EFE Rail GW Bloater fish van

[AY Mod]

Quote

GWR ‘Bloater’ fish van which is modelled in OO scale for the first time. Built for fish traffic from 1916, the EFE Rail models cover the S8, S9 and S10 diagrams and include options for the ‘Bloater A’s which were fitted with dual braking systems.

 

The GWR ‘Bloater’ vans were built for fish traffic from 1916 onwards, to replace an ageing fleet of older designs used to transport fish. Due to the nature of the cargo, the vans were reserved solely for fish traffic and worked mainly from the major fishing ports in Cornwall and Pembrokeshire. Classed as Non-Passenger-Carrying Coaching Stock (NPCCS), the vans were through-piped for steam heating and were rated to run at express speeds with passenger trains. Three variants of the ‘Bloater’ are covered by these all-new EFE Rail models – the Diagram S8, S9 and S10. Within these diagrams could be found vans fitted with vacuum brakes and those fitted with both vacuum and Westinghouse air brakes – the latter were coded ‘Bloater A’, but by the early-1930s these had seen their air brakes removed and were recoded to ‘Bloater’.

 

Longer than a standard goods van, the ‘Bloaters’ sported three pairs of doors on each side and the first, the Diagram S8s as depicted by this model, had louvres in the body sides and ends. Gas lighting was fitted to aid loading in the dark and the gas light tops can be seen modelled on the roof, with the gas cylinder mounted below the solebar. The detailed underframe features brake gear and pipe runs, whilst footboards are separately fitted to each side of the van and metal spoked wheelsets are employed. At either end can be found sprung buffers, along with tension lock couplings which are mounted to a close-coupling mechanism via NEM pockets.

 

MODEL FEATURES:

·         EFE Rail OO Scale

·         Era 2

·         Pristine GWR Brown (GW) Livery

·         Running No. 2168

·         Sprung Buffers

·         Accessory Pack

·         NEM Coupling Pockets

·         Close Coupling Mechanisms

·         Length 128mm

 

E87057 GWR 10T 'Bloater' Fish Van GWR Brown (GW) £           29.95

E87058 GWR 10T 'Bloater A' Fish Van GWR Brown (GW) £           29.95

E87059 GWR 10T 'Bloater' Fish Van GWR Brown (Shirtbutton) £           29.95

E87060 GWR 10T 'Bloater' Fish Van BR Crimson £           29.95

E87061 GWR 10T 'Bloater' Fish Van BR Crimson £           29.95

[gwrrob]

An absolute bargain at that spec for this model.

[spamcan61]

11 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

An absolute bargain at that spec for this model.

Agreed, how/why it's cheaper than a Palvan eludes me, but shan't complain.

 

EDIT: maybe the lack of fiddly handrails etc. compared with the Palvan makes the difference 

Edited May 1 by spamcan61

[46444]

Brilliant news from EFE Rail.

 

Can't beat a Bloater!

 

Out of interest would the chassis on this Bloater cover other GWR wagon diagrams such as the Fruit D?

[Pteremy]

Nice choice. Doesn't look as if they have included the gas piping on the roof, but maybe that is just the photograph.

['CHARD]

That's a great budget model to add to a Sixties parcels and miscellaneous lash-up, in crimson. Smashing!

[Jon Harbour]

Very tempting. I think I'll end up with all three GWR models.

[Steamport Southport]

24 minutes ago, 46444 said:

Brilliant news from EFE Rail.

 

Can't beat a Bloater!

 

Out of interest would the chassis on this Bloater cover other GWR wagon diagrams such as the Fruit D?

 

I think it would also cover the large Minks. ISTR that Ian Kirk and then Parkside used the same chassis for their different types.

 

 

Jason

[County of Yorkshire]

These are welcome, but a shame they duplicate the serviceable Parkside kit. Agree that they are keenly priced - should be just over £25 after retailers discount, which for a long wheelbase van is very competitive! 
 

I think this is the first new true GWR rolling stock (not counting the post-Nat autocoach) from Bachmann/EFE since the shunters truck about 10-12 years ago? 

[Cwmtwrch]

20 minutes ago, 46444 said:

Out of interest would the chassis on this Bloater cover other GWR wagon diagrams such as the Fruit D?

The Y11 Fruit D had the same wheelbase but different brake gear, spring suspension and steps.

 

4 minutes ago, 'CHARD said:

That's a great budget model to add to a Sixties parcels and miscellaneous lash-up, in crimson.

Some were converted to parcels vans circa 1948, but with the bodies substantially rebuilt; any survivors would not have been in fish traffic in the 1960s. Even the modern InSixFish had been transferred away from the WR, and photographs suggest what limited fish traffic there still was on the WR was in BR 4-wheel lwb insulated vans.

 

3 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

I think it would also cover the large Minks. ISTR that Ian Kirk and then Parkside used the same chassis for their different types.

