Bachmann 393-053 Welsh Highland Railway ex-WD Type D Bogie Open Wagon WHR Red OO9
The type D bogie open wagon was one of the more versatile wagons built for the War Department Light Railways. The two-part drop sides allowed the wagons to be emptied easily when carrying aggregates, while shells, rations, ammunition, timber, fuel and water in cans and even troops could be carried easily.
Model finished in WHR red goods wagon livery.
The Welsh Highland Railway was one of many narrow gauge lines to take advantage of the cheap but robust and serviceable war surplus rolling stock being sold by the government after WW1. The WHR also purchased a WD Baldwin 4-6-0 locomotive, though the rigid framed engine proved less suitable for the line than the companies' distinctive Fairlie bogie type steam engines. The current day Welsh Highland heritage railway is rebuilding another Baldwin obtained from a sugar plantation in India to replicate the original WHR number 590.
The Welsh Highland appear to have acquired four ex-WD D type wagons in 1925, using then for coal deliveries, particularly to Beddgelert. An additional 3 wagons were added in 1936, exchanged with the Festiniog Railway for WHR coach 24. Other D type wagons may have been owned by or worked over the Welsh Highland line as the connected Festiniog line owned a number of 'Hudson' wagons which are believed to have been ex-WD D type wagons.
Some of the quarries served by the Festiniog Railway also bought ex-WD wagons. Quoted as rated at 5 tons these are believed to have been some of the 4-wheel wagons, though some sources suggest a few may have been captured German-built wagons.
Wagons features:
- metal spoked wheels with pin point bearings
- NEM pockets fitted to bogies with standard 009 couplings as used by Liliput and Bachman USA
- working four side and two end doors that slide to open (covered goods wagon only)
- stretchers fitted in WWI covered goods van
- detailed open framed bogie design, brakes in line with wheels
- bogie with or without hand brake equipment
- finely moulded detail, all chains and latches represented