What’s in the Shops: Classic Freightliner wagons from Bachmann

Nigel Burkin reviews Bachmann’s OO-gauge FFA and FGA container flats in pre-TOPS condition, complete with early BR Freightliner containers.

A revolution in railway wagon design took place during the 1960s, when inefficient standard wagons started to be replaced with modern long-wheelbase and bogie air-braked stock.

The wholesale containerisation of goods was also on the horizon with the establishment of  ISO standards for containers and handling systems. 

To meet this shift in freight handling, BR constructed a large fleet of skeletal spine wagons from 1964 when it tested a prototype low-floor container wagon set consisting of outer and inner wagons.

Although fitted with a bespoke container clamp designed by BR, it led to the building of a large fleet of skeletal spine wagons with ISO container locks and several types of small-wheel bogies capable of carrying three 20ft containers, two 30ft containers or a combination of one 20ft and one 40ft container (or container flat, or container tank).

Following the construction of the prototype, and initial batches of black-painted wagons fitted with clamps (which were replaced with ISO container locks), more than 2000 ‘production’ wagons were constructed, with several different but similar bogie types. 

Most of these were built at Ashford in the 1970s and were painted rail blue, including a batch fitted with Ride Control BR 2M bogies as represented by the Bachmann models. 

For the full article and to view more images, see the March 2019 edition of Modelling – available now!

For a complete list of stockists and how to get your copy, visit: www.railwaymagazinemodelling.co.uk/distributors

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Let off some steam...