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Mini-van marvels…

Revolution Trains has received decorated samples of its IWA ‘Sfins2’ vans and ‘Rfnoos’ timber carriers in N.

Norsk Hyrdro, Cargowaggon and unbranded IWA Sfins2 vans

Their 00 gauge big brothers are already in production, and with the N gauge order book recently closed these samples are for final checking before production of the 1:148 scale versions.

IWA Rfnoos timber carrier

Some very small changes are being made – a couple of missing data panels need to be added, a colour corrected and the end handrails should be white, not black, but broadly speaking we are delighted with the fine lettering and application.

Almost all of the lettering is legible under a glass – even the door safety warnings on the top of the third panel

160 ‘Sfins2’ vans, given the TOPS code IWA, were built in Germany in 1987. They became known as hold-all vans and the roof and sides of each half were a single component that could be raised and slid away using the handwheels at each end; enabling them to be loaded from the sides or above. This versatility saw them used on a wide variety of traffic including fertiliser, water, steel, bagged clay, palletised goods and newsprint.

In 2006 40 were converted to timber carriers – the roofs and sides were removed and side stanchions were added.

For more information about the wagons and some sample consists see our projects page here.

The Revolution range allows for all these options, with vans in Norsk Hydro, Cargowaggon and unbranded liveries, and timber carriers with Touax branding.

The vans entered service in 1987 in Norsk Hydro livery for fertiliser traffic, and in Cargowaggon livery for more mixed use including mineral water, cement, metals and palletised goods.

37420 with six Norsk Hydro wagons 6E48 Hallem Marsh – Immingham at Water Orton in 1991 . Photo courtesy Kevin Payne.
92002 6M14 Dollands Moor – Ditton Foundry. Acton Bridge 2014. This traffic still runs. Photo courtesy Colin Pottle.

The timber carriers are being supplied as delivered, with eight blue bifurcated ‘double’ stanchions on each side, however in use some of these were removed and additional single red stanchions added. Their position has varied from wagon to wagon, and at different times, so these will be included in a bag for the modeller to fit according to prototype.

IWA Rfnoos timber carriers with eight double stanchions, as delivered. Photo courtesy Neil Harvey
Rfnoos with four blue double stanchions and additional red single stanchions.

The order book has closed for these models with Revolution now and those who have pre-ordered will have their models dispatched as soon as we received them, which is likely to be in just 12 weeks. Don’t worry if you missed out on pre–orders as several of our partner retailers will have stocks.

As can be seen above, the wagons are the perfect accompaniment to the recently released Revolution Trains Class 92 electric locomotive.