA, the OAA is a very useful release in 7mm.

Speaking of the van, February also saw the appearance of the remaining two liveries in the form of Railfreight red/grey and EWS maroon. Pictured here is the former, which depicts VAA No. 200056 in the classic 1980s scheme (1042), again with an excellent finish.

❒

£

Heljan A/S, Rebslagervej 6, 5471 Søndersø, Denmark.

Web: www.heljan.dk RRP: £84.95

Non-passenger LMS stock released TWO new LMS non-passenger vehicles have been added to Hornby’s range, albeit depicting quite different eras.

Continuing the manufacturer’s liking for putting pre-nationalisation designs into BR corporate colours, the 50ft Full Brake (BG) has now gained Rail blue as No. M31176M (R4606, £35.99). The model is suitable for the late 1960s

through to the early 1980s, although most such survivors had lost their gangway connections and bodyside beading by this time. Utilising the relatively recent Stanier BG tooling, the model sports a high level of separate detail and sprung buffers.

Joining it is the newly tooled LMS horsebox, the pictured No. 42513 being from diagram 1956 and built in 1935 (R6678, £19.99). Carrying LMS crimson, the tooling is exceptionally good with subtle plank detail along with an

GAUGE 4mm:1ft

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1930s- ERA 1980s

underframe that features full brake rigging, brake pipes, door hinges and handbrake levers. Others details include separate handrails on one end and the roof and non-sprung buffers with metal heads.

Reviews by Simon Bendall

EXPRESS RATING

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Hornby plc, Westwood Industrial Estate, Margate, Kent, CT9 4JX. Web: www.hornby.com

April 2015 RAIL EXPRESS Modeller M33