Between 1913 and 1914 the SECR purchased a number of wagons from RY Pickering. These wagons were built to move coal and were at the time were primarily used by William Cory & Son (Coal Factors) based in Erith. They were originally allocated SECR Diagram s1084, later becoming Southern Railway Diagram 1358.
These wagons carried a variety of liveries – Wainwright light grey with small SECR lettering and black metalwork, all over Maunsell dark SECR grey with large lettering and also standard SR pre-1936 brown.
These wagons are produced by Rapido Trains UK using their latest RCH 7 plank open wagon tooling featuring both side and end doors, angled vee-hangers, double sided brakes, flat-fronted axleboxes and split-spoked wheels. Although not all minor detail differences can be captured with this tooling, these wagons will be as close a representation of the SECR wagons as possible.
The list includes for the first time a new simplified SECR livery, a re-run of the popular 323 ‘Bluebell’ and new running numbers for previous liveries.
It would be remiss of me not to mark the fact that today is 100 years since the Grouping and the formation of the Southern Railway, it also of course marks the demise of its constituent companies. This post attempts to provide a simplified potted history of the Grouping and the Southern Railway.
The Southern Railway coat of arms incorporated heraldic elements from the main constituent companies.
Although the actual Grouping occurred on 1st January 1923, it’s instigation can be traced back to the First World War where all railways were under state control until 1921. The Railways Act 1921, followed discussions at the time on potential nationalisation, had the aim of stemming the losses being occurred at the time by many of the 120 or so railway companies.
The form of Grouping originally proposed in 1920, by former North Eastern Railway executive, the Minister of Transport, Eric Geddes, was for five English and one Scottish regional companies, by 1921 this was amended to four English and two Scottish companies before the Scottish routes were incorporated in the companies that we know as the ‘Big Four’. Royal Assent for the Railways Act was in August 1921.
The first SR passenger livery was a continuation of the LSWR style in Olive Green with expanded Clarendon ‘Egyptian’ style ‘Southern’ font as seen on ex LSWR Adams A12 0-4-2. From 1937 the Bulleid malachite green and ‘Sunshine’ lettering as seen on the ex LSWR M7 in the background was introduced.
Also incorporated were the three Isle of Wight railway companies and the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway (Bere Alston and Callington section).
Some non-working or joint companies that had been previously leased or worked by the main constituent companies, including for example (not an exhaustive list): the North Cornwall Railway, Sidmouth Railway, Lee-on-the-Solent Railway, Hayling Railway, Cranbrook and Paddock Wood Railway, London and Greenwich Railway, Croydon & Oxted Joint Railway and Dover & Deal Railway, were also included, as was the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway although not covered by the Railways Act 1921, it had been absorbed by the LSWR.
The Southern Railway also was to share or jointly operate a number of lines including: the East London Railway, West London Extension Railway, Weymouth & Portland Railway and of course the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.
The Southern Railway Network
The total route mileage owned whole by the Southern Railway at Grouping was 2,186 miles, with the main constituents not surprising forming the majority with 1,020 miles ex LSWR, 457 miles ex LBSC and 637 ½ ex SECR. The SR was operated essentially as three Districts: Western, Central and Eastern based approximately on the previous main constituents.
There were two Chief Mechanical Engineers; Richard Maunsell, ex SECR, between 1923 and 1937 and Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid, ex GN / LNER, from 1937 to 1948.
And just because you can never have enough Bulleid pacifics or Southern malachite green…
Although originally three general managers were appointed from each of the main constituents, with a year Sir Herbert Walker became the single General Manager and the development of the SR was built upon many of his ex LSWR practices. Following his retirement in 1937 he was succeeded as general manager by his long-time assistant Gilbert Szlumper. In 1939, Szlumper left the Southern Railway for war service and Sir Eustace Missenden took over.
The Southern Railway officially lasted, of course until Nationalisation in 1948, although in reality, just as during the First World War, the Railways due to the outbreak of The Second World War were taken once again under Government control via The Railway Executive on 1st September 1939 and would remain so until the 1st January 1948 becoming the Southern Region of British Railways.
