SE&CR 5 and 7 plank open wagons.

[rapidoandy]

Rapido Trains is pleased to announce the introduction of two completely new wagon models. The most numerous wagon built by the South Eastern & Chatham Railway was a rugged design of 7 plank open wagons built on a standardised steel underframe. Over 2000 wagons of this design were built between 1915 and 1927 with large numbers surviving into British Railways service. During this time, the only design change was the addition of a sheet rail to the Southern Railway built wagons at the time of construction. This all-new model will feature a separately fitted sheet rail to allow both SECR and SR built examples to be modelled.

 

 

To complement the seven plank wagon an all new five plank wagon will also be offered. A total of 550 diagram 1347 wagons were built by the SECR and SR. Although classed as “rebuilds” only the wheelsets and buffers were reused from older wagons– these being coupled to the standard chassis used on the seven plank wagons. A further 150 wagons were also built to the near-identical diagram 1349. These wagons featured self-contained buffers which Rapido will produce as separately fitted parts to allow both the diagram 1347 and 1349 wagons to be produced.

 

Due to their relatively modern design both wagon types survived into British Railways service finding their way across large parts of the railway network.

 

 

Prototype Factfile – Diagram 1347 and 1349 Five Planks

 

 

Built:         Diagram 1347 – 550 Wagons

                  Diagram 1349 – 150 Wagons

 

How long did they last? Wagons were built in batches by the SECR and its contractors from 1920 with the Southern Railway building further batches in the mid-1920s. Wagons of both types survived into the 1950s with a small number making it into the early 1960s.

 

Where did they work? Wagons could be found running all over the SECR network in the South East. Photographs also show wagons working further afield in locations like Stratford, Carlisle and even Renfrew near Glasgow!

 

Can I see one? One diagram 1347 wagon, No.12522 survives in operational condition on the Severn Valley Railway. No.50899 can also be seen on the Bluebell Railway.

 

Prototype Factfile – Diagram 1355 Seven Planks

 

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Built: 2121 Wagons

                  

How long did they last? The first prototype wagon was built in 1915 to test the new steel underframe. Further batches of these wagons were built between 1919 and 1927 by the SECR and SR.  Over 70 wagons of this type survived into BR service into the 1960s whilst the last survived into the 1970s. Several were sold into private usage including a number with the Port of Bristol Authority.

 

Where did they work? Wagons could be found running all over the SECR network in the South East. Photographs also show wagons working further afield in locations like Offord & Buckden, various locations on the GWR network and even Renfrew near Glasgow!

 

Can I see one? Three diagram 1355 wagons can be seen at the Bluebell Railway.

 

 

Specification:

 

Injection Moulded construction

High level of detail above and below the floor line.

NEM coupler pockets

Separately fitted buffers to allow for production of the Diagram 1347 and 1349 five plank wagons

Separately fitted sheet rails to allow for SECR and SR built batches of the Diagram 1355 7 plank wagons

Correct split-spoked wheels running in metal bearings

 

For more information and to pre-order yours today visit www.rapidotrains.co.uk or speak to any of our Official Retailers.

 

The orderbook will close on the 1st September 2021 with production following soon after with an anticipated delivery in early 2022.

 

Sample artwork is below.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by rapidoandy

[Wickham Green too]

WOW !

[Graham_Muz]

A few more pictures of the great looking EP's can be found on my blog here https://southern-railway.com/2021/05/28/rapido-trains-uk-announce-secr-5-and-7-plank-wagons-in-00/

[Miss Prism]

Authentic opens are a rarity in RTR, so this is a big tick in a big box.

 

[MarkSG]

Nice. I don't model that particular part of the world, but enough of these wagons survived into BR ownership for them to be a plausible enough visitor to my (model) neck of the woods. It's always good to see new wagon diagrams being modelled (especially with a sheet rail variant) - a lot of RTR wagons are different liveries of a fairly small number of designs, which is possibly a little unrealistic.

 

Now, for your next trick, how about some accurately modelled RCH designs?

[stephennicholson]

SECR liveries ordered. A matching brake van would be well received.

