Dapol BR 20t brake van

◆ GAUGE ‘O’ ◆ MODEL Dapol 7S-200-006 BR 20t brake van B952978, bauxite ◆ PRICE £79.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Dapol stockists or www.dapol.co.uk

You can talk about BR Standard steam locomotives. You can talk about Mk 1 coaches. But if there’s one classic that epitomises the BR steam era, it’s this – the standard 20t brake van. Given the numbers built and the surge of new ready-to-run ‘O’ gauge models, it was only a matter of time before someone offered an RTR 7mm:1ft scale BR 20t brake van. Well, thanks to Dapol, that’s what we have here. They might all look the same but, as with all aspects of railway history, appearances can be deceiving. There were three different Diagrams, with key differences, and 23 Lots with subtle variations between them. Eric Gent’s British Railways Brakevans & Ballast Ploughs (HMRS, 1999) is heartily recommended for anyone who wants to know more about these fascinating vehicles. Received for review is B952978. This was built at Darlington in 1955 to Diagram 1/504, Lot 2741. It was delivered to the London Midland Region in BR’S bauxite livery. Dapol appears to have done its homework well. B952978 features the handrail arrangements of a Dia. 1/504 and the wider body (2,642mm rather than 2,641mm!). The model has spindle buffers and plain axleboxes, as per the prototype. It also sports doors with four small window panels, rather than two larger ones. Detailed photographs of specific ex-works brake vans are few and far between, so it’s a job to know exactly how B952978 left Darlington Works. Comparisons with similar vehicles suggest that the model is a good representation of a typical Dia. 1/504 ’van and it should please the majority of ‘O’ gauge modellers. The accompanying photograph shows B952978 in 1978, by which time it had acquired a larger plated panel above the ducket, a strengthening piece across the bottom of the ends and what appear to be upright plates on the far corners. Most noticeably, it’s gained a third handrail above the duckets. The model is largely of plastic construction but tips the scales at a credible 210g. Handrails are fine plastic, but the lamp irons are etched brass, adding a touch of finesse. It’s a job to tell what the securing bars are made of, but they are posable, so you can leave them hanging down or have them across the doorways. Planking and rivet detail is excellent throughout and the correct pattern ‘torpedo’ roof vents look good too. The glazing is acceptable but does have a slight prismatic effect. It’s difficult to tell by looking

through the windows but there doesn’t appear to be an interior. The body comes away from the chassis in one piece, so the only way to access the insides is to break the glue and prise off the roof. Despite being a good representation of a Dia. 1/504 brake van, there are one or two minor shape issues. The holes in the ‘W’ irons should be lower and more prominent, the top edge of the bufferbeam should curve backwards to form a channel shape, the lamp irons on the vertical stanchions are angled but should have a gentle curve to the outer edge and the handrails over the concrete end weights should curve upwards where they meet the body, so that they can be fixed to the wood. They are trivial issues and don’t detract too much from the good work elsewhere.

CONCRETE ISSUE

The biggest issue concerns the finish, but there’s nothing wrong with the paint or printing. The BR bauxite is well applied (except to the edges of the lamp irons) and the printing is exemplary, with even the smallest lettering legible to the naked eye. The problem is that there’s no way to represent concrete accurately in plastic. The grey end weights look, well, plasticky, and lack texture. You can’t do much about it, but it is noticeable. Luckily, brake vans were rarely clean, so a good session with weathering powders and paints would not only tone down the plasticky grey but really enhance the fine detail elsewhere. B952978 performed well on the Model Rail test track. The metal-tyred plastic wheels turned freely in the axleboxes, with two of those connected by a pivoting beam that provides a degree of compensation. For a shade under £80, Dapol’s brake van is a cracking little model and a must for any ‘O’ gauge layout depicting anything from the 1950s until the 1980s.

Handrails are fine plastic, but the lamp irons are etched brass for a touch of finesse