Dapol BR Box Vans

A detailed model of the British Railways planked sides diagram 1/208 ventilated box van.
British Railways standard design of box van could be built in several forms, the principle variations being the use of planked construction or plywood sheathing fitted to the standard side framework. Separate diagram numbers were issued to try to identify which construction method was used, diagram book one having page 208 allocated for planked vans and 218 for plywood sided vans. However numerous mis-recorded wagons have been noted!

Model of the second type of British Railways insulated banana van featuring the LMS style body with plug type doors mounted on a standard British Railways 10ft wheelbase chassis. Initially steam heated the yellow spots were applied when additional insulation was fitted, it being found that the extra insulation was capable of maintaining a steady internal temperature throughout the journey.

Model of the second type of British Railways insulated banana van featuring the LMS style body with plug type doors mounted on a standard British Railways 10ft wheelbase chassis. Initially steam heated the yellow spots were applied when additional insulation was fitted, it being found that the extra insulation was capable of maintaining a steady internal temperature throughout the journey.

Model of the second type of British Railways insulated banana van featuring the LMS style body with plug type doors mounted on a standard British Railways 10ft wheelbase chassis. Initially steam heated the yellow spots were applied when additional insulation was fitted, it being found that the extra insulation was capable of maintaining a steady internal temperature throughout the journey.

Model of the second type of British Railways insulated banana van featuring the LMS style body with plug type doors mounted on a standard British Railways 10ft wheelbase chassis. Initially steam heated the yellow spots were applied when additional insulation was fitted, it being found that the extra insulation was capable of maintaining a steady internal temperature throughout the journey.

Following the introduction of the long wheel base air braked wagons for express goods services problems emerged with getting these large wagons into some industry facilities, especially military depots, designed for the old short-wheelbase wagons. To accommodate traffic to these locations BR upgraded 550 Vanwide wagons between 1977 and 1983, equipping them with modern friction link auxiliary suspension suitable for running up to 60mph, roller bearings and air brakes. These wagons took the next letter in the TOPS coding system, becoming VEA, for Van, type E, Air brake.
This Dapol model of air barked VEA Vanwide 230026 is finished in BR freight brown livery, as applied when first upgraded in the mid 1970s and carried until the Railfreight livery was introduced in the early 1980s.

Following the introduction of the long wheel base air braked wagons for express goods services problems emerged with getting these large wagons into some industry facilities, especially military depots, designed for the old short-wheelbase wagons. To accommodate traffic to these locations BR upgraded 550 Vanwide wagons between 1977 and 1983, equipping them with modern friction link auxiliary suspension suitable for running up to 60mph, roller bearings and air brakes. These wagons took the next letter in the TOPS coding system, becoming VEA, for Van, type E, Air brake.
This Dapol model of air barked VEA Vanwide 230034 is finished in BR freight brown livery, as applied when first upgraded in the mid 1970s and carried until the Railfreight livery was introduced in the early 1980s.

Following the introduction of the long wheel base air braked wagons for express goods services problems emerged with getting these large wagons into some industry facilities, especially military depots, designed for the old short-wheelbase wagons. To accommodate traffic to these locations BR upgraded 550 Vanwide wagons between 1977 and 1983, equipping them with modern friction link auxiliary suspension suitable for running up to 60mph, roller bearings and air brakes. These wagons took the next letter in the TOPS coding system, becoming VEA, for Van, type E, Air brake.
This Dapol model of air barked VEA Vanwide 230142 is finished in the British Army green with yellow ends livery applied to the VEA vans operated by the MoD from circa 1990 onwards.

British Railways second design of wagon with wide door opening arrangements for the mechanical loading of palletised loads the VanWide, BR diagram 1/217, featured a pair of sliding plug doors providing a 9ft opening accessing the central portion of the wagon. 2000 wagons were built at Derby and Wolverton in 1961-2, all with vacuum train brakes, with the last of these VanWides being withdrawn in the early 1980s. In 1977 a batch, ultimately 550 vans, were upgraded with more modern suspension, roller bearings and air brakes, for ongoing service with the new air braked wagons on Speedlink services until 1994.
This Dapol model of vacuum braked Vanwide B783773 is finished in BR freight brown livery with boxed TOPS code VEV lettering, carried from the mid 1970s.

