Cavalex BBA steel carrier
◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Cavalex BBA01 BBA steel carrier wagon ◆ PRICE £45.00 ◆ AVAILABILITY Cavalex Models Web www.cavalexmodels.com
British Rail’s key steel-carrying wagon of the air-braked era was the BBA, with over 500 examples built at Ashford Works between 1974-1981. Featuring a 50ft underframe, a 75t payload and a stepped, perforated deck, the wagons were designed with the carriage of hot steel slab, strip or coil firmly in mind.
Employed on traffic between various British Steel works, the wagons soon became a common sight on the South Wales main line and Marches routes, as well as the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Ravenscraig (North Lanarkshire). They could also be found on flows emanating from Shotton (North Wales) and between Teeside and Corby, being hauled by a variety of BR traction, especially Classes 37, 56 or 60, as well as pairs of Class 20s. Long-distance haulage over the WCML could also feature
Class 86/87/90 traction.
Along with the similar – but shorter – BAA, many BBAS have remained in service long after privatisation, with EWS and, more recently, DB Cargo maintaining a fleet in frontline service. Various modifications have been carried out over the years, including the fitting of new bogies and load decks, with a variety of TOPS codes being allocated across the fleet to reflect the changes in specification.
CONTINUING SUCCESS
Cavalex’s debut model – the PGA aggregate hopper – garnered wide acclaim and this second release not only provides modellers with the chance to recreate another important prototype, but also boasts plenty of detail to admire. The first thing that grabs the attention is the etched decking, which features super-fine perforations and the correct corrugated profile. The chassis frames and the distinctive reinforced ends are rendered in metal, giving the vehicle a satisfying amount of mass while maintaining a delicate profile.
The plastic bogies are exceptionally well produced, featuring crisply moulded relief and they even include the brake callipers, which enclose each wheel. The wheels themselves also feature brake disc detail to their external and internal faces. The prototypically shaped bolsters add an extra touch of class, allowing the bogies to pivot and rotate freely. Performance is ultra-smooth, the axles being extremely free-running and the brake callipers don’t impede the axles in any way. Handbrake discs are etched metal and the NEM coupler pockets are discreetly incorporated into the outer framework.
Beneath the chassis, there are various brake reservoirs and actuator gear, all linked together with an impressive array of pipework and the Oleo heavy duty buffers are sprung. A slight disappointment is the pronounced mould seams across each buffer head which would greatly benefit from a little work with a flat needle file. Separate lamp brackets and grab handles adorn the ends and a full complement of vertical stanchions is pre-installed along the outer edges of the load deck.
Livery application is topnotch, with the orange-red ends capturing the distinctive prototype shade accurately. The various TOPS panels, instruction legends and Railfreight logos are all neatly applied, although the raised builders’ plates have been left unadorned.
A small bag of extra detail
fittings is supplied, including a spare set of brake calipers (to help with ‘EM’/‘P4’ conversion) and extra vertical stanchions, plus brake hoses and cosmetic screw couplings. Thoughtfully, Cavalex has also included a pair of blanking plates for the NEM pockets, which tidies up the appearance of a wagon that has been shorn of its tension lock couplers; just the thing for the end of a fixed rake.
As well as this BR Railfreight black/red scheme, the BBA is also being offered in the original freight brown livery. The BLA variant, which features large steel coil-carrying cradles, has also been reproduced by Cavalex, as an exclusive model for Rails of Sheffield.
Considering the amount of development work that has gone into this model, as well as the high level of finesse in its production, the Cavalex BBA offers superb value for money, especially in today’s market. It’s sure to be popular and, with the addition of a suitable load and a grimy weathered finish, it’ll make for an eye-catching addition to a late Br-era layout.
‘N’ gauge modellers will be interested to know that a 2mm-scale version is currently in development. (GD)
Livery application is top-notch, with the orange-red ends capturing the distinctive prototype shade accurately