Bachmann 5-plank 37-033
5-plank wagons were considered to be 'high goods wagons' and were referred to as
'Highfits' or 'High NF'. Anything larger was probably specifically for the coal and
mineral trade. At one time, 5-plank wagons were highly numerous on the British rail
network and often had their load sheeted over. They were used for the transportation of
general merchandise. The British weather and the labour cost of protecting the load made
them impractical and some were replaced by vans. However, it seems that many were
privately owned and these were not usually replaced by privately owned vans. It is more
likely that the wagons were replaced by the railway company's own vans.
Despite their decline in numbers, at Nationalisation, all four railway companies had orders placed for high goods wagons and these continued to arrive until the middle of 1949. The continual need for wagon replacement meant that British Railways continued to produce 5-plank wagons until 1957. These were based on an LMS design with pressed steel ends and many had tarpaulin bars ('Highbarfit'). They also manufactured a number of similar sized 'Highfit' steel open wagons to an LNER design. In the 1960s some 5-plank wagons were allocated to china clay traffic or the transportation of shingle.
The original Bachmann
5-plank model was based on a 17’6" planked open wagon with a 10' wheelbase and
was originally tooled in 1978 by Kader for the Mainline Railways range, marketed by
Palitoy. It was replaced in 1998 and both steel and wooden floor types based on real
wagons with earlier 9' wheelbases. The John Arnold & Sons No.156 (37-033) is an
example of the steel floor version while the Salt Union Ltd No.91 (37-062) and the BR grey
P252247 (37-061A) are examples of wagons with wooden floors. All three examples were built
for private owners, the BR version having probably been requisitioned during the Second
World War a passed to BR in 1948. The 'P' number suffix confirms that it came from the
private sector.