Graham Farish have continued their new policy of making quarterly product announcements the highlight of today’s announcement of new tooling is the SECR/SR Maunsell/Lyons Diagram 1559 25 ton goods brake van first introduced in 1918.
These ‘modern’ 24ft long 16ft wheel base brake vans with their spacious guard’s accommodation were given the nickname ‘Dancehalls’ . Although the later SR standard brake vans had shorter bodies they used the same underframe design. A total of 60 of the vans were built between 1918 and 1927 with the first 20 being on 12″ channel underframes to Diagram 1559 and the following 40 on 15″ channel underframes to Diagram 1560. The difference between the two diagrams can be easily spotted as the Diagram 1560 vans did not have the bottom 3″ plank across the sides. Ten of the vans were rebuilt in 1963 for departmental use, these had one balcony incorporated into the van section and end windows added becoming diagram 1571, some of these after being both vacuum and air piped lasted until the 1980s.
The four Graham Farish models of the SECR Diagram 1559 brake vans being released are as follows:
- 378-025 SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van SE&CR Grey 11902 (also the number of the preserved prototype at the Whitwell & Reepham Station in Norfolk)
- 378-025A SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van SE&CR Grey 11905
- 378-026 SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van 55462 Pre 1936 SR Brown (although many would have survived in this livery style well after 1936 and throughout the war)
- 378-026A SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van 55458 Pre 1936 SR Brown
- 378-027 SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van S55457 BR Grey as based at Hither Green
- 378-027A SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van S55460 BR Grey as based at Hither Green
- 378-028 SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van BR Departmental Olive Green DS 55466 as based at Eastleigh Permanent Way Dept.
- 378-028A SE&CR 25T ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van BR Departmental Olive Green DS 55455 as based at Eastleigh Permanent Way Dept.
Also announced in N Gauge with a Southern Region Connection are the LMS twin Co-Co locomotives that ran on the Southern Region between 1953 and 1955 and a version being included with the additional lamp irons fitted.
The versions being released, in both DCC ready and Sound Fitted options, are as follows:
- 372-910 LMS 10000 LMS Black & Silver
- 372-911 LMS 10001 Black & Silver
- 372-916 LMS 10000 BR Lined Green (as on SR)
- 372-917 LMS 10001 BR Lined Green (as on SR)
- 372-918 LMS 10001 BR Green (Small Yellow Panels)
The full Graham Farish BRA Spring 2024 announcements video can be viewed here. Remember these announcements cover models that are due to become available during February, March and April 2024.
You can of course pre-order the and all their newly announced items, at retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre here.
A most welcomed ‘heads up’ for 2mm Southern modellers – Thank you! 🙂
Having just been spoilt by EFE in respect of the superb CC1 /CC2 models, presumably there was nothing further in the way of 4mm Southern interest? ⚡
(Was hoping for some more of EFE’s excellent LSWR coaches but perhaps such expectation is a little premature) 😉