Bachmann 20T Brake Van 37-535B
A short version of this design was built by the LNER from 1929. It had a cabin with a verandah at each end, metal duckets on the sides but no platforms beyond the verandahs. Later they were built with a longer chassis to give a more comfortable ride. This left a platform beyond the verandah at both ends. British Railways inherited a number of different styles of brake van in 1948 and when they chose a standard design for the new national railway system, they based it closely on the later LNER design.
On BR standard brake vans a raised grab-rail was provided along the edges of the two end platforms. The ducket on either side gave the guard a view along the train without having to leave his cabin. The final batch of standard brake vans was built in 1963 and had vacuum pipes, roller bearings and hydraulic buffers. Later they were mostly converted to air brakes.
This model was introduced to the Mainline range in 1976 and joined the first Bachmann catalogue in 1990. The Blue Riband version followed in 2002 and this version, which came a year later, represents standard brake vans that had their lives extended by having their verandah walls sheeted over with plywood. The model is in Railfreight red and grey livery and carries the number B954561.