SE&CR Diagram 1559 25t brake van

A FINELY DETAILED ‘OO’ gauge model of one version of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway (SE&CR) 25t ‘Dance Hall’ brake vans was unveiled in Bachmann’s autumn statement.

It was immediately released in four different liveries including SE&CR grey, SR brown and BR unfitted freight grey. The fourth model is probably of most interest to D&E modellers and that is finished in post-1967 BR engineers olive as unfitted No. DS55466, which would have been TOPS coded as a ZTO.

No model of a Diagram 1559 or 1560 brake van has been offered before in ‘OO’ gauge, other than a useful plastic kit by Cambrian Models. The new Bachmann model represents one of the 20 wagons built between 1918 and 1921 at Ashford by the SE&CR to Diagram 1559 which is characterised by a shallower, 1ft deep solebar compared to the second and third batch.

The second batch of wagons comprising of another 20 vans appeared around 1923, built by the Southern Railway. A change in the design included a deeper solebar which saw the bottom plank of the van body removed. It was classified as Diagram 1560 and is the type represented by the Cambrian Models kit. A third batch to the same design was completed and introduced by 1927, bringing the total to 60 vans, many of which survived long into BR days, with survivors being observed in the 1980s with adaptations including brake pipes and conversions to tool vans. A notable conversion applied by BR was the fitting of ballast ploughs to a handful which also saw one verandah sheeted off.

Body

When compared to photographs, Bachmann has clearly created a perfect facsimile of the prototype, which is commendable considering that none of the first batch of ‘Dance Hall’ brake vans survived to see preservation as far as can be seen from published records. The body is finely planked and has a correctly curved roof moulding. Inside partitions feature flush glazing and the interior is detailed with stove, desk and seats, even though they are difficult to see through the glazing.

Strapping on the outside of the van body is finely tooled with the correct cross section and fine bolt heads. The overall effect is of a sharp and crisp set of tooling which goes towards producing a very convincing model.

Underframe

The shallower 1ft solebars are equally sharp, with neat bolt detail and thin flanges. Running boards are well attached to it, even though the brackets are quite fine.

Axleguards are commendably thin and stand scrutiny from the ends of the wagon whilst spring detail is well defined. Eight shoe brakes are modelled, positioned in line with the wheels and positioned to avoid touching the tyres. Yokes are included and are neatly fitted between all of the brake shoes.

One part is left to the modeller to fit and that is the long brake linkage which fits the middle rod which is connected to the vee-hangers. Refer to the instruction to ensure the linkage piece is fitted the right way round.

Wheels and couplings

Blackened metal disc wheels with a 26mm long pinpoint axle are used in the model, running directly in the plastic axle guards. It will be advantageous to clean the contact surface of the wheel tyres before using the model. At around 45g in weight, the model is not particularly heavy, (unlike Bachmann’s ‘Queen Mary’ bogie brake van which is a true heavyweight) and is about right for

its size, resulting in a free-rolling model.

NEM coupling pockets are neatly worked in around the outer brake shoe yokes, with small tension lock couplings fitted to them. There is a cosmetic coupling hook applied to the headstocks and room to fit a working Instanter coupling if desired.

Closing notes

Delicate detailing and sharp tooling, particularly of the body exterior planking and iron work, makes for a quite lovely model of a much needed brake van type. Its large commodious cabin (hence ‘Dance Hall’) is well shaped and appointed with interior detail, adding to the model’s fidelity.

The shade of BR engineers olive used by Bachmann brings back (fond?) memories of this dull colour which sits well on the model along with the sharp lettering boxes and applied in white.

Delicate is the word to best describe the model, because care will be needed not to detach the fine body hand rails or loosen one of the verandah lamp brackets. Sourcing lamps is left to you to do! Luckily for D&E modellers, the ‘Dance Hall’ brake vans were remarkable survivors, making it perfectly reasonable to park one in your engineers’ yard among more modern vacuum-braked infrastructure wagons.

↑ Fine planking, together with sharp tooling work for the iron work, has given the model a really crisp appearance. The roof is well profiled and the cabin partition windows are flush glazed. ↑ An unfitted van is modelled which has eight shoe clasp brakes linked to the middle cross rod which spans the veehangers. It connects the linkages to the brake equipment within the cabin for the guard’s use. There would be no vacuum brake cylinder fitted to this vehicle.

↑ One of the four SE&CR Diagram 1559 brake vans released by Bachmann was finished in BR engineers olive green, representing the vans in late condition. The model represents one of the first batch of ‘Dance Hall’ brake vans built from 1918.

↑ The interior of the verandahs is correctly painted in cream and red, whilst the interior of the cabin has a stove, desk and seat.

↑ Fine metal wire has been used for the bodyside hand rails, which are lightly attached to the intermediate brackets, represented by short pieces of wire. The hand rails are not fitted to loops in the bracing iron work unlike the prototypes making them quite delicate.