With the passing of the Transport Act 1947 that nationalised the Railways, Missenden became the first Chairman of the Railway Executive and John Elliot became acting General Manager of the SR and would later become Chief Regional Officer of the Southern Region of British Railways.
I hope this brief simplified history of the Southern Railway has been of interest, and appropriate to mark the 100 years since its formation. I thought it was about time that it was included on my corner of the blogsphere!
The Bachmann Pre 1936 livery Diagram 1559 ‘Dance Hall’ Brake Van
These ‘modern’ 24ft long 16ft wheel base brake vans with their spacious guard’s accommodation were first introduced in 1918, and given the nickname ‘Dance Halls’ . 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.
These vans were forerunners of the later SR built Diagram 1578/1579 ‘Pillbox’ vans that had shorter bodies on the same SECR design underframe.
The separately supplied longitudinal brake pull rod is seen in front of the Dance Hall
The four Bachmann models of the SECR Diagram 1559 brake vans being released are as follows:
38-916 D1559 SR Pre-1936 Livery No.55462 (although many would have survived in this livery style well after 1936 and throughout the war)
38-917 D1559 BR Grey livery No. S55457 as based at Hither Green
38-918 D1559 BR Departmental Olive Green No. DS 55455 as based at Eastleigh Permanent Way Dept.
The model nicely and accurately captures the size and bulk of these brake vans. Non sprung (cue the usual nonsense cry, from some quarters, that for the price these should be sprung) self contained buffers are fitted, corner lamp irons (although the end lamp irons are moulded) and handrails are separately fitted items. Care should be taken when handling the models from the sides as the longitudinal rails are very fine and correctly fixed the body at the ends and middle four locations, so the longer prototypical centre section could be easily bent.
The Dance Hall chassis with the longitudinal pull rod fitted, that locates via pegs into holes at each end and also clips to the central; cross rod
The chassis includes brakes nicely inline with the wheels (but not easy to drop in alternative wheelsets for the slightly wider gauges without some slight surgery), and the brake pull rods, the main longitudinal pull rod is included for the user to fit that although simple to do so, although I am not sure of the reason for it why it wasn’t factory fitted.
It appears that only a single tooling exists for the main chassis part that also includes the W Irons and axleboxes, all version are therefore the same, fitted with the later BR style axleboxes but the difference between them and the original style fitted is very slight and possibly a reasonable compromise from normal viewing distances.
The SECR and SR version run on 10 spoke wheelsets whilst the BR versions are correctly with the later style disc wheels. The vans weigh a reasonable 45g and are free running.
The modelled interior, the two fixing chassis top body clips on this side of the chassis can be seen.
These models are also complete with interior detail such as stove, brake handwheel and desk visible through the end windows, The body can be easily prised and lifted off the chassis by releasing the four chassis to body clips at each corner of the main body section, as seen in the image left .
Decoration is neat and crisp as we would always expect form Bachmann, however the sole bars on the SECR and SR livery versions to be correct for the period should really be in body colour with only the iron work below the solebar in black, although as 38-915 is numbered 11902 which is the same as the preserved example, in preservation this currently has black painted solebars. The SR brown colour and finish is nicely rendered and consistent with their SR Pillbox brake vans
The neatly applied decoration including the printed working instruction boards.
The SR and BR Grey versions also have working instruction boards printed directly on the bodysides, in reality these were actual wooden boards affixed and therefore slightly proud of the sides, but again it is a reasonable compromise from normal viewing distances.
Overall these are excellent models, and were often requested, so will be a popular edition to most SECR ./ SR / BR(s) fleets, and I am sure other livery variations will follow in the future.
Heljan have today announced that are to produce the SR 4 wheel Passenger Luggage Vans and Utility Vans in 0 Gauge.
PMV S1874S (picture copyright and courtesy Heljan / Ben Jones)
The Passenger Luggage Vans, ‘PLV’ (Parcels / Miscellaneous Van, PMV) were initially developed by the SECR in 1919, the design formed the base for numerous luggage produced subsequently by the Southern. The original SECR built versions did not have the side vents and number of the ex SECR PLVs were through piped in the 1930s for Pull Push work. From the 1939 built batch the PLVs were built with mixed 6½” / 3½” planking on the body side.