[BMacdermott]

Hello  everyone

 

Congratulations to Rapido on the announcement of these vehicles!

 

For reasons of lack of space, we had to list such wagons in the 2019 00 Wishlist Poll under the 'catch all' heading of SECR Wagons, Vans & Brake Vans (as we did similarly with LBSCR and LSWR).

 

In the Results, the vehicles were in The Top 50 - roughly at overall position 21 - with the LBSCR and LSWR not far behind but also Top 50.

 

We hope the project is a great success!

 

Brian (on behalf of The 00 Wishlist Poll Team)

[BMacdermott]

3 minutes ago, stephennicholson said:

SECR liveries ordered. A matching brake van would be well received.

Hello Stephen

 

For reasons of consistency in the Poll mentioned above, we listed the SECR Brake Van - 'Dance Hall' separately.

 

This was also in The Top 50, roughly equal position 34 overall.

 

Brian (on behalf of The 00 Wishlist Poll Team)

[45655]

This is brilliant news.  It must be the first time any RTR manufacturer has presented us with one of the classic Southern open merchandise wagons with the "South Western" (or in this case South Eastern) top doors.  And with the sheet rail to boot!  I'm with others in hoping that this project will be a big success for Rapido.

 

Would it be too greedy to hope for the LSWR (SR diagram 1316) and SR (diagram 1379 and 1400) 8 plank equivalents in due course...?  The latter were on the contemporary RCH standard chassis, which would offer some manufacturing flexibility.

[Steamport Southport]

Very nice, but I'll stick with the Cambrian kits.

 

Tens of thousands of wagons that can be made and the RTR manufacturers are just picking things that are already available.

 

Why not the GWR wagons and vans in the old Coopercraft range that will probably never see the light of day again? They are essentials and built in very large numbers, yet aren't available.

 

O2,O4,V4,V5, W1/W5, N13, etc. You could be churning them out for years. Just avoid the Provender wagon as there was only about ten of them.

 

 

Jason

[bill_schmidt1]

2 hours ago, rapidoandy said:

Correct split-spoked wheels running in metal bearings

Not all of them had split-spoked wheels so you might want to check that..

[The Stationmaster]

Good Move - going for Pre-Group wagons when there have been very few decent essays in that direction in the r-t-r world.   Makes far more commercial sense than going for the already 'busy' market area of up-to-the-minute wagonry.

Even Better Move - Going for opens, not vans - much more sensible in historic terms..

Best Move - They're not generic!!!!!!!

 

Bad Move (from my viewpoint) - Gone back a bit too far, i would have thought there could be more mileage in wagons built Post WWI?  

 

Conclusion - These will probably sell as fast as Rapido can churn them out forat least a year or two

 

 

[mdvle]

19 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Very nice, but I'll stick with the Cambrian kits.

 

Certainly your choice, but most of the market much prefers RTR over a kit so Rapido is providing what the market wants.

 

19 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Tens of thousands of wagons that can be made and the RTR manufacturers are just picking things that are already available.

 

Maybe because the fact that they are already available is an indication of popularity/need for a layout?

 

19 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Why not the GWR wagons and vans in the old Coopercraft range that will probably never see the light of day again? They are essentials and built in very large numbers, yet aren't available.

 

It may happen in time, from Rapido or from someone else.

 

But as for why not now, consider yourself as a manufacturer launching a UK range of product.

 

In an established market like OO you want to spread your offerings around the various regions of the UK to attract the most customers.

 

You already have 3 GWR products - see Gunpowder Van / Loriot Y / and Toad - and a GER Buffet Car.

 

Going for the SR region makes sense then, particularly given how popular the region is with modellers.

 

 

 

 

[Ribird]

Question, what is the difference between 906005/6 and 906015/16?

 

In conjunction with that, should the 7 plank (907005/6) also have the smaller letters as they are labeled as "post-1936."

 

I will still buy these no matter what, as these ep's look amazing! Can't wait to see how they actually look! Gives me good hopes on the gunpowder wagons as well!

