We’re Having Twins!

Well, in a manner of speaking. We did say we loved wagons, so hot on the heels of our Demountables, we’re proud to announce the latest addition to the Clark Railworks family – OO Gauge Prestwin wagons.

Prestwins were British Railways’ answer to a problem encountered in the earlier Presflo design; namely, that finer-grained powdered solids tended to pool up in the Presflos’ square corners, preventing them from being fully discharged. Embracing the power of curves, Prestwins employed twin silos that enabled substances such as lime, sand and soda ash to slip effortlessly earthwards when subjected to compressed air (using the same principle as their angular cousins). The dual containers also allowed for quicker unloading.

Prestwins were constructed by both Metro-Cammell and Gloucester RCW and entered service from 1960. The first 31 vehicles sported a 10ft 6in wheelbase while the final 100 were longer (with a 12ft wheelbase) but lower and had a larger capacity.

Ranging far and wide, notable Prestwin traffic flows included alumina from Burntisland to Welwyn Garden City, sand from Staffordshire to Port Sunlight (Merseyside) and soda ash from Northwich. Sodium tripolyphosphate (no, it doesn’t have an easier name!) was another regular inhabitant of the twin tubs, and this was carried from the Cumbrian coast to both Merseyside and Essex. Prestwins were also trialled with a variety of other slippery solids, including china clay, slate powder and salt.

All Prestwins entered service in BR’s bauxite livery but had an extra paint layer that meant they stayed looking ‘bauxitey’ much longer than other vehicles, whose reddish hues quickly descended into faded grot. Some Prestwins were painted dark grey or black in their later years, with many soldiering on well into the 1980s.

Our Prestwins

Our Prestwins depict the 12ft-wheelbase variant that comprised the majority of the fleet. Prestwins often ran as rakes, and to reflect this our Prestwins will be available in handy packs of three so that you can quickly build a prototypical train. There’ll be six sets of individually numbered wagons in total, covering pre- and post-TOPS identities.

If you’re familiar with our other wagons, you’ll know we never skimp on specs, and our Prestwins will be no exception. Our trademark die-cast chassis underpins a feast of fine details, from metal steps and grab handles to the spiders’ web of valves and pipework to be found at the summit of a Prestwin silo. We’re catering for variations in axle-box design, and our Prestwins will glide smoothly along on brass bearings. As with our other wagons, we’ve made EM/P4 conversion straightforward, with 26mm axles.

Key Info