Kernow Model Rail Center in Cornwall unveils new model railway carriages

Kernow Model Rail Center (KMRC) today announced its new 00 gauge railcar models: the LBSC ‘Open A’ range of five-board open railcars, SR Diagram 1369 and 1364.

This follows its announcement last month of the exclusive launch of a 00 gauge 12 tonne seven-board open wagon in the style of coal merchant Moger & Co Ltd.

These models are exclusive to KMRC, with tooling designed, developed and owned by the Model Rail Centre.

Open A Wagon

Over three and a half thousand ‘Open A’ five-boards – later SR Diagrama 1369 – were built between 1905 and 1926, making them the most numerous LBSC carriage.

The ten-ton wagons were built on a wooden frame and had distinctive curved ends that allowed a tarpaulin rail to be fitted.

The first version had diagonal “J” / “hockey stick” framing and brake gear on one side only. However, a new version was soon created, with “Freighter” style brakes mounted on each side with a single V-bracket. From 1912 the diagonal belts were changed so that they were straight at the bottom end.

After 1914, double V hangers were fitted to the wagon, mounted either in front and immediately behind the sole, or with the rear pair hanging from the middle longitudinal timber and with a short connecting rod between the two.

Those built from 1924 onwards had square ends and no tin rail and were given diagram 1364. Many of those built with round heads were cut to square ends and most – but not all – were re-diagrammed in the registers to diagram 1364. .

Diagram 1369 and Diagram 1364 open carriages were withdrawn between 1944 and 1947. Only a few remained in service and were given the livery of the new British Railways.

Isle of Wight

Four hundred and fifty wagons were shipped to the Isle of Wight between 1924 and 1931. Another followed in 1934 and another six in 1947.

The first twenty were diagram 1369 and were later altered to become diagram 1364. The rest of the Isle of Wight carriages were diagram 1364 with square heads.

The carriages on the island continued to operate under British Railways ownership and gained an unbecoming BR gray livery with lettering on black patches. By 1955, three hundred and twenty were still in service, although by 1962, this had dropped to one hundred and fifty.

Conservation

Several of the carriages are preserved, including at the Bluebell Railway, Isle of Wight Steam Railway and Telford Steam Railway.

KMRC models

The KMRC suite of tools allowed him to create models of the 1369 chart car with post-1912 diagonal belts, rounded ends and a sheet rail that is fully movable in any position between vertical or lateral positions; plus chart 1364 finished square as converted from D1369; and the wagons built new between 1924-6.

All are on a wooden chassis with either open eight-spoke or LBSC four-hole disc wheels and LB&SCR axle box covers with SR or plain lettering. Braking options allow for single inner or outer and double and mid mount, along with single tapered or ribbed pads.

Model specifications include detailed body and chassis, prototype brake gear and fitted safety loops, fully articulated rail (diagram 1369) metal spring pads, engraved brake handles that can be positioned in the “on” position, complete with nail chains locking, coupling hooks and three-link metal couplings.

The models are in production and will sell for a recommended retail price of £32.99. KMRC are offering an early bird discount so pre-orders will be available at £29.99 each.

The first batch will see eight Chart 1369 and eleven Chart 1364 (including eight Isle of Wight) versions available, allowing for more running numbers per livery:

Chart 1369

• SB009A LBSC Chart 1369 Open 5 Plank Wagon in Pounds LBSC Gray No. 4342
• SB009B LBSC Chart 1369 5 Plank Open Wagon in Pounds LBSC Gray No. 4206
• SB009C LBSC Diagram 1369 Open 5 plank Wagon in brown livery SR Pre 1936 Nr. 22530
• SB009D LBSC Chart 1369 Open 5 plank Wagon in SR Pre 1936 Brown Pounds No. 23042
• SB009E LBSC Diagram 1369 Open 5-board wagon in SR Post 1936 livery Nr. 23062
• SB009F LBSC Chart 1369 Open 5-board Wagon in Pounds SR Post 1936 Nr. 22512
• SB009R LBSC Diagram 1369 LBSC Gray Open 5 Plank Pound Wagon (As Preserved on Bluebell Railway) No. 3346
• SB009S LBSC Diagram 1369 Open 5 plank Wagon in brown livery SR Pre 1936 Nr. 23221

Diagram 1364

• SB009G SR Diagrama 1364 Open 5 plank wagon in brown livery SR Pre 1936 Nr. 22615
• SB009H SR Diagram 1364 Open 5 plank Wagon in SR Pre 1936 Pound Brown Isle of Wight Nr. 28422
• SB009J SR Chart 1364 Open 5 plank wagon in SR Post 1936 brown Isle of Wight livery Nr. 27842
• SB009K SR Diagram 1364 Open 5-board carriage in livery BR brown Isle of Wight Nr. S28404
• SB009L SR Chart 1364 Open 5-board carriage in pounds BR gray Isle of Wight Nr. S27875
• SB009M SR Chart 1364 Open 5-board carriage in pounds BR gray Isle of Wight Nr. 28391
• SB009N SR Diagram 1364 Open 5-board carriage in pounds BR gray Isle of Wight Nr. S19072
• SB009P SR Chart 1364 5 plank open carriage in SR brown livery pre 1936 Isle of Wight (As preserved on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway) No. 28345
• SB009Q SR Diagram 1364 Open 5 plank carriage in SR Post 1936 Isle of Wight brown livery (As preserved on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway) No. 27834
• SB009T SR Diagram 1364 Open 5 plank Wagon in SR Pre 1936 Pound Brown Isle of Wight Nr. 27724
• SB009U SR Chart 1364 5 plank open carriage in SR brown livery pre 1936 Isle of Wight (As preserved on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway) No. 27730

“The LBSC 5-board ‘Open A’ carriage numbers of both Charts 1369 and 1364 could be seen all over the LBSC/SR network and lasted even longer into British Railways days on the Isle of Wight. We hope these will be popular with mainland LBSC / SR modellers and Isle of Wight alike. Our suite of tools covers many permutations of detail to be able to offer a range of variations across the range.”

Graham Muspratt, Development Manager, KMRC