Utility Vans, ‘Van U’ (Covered Carriage Truck, CCT) were first introduced in 1925 the Utility vans were similar to the PLV but with end loading doors also like the PLVs up until 1938 even thickness body side planking was employed and those from 1938 were built with mixed 6½” / 3½” planking. Those built by BR ins 1955 had plywood sides.
The Heljan models will depict a range of variations and liveries across the PLV/PMV – Van U/CCT as follows:
Bachmann Europe have continued their new policy of making quarterly product announcements the highlight of todays announcement of new tooling is the SECR/SR Maunsell/Lyons Diagram 1559 25 ton good 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 SR livery D1559 brake van
The four Bachmann models of the SECR Diagram 1559 brake vans being released are as follows:
38-916 D1559 SR Pre-1936 Livery No.55462 (although many would have survived in this livery style well after 1936 and throughout the war)
38-917 D1559 BR Grey livery No. S55457 as based at Hither Green
38-918 D1559 BR Departmental Olive Green No. DS 55455 as based at Eastleigh Permanent Way Dept.
These models are complete with interior detail such as stove, brake handwheel and desk visible through the end windows.
It is good to see these excellent looking (and often requested) models now coming to the market as I know, having provided some assistance, that these have been development for a couple of years.
Rapido trains UK have announced they are producing a range of SR Diagram 1379 and Diagram 1400 eight plank open wagons in 00. They have also announced that their SECR wagons and Diagram 1558 6 wheel brake van are to be produced in N gauge as wagon packs.
The Engineering Prototype of the Diagram 1379 and Diagram 1400 8 plank open wagons
There were ten standard open wagon designs produced for the SR under Maunsell, although these could actually be grouped into just three main types: an 8 plank open that came in eight versions, a 5 plank open and an 8 plank ferry train wagon.
The first and numerically the largest SR design is the Diagram 1379 eight plank open on a standard 17’6″ RCH underframe with 9’0″ wheelbase with a total of 7,950 built. The first 3000 built from 1926 were fitted with Morton brakes with the remainder with SR ‘Freighter Brakes. Production continued until 1933.
88 Diagram 1379 8 plank wagons were transferred to the Isle of Wight in 1948/9 receiving 278xx / 279xx numbers.
In 1935 the wheel base of the standard 17’6″ underframe was increased to 10’0″ and from August 1936 an unfitted version (similar to the Diagram 1379) was introduced and given Diagram 1400. Construction continued until November 1937 and conveniently 1,400 of this diagram were produced.
The Diagram 1379 with Morton BrakesThe Diagram 1379 with Freighter brakesThe longer 10ft wheelbase Diagram 1400
Rapido trains UK are incredibly offering 31, yes 31, versions across the two Diagrams 1379 and 1400, as they have tooled Morton and SR ‘Freighter’ brakes and split spoke and disc wheels, RRP is £32.95 per wagon (although they can be pre-ordered at a discounted price from retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre) :
940001: D1379 Morton Brakes, Split Spoke Wheels, No.29306, SR brown (pre-1936)
940002: D1379 Morton Brakes, Split Spoke Wheels, No.30601, SR brown (pre-1936)
940003: D1379 Morton Brakes, Disc Wheels, No.31458, SR brown (pre-1936)
940004: D1379 Morton Brakes, Disc Wheels, No.31372, SR brown (pre-1936)
940005: D1379 Freighter Brakes, Split Spoke Wheels, No.32565, SR brown (pre-1936)
940006: D1379 Freighter Brakes, Split Spoke Wheels, No.33333, SR brown (pre-1936)
940007: D1379 Freighter Brakes, Disc Wheels, No.36485, SR brown (pre-1936)
940008: D1379 Freighter Brakes, Disc Wheels, No.36759, SR brown (pre-1936)
940031: D1379 Morton Brakes, Split Spoke Wheels, No.DS719, Motive Power Department black
These wagons are currently at the Engineering prototype stage and should be available during mid 2023.
