Ferry wagons

[britishcolumbian]

So these aren't British subjects per se, but Arnold/Hornby announced for this year three DR (East German) refrigerated ferry wagons:

 

https://de.arnoldmodel.com/products/dr-refrigerated-wagon-veb-fischwerk-sassnitz-period-iv-hn9740?

https://de.arnoldmodel.com/products/dr-2-unit-pack-refrigerated-wagons-wernesgruner-pilsator-wernesgruner-pilsener-period-iv-hn9741?

https://de.arnoldmodel.com/products/dr-refrigerated-wagon-radeberger-pilsner-period-iv-hn9742

 

Which as ferry wagons I imagine could have shown up in the UK on occasion, if there was a market for East German beer and fish... (cut price chip shop?)

 

A Czech short-run producer named Krokodil did a model of these Italian Interfrigo wagons at some point, though I'm not sure of their availability now

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/ferryitalianinterfrigo

 

I think I vaguely recall Tillig and/or Roco etc having released some other ferry wagons, but I don't remember specifics.

[andythenorth]

Using David Larkin's Ferry Wagons book as a guide.

 

All of the following lack ferry fittings, and might be out of gauge for the UK, but are otherwise close to vehicles used in the UK.  They won't match exact diagrams, but squint and it might be ok?

 

These are taken from https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/Loco+_and_+Wagons/Freight+cars+_and_+Goods+Wagons/gb/liste.html?spur=TT&gattung=Freight+cars+_and_+Goods+Wagons

 

Low-side stake flats widely worked into the UK.

Loads included steel, machinery, and delivery of railway bogies, and I believe occasionally military vehicles.

Busch 31504 (and similar)

 

High side 2 axle opens

Similar styles were used by SNCF (50)  and SNCB (20) on a range of traffics

 

Tillig have a range of different door styles, and a variant with extended ends and a cover.  There's a 3 pack here https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/Freight+cars+%26+Goods+Wagons/Gondola/Tillig-01036/gb/modell_372848.html

 

 

Twin cone cement wagons

20 wagons similar to this worked in the UK in cement traffic.

 

 

2 axle vans

Probably out of gauge for UK, would have to buy one to find out I think.  Very similar pattern to vans that worked widely across the UK, but they tended to a relatively small height, judging by photos.

 

 

Tank wagons

There were so many tank wagon types that anything that fits the loading gauge could be fair game.  And in some cases it might just be a case of modifying the top rails on the catwalk.

 

 

 

Very similar barrel design to some VTG wagons used in ethylene-glycol traffic in the UK.  Different colour though.

 

[andythenorth]

4 axle curtain flat

I suspect these are seriously out of gauge, which is a shame as they're nicely done, and there's a range of liveries.

 

 

4 axle sliding wall/roof van

These are interesting as they have ferry fittings, but the UIC code is Hablins, and I think they're also seriously out of gauge for the UK.  Probably for  traffic to the nordics which maybe uses ferries?

[britishcolumbian]

31 minutes ago, andythenorth said:

These are interesting as they have ferry fittings, but the UIC code is Hablins, and I think they're also seriously out of gauge for the UK.  Probably for  traffic to the nordics which maybe uses ferries?

 

I think you're right - if I'm not wrong, Nordwaggon is a Swedish company. However there are similar cars seen here at https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/ferryvan   - some of these look similar to models made by Roco and I think others, but that needs closer inspection.

[andythenorth]

19 hours ago, britishcolumbian said:

Some of these look similar to models made by Roco and I think others, but that needs closer inspection.

 

The european loading gauge vans (UIC code Hablins or similar) are strikingly larger than the UK gauge equivalents (Habfis and similar) 😉

 

Picture isn't ideal, but shows the difference.  (Picture isn't mine, found via Google Images).

 

Edited June 21, 2022 by andythenorth

[britishcolumbian]

Wow.

[René Cortis]

Hädl has also a ferry wagon: https://tt.haedl.de/product-829.html

 

 

[andythenorth]

7 hours ago, René Cortis said:

Hädl has also a ferry wagon: https://tt.haedl.de/product-829.html

 

Nice find.  Also from Hädl, there's a (non-ferry-fitted) tanker that is similar to tankers used in UK bromine traffic. 

 

https://tt.haedl.de/Chemiekesselwagen-Uchs-zweiachsig--DR-Epoche-IV--TT.html

 

[britishcolumbian]

That tanker is a nifty looking thing. Knowing nothing about British tankers yet, how much work would it be to Brit-ify that?

