Graham Farish TTA Monobloc Tank Wagons
The 'Monobloc' tank wagon appeared on the railways in Britain in 1958. As its spelling suggests, it was based on a French design. By lowering the tank between the solebars, the centre of gravity was also lowered, thus allowing the accommodation of a larger tank. Wing plates welded to the solebars hold the tank in place. 'A' class tank wagons have internal stays to strengthen them. As the 'B' type carries heavy oils, it has internal heating to facilitate unloading. The 'Monoblocs' have a 15 foot wheelbase and can carry 45 tons.
Bachmann introduced their N gauge 'Monobloc' tank wagon in 2006 and 18 versions have so far been released. Most of these have been sold in multiples but there have also been some solo wagons. These include the recently released BP green BPO37086 (373-775B) and Esso grey No.5961 (373-776B).