Newsdesk: FSA and FTA in 'N'
C-Rail Intermodal authorises tooling for ‘N’ gauge models of an important Freightliner wagon: the FSA and FTA container wagons introduced in the early 1990s. Dapol announces a re-run its JNA ‘Falcon’ wagons in both ‘OO’ and ‘N’ gauge.
ONE of the missing pieces of the intermodal story is the models of the FSA/FTA wagons introduced between 1991 and 1993 for maritime container services, and which remain in service today. C-Rail Intermodal has been working to fill this void with ‘N’ gauge models of both FSA and FTA wagons, an important part of the modern Freightliner fleet. Following completion of the CADs, the wagons have entered the tooling stage, with the first engineering samples due in a few weeks’ time.
700 wagons
The large fleet of 700 wagons was built by Arbel Fauvet of France, with FSA wagons the first to arrive in 1991. The wagons were marshalled in sets of two, three and four, with two FSA outer wagons with draw gear at one end and FTA inner wagons unusually fitted with buffers, brake pipes and screw link couplings instead of semi-permanent bar couplings – but not at the standard buffing height.
The large number in traffic makes it an important model for intermodal train formations of the late BR sector era and the privatised Freightliner company. They are particularly common on container services originating from Southampton and Felixstowe and may be mixed with different wagons in one train, including the ‘N’ gauge KQA/
KTA pocket wagon and low deck FLAs produced by C-Rail Intermodal and KFAs by Revolution Trains. Their introduction saw the withdrawal of a number of the original BR Freightliner flats coded FFA and FGA. No ‘OO’ gauge model of this numerous wagon type is currently in development, although C-Rail has them in its sights as soon as time and resources allow.
The wagons were numbered in two sequences: FTA 607001-140 and FSA 608001-560. FSAs were the first to be delivered from October 1991 through to the summer of 1992 when the first FTA inner wagons were delivered, with delivery completed by late 2003. The initial plan was to operate two and three-wagon sets, which is the reason for the higher number of outer FSA wagons compared to inner FTAs than one might expect.
Worked in permutations of two, three and eventually four wagon sets, this had reverted to twin sets of FSAs and four-wagon FSA-FTA-FTA-FSA formations around the mid-2000s.
The models
One of the key features of the models will be the use of a diecast underframe to retain rigidity over the full length of the model, incorporating a good level of weight for when the models are run empty. Both the inner and outer wagons will be produced with detailed headstocks and a combination of plastic and etched metal details. The distinctive hand rails will be provided as a customer-fit detail because they were eventually removed.
Pre-orders with special introductory prices are being accepted on the C-Rail Intermodal website for one of five different combinations of the wagons. Pairs of FSAs are offered in both Freightliner livery and original Railfreight Distribution black schemes for £50, a particularly attractive price for a new model. A single Freightliner FTA inner wagon is priced at £25, while the remaining two options are for fourwagon sets in both liveries, attractively priced at £98.
‘OO’ 30ft ‘Bulktainers’
The first new ready-to-load ‘OO’ gauge container model from C-Rail Intermodal in several years is set to arrive in late April or early May and consist of the 30ft Bulktainer. Kits for this type of container have been available for many years from C-Rail Intermodal, but required assembly and finishing with paint and transfers. The new containers have been tooled with two types of end doors and will be supplied fully decorated for £8.50. Liveries offered include Bell, UBC, IFF white and Den Hartogh. For more information, visit www.c-rail-intermodal.co.uk