Revolution Trains is offering the BR Borail EB/EC ‘fishbelly’ flat wagons, and air-braked YLA Mullet, YQA Parr and YQA Super Tench derivatives, as its next wagon in both 00 and N gauges. These wagons were introduced at the end of the 1950s and many remain in use now, albeit rebuilt.
These wagons were built in batches between 1959 and 1961. The original Borails were either fitted with five bolsters (Borail EB, diag 1/483 ) or had plain decks (Borail EC, diag 1/482) and were used primarily for pre-stressed concrete beams, girders or lengths of rail. They were fitted with 8′ plate bogies and vacuum brakes, and in the 1970s coded BRV under TOPS.
In 1981-2 150 BRV wagons were fitted with air brakes, Y25 bogies and new decks on top of the original decking. The wagons were re-coded BRA for use carrying rail in the Speedlink network. The five stanchions were replaced by six of a slightly different design, and tensioning ratchets were added to each side. Within a short time they began to be transferred to the engineer’s fleet, and given the fishkind name Mullet.
Some of the air-braked conversions were rebuilt without bolsters but with two longitudinal timbers for carrying sleepers, and recoded YQA Parr. They also feature end flaps and small corner footsteps. Revolution is offering this variant too.
In 2010 several were rebuilt again; deck equipment was removed and ISO engineers’ modules with drop-down doors and mesh sides were fitted. These retained the YQA code but were redesignated Super Tench.
Due to their versatility, strength and usefulness numerous YLA Mullet, YQA Parr and YQA Super Tench wagons remain in use in 2021. They’re used for carrying almost anything the engineers may need to transport between depots or to and from possessions include rail, sleepers, equipment and waste.
The Revolution Trains models will cover all variants and tooling allows for numerous detail differences and prototypical variations in buffers and brake wheels to enable specific wagons to be accurately represented.
Revolution Trains would like to thank the Dean Forest Railway for allowing us access to examine and measure one of the YQA wagons in their fleet, and would recommend anyone looking for a good day out to book up and enjoy a trip in their beautifully maintained stock. You can book here.
The models will feature our usual attention to accuracy and detail, and the order book will be opening soon – look out for our limited-period low EarlyBird price.