Andy Y Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Freightliner FFA and FGA wagons The concept of Freightliner trains emerged in the famous Dr Beeching report “The Reshaping of British Railways” published in 1963. Containerisation was seen as the way forward and BR built two prototype wagons at Shildon Works which could carry two 20ft containers. The production run differed from the prototypes by being 62ft 6” long and capable of carrying three 20ft containers. 100 were built at Ashford Works with construction beginning in 1964 and comprised 18 outer wagons with buffers (later designated FGA) and 82 inner wagons (later designated FFA) which were coupled to the outer vehicles by a coupling bar. These usually ran in multiples of five vehicles with the two FGA wagons having the buffers at the outer ends and three FFA wagons between them. BR initially provided its own containers (which had their own fixing system rather than the standard ISO fitting which came in later) which were branded ‘Freightliner’. Bachmann are to produce the FGA wagons (with outer end buffers) in twin packs and the FFA wagons in single packs to allow customers to add additional vehicles as required. Both 20ft and 30ft ISO containers in BR Freightliner livery (grey with a red stripe and carrying the double arrow alongside the Freightliner branding) will be offered along with 20ft and 40ft Maritime containers. A 20ft tanker option will also be available. FFA FREIGHTLINER FLAT - PHOTO CAN BE REPRODUCED – COURTESY OF PAUL BARTLETT / Bachmann FGA FREIGHTLINER FLAT WITH END BUFFERS - PHOTO CAN BE REPRODUCED – COURTESY OF PAUL BARTLETT / Bachmann The following items will be released: 38-625 Twin Pack FGA container flats (with outer end buffers) with ISO containers 38-626 Single FFA container flat (inner vehicle) with ISO containers 38-627 Twin Pack FGA container flats (with outer end buffers) with Maritime containers 38-628 Single FFA container flat (inner vehicle) with Maritime containers 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Boar Fell Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Hello Andy, Any hint of what sort of price these are likely to be? Regards, Wild Boar Fell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridwatcher Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) Oh drat! The 'when' is more important that the 'how much'........ I have 3 sets of 5 in build for Hazelbank..... Edited July 20, 2014 by gridwatcher Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Well that null and voids one of my long dormant detailing projects. Nice work Bachmann Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
owentherail Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Fantastic ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 20, 2014 Nice to see these. I remember seeing them at Millbrook on my trips up to London from Poole in the 80s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) A sensible option would be these as a 5 pack of empties - 2 X FGA & 3 x FFA just like the real thing...............don't suppose anyone in the know can feed this back to Bachmann Apologies if I've missed something - recovering from a night shift Edited July 20, 2014 by Southernman46 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I like the idea of allowing for selective shortening of the rakes. I would not be able to accommodate 2 x 5-wagon rakes but with a little modeller's licence, I could do two 4-car rakes to make one 8-wagon train plus loco.It also means I can sell off my old Hornby Freightliner wagons and containers, an intended project that never got beyond putting metal wheels in and straightening up the sagging chassis. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arran Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 HI ALL Suppose I must wait and see what boxes they make as there was more of a verity back then as its not to expensive to make another 20ft or 40ft in the older types. I wonder is they are doing a 40ft to match the 20ft they already doo. The hard part is getting the livery info. Regards Arran 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravensdmufan Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Great news, thanks Bachmann! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevpeo Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I like the idea of allowing for selective shortening of the rakes. I would not be able to accommodate 2 x 5-wagon rakes but with a little modeller's licence, I could do two 4-car rakes to make one 8-wagon train plus loco. It also means I can sell off my old Hornby Freightliner wagons and containers, an intended project that never got beyond putting metal wheels in and straightening up the sagging chassis. In later years they started to be run as two or five car sets, to allow the lengths to be tailored better. Kev. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2014 Excellent news Many thanks Bachmann - that's 4S87 & 4S88 sorted for us - will need some more AB 47s for traction.... Wonder what container options might emerge? Seem to remember open containers of alloy beer kegs being prominent on at least 1 of these workings Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Excellent news Many thanks Bachmann - that's 4S87 & 4S88 sorted for us - will need some more AB 47s for traction.... Wonder what container options might emerge? Seem to remember open containers of alloy beer kegs being prominent on at least 1 of these workings Phil Keg beer from Tyneside to Bristol/Cardiff/Swansea for S&N; reeled paper from Bristol to Glasgow.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC&DR Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 The Freightliner and the Merry Go Round were the two important freight developments to come out of the Beeching Report. I accept that Company Block trains and Speedlink also took ascendancy but these were logical extensions of pre-Beeching developments whereas Liner Trains and MGR were singled out in the report as the future. They typified Train Load Freight throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. We are now promised finely detailed FFA / FGAs (hooray!) but can we now expect some re-tooled and correctly detailed HAAs from Hornby? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2014 Thanks Brian that's useful gen as always. Was the paper in closed containers or some other weatherproof containment? Cheers Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2014 Gets even better - looks like the ISO container wagons are era 6 so pre tops! Yee haa!!! Phil 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) I like the idea of allowing for selective shortening of the rakes. I would not be able to accommodate 2 x 5-wagon rakes but with a little modeller's licence, I could do two 4-car rakes to make one 8-wagon train plus loco. It would not be unknown for a wagon to be knocked out reducing a set to four or the purpose built Ferry sets of four for the Paris service as the train ferry could only take a five set! Mark Saunders Edited July 20, 2014 by Mark Saunders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 20, 2014 38-625 Twin Pack FGA container flats (with outer end buffers) with ISO containers 38-627 Twin Pack FGA container flats (with outer end buffers) with Maritime containers Oh goody! I can convert a pair into FDA twins for sleeper carrying duty. Anyone want to buy a few containers? Cheers, Mick 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2014 HI ALL Suppose I must wait and see what boxes they make as there was more of a verity back then as its not to expensive to make another 20ft or 40ft in the older types. I wonder is they are doing a 40ft to match the 20ft they already doo. The hard part is getting the livery info. Regards Arran There does seem to be a large hole in model containers running from early ISO days through to sectorisation (hint hint) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2014 Oh goody! I can convert a pair into FDA twins for sleeper carrying duty. Anyone want to buy a few containers? Cheers, Mick Hi. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Boar Fell Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 There does seem to be a large hole in model containers running from early ISO days through to sectorisation (hint hint) Erm, not totally (Shameless plug) There are my 1980's ones and there are Knightwings kits too. Do I understand from this that Bachmann aren't going to make them in their original condition with the BR developed locking arrangement (Pre ISO) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2014 Erm, not totally (Shameless plug) There are my 1980's ones and there are Knightwings kits too. Do I understand from this that Bachmann aren't going to make them in their original condition with the BR developed locking arrangement (Pre ISO)[/quotle] I'm not yet convinced by the quality of 3D prints (key word being yet) and the Knighwing products are a little crude by modern standards and the product range is limited so for now I stand by my comments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
owentherail Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Bachmann , please make a lot of these because they will sell very well. Thanks !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Fisher Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 A sensible selling option I think from Bachmann. As long as they are released in numbers that allow people to create if they wish the various foromations they turned up in over the years. And lets not forget the opportunity if needed of adding possibly detail from Colin Craigs excellent offerings, for those of us who prefer that sort of twist. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold farren Posted July 21, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2014 Not being particular ofay with this wagon would I be able to run some in the late steam era on the midland line as they are a rather distinctive wagon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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