The same issues apply as apply to Y11 above, plus different wheelbases [apart from the last 50 of V9] and only two doors.

['CHARD]

1 hour ago, Cwmtwrch said:

 

Some were converted to parcels vans circa 1948, but with the bodies substantially rebuilt; any survivors would not have been in fish traffic in the 1960s. 

 

Exactly the thing for a parcels and miscellaneous lash-up in Crimson, then!

 

Super!

[gwrrob]

1 hour ago, County of Yorkshire said:

These are welcome, but a shame they duplicate the serviceable Parkside kit.

 

As someone who was never happy with his kit built version, particularly the steps, these are very welcome @County of Yorkshire

[JSpencer]

All these new fish vans are starting to make me feel bloated....

 

Nice one EFE

[GMKAT7]

Good afternoon folks,

 

As someone who has previously built Parkside ER and Cambrian LMR fish vans I couldn't wait to order a Rapido Diagram 1/801 Fish Van and now the EFE Bloater will join that collection.

 

Plus, it can run with my Bachmann ER fish van as well.

And there was me trying to order/build more minerals and opens instead of more vans 🙄

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[31A]

3 hours ago, Cwmtwrch said:

Some were converted to parcels vans circa 1948, but with the bodies substantially rebuilt; any survivors would not have been in fish traffic in the 1960s.

 

Not sure whether it's been commented on already, but the second of the BR liveried vans pictured above has a different body in that the louvres between the planks are absent - would this be the rebuilding referred to?

 

[Graham_Muz]

3 minutes ago, 31A said:

 

Not sure whether it's been commented on already, but the second of the BR liveried vans pictured above has a different body in that the louvres between the planks are absent - would this be the rebuilding referred to?

 

 

E87061 is a Diagram S10 and therefore without the louvres.

[gwrrob]

Whilst you're on here Graham @Graham_Muz can you confirm the lack of pipework on the roof of the shirtbutton [2603] is correct please. A model photo shewing the roof would be nice too.😉

[Steamport Southport]

Some details for those considering one (or several).

 

https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh3062.htm

 

 

 

Jason

[Fat Controller]

Did any find their way into 'ENPARTS' use?

[Cwmtwrch]

2 hours ago, 31A said:

Not sure whether it's been commented on already, but the second of the BR liveried vans pictured above has a different body in that the louvres between the planks are absent - would this be the rebuilding referred to?

Only partly. Rebuilding involved the disappearance of the side and end vents of those Bloaters which had them, but more noticeably the replacement of the sliding doors by cupboard doors.

2 hours ago, Graham_Muz said:

E87061 is a Diagram S10 and therefore without the louvres.

But it should have end louvres according to Peter Tatlow [Historic Carriage Drawings vol. 3].

Edited May 1 by Cwmtwrch

[37079]

My understanding was that S8 should have spindle buffers rather than S/C and S10 should have six shell roof vents not 4, and vents in the ends as built. S8 and S9 also gained the shell vents (six) from the mid-1920s. The crimson S10 is probably reflective of the final condition, note that some in parcel traffic had flush hinged doors (but not all). And finally most appear to have had upright vac pipes throughout their careers.

 

For those with the Parkside kit already, the second BR version is probably the most useful as it's a royal PITA to remove the side vents.

 

The John Lewis articles in GWRJ are pretty definitive on these.

 

It's a nice model, but if specific details matter to youthe 57 version needs different buffers to be right from building to 1925, 58 version is only correct up to circa 1925, the 59/60 versions are not entirely correct for any era, and the 61 version is possibly OK for 1948-56 although most would have retained roof vents based on photos I have seen.

 

All that said, it's a nice model and very welcome.

 

Mike

[37079]

Just in the interests of balance - the Parkside kit only represents S8 as built ie louvred planking on sides and ends, gas lighting and no roof vents, and has generic buffers which are wrong for any version so there's less work to do to get these 'right', plus you don't need to build the kit!

 

Also, just for clarity on flush planking of the side and end louvres, some parcel vans got hinged doors but not all, so the final BR version basic body style shown is broadly right for a number of later period S8/9/10.

 

Mike

[Michael Hodgson]

Will it smell the same as the real one?😬

[County of Yorkshire]

5 hours ago, gwrrob said:

 

As someone who was never happy with his kit built version, particularly the steps, these are very welcome @County of Yorkshire

Thanks Rob, I wasn’t aware of the kit’s deficiencies! 

[Pteremy]

Some years ago I tried to modify the Parkside kit to give it a post war appearance, with some of the louvres replaced in a haphazard fashion. But I couldn't get it to work. The main issue I had was scribing the edges of the 'replacement' planking to match the kit moulding - the filler was prone to flaking away from the plastic, giving an uneven edge. I tried a couple of different types of filler but the result was the same. I think I even bought a different product to try but the moment had passed. It will be interesting to see whether that sort of conversion will work better with the RTR version.