British Railways second design of wagon with wide door opening arrangements for the mechanical loading of palletised loads the VanWide, BR diagram 1/217, featured a pair of sliding plug doors providing a 9ft opening accessing the central portion of the wagon. 2000 wagons were built at Derby and Wolverton in 1961-2, all with vacuum train brakes, with the last of these VanWides being withdrawn in the early 1980s. In 1977 a batch, ultimately 550 vans, were upgraded with more modern suspension, roller bearings and air brakes, for ongoing service with the new air braked wagons on Speedlink services until 1994.
This Dapol model of vacuum braked Vanwide B784641 is finished in BR freight brown livery with stencilled TOPS code VWV, carried from the mid 1970s. VWV was the usual TOPS code for VanWide vans in general service.

British Railways second design of wagon with wide door opening arrangements for the mechanical loading of palletised loads the VanWide, BR diagram 1/217, featured a pair of sliding plug doors providing a 9ft opening accessing the central portion of the wagon. 2000 wagons were built at Derby and Wolverton in 1961-2, all with vacuum train brakes, with the last of these VanWides being withdrawn in the early 1980s. In 1977 a batch, ultimately 550 vans, were upgraded with more modern suspension, roller bearings and air brakes, for ongoing service with the new air braked wagons on Speedlink services until 1994.
This Dapol model of vacuum braked Vanwide B784479 is finished in BR freight brown livery pre-TOPS codes as applied at building, carried during the 1960s and early 1970s.

British Railways second design of wagon with wide door opening arrangements for the mechanical loading of palletised loads the VanWide, BR diagram 1/217, featured a pair of sliding plug doors providing a 9ft opening accessing the central portion of the wagon. 2000 wagons were built at Derby and Wolverton in 1961-2, all with vacuum train brakes, with the last of these VanWides being withdrawn in the early 1980s. In 1977 a batch, ultimately 550 vans, were upgraded with more modern suspension, roller bearings and air brakes, for ongoing service with the new air braked wagons on Speedlink services until 1994.
This Dapol model of vacuum braked Vanwide B784479 is finished in BR freight brown livery with boxed lettering and stencilled TOPS code VMV add on a black background patch. Mid 1970s. VMV was the code applied to Vanwide wagons allocated to MoD traffic.

 The BR ventilated meat vans were readily identifiable by the column of four ventilator bonnets down the central panel of the pressed steel ends and louvre vent panels either side of the doors. These vans were originally painted in the passenger crimson livery, but as the premium rate perishables business declined most were repainted into the standard fitted goods bauxite livery and used as general purpose ventilated box vans.

The Dapol O gauge British Railways meat van makes an excellent alternative to the standard ventilated box vans when making up a train. The extra end and side vents on the vans make them noticeably different, but empty meat vans were regularly used for other loads. In addition these vans were originally painted in passenger crimson livery, though most slowly turned brown, even if not actually repainted into goods bauxite.
The Dapol model features a detailed moulded plastic body on a compensated diecast chassis with plastic running gear and brake detail. Metal wheels and axles are fitted along with sprung buffers and BR 'instanter' 3 link couplings.

Model of the standard British Railways plywood sided ventilated box van to diagram 1/213 finished as wagon B766440 in bauxite livery.

British Railways standard design of box van could be built in several forms, the standard ventilated vans could have planked of plywood sheathing fitted to the standard side framework. Separate diagram numbers were issued to try to identify which construction method was used, diagram book one having page 208 allocated for planked vans and 213 for plywood sided vans.
This model replicates the plywood sided version with two-section corrugated ends.

British Railways standard design of box van could be built in several forms, the standard ventilated vans could have planked of plywood sheathing fitted to the standard side framework. Separate diagram numbers were issued to try to identify which construction method was used, diagram book one having page 208 allocated for planked vans and 213 for plywood sided vans.
This model replicates the plywood sided version with two-section corrugated ends.

British Railways standard design of box van could be built in several forms, the standard ventilated vans could have planked of plywood sheathing fitted to the standard side framework. Separate diagram numbers were issued to try to identify which construction method was used, diagram book one having page 208 allocated for planked vans and 218 for plywood sided vans.
This model replicates the planked side version with three-section corrugated ends

British Railways standard design of box van could be built in several forms, the standard ventilated vans could have planked of plywood sheathing fitted to the standard side framework. Separate diagram numbers were issued to try to identify which construction method was used, diagram book one having page 208 allocated for planked vans and 218 for plywood sided vans.
This model replicates the planked side version with three-section corrugated ends.

