It’s been a busy few weeks on the wagon front with new SR arrivals from both Rapido Trains UK and Bachmann Europe.
Firstly from Rapido Trains UK The all new tooled, announced in November 2024, LBSC D8, later SR Diagram 1433 8 ton covered vans. These have a 9’ 9” wheelbase and an overall length of 18’ 4”, and were built between 1878 and 1915 with some variations in planking, ventilators, roofs, louvers and brake gear single block, single sided double block and later ending up with double sided SR Freighter style.
Approximately 430 D1433 vans entered SR stock with many ending up in departmental service during the 1930s. Nearly 50 LBSC covered vans, including some D1434 and D1436 (a 10 ton version of the D1433) were transferred to the Isle of Wight where many remained in service until the early 1950s, with a small number lasting to the end of steam in 1966.
British Railways had several examples of Diagram 1433 still in service when the railways were nationalised in 1948.
Most were used as Departmental vans, including the must have for me, 979010: LB&SCR Dia.8 Van SR Grey (post-36) Departmental No.01246S Southampton Docks, lettered “Docks & Marine Dept. Southampton Docks” and “S.M.B. Dept. Southampton. Loco Breakdown van.” which has the following built options: Double-sided brakes with double V-hangers and wooden door stops. I have also purchased 979007: LB&SCR Dia.8 Van SR Brown (pre-36) No.46537 also with double-sided brakes but with single V-hangers.
As I have said before the finish on the Rapido Trains UK SR Goods Brown is satin rather than matt, which results in a lighter rendition of the brown. See my post on colour perception here. Therefore I have given both these wagons a coat of Testors Dullcoat matt varnish to give my preferred matt finish and also a darker rendition of the SR Brown.
The models includes the usual expected wealth of external, and underframe detail, including different brakes, axle boxes, through fitted and unfitted, and stepped and unstepped versions on one body style. The models feature either 8-spoke, 9-spoke, or 3-hole disc wheels and are finished off with brass bearings (not particularly necessary in my mind) and NEM coupling pockets.
Secondly, the SR 12t covered van to Diagram 1458 built from 1936 to 1938 has made a welcome reappearance in the Bachmann Branchline OO range as announced in February
I have added two of the recent versions to my fleet: 38-070E Bachmann SR 12T Even Planked Ventilated Van No. 48472 in SR Goods Brown with pre-1936 style large lettering and 38-072A Bachmann SR 12T Even Planked Ventilated Van No.48359 in ‘Express Dairies’ livery. This is one of four SR Diagram 1460 Covered Vans converted from Diagram 1458 to carry eggs and carried this livery between June 1938 and Feb & March 1942. So once again I am stretching my usual time period of 1946 to 1949 a little but it helps bring a little colour to Canute Road Quay.
The Bachmann OO gauge Southern Railway (SR) 12-ton goods/ventilated van first appeared in the Branchline range in 2005. Despite its age it still stands up reasonably well against more recent models from a normal viewing distance, helped by the quality of decoration we have come to expect from Bachmann.
All the above wagons now require weathering and their couplings modified before they see service on Canute Road Quay
At the time of writing these wagons are still available from Kernow Model Rail Centre here.