Slaters Plastikard O Gauge 7048 RCH 1923 Open Wagon Fixed Ends Side Doors Unpainted Kit

Slaters Plastikard 7048 O Gauge RCH 1923 specification 7 plank open wagon with fixed ends and side doors. Unpainted kit

By the time a new Railways Clearing House specification for wagon builders was issued in 1923 the 7 plank wagon had become the standard size wagon for coal traffic. The 1923 specifications standardised many more sizes and components, as a result  the differences between builders were greatly reduced and this kit can be finished as a wagon built by many of the wagon builders. The new specification also introduced the use of oil lubricated axleboxes as standard, so many of these wagons were reconditioned after WW2 and continued in British Railways service through the 1950s.

End door wagons were used by colliery companies, coal factors (wholesalers), large consumers (eg gas companies) and shipping lines, the wagons being emptied by tipping directly into bunkers or ships holds. Local coal merchants normally bought wagons with fixed ends as unloading was done by manual shovelling the coal through the side doors.

Supplied complete with wheels, 3 link couplings and sprung buffers. Slaters RCH 1923 wagon kits are supplied with etched brass W irons and compensating units.