A detailed plastic kit building a model of the WW1 War Department class E bogie open wagon with lower central well floor.
Similar to the more numerous D class the E class featured a lowered floor between the bogies forming a well suitable for carrying taller loads or for light weight loads like hay for horses. It appears both soldiers and later railway operators found these wagons rather inconvenient to use, the design of the upper drop doors leaving a bar along the side at floor level, preventing easy loading and unloading of the well section. While many found post-war buyers, it appears these were only used if no alternative wagons were available!
Bachmann are producing a model of the more common D class wagons, this kit offers an alternative to add variety to a wagon fleet. Kit building also allows the builder to alter a model during construction, either in prototype fashion to model a wagon with the well area boarded over, or more drastic alterations to create a side-less well wagon, or with sides altered to give full height doors hinged from the bottom of the well area.