975013 GCR 15T 6w Brake – BR Grey No.E535650

Description

Expected Delivery Q3 2026 (Subject to Change at Manufacturer’s Discretion).

Rapido Trains UK are proud to announce our first OO Gauge Great Central Railway-designed prototype. The GCR 15T 6-Wheeled Brake Van.

OO Gauge GCR 15T Brake Van

• GCR 15T Brake Van
• No. E535650
• BR grey
• Unfitted
• LNER style axleboxes
• Square base buffers
• Spoked wheels running in metal bearings
• High level of detail above and below the floor line
• High quality livery application
• NEM coupler pockets
• 1:76 scale, (OO gauge)
• UK designed

Sometimes designers absolutely nail their brief, and it would be fair to say the design for the Great Central Railway 15t 6-wheeled brake van goes into that category.

Built over a 20-year period by a combination of the Great CentralRailways Dukinfield Works and outside contractors, a significant numberof these sturdy 6-wheeled vans could be seen across the GCR networkfrom as early as 1903.

The 15T brake vans featured a built-in stove and desk, coveredverandas that offered a good line of sight in both directions and adelightful 2-plank hatch-type door on either end. These were fitted sothat the guard could easily change tail lamps without leaving his van.

Many of the vans were fitted with automatic vacuum gear, meaning theycould be used on fitted freights such as the express fish traffic from theEast Coast.

In 1915 the Great Central Railway provided the Cheshire LinesCommittee with 10 of these 15t Brake Vans, furthering the design’sreach to the North West of England and Wales.

Upon the grouping of the railways in 1923 the LNER inherited hundredsof Great Central brake vans, including a significant quantity of this 15Tvariant. Many would replace the smaller GNR brake vans on East Coastmainline services. This design clearly struck a chord with the LNER asproduction continued throughout 1923, further bolstering their stock withanother 24 vans.

With its accessibility, functionality and comfort, it is no wonder theprototype was built in such numbers and ran for such a prolonged periodof time.

The LNER trackage was vast, and it wasnt long before this brake vanwas used up and down the network, from Glasgow to Kings Cross. Theygot everywhere and quickly became a regular feature on long-distancecross-country freight and local trains too.

Many GCR 6-wheelers survived until nationalisation, with BR examplesbeing spotted everywhere from Wick to the Wisbech and UpwellTramway. Variants even made it into the hands of the National CoalBoard and were used by BR as ballast brakes and engineering vehicles.One example of the prototype was saved in 1975 by the Somerset andDorset Railway Trust and currently resides at Kirkby Stephen East. Thisexample was owned by the NCB and is noticeably different to themajority of the other GCR 6 wheelers, as it features vertical planking thatis believed to have been installed by the NCB.

This model will be the first Great Central Railway brake van diagramever to be produced in OO gauge ready-to-run, and our model willfeature the usual wealth of detail seen on our previously released pre-grouping era brake vans.

You can look forward to many separately fitted parts including highlydetailed brake gear, running boards, vacuum pipes, rails, lamp irons anda chimney.

The van’s interior contains a guards desk, stove, sandboxes andlockers, you will also find side lamps in the polybag adding to the realismand detail of this model. The model is also fitted with metal bearings,facilitating smooth running, which is perfect if you want to recreate thoseEastern region cross-country freight trains.