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Bachmann FFA/FGA early container flats


Andy Y
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Hi all,

 

I'm modelling around 2003 and I'm wondering if any of these first releases of ffa fga wagons will be suitable? I assume not as the flats were probably painted in EWS maroon by 2003, but pics are hard to come by where they are not just brown with dirt!

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The inclusion of a brake van suggests a propelling move from Halifax Jnc down to the dock.

 

C6T.

According to 'Life and Times- Freightliner', the propelling move was from Griffin Wharf to Halifax Junction, whence the locomotive would have been at the front end for the trip through Ipswich station.

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Hi all,

 

I'm modelling around 2003 and I'm wondering if any of these first releases of ffa fga wagons will be suitable? I assume not as the flats were probably painted in EWS maroon by 2003, but pics are hard to come by where they are not just brown with dirt!

Only a few flats, those used on some of the domestic refuse flows, passed to EWS, and were painted maroon (they also changed TOPS code). Most wagons went to Freightliner, who didn't bother to repaint them in most cases, though a few might have received gloss black, the colour in which the FSAs and FTAs were delivered.

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Only a few flats, those used on some of the domestic refuse flows, passed to EWS, and were painted maroon (they also changed TOPS code). Most wagons went to Freightliner, who didn't bother to repaint them in most cases, though a few might have received gloss black, the colour in which the FSAs and FTAs were delivered.

Cheers Brian. I guess I can have them in BR blue with the later containers then. Did EWS have any in BR blue?

 

Cheers.

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Cheers Brian. I guess I can have them in BR blue with the later containers then. Did EWS have any in BR blue?

 

Cheers.

Here's a link to Paul Bartlett's pictures of FFA&FGA http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brfreightlinercontainer

 

They may have had some in BR blue but would think you would not be able to tell what colour was underneath all the weathering. They did have EWS maroon if you fancy respraying.

 

Cheers

 

Simon

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According to 'Life and Times- Freightliner', the propelling move was from Griffin Wharf to Halifax Junction, whence the locomotive would have been at the front end for the trip through Ipswich station.

Makes more sense, as for a 1500 ton train of swingers with only a Gronk and 20t van to stop it, no thanks!

 

C6T.

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According to 'Life and Times- Freightliner', the propelling move was from Griffin Wharf to Halifax Junction, whence the locomotive would have been at the front end for the trip through Ipswich station.

If it helps the discussion, the loco was 08708, which is clearly dual braked, and the photo caption says it was shunting in the upper yard. The brake van has the yellow on the sides so it is a CAR (? I don't no too much about this period).

 

Regards

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  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Gold

Only just caught up with this thread, I can confirm that the trip was to the West Bank terminal. I used to be a secondman at Ipswich and this was one of our turns, known locally as the "Bridges". The set would come from Ipswich top yard, 08, 5 set of FFA/FGAs and a brake, run through the station and then propel down onto the west bank where we would run round and then propel it into the freightliner terminal there. It would then be stripped and reloaded while we had a brew, and then we would work it back up, propelling up the fierce grade from the west bank to the main line before working it back through the station to the top yard to be attached to a larger service.

 

Incidentally, 08661 had the freightliner sticker on one side and the legend "West Bank Pilot" on the other. It got spoonerised!

 

Andi

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  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Gold

Bachmann times shows them in production. I don't know if that means they are actually being made right now or maybe signed off for production, but I seriously doubt you'll be running them on Boxing day.

Thanks Steve

 

I had not seen that. It would bring my timeline forward a bit especially if they were shipped before Chinese New Year. However you are right, they will not be here before Christmas.

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  • 1 month later...

I see that the outer FGA's are to be sold as pairs but one FGA will have 3x20ft containers and the other will have 2x30ft containers. I don't want 30ft containers, I only want the 20ft versions.

 

Similarly, the inner FFA's will only be supplied with 30ft containers.

 

I'd like to buy some of these wagons but I suppose I'll need to wait for future releases which will hopefully be what I want.

 

Graham 

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If not mentioned before when first introduced did they consist of just  3 x 20ft  containers not as portrayed by Bachmann.

3 x 20 outers  2 x 30 inners.

When first introduced, the maximum container length was 27 foot, due to to restrictions on the combined length of tractor and trailer; the first 30' boxes were built in 1966. The mixture of containers would appear to depend on the load being carried, but photos in 'Freightliner- Life and Times' suggests loads were often 2 x 27' boxes.

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When first introduced, the maximum container length was 27 foot, due to to restrictions on the combined length of tractor and trailer; the first 30' boxes were built in 1966. The mixture of containers would appear to depend on the load being carried, but photos in 'Freightliner- Life and Times' suggests loads were often 2 x 27' boxes.

The 27 ft versions would be non ISO standard though so for example the twistlocks would be in the wrong place and as I recall later batches of FFA/FGA couldn't carry the non ISO versions.

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The 27 ft versions would be non ISO standard though so for example the twistlocks would be in the wrong place and as I recall later batches of FFA/FGA couldn't carry the non ISO versions.

The early 10', 20' and 27' boxes predated the adoption of ISO standards; at the time, maritime container traffic was negligible, and Freightliner was largely envisaged as being a replacement for domestic wagonload movement of manufactured goods. The earlier Freightliner containers used a specially-designed locating system, which included lamps to indicate that a container was secured.

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  • RMweb Gold

I’ve cancelled my preorder for these. As mentioned earlier, the containers aren’t the correct configurations for the trains that passed through Bristol in the 1970s.

I can thoroughly recommend the C-Rail containers

http://www.c-rail-intermodal.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=25_28&page=3

I’ve bought the OCL, Bell and P&O containers that I know from memory were on the Danygraig flows. I’m hoping they will sell the flats separately at some point, and we don’t know yet what the brandings on the containers will be, I hope of course the C-Rail ones fit.

Neil

Edited by Downendian
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