The initial six styles of Gloucester private owner open wagon bodies have been launched by Brassmasters at the Warley National Railway Exhibition. Covering five, six and seven plank wagons in both 15′ (nominally 14’11”) and 16′ (nominally 15’11”) versions with side doors only.
The bodies are intended for use with the Brassmasters subframe kit which allows the modeller to use sprung suspension. The Meon Valley Models kits come complete with a detailing pack containing axlebox and spring assemblies plus buffers.
The familiar rectangular ‘4S’ axlebox with an 8 leaf spring is provided but an add-on pack (at additional cost) is available for the earlier ‘4N’ axlebox with the curved base, again with an 8 leaf spring.
Builders have two buffers options supplied in the kit: either the complete buffer with printed 12″ head can be fitted, or the ‘headless’ buffer can be fitted and used with metal buffer heads including sprung options. The builder is left to source and supply metal buffers of their choice.
Additional body styles will become available in early 2023 including end door variants. The detailing kits will be available shortly as separately items.