[BR traction instructor]

…it doesn’t resemble any tank wagon that I’ve seen on the British mainland.

 

The site link below gives a reasonable flavour of what was seen here

 

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/ferrychemictank

 

Have a look at the St Ruth layout on this site for some images of demountable bromine tanks that ran between Hayle and London during the late 60s/early 70s.

 

BeRTIe

Edited June 21, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[andythenorth]

1 hour ago, BR traction instructor said:

…it doesn’t resemble any tank wagon that I’ve seen on the British mainland.

 

The tank cars in niche chemicals traffic seem to be very niche.

 

Also from Paul's site:

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/dowbromine

 

The resemblance is far from complete, but eh. 😉

Edited June 21, 2022 by andythenorth

[maridunian]

On 21/06/2022 at 07:20, andythenorth said:

 

Nice find.  Also from Hädl, there's a (non-ferry-fitted) tanker that is similar to tankers used in UK bromine traffic. 

 

https://tt.haedl.de/Chemiekesselwagen-Uchs-zweiachsig--DR-Epoche-IV--TT.html

 

 

Seems quite similar to some of the Associated Octel wagons - https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/paulbartlettsrailwaywagonphotographs/h33f06928

 

Tank looks smaller, but it might just be that it's mounted on a larger wagon! 

 

Mike 

[andythenorth]

On 20/06/2022 at 22:35, andythenorth said:

 

The european loading gauge vans (UIC code Hablins or similar) are strikingly larger than the UK gauge equivalents (Habfis and similar) 😉

 

Further research suggests the image I posted might reflect stark contrast between UK and the very large Deutsche Bahn gauge, per page 10  here 🙂 https://nl.dbcargo.com/resource/blob/1430008/9767e97bb070ccbbf77efd84e7d64948/freight_wagon_catalog_v2011-data.pdf

 

"The Deutsche Bahn loading gauge is also used in the following countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Syria and Turkey"

 

"A number of countries, including France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland have smaller loading gauges and this must be taken into account as described above when planning crossborder rail freight shipments involving these countries"  

 

So the contrast won't be as striking between UK gauge and what DB call 'international gauge' (which I think is synonymous with 'berne gauge').  But nonetheless it will be noticeable 😉

 

This is a good illustration of DB gauge vs 'international gauge ' , neither of these wagons would comply with UK loading gauge.

[britishcolumbian]

Interesting that Spain and Portugal should have smaller loading gauges given their track gauge is like 8 inches wider...

[Fat Controller]

38 minutes ago, britishcolumbian said:

Interesting that Spain and Portugal should have smaller loading gauges given their track gauge is like 8 inches wider...

Most of the Iberian network was designed and built by British contractors, I believe, which may explain it. The same applies to part of the French network, notably the Cherbourg and Le Havre lines. A lot of money had to be spent on the latter to enable ISO boxes to be conveyed, including rebuilding and electrifying a line which avoided the Rouen area.

A good place to see the contrast between loading gauges is in the lower Rhone valley. The major car companies, notably VAG, run trains between their Iberian plants and those in Germany and beyond. Such trains are composed of a mixture of bogie vans to Berne and German loading gauges, and some of the bogie and 4-wheel Transfesa ex-Ferry vans to UK Gauge.

[F-UnitMad]

I'd like to see some suitable ferry chemical tankers - a regular traffic flow to a Midlands chemical works I used to live near gives me an idea for a layout. Haulage was often by Class 31 😉

The trafficstopped when the Chunnel opened & the rail ferry stopped, around 1995. 🙄

[Ravenser]

On 26/06/2022 at 09:48, andythenorth said:

 

Further research suggests the image I posted might reflect stark contrast between UK and the very large Deutsche Bahn gauge, per page 10  here 🙂 https://nl.dbcargo.com/resource/blob/1430008/9767e97bb070ccbbf77efd84e7d64948/freight_wagon_catalog_v2011-data.pdf

 

"The Deutsche Bahn loading gauge is also used in the following countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Syria and Turkey"

 

"A number of countries, including France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland have smaller loading gauges and this must be taken into account as described above when planning crossborder rail freight shipments involving these countries"  

 

So the contrast won't be as striking between UK gauge and what DB call 'international gauge' (which I think is synonymous with 'berne gauge').  But nonetheless it will be noticeable 😉

 

This is a good illustration of DB gauge vs 'international gauge ' , neither of these wagons would comply with UK loading gauge.

 

There may be an awkward surprise in store , because the areas where TT is currently strong all seem to be to "DB gauge"