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Hi Gareth, Above solebar level they are identical, but the GWR version would have 2-shoe unfitted morton brakegear (as did the first BR diagram 1/573) whereas the flangeway model appears to have the later 8-shoe clasp brake vacuum-fitted brakegear which looks quite distinctively different. The Cambrian kit also features the later brakegear, but being a kit is probably a better starting point for modification (and has a more prototypical 'see through' underframe as well). Mike

The situation which Network Rail are attempting to manage is quite complex and this means that providing a firm guaranteed date for reopening will be impossible at this stage. Essentially the July date for reopening is the best case scenario, and September the worst case scenario. Regarding the Selby blockade, I can't really see how it could go ahead if Hatfield hasn't reopened - it will more or less cut Hull and Bridlington off from South/West Yorkshire for the summer holidays because the route via Knottingley is of very limited capacity and the potential passenger operators are going to have a problem with traincrew knowledge (not to mention competing with freight for paths) to maintain a service that can cope with overall demand. Oh, and Sudforth Lane is blocked on weekends for renewals... Mike

Hi there, The only decent published picture of a grey O13 I can recall seeing is in 'Freight Wagons and Loads in Service on the Great Western...' by Russell. The vehicle in question is W94004 which is in what might be described as a transition livery. It appears to be painted in a slightly darker shade than what became the standard shade. It also appears all ironwork including the underframe is grey. The lettering consists of : W94004 with 12T above it on a black patch to the left hand end (ie. standard early BR style) but with the tare on the right hand end in italics (GWR style). It is also marked 'Return to Fowey' on the middle plank immediately to the left of the drop door, again on a black patch. Finally, it has the diagonal ironwork painted white at the end with the door. There is also a picture of W94071 with grey ironwork and unpainted planking, lettering is not all visible but appears similar to W94004 - this vehicle is (unusually?) fitted with a sheet rail. Most were not, but all would have run tarpaulined when loaded. It may be worth pointing out that by 1948, all O13 appear to have had their original DC2 brakegear (as included with the kit) replaced with conventional independent brakes. Hope this helps, Mike

Further to the 17'6'' mineral wagon as mentioned above, I seem to recall a picture in Iain Rice's 'Detailing & Modifying RTR Wagons' of a non-convertible 7 or 8 plank coke wagon with what looks suspiciously like a 10ft wheelbase (although conversely this wagon appears to be 16'6'' long). There are no definitive measurements given for the wagon, but this in combination with the Rossington wagon has made me wonder if against all odds, Airfix got it right? I know the overwhelming balance of probability might suggest otherwise, but unlike the original Mainline range, I can't think of another stretched, mis-shapen or otherwise duff wagon body in the original Airfix range. As with the so-called 'LNER loco coal wagon' that is actually a pretty accurate rendition of an obscure PO design, it would be nice to think that someone could turn up evidence to show the Airfix 7-plank is based on a real vehicle. Intriguing... Mike

I think wagon 2 is actually the Ratio version of the LMS Medfit - the underframe is the same as that used in the SR vans. The Parkside version uses the same underframe as their original BR vans and is less delicate than the Ratio version. Cheers, Mike

According to the advert in Railway Modeller, this is to be the next release in 4mm scale (unless I read it wrong). You wait years for a horsebox then several come along at once... Mike

I would also add to the growing bibliography: - Geoff Kent's 4mm wagon part 2 (Wild Swan) which contains lots of info on various pre-war tank wagons and a section on upgrading the Airfix kit. - David Larkin's Private Owner Freight Wagons on British Railways (Bradford Barton) - long out of print. According to the former, there were at least some 14t tank wagons with 4-shoe Morton brake (both illustrated belong to United Molasses) so the Morton clutch on the Bachmann tanks is not necessarily wrong - although it is paired with twin v-hangers! Unfortunately, neither the Mainline or Bachmann versions in United Molasses livery match the prototypes exactly. The Larkin book has a British Sugar 14t tanker with the same brake gear arrangement although again it is not a match for any of the Bachmann/Mainline versions. Pure speculation, but based on the rest of the ranges it wouldn't surprise me if the ex-Airfix RTR 20 tonner is a remarkably accurate portrayal of a real prototype and the Mainline 14 tonner is an approximation of a real wagon stretched or shrunk to fit the chassis. The latter is still a nice moulding,though.

31110 was still painted in (very tatty) dutch in July 1999 which is my last photo of it before it went green. 31113 was another skinhead still operational in dutch into 1999. Of the other dutch Skinheads, only 31105 was painted TTG with Transrail logos (from dutch), 31106/107 were dutch when they were named and stayed that way until withdrawl (31107 in 1995 according to WNXX and 31106 was around the same time from memory). Mike