[Andy Hayter]

"Bad Move (from my viewpoint) - Gone back a bit too far, i would have thought there could be more mileage in wagons built Post WWI?"  

 

I pressed agree Mike but I personally would have preferred something a little earlier - but I am not going to complain.

These were still being built into SR days and ran into BR days so I am not sure I really understand why you think they are a bit too early.

Clearly Rapido have gone for prototypes that cover the maximum number of time periods and liveries.  A good choice from my view and I am sure from theirs too.

[mdvle]

1 minute ago, Ribird said:

I will still buy these no matter what, as these ep's look amazing! Can't wait to see how they actually look! Gives me good hopes on the gunpowder wagons as well!

 

Well, those who have subscribed to the newsletter that went out today can see a picture of Gunpowder EPs...

[D9020 Nimbus]

I'm looking forward very much to these too — although based in the north-east, I've been inspired to create a small OO shunting layout by a few excellent model railways of recent times — notably @AY Mod's Keyhaven, @Graham_Muz's Canute Road Quay and, of course, Gordon Gravett's Arun Quay. It'll be set on the south coast so as to make use of some of my favourite small OO locos — the Dapol B4, the Hattons 'P', and the "Terrier". So having these wagons come along is great — they'll keep my Rails SECR van company.

 

If only Bachmann could produce a re-tooled "Drewry"…

[Compound2632]

21 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Bad Move (from my viewpoint) - Gone back a bit too far

 

These are post-WWI wagons - although I think construction of the 5-plank wagons began in 1916. The 7-plank wagons were built from 1919, and as the blurb says, the Southern built more. So they're very late SECR, not at all appropriate for running with your Wainwright-liveried C, H, or D! 

 

With pooling, these wagons seem to have been very well-dispersed, popping up in photos from all over the country in the 1920s - and likely retaining SECR livery until well into that decade.

 

27 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

i would have thought there could be more mileage in wagons built Post WWI?  

 

At any given date, it's probable that an older wagon would have accumulated a higher mileage!

[GreenGiraffe22]

Nice! =) It will come as a shock to no one that I shall be adding small lettered SR ones to my collection 

[Graham_Muz]

3 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

These are post-WWI wagons - although I think construction of the 5-plank wagons began in 1916. The 7-plank wagons were built from 1919, and as the blurb says, the Southern built more. So they're very late SECR, not at all appropriate for running with your Wainwright-liveried C, H, or D! 

 

With pooling, these wagons seem to have been very well-dispersed, popping up in photos from all over the country in the 1920s - and likely retaining SECR livery until well into that decade.

 

 

At any given date, it's probable that an older wagon would have accumulated a higher mileage!

 

The first 7 plank was actually built  in 1915, with further builds between 1919 and 1927. The 5 plank then used the same 1915 design chassis

 

[Compound2632]

3 minutes ago, GreenGiraffe22 said:

Nice! =) It will come as a shock to no one that I shall be adding small lettered SR ones to my collection 

 

By the law of proportions, you should find out that they've all sold out on pre-order to modellers of the other three groups, with none left for the Southern. What you really need is a decent selection of LMS and LNER opens!

[Compound2632]

Just now, Graham_Muz said:

The first 7 plank was actually built  in 1915, 

 

Yes, but just the one! 

 

[G. Bixley et al., Southern Wagons Vol. 3: SECR (OPC, 2000) pp. 62-69.]

[Graham_Muz]

2 minutes ago, col.stephens said:

£27.95 for an open wagon?  OUCH!

 

Pass, thank you.

 

I have lost the sweepstake on such a comment, I had less than 2 hours...

 

 

Just the N gauge request to go now.... anyone?

Edited May 28, 2021 by Graham_Muz

[Miss Prism]

I know little about these wagons, but am surprised lifting-link brakegear was introduced so early.

[Graham_Muz]

1 minute ago, col.stephens said:

Are you saying that it is not expensive?

 

Terry

 

Nope, its relative and reflective of current costs to produce such a detailed accurate wagon, I'm sorry but costs are rising and we have to accept that, or as you have done pass. 

 

Every new product announcement comes with comments from many not understanding the true costs now.