Category: IWA

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Order deadline updates – OO Ecofrets, N Pendolinos and IWA holdall vans / timber carriers

We’ve got a number of order deadlines coming up that we thought it would be helpful to summarise our latest thinking. We’re conscious that many customers have been going through difficult times with the impact of COVID-19 and/or just the proximity to Christmas just passed so we try to give as much time and notice as possible, plus we offer the choice to pay a deposit rather than the full amount.

N gauge:

Pendolino (second run) – we had indicated that the order deadline was likely to be end-January to mid-February but in response to customer feedback we will give people more time to place orders. We’re just confirming the production schedule with the factory but we anticipate that the order deadline will be extended to either the end of February or end of March 2021. We don’t want to delay production too much so it is a balance between being fair to those who have already ordered and those who would like a bit more time. We will confirm the order deadline within the next 7-10 days.

Pendolino livery diagrams taking shape. With five 9-car and three 11-car options on offer, that’s a total of 78 drawings!

IWA holdall vans and timber carriers – we are ready to start production of the N gauge models of these wagons and had previously set a deadline of 31 January 2021, with Chinese New Year (12 February) coming up we will delay the deadline accordingly to Sunday 14 February 2021.

00 IWA vans and timber carriers shown – deco samples of the N gauge versions are expected soon.

OO gauge:

Ecofret FWA twin and triple containers sets – the deadline for the Ecofrets was due to be 31 January but due to production schedules we have had to delay production slightly so we will announce a new order deadline after Chinese New Year.

00 FWA ‘Ecofret’ deco samples – three wagons in one pack!

For those of you looking for delivery updates on particular models we update the Projects summary with the latest information that we have as soon as we can – if there is no estimated delivery date on there it is because we don’t have one yet. Please note that until models physically arrive with us they are estimates (as delays can and do happen at various stages even during shipping!).

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Deadline alert – December 31st!

December 31st marks a keys order or earlybird deadline for several Revolution models, so we have put them all here as a reminder so no one needs to miss out on our low pre-production prices.

Final order deadline: 00 IWA Sfins2 van in Norsk Hydro, Cargowaggon and unbranded liveries

Purchase 00 IWA Sfins2 van

Final order deadline: 00 IWA Rfnoos timber carrier in Touax livery

Purchase 00 IWA Rfnoos timber carrier

Final Order deadline: N FWA ‘Ecofret’ container flat in Green twin and Red or Blue triples as operated by Freightliner, DB and GBRf

Purchase N FWA ‘Ecofret’ container twin or triple pack

Earlybird price deadline: N Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ in Avanti, Virgin flowing silk, Virgin Pride and Virgin original liveries

Purchase N Class 390 ‘Pendolino’
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IWA samples received and checked

Samples of the forthcoming 00 gauge/4mm scale Revolution Trains IWA holdall van and timber carrier have been received and assessed.

IWA ‘Sfins2’ holdall van
IWA ‘Rfnoos’ timber carrier
Purchase 00 IWA Sfins 2 van
Purchase 00 IWA Rfnoos timber carrier

These wagons were originally built as vans for trainferry services during the mid-1980s. They are exceptionally versatile as the complete sides and roof at either end are single parts which can be raised and slid over each other, using the characteristic paired handwheels, enabling them to be loaded from the side or above. They are coded IWA under TOPS, and known as Sfins2 under the international RIV labelling system.

When introduced the wagons were used by Norsk Hyrdo for fertiliser services across Britain, and by Cargowaggon for various traffics including metals, bagged clay, newsprint and mineral water. Most carried the user’s logo, but some were unbranded. Revolution are offering all three original versions.

00 IWA Sfins2 in Norsk Hydro livery
00 IWA Sfins2 in Cargowaggon livery
00 IWA Sfins2 unbranded

In the mid 2000s some were converted to timber carriers. The retained their IWA TOPS code but received a new RIV classification of Rfnoos. The conversion involved removal of the sliding roofs and associated mechanism and addition of eight large side stakes. Later, more side stakes of a different design were added and these are being included with the models for customers to fit as required. Both types can be seen on the sample. The timber carriers are now in operation with Touax.

00 IWA Rfnoos Touax livery

After some minor tweaks to the tooling we will be ready for decorated samples. The lower pre-order price will be available until the models go into production.

We are also offering these wagons in N gauge, and samples in the smaller scale are expected soon.

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Hydro hold-alls and Touax timber 2-for-1 from Revolution

Revolution Trains is proposing the imposing Sfins2 “hold-all” internationally registered ferry-vans in original form, and as the recent timber conversions, as its next 00 project.

37420 with 6E48 Hallem Marsh – Immingham at Water Orton in 1991. Photo courtesy Kevin Payne.

160 of these ferryvans were built by Waggon Union from 1987 and their design incorporated integral one-piece sides and roofs so that each complete half can be lifted and slid over the other, using the distinctive handwheels at each end, for unencumbered loading and unloading.

When built they were operated by Cargowaggon GMbH and ISIS/Norsk Hydro.  The Hyrdo wagons were primarily used to transport fertiliser from Immingham to destinations in the Midlands, Scotland and south Wales.

Photo courtesy Paul Bartlett.

Those in Cargowaggon livery saw more varied use on steel traffic, bottled water and newsprint in both block trains and Speedlink wagonload services.

Photo courtesy Paul Bartlett.

Many are still in use on trains carrying aluminium ingots from Ditton Foundry near Warrington to Nievenheim in Germany via the Channel tunnel.

92002 6M14 Dollands Moor – Ditton Foundry at Acton Bridge in 2014. Photo courtesy Colin Pottle.

In 2012 30 were converted into timber carriers. The hoods were removed, along with the lifting and sliding gear, and heavy duty stanchions were fitted along the sides.

They have subsequently seen widespread use in Britain carrying log traffic associated with the Kronospan works at Chirk.

Freightliner’s 70007 on hire to Colas eases through Carlisle with logs bound for Chirk in February 2019.

Revolution would like to thank Touax, who now own the wagons, and Arlington Fleet Services at Eastleigh for all their help in providing comprehensive drawings and access to the real things.

Sfins2 – Rfnoos

CAD design work is underway, and we will be publishing CAD images very soon.  We anticipate operning the order book at that time, and as ever the quicker we receive orders, the faster the models can be tooled and manufactured.

We will be offering original Norsk Hydro and Cargowaggon liveries, as well as in their reconfigured form as timber carriers with Touax.

The models will be to the same specification as our MMA/JNA box wagons, which have been completed and are currently in transit to the UK, with NEM coupler sockets, NMRA-specified weight and bogies designed to accept drop-in EM or P4 axles.

N gauge versions will follow in due course.