D1349 5 plank open BR no.S14571

The South Eastern & Chatham Railway used its standard underframe to build 700 five-plank open wagons to two different diagrams. These wagons were officially classified as ‘rebuilds’ of older vehicles but only wheels and buffers were recycled. Construction started in 1920 and continued into Southern Railway days. The SR allocated two diagram numbers to these wagons, a key difference between them being the types of buffers they used. Some 550 Dia.1347s were built along with 150 Dia.1349s. Both types lasted into BR days but had all been withdrawn by the mid-1960s. Many were sold for further use, particularly with the Port of Bristol Authority.

These are the first Southern Region open wagons to be offered to 21st Century standards in ‘OO’. They boast an impressive specification which includes:

• NEM coupler pockets
• Designed in the UK
• Metal bearings for smooth running
• Metal door striker plates
• Injection-moulded plastic body and underframe
• All plank detail, door hinges and strapping accurately rendered
• Choice of buffers to suit Dia. 1347 and 1349 wagons