Description

EW7001B – 7mm O Gauge Contractors Wagon (set of 3) – Plain Blue Livery RTR

NOTE: EW7001 unpainted example is shown in the photos

These wagons feature Slaters Plastikard wheel sets, and are manufactured from a highly durable Laser Card. These models have received durability testing and we believe they will stand up to regular use with your model railway.
We have tested them with numerous paints and ink pens etc… and so far they have taken colour with no problems. (NOTE: if you intend to use these outdoors we recommend sealing the final paintwork with a varnish to add additional protection from rain). These wagons are provided in the base detail level with prototypical couplings ready for any additional detailing to be applied to make your wagon as detailed as you like – during the lifespan of these wagons (we have examples up to the early 2000’s), they received many refits and upgrades depending on the use they were being put to.

Brief Prototype History:
These wagons represent a generic Contractor’s wagon of the 1840’s, that continued in departmental, engineering, and Private Owner, in decreasing numbers, ever since.
Though no direct origin is known, records of Waring Bros claim that many were built by the operators themselves, using what parts were available, and the practice seemed common Features like hinges and fittings were highly variable beyond the basic construction.

Though many contractors opted to paint theirs in the most affordable paint, in the event of larger contracting, such as the construction of the Great Central Railway, The Metropolitan Railway or many extensions, Contractors would paint their wagons in different colours to differentiate them, with some descriptions referring to Dark and Light Red, Yellow, Lime, Dark Green, Slate Grey, Dark Grey, Orange and Brown. With individual company markings in opposing colours, or in White.

One common arrangement of said markings was to paint, on a 3 plank wagon, the top or centre planks being painted in a different colour.
In later decades, regulations meant these wagons decreased on service trains, but could still be found as shunter’s wagons and on docks well in to the following century, often in Red oxide, or black.