Jump to content
 

Bachmann FNA - New Release


mike tugsandsheds

Recommended Posts

Would like to know which version would be right for current day operations with DRS ? as they all say Epoc 9

 

As there are 3 variants listed on the Bachmann Website

 

38-345FNA Nuclear Flask Wagon - Flat Floor & Round Buffers

38-346FNA Nuclear Flask Wagon - Sloping Floor, Changeover Valve & Oval Buffers

38-347FNA Nuclear Flask Wagon - Sloping Floor & Round

If anyone can help then I can get my pre order right rolleyes.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

Take a look here, lots of photos of wagons.

 

http://gallery6801.f...net/c25479.html

 

Paul Bartlett's site again, the best place for wagon info/phots.

 

Curiously, they seem to have started out with round buffers, lost them in favour of the squared off oval type and then regained round ones quite recently. Photos taken 3-4 years ago seem to mostly have the oval type.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I've got a very strong feeling that the buffers vary depending on when the wagons were built, and various websites seem to confirm this.

It looks like the low numbers have got the round buffers, and the higher numbers have square ovals. To be honest I'm not entirely sure what Bachmann mean with flat and sloping floor - unless they mean the ones that were originally built as XKBs on which the line where the new side piece was welded on is very much visible. This photo of 550010 illustrates the join well, as well as round buffers, it is running with 550038, which has no weld and square oval buffers. As well as the XKB conversions, it looks like some of the early FNA build had round buffers too

This pair I caught on the 9th Feb this year both have square ovals, but are higher numbered wagons (550040 and 052), and were built as FNAs.

11n45c.jpg

The photo posted earlier on of 550011 in 2009 seems to confirm this, as it is lowered numbered, and would have been built as an XKB. Interestingly, it also seems to have lost it's DRS blue livery, which I believe was unique.

Here's hoping Bachmann get the colour right on the FNA - I don't know how many models I've seen painted desert sand!

cheers

 

jo

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think you're right, it's just a coincidence that the older photos I've seen are all of higher numbered ones. All the photos I've seen of ones above 550037 have oval buffers, the changeover is probably lower than that. The sloping floor is probably a reference to the side 'walls' rather than the floor itself. I wondered why this mod was done until I once saw them balancing a container cover on the end of a wagon whilst removing the flask - would be tricky if the end had a slope....sad.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

HI All

 

The wagons are stainless steel, and every now and then they get shot blasted down to get them really clean to ensure there is no contamination.

 

Regards Arran

 

I understand that they are built from Stainless Steel and when brand new were nice and shiny, the desert sand appearance is merely weathering over time.

 

Cheers for the replies at least I know which one to pre order x 4

 

rolleyes.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

My point about the desert sand is that models that colour just look wrong! They go brown, not sand, and pass through grey on their way from stainless steel. The most convincing FNA I've seen modelled was Humbrol Metalcote with sleeper grime or frame dirt airbrushed on top.

cheers

 

jo

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, i've actually thought a lot about the colour of these,

 

....are Bachmann going to do them in grimey brown, in which case technically they would be 'weathered' .....or pristine, in stainless steel? (I live about 30m south of Sellafield and see lots of these, yet I have only seen one or two in shot-blasted stainless) also there is at least one (could be more by now) painted in DRS blue still with white/light grey flask cover. Hmmm. interesting.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Some more info for you as I spend a great deal of time with these 'things'

 

Only one in DRS blue havn't seen it for a while.

Colour similar to that of heavily weathered Silver bullets, wagon body not painted.

Any trains pre 2004 need to have a barrier wagons in the formation.

I think guards vans finished when DRS took over.

Will check the numbers of round/oval buffers when I next get a chance.

 

The most I've ever dragged was 11 off S'Field in 2006 with a pair of 37's and 2 dead 20's, very heavy something like a 1000 tons.

 

cheerio

 

Claggy

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Only one in DRS blue havn't seen it for a while.

Claggy

 

Hiya Claggy,

The blue one was 550011 - which is seen in post #4 of this thread, looking recently cleaned (silver/grey is visible!) which suggests it's now 'just another' FNA, presumably the shot blasting removed the paint.

cheers

 

jo

Link to post
Share on other sites

What sort of thing should I be looking at getting for 'barrier wagons' for a mid 80's service? I've seen pictures with a coal hopper, and the later conversions of basically the chassis with a weight on it, but I didn't know if there was anything else that could have been utilised.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I believe I have one of those tucked away in my 'spares' box if I can find it somewhere, thanks. Any other exciting barrier options?

 

Still sticking with the 80's, was a brake van used or did someone travel in the loco rear cab?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I believe I have one of those tucked away in my 'spares' box if I can find it somewhere, thanks. Any other exciting barrier options?

 

Still sticking with the 80's, was a brake van used or did someone travel in the loco rear cab?

 

AFAIK brakevans were used right to the end of Transrail operations. We used to have a Rugby crew travel to Crewe to work a train to Rugby via Bescot, detaching portions with us. I'm guessing they were probably our last brakevan jobs, because we would have had to supply cabs for the Bridgewater and Berkeley portions. This was certainly post 1994. Whether brakevan usage ceased prior to the handover, or on handover to DRS I really can't remember.

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

The most I've ever dragged was 11 off S'Field in 2006 with a pair of 37's and 2 dead 20's, very heavy something like a 1000 tons.

 

cheerio

 

Claggy

 

How come it had the dead 20' s as well? four locos and 11 waggons must have looked quite entertaining.

Link to post
Share on other sites

We'd reguarly leave Sellafield with 3 or 4 trains put together. They would be for say Valley, Bridgwater and Dungeness. The train engines would work though to London for example and the 2 engines inside could go onto Valley of wherever.

 

The reverse would happen on 7C53 off Crewe to Sellafield in a morning.

 

It didn't always happen like that just depended on where locos were and what trains were required.

 

Some days it could be 4 engines and 1 flaskblink.gif

 

DRS never operated with brake vans as far as I know, guard rides in rear cab.

 

Cheerio

 

Claggy

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...