The N Gauge Freight Train Pack
For N gauge modellers Rapido trains UK have reduced their SECR Diagram 1349 five-plank open, Diagram 1355 seven-plank open, Diagram 1426 covered van and but also the Diagram 1558 six-wheel dual-veranda brake van too. These N Gauge versions will only be available in multipacks. The ‘Freight Packs’ (RRP £99.95) comprise of 1 off of each D1349 five-plank, D1355 seven-plank, D1426 van and a D1558 dual veranda brake van. The ‘Wagon’ packs (RRP £69.95) are a triple packs of one wagon type with three different running numbers as follows:
The N Gauge SECR wagons are at the CAD stage, with tooling due to start shortly and will be available during mid to late 2023. The packs can be pre-ordered at a discounted price from retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre.
The Train Times limited edition 00 gauge Diagram 1558 brake van artwork
Rapido trains UK have announced today (15/04), following a bit of a hint in one of their videos and me here, that they are producing the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Diagram 1558 six wheel brake van.
CAD Render of the D1558 Van original versionA detailed interior is includedA fully detailed underframe with full brake gearThe D1558 rebuilt version
Forty 6 wheel 20t brake vans were built in 1898 by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway to Diagram 1558, were heavily influenced by Midland Railway practice, these had an open veranda platform (i.e. with no roof, sides or end rail) at one end and a closed one at the other. In 1910, 50 more were built with close verandas at each end, between 1914 and 1920 the original vans were modified with two closed verandas. These modified vans were identifiable as had double top rails at the rebuilt end only. All 90 vans entered Southern Railway stock and most passed into British Railways ownership. There were also variations in some of the framing, planking and handrails between the two built versions.
Rapido trains UK have tooled two bodies to cover both the dual veranda vans built new in 1910 as well as the single-ended vans re-built that year and have announced ten initial versions:
931001: No. 2033, SECR grey with black underframe
931002: No. 2036, SECR grey
931003: No. 55382, SR brown with red ends (large lettering)
931004: No. 55389, SR brown with red ends (large lettering)
931005: No. 55384, SR brown with red ends (small lettering)
931006: No. 55366, SR brown with red ends (small lettering)
931007: No. S55429, SR brown with red ends (BR lettering)
The SER single ended version being produced for Rails of Sheffield
Rails of Sheffield have commissioned the original pre 1910 single end vans to be produced in SER red/brown with red ends (ran into SECR days) and SECR grey (two running numbers).
Graham asked: “should this review be written in the style of a Rapido marketing email,?” but Muz replied: “Right! Stop that! It’s silly.” (with apologies to Monty Python).
A group of D1355, D1347 and D1349 wagons from RapidoA post 1936 livery D1355 7 plank wagon, one of the wonky self contained buffers can be seen.A pre 1936 livery D1347 5 plank with tapered buffersThe 5 plank D1349 with self-contained buffers
I will let the photographs show how good these wagons are and provide a welcome addition to any SECR / SR modellers fleet. I have only purchased some of the SR versions, but SECR grey and BR Grey and BR Departmental versions are also available (see the original announcement here for the full list).
Some people, without a full understanding of the manufacturing process and where production and overheads costs lie, might crawl away at the RRP of £32.95; and whilst there might still be other manufacturer’s wagons currently available at a cheaper prices the realistic market prices are certainly changing as all costs rise. The models can of course be purchased from retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre at a slight discounted price.
The 7 plank open, later SR Diagram 1355, were the SECR’s most numerous wagon with 2,121 wagons built between 1915 and 1927. The SR later fitted a sheet rail. British Railways had over 70 wagons still in service in the 1960s and the last withdrawals were not until the 1970s.
The 5 plank opens utilised the same steel chassis as the 7 plank wagons, 550 were built between 1920 and 1925 with standard buffers that became SR Diagram 1347. A further 150 were built 1921/2 with the self-contained buffer type, as on the 7 plank D1355 wagons, and became SR Diagram 1349. They were withdrawn in the early 1960s.
