Ready to Run Model Irish Railway Wagons

 

Great Northern Railway of Ireland Wagons

Coming in September -

20 TON BRAKE VAN


Yes, it's the RPSI's "IVAN" in miniature!

We are pleased to present our prototype Diagram 40 GNR(I) 20 ton brake van, to be released in September.

Our standard van will have a dark grey roof and interior to match the external grey. It will probably be more like the official Duffner photo, shown below. If you prefer the white roof, or interior, I am sure we can accommodate you, but at a delay to delivery! A choice of numbers will be offered and the number will also be carried on the ends, as per prototype.

Yes, I know there's a mistake in the transfers - being corrected as I write! The van runs beautifully - tested on Peco set track points to date, without problem.

The van is modelled in resin, with Dapol disc wheels and the latest "sprung" Dapol style couplings, in their NEM pockets. The second prototype will be en route to Cookstown Jct or Killagan shortly, to check clearance at platforms - those are jolly hefty steps!


Courtesy Charles Friel

Available September

Not more than £45,   post and packing included.

I am taking orders now for September fulfilment. Send no money, just your requirements especially the number!

The valid numbers for this type of van were, in order of building -
1, 2, 13, 19, 21, 25, 26, 32, 43, 44, 4,6 ,9, 23, 22, 45, 46, 51, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 81, 84, 14, 16, 18, 27, 33, 41, 80, 82, 83, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91/

I am investigating the possibility of offering the van in full 'as preserved livery', ie by adding the black ironworkork.




Fitted and Unfitted Conflats

 

 


The unfitted wagon, No.1957 was one of a batch of 99 in all. A a dab of paint will give you equallycorrect numbers - 5 ,7 ,9 , 19, or as produced, 1957! Good value?


No.722, the fitted wagon on the right in bauxite was one of just five built to the diagram. The original was fitted to carry Guinness tank containers (now there's anidea!!!).

 

These will be sold with one or two bread containers (your choice of how many and subject to availability, which bakery!). Examples below.

 

The first three bakeries are Hughes




Inglis.



 

Note that the Inglis container has a black roof and a very good rendition of the complex shadowed lettering.

 

Don't believe me? Look closer!




and now completing the quartet - McComb and Windsor



 To come - Stevenson and Brewsters of Derry


The containers are hand-made in resin and jolly heavy - 20 plus grammes each, so useful ballast for the wagon. Likewise, hand painted and transfers applied. Hughes lettering (remember originally it would have been done by a sign writer) goes right across the doors, so there will  be slight imperfection where the transfer impinges on the door fastenings and handle - can't be helped. At a distance, you can't really see it, but a digital image is pretty unforgiving and does not show it as you would normally view it on your layout, so allow a little latitude!

 

I'm delighted with the result and congratulate Michael Rayner of Smallbrook Studio for his work.

 

Bakeries to follow, at intervals as stock becomes available to me will be - McComb and Windsor. All used red containers. If they sell well as i hope they will, the Derry bakeries later!

 

The carriage of bread by rail container was a unique Ulster thing - I know of no comparable service, elsewhere. The night goods from Belfast invariably had up to a dozen conflats, each with two containers, sometimes for the same bakery, but often mixed. So, a few should look just right on your Great Northern area goods train, whatever GN station(s) you are modelling. They DID stray into Cos Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal.

 

Prices: these are recommended retail prices and INCLUDE POSTAGE

 

Conflat (either type) with one container    - £19    €21.75

 

Conflat with TWO bread containers          - £25     €28.75

 



                 Container Truck No.4287

            with Furniture Container No. 4




The GNR(I) carried much container traffic, including BR containers brought across the Irish Sea on one of the many ferries. However, it was possibly unique in building up a major traffic in bread, carried in cube-shaped containers, typically carried two to a flat container track. About six bakeries distributed their bread around the North of Ireland by the method.


Container Truck for Bread Containers - No. 4287: This model represents one of the trucks specially constructed for this traffic. The thrifty GN produced it at Dundalk, from a covered wagon, to Diagram No.30 and it joined the Company’s stock in 1954. It was intended to be run on passenger or goods trains, so being a ‘fitted’ truck carried the bauxite livery, as does our model. No.4287 carried different lettering to No.1997, seen above.

They were to be seen on the GNR system in the North of Ireland on bread traffic, although some strayed further south on more normal container traffic – remember those BR containers (and a few CIE ones).

It comes with GNR(I) Furniture Container - No. 4. This model represents a container specially constructed for furniture removals. Like the prototype, it has the lettering “GNR No.4” on the end doors – visible in the photograph.

There is photographic evidence that two such containers existed – Nos. 1 and 4. Just how many there actually were is uncertain and the subject of ongoing investigation – especially just what containers Nos 2 and 3 were!

They were to be seen on the GNR system although they probably strayed all over Ireland if that is where the removal was going!  A photograph shows No.1 at Ballyshannon being unloaded (see “Railways in Ulster’s Lakeland” (page 51) by Anthony Burgess (Colourpoint, 2005). Tom Ferris’s “Irish Railways in Colour – a Second Glance” (page 15) shows both after the dissolution of the GNR at Broadstone in Dublin.


LIMITED EDITION OF  136 WAGONS


Now Available


STOCK:      30  left


RRP, including postage   £14.75       €17.00