The Covered Carriage Truck was built by the Southern Railway and was known initially as the Van U or Van Utility. Sharing many aspects of its design and features with the Passenger Luggage Vans (PLV, later designated ‘PMV’ by BR), the CCTs differed by having a pair of full width doors at each end, allowing motor vehicles to be loaded and indeed the SR applied the code ‘Covcar’ to many examples, denoting their use as covered car carriers. In addition to transporting motor vehicles and carriages, the CCTs were used to convey all manner of parcels and general merchandise and being express rated, they could run at speed and were often included as part of passenger trains. Construction continued after Nationalisation, however the final examples built had plywood sides – by this time BR had designated them as Covered Carraige Trucks (CCT). These were large vehicles with a 21ft wheelbase and construction was from a metal frame with even planking on the sides and ends. The vans remained in traffic until the 1980s, with some surviving later still, in departmental use.

The Bachmann Branchline model is highly detailed and carries all the hallmarks of the prototype, from the distinctive roof profile found on many SR vans to the planked panelling – with ‘2+2’ planks on the sides and even planks on the doors – and angled metal framework. Ventilators were fitted along the lower part of the bodysides whilst two pairs of double doors were provided on each side of the van to aid loading and unloading – all are featured on the model including representations of the door locking mechanisms. Four ventilators were also fitted at each end, integrated into the double doors, and these too are modelled accurately. Below the solebar the underframe is modelled in all its glory including brake apparatus and separate pipe runs, along with the finely detailed axleboxes into which metal wheelsets are fitted. At each end metal buffers are employed in addition to separate lamp iron brackets and metal handrails. The livery application is crisp and faithful, extending beyond the basic paintwork to numbering and lettering, all reproduced using accurate typefaces and colours.

MODEL FEATURES:

• Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
• Era 7
• Weathered BR Blue livery
• Running No. S1751
• Accessory Pack
• NEM Coupling Pockets
• Close Coupling Mechanism
• Length 145mm