The well detailed underframe of these Rapido wagons
All three versions of the models, sharing the same underframe, have accurate body detail, including nicely planked insides and now becoming much more common on wagon releases good underframe detail that includes both etched and wire parts. They also feature nice split spoked wheels on 26mm pin point axles that run in brass bearing cups, that along with a with a weight of 32/33g ensures very free running.
A 7 plank with the usual buffer incorrectly affixed
On my examples, as can be seen in the images, a number of the self contained buffers were glued in at wonky angles, but being separately applied parts these can be carefully reaffixed.
An SR Brown comparison under the same lighting
The livery application is crisp and well printed. I know for a fact that Rapido have used the same paint colour reference for the SR brown as the Kernow Model Rail Centre used on their ex LSWR/SR D1541 Road Vans, although this appears to be a slightly lighter but still more than acceptable, interpretation of the colour possibly due to the more satin finish, (and even lighter with the lighting I have used in my studio), on these wagons.
The sheet rail parts for the D1355 7 plank wagon yet to be fitted (along with another buffer to be reaffixed…)Another group view of the D1355, D1347 and D1349 wagons
The tooling allows for both taped plain and the self-contained buffer types for the 5 plank wagons. To achieve the 7 plank versions fitted with the sheet rail, a pre shaped wire rail along with its moulded mounting brackets for each end of the wagon have been supplied as separate parts for the use to fit (glue) into position (instructions on fitting is included with each wagon).
The holes in the mounting brackets for the sheet rail will need to be opened out very slightly to ensure a good fit. The one slight downside is that the rail can only be positioned in the upright position, as it would be when a sheet was covering the wagon and not, without some modification, in the sideways stowed position when no sheet was fitted.
A comparison of the same brown… the 5 plank has been matt varnished
[Edit 20/05/22] To demonstrate the effect that the factory satin finsih has on the paint colour as mentioned above, the picture left shows a comparison with one of the Rapido wagons given a coat of Testors Dullcoat matt varnish and brings the colour much closer to the Kernow Model Rail Centre ex LSWR/SR D1541 Road Vans, and therefore looking much better.
The sensible choice of body and underframe combination by Rapido Trains UK provides SECR / SR modellers with three different wagon diagrams from one set of tooling and is an approach for choosing wagon types to produce that Rapido Trains UK are have also undertaken with their announcement in January of the ex SECR Diagram 1426 covered van and the D1744 ballast wagon that also share a common underframe (hopefully with straight buffers…).
After 1901 the D class locomotive further more powerful locomotives were investigated by the companies. After Richard Maunsell took over as CME from Harry Wainwright in 1913 he worked on a series of new locomotives which were intended for a long service life, this involved the conversion and upgrade of 11 E class locomotives, resulting in the E1 class. This proved very successful and led directly to the conversion of 21 D class into the D1 class between 1921 and 1927. Though arguably, not as elegant as the D class equipped with a larger boiler, a belpaire firebox and longer travel cylinders the D1 was able to produce a considerable haulage and power increase over its predecessors.
Initially allocated to Ashford shed, this class was to be found all over the south-eastern division from London to the south.
All were withdrawn by November 1961, no preserved examples exist.
The model variations include:
Two frame variations (to include early D class conversions)
Two cab types
Two Chimney types
Two Smokebox types
Three dome types (with/without top feed and plated)
Two safety valve types (Ross-pop and Ramsbottom)
With and without smokebox snifter valves
‘High capacity’ tenders
Manual and automatic lubricators
The technical specification includes: Diecast Chassis, Sprung buffers, Pickup from tender and driving wheels, 5 pole motor located within boiler, Pull-out PCB for tool free DCC & Speaker fitting, ‘Snap-fit’ conductive tender drawbar, Options for bass reflex speaker in tender (pre-wired) and Firebox glow.
Rails of Sheffield advise “The images shown are of early decorated production samples and are NOT final production models. Various amendments and alterations have been reported and will be altered on final production models.” Lets hope that that the review includes improvements to some of the colours lining and lettering, but such issues were not improved on the previous D class (I still need to replace the decals’ on mine with correct versions).