British Railways standard design of box van could be built in several forms, the standard ventilated vans could have planked of plywood sheathing fitted to the standard side framework. Separate diagram numbers were issued to try to identify which construction method was used, diagram book one having page 208 allocated for planked vans and 213 for plywood sided vans, though the construction of individual wagons didn't always match the officially recorded diagram!
This model replicates the plywood sided version with two-section corrugated ends.

Model of the Insulated version of the standard British Railways covered box van design with unventilated ends and internal insulation for the carriage of frozen meat, using solid CO2 as a refrigerant. These wagons were painted in a distinctive livery to ensure easy identification, wagon B872150 is modelled in the blue livery.

British Railways standard design of box van could be built in several forms including with additional sheathing to provide an insulated van suitable for conveying refrigerated or frozen meat. Externally these vans were visually identical to the standard ventilated van, except that the ends lacked the ventilator bonnet. To ease prompt identification by staff insulated vans these were usually painted in blue or white livery.

The LMS introduced a new style of body for their standard 12ton box vans in 1935 with pressed steel ends and horizontal planking. 7,500 were built to Diagram D1897 in the later 1930s, Lots 823, 824 & 825 being vacuum fitted whilst Lot 826, 838, 839 and 840 were unfitted. Many further examples of these vans were built, including batches constructed after nationalisation, bringing the total to around 21,000!
LMS-built vacuum fitted vans usually had 'J hanger' suspension with rubber secondary spring pads but non-vacuum vans often had the standard RCH springing. Many of these vans were later equipped with vacuum brakes by British Railways in the 1950s, these conversions normally having low-level 'coach type' train brake hoses.

The LMS introduced a new style of body for their standard 12ton box vans in 1935 with pressed steel ends and horizontal planking. 7,500 were built to Diagram D1897 in the later 1930s, Lots 823, 824 & 825 being vacuum fitted whilst Lot 826, 838, 839 and 840 were unfitted. Many further examples of these vans were built, including batches constructed after nationalisation, bringing the total to around 21,000!
LMS-built vacuum fitted vans usually had 'J hanger' suspension with rubber secondary spring pads but non-vacuum vans often had the standard RCH springing. Many of these vans were later equipped with vacuum brakes by British Railways in the 1950s, these conversions normally having low-level 'coach type' train brake hoses.

The LMS introduced a new style of body for their standard 12ton box vans in 1935 with pressed steel ends and horizontal planking. 7,500 were built to Diagram D1897 in the later 1930s, Lots 823, 824 & 825 being vacuum fitted whilst Lot 826, 838, 839 and 840 were unfitted. Many further examples of these vans were built, including batches constructed after nationalisation, bringing the total to around 21,000!
LMS-built vacuum fitted vans usually had 'J hanger' suspension with rubber secondary spring pads but non-vacuum vans often had the standard RCH springing. Many of these vans were later equipped with vacuum brakes by British Railways in the 1950s, these conversions normally having low-level 'coach type' train brake hoses.

From 1927 the GWR adopted the RCH 17ft6in length steel underframe as the standard for their goods wagons, initially with a 9ft wheelbase and changed to 10ft wheelbase from 1932. Vans to the same basic designs were built with and without vacuum train brakes, with diagram revisions often being due to internal or constructional changes.
Over 8,500 vans were built to diagrams V23 (vacuum fitted) and V24 (unfitted) between 1933 & 1943, with a further 265 on diagram V26 with internal partitioning coded PARTO and often assigned for Huntly & Palmers biscuits.

From 1927 the GWR adopted the RCH 17ft6in length steel underframe as the standard for their goods wagons, initially with a 9ft wheelbase and changed to 10ft wheelbase from 1932. Vans to the same basic designs were built with and without vacuum train brakes, with diagram revisions often being due to internal or constructional changes.
Over 8,500 vans were built to diagrams V23 (vacuum fitted) and V24 (unfitted) between 1933 & 1943, with a further 265 on diagram V26 with internal partitioning coded PARTO and often assigned for Huntly & Palmers biscuits.

From 1927 the GWR adopted the RCH 17ft6in length steel underframe as the standard for their goods wagons, initially with a 9ft wheelbase and changed to 10ft wheelbase from 1932. Vans to the same basic designs were built with and without vacuum train brakes, with diagram revisions often being due to internal or constructional changes.
Over 8,500 vans were built to diagrams V23 (vacuum fitted) and V24 (unfitted) between 1933 & 1943, with a further 265 on diagram V26 with internal partitioning coded PARTO and often assigned for Huntly & Palmers biscuits.

