Peco Ffestiniog Railway Quarryman’s coach and brake vans

These vehicles will be welcomed by the growing number of modellers working in ‘009’ narrow gauge

◆ GAUGE ‘OO9’ ◆ MODELS GR-570A FR Quarryman’s coach No. 8 • GR-580A FR brake van with twin balcony No. 7 • GR-590A FR Brake Van with single balcony No. 6 ◆ PRICE £30 each ◆ AVAILABILITY Peco stockists Web www.peco-uk.com

The latest additions to Peco’s growing range of ‘OO9’ narrow gauge rolling stock is a Ffestiniog Railway quarryman’s coach and two different types of brake van. Quarrymen’s coaches first appeared in the 1860s and, as their name suggests, were built to carry workers to the various quarry workings around Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Early vehicles were crude and offered little protection from the elements, but enclosed carriages – with glazed windows and doors – were introduced in the 1880s. Peco’s coach model portrays one of these later designs, complete with a rooftop shroud for oil lighting apparatus.

The moulded plastic bodyshell features well defined plank detail, along with moulded grab handrails and elliptical door handles, each picked out neatly with black and brass effect paint, respectively. The plastic roof features an attractive moulded surface texture, redolent of the prototype, while the glazing is neatly installed and features the distinctive recessed framework.

Under the floor, the same chassis is employed on all three vehicles. The level of detail is fairly modest, with a neat depiction of the axleguards and vacuum brake gear. Standard hook and loop couplings are installed into fixed mounting brackets and each of the vehicles features vacuum hoses at each of their ends.

Two types of brake van are on offer, with a single or twin balcony arrangement. Van No. 6 portrays an ex-quarryman’s coach, converted to a brake van, with one end of the body trimmed back and an end door leading onto the shallow balcony. The twin balcony version is similar, with just one remaining side window. Again, the moulded bodyshells feature pleasing detail relief and the balcony railings, although moulded in plastic, look attractive.

Weighing just 10g each, these are unlikely to tax the haulage capacity of typical RTR or kit-built narrow gauge locomotives. The roofs are a simple push fit and, once removed, the perimeter bench seating can be seen, so it’s possible to add figures, although interior lighting would be necessary for them to be seen from outside.

The quality of assembly and finish is high, with the FR brown and green liveries neatly applied. Providing the perfect accompaniment to the Peco/kato

‘Small England’ 0-4-0 or the Bachmann Narrow Gauge FR double Fairlies and Hunslets, these vehicles will be welcomed by the growing number of modellers working in ‘OO9’. (GD)