Bachmann 'Queen Mary' Brake Van 33-825E
The 'Queen Mary' brake van had been planned for release by Palitoy in 1985, in their Mainline Railways range, but the demise of the company a year earlier put an end to it. It was, however an idea that Palitoy's chief railway designer took with him when he joined Bachmann and the model was eventually released in 1995. Since then, we have had 16 versions of it and the current release brings that to 17. It is in BR brown and numbered 'S56298'.
The 'Queen Marys', as they were nicknamed because of their large size and apparent luxury, were unequalled anywhere in Britain. Since 1929, the Southern Railway had had 21 redundant AC motor Luggage Vans inherited from the LBSC. They were going to be convert into bogie bolster wagons but nothing happened. Then someone suggested that they might make nice goods brake vans and in 1933, authority was given for this to be done. Their official name was 'Bogie Goods Brake Vans - Express Service' but the name 'Queen Mary' has stuck and seems more appropriate. Several remain in service and several more have been preserved.
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