From 1927 the GWR adopted the RCH 17ft6in length steel underframe as the standard for their goods wagons, initially with a 9ft wheelbase and changed to 10ft wheelbase from 1932. Vans to the same basic designs were built with and without vacuum train brakes, with diagram revisions often being due to internal or constructional changes.
Over 8,500 vans were built to diagrams V23 (vacuum fitted) and V24 (unfitted) between 1933 & 1943, with a further 265 on diagram V26 with internal partitioning coded PARTO and often assigned for Huntly & Palmers biscuits.

From 1927 the GWR adopted the RCH 17ft6in length steel underframe as the standard for their goods wagons, initially with a 9ft wheelbase and changed to 10ft wheelbase from 1932. Vans to the same basic designs were built with and without vacuum train brakes, with diagram revisions often being due to internal or constructional changes.
Over 8,500 vans were built to diagrams V23 (vacuum fitted) and V24 (unfitted) between 1933 & 1943, with a further 265 on diagram V26 with internal partitioning coded PARTO and often assigned for Huntly & Palmers biscuits.

Following the same design style as the standard ventilated vans of the period 200 of these fruit wagons were constructed in 1937-8. Used for fruit traffic from the Channel Islands via Weymouth, amounting to over 16,000 tons per year in the 1930s, additional ventilation and air flow provided by louvres along the body sides in addition to the bonnet vents in the ends. Classed as fruit vans they were allocated diagram Y8 in the GWR sequence the provision of standard doors allowed the wagons to be used as standard box vans for return loads and when not needed for fruit.
A further batch was built at Swindon after nationalisation and allocated B prefixed numbers, these vans featuring plywood clad ends and doors.

Following the same design style as the standard ventilated vans of the period 200 of these fruit wagons were constructed in 1937-8. Used for fruit traffic from the Channel Islands via Weymouth, amounting to over 16,000 tons per year in the 1930s, additional ventilation and air flow provided by louvres along the body sides in addition to the bonnet vents in the ends. Classed as fruit vans they were allocated diagram Y8 in the GWR sequence the provision of standard doors allowed the wagons to be used as standard box vans for return loads and when not needed for fruit.
A further batch was built at Swindon after nationalisation and allocated B prefixed numbers, these vans featuring plywood clad ends and doors.

From 1927 the GWR adopted the RCH 17ft6in length steel underframe as the standard for their goods wagons, initially with a 9ft wheelbase and changed to 10ft wheelbase from 1932.
The MOGO vans were fitted with end doors and drop-flaps, allowing road vehicles, typically motor cars, to be rolled inside from an end loading dock, the drop flap providing a bridge over the buffers. The vans were also fitted with standard side doors, allowing them to be used as normal ventilated vans.
Model finished in GWR goods grey livery.

From 1927 the GWR adopted the RCH 17ft6in length steel underframe as the standard for their goods wagons, initially with a 9ft wheelbase and changed to 10ft wheelbase from 1932.
The MOGO vans were fitted with end doors and drop-flaps, allowing road vehicles, typically motor cars, to be rolled inside from an end loading dock, the drop flap providing a bridge over the buffers. The vans were also fitted with standard side doors, allowing them to be used as normal ventilated vans.
Model finished in GWR goods grey livery.

On taking office as CME of the SECR Richard Maunsell recruited a number of his senior staff from Swindon, including appointing Lionel Lynes to lead the carriage and wagon drawing office. Lynes produced the tri-arc roof outline for the SECRs new passenger luggage vans and ventilated box vans, both types being adopted as standard designs by the Southern Railway.
Built from WW1 until circa 1950 many of these vans ran into the 1970s, with many being equipped with vacuum trains brakes by BR. The distinctive roof outline is immediately noticeable in a train and this is a great addition to the Dapol RTR range.

On taking office as CME of the SECR Richard Maunsell recruited a number of his senior staff from Swindon, including appointing Lionel Lynes to lead the carriage and wagon drawing office. Lynes produced the tri-arc roof outline for the SECRs new passenger luggage vans and ventilated box vans, both types being adopted as standard designs by the Southern Railway.
Built from WW1 until circa 1950 many of these vans ran into the 1970s, with many being equipped with vacuum trains brakes by BR. The distinctive roof outline is immediately noticeable in a train and this is a great addition to the Dapol RTR range.
This van is finished as a PARTO van, meaning it has internal dividers to prevent loads from shifting. Many PARTO vans were allocated to Huntley & Palmers of Reading for conveying biscuits.