Revolution to produce Class A tank and 'Zander' wagons; receives 'Cemflo' decorated samples

Revolution Trains has unveiled CAD images of its latest models aimed at the steam/diesel transition era modeller – the Class A tanks, which follow on from the company’s Class B tankers of 2018. The models are available to order now in a variety of liveries and running numbers.

The Class A tank wagons share an underframe with its already available Class B, but different tooling was required for the longer barrel and different venting and top cap arrangements of the Class A.

Designed to carry lighter fuels, the Class As entered service with Esso with silver bodies and red solebars, but this livery was standardised to a pale grey/red within a few years. Subsequently many wagons ran with the Esso placards removed and some were acquired by Stavely Chemicals and given their bright blue/yellow lettering.

Class A tanks were also used from the mid-1960s to carry water in Chipman weedkiller trains, and Revolution is proposing both the green versions bearing the Chipman logo and the words 'weed control', as well as the later plain black versions.

Some were later converted to mineral wagons to carry stone, by having the tank barrel removed and replaced with a simple ribbed box body. Coded MTV, and later given the fishkind name ‘Zander’ when in engineering use, these too are being offered by Revolution, but CAD images aren't complete.

In other news, Revolution Trains has received decorated samples of its forthcoming PCV ‘Cemflo’ cement wagons, being manufactured by Accurascale. Small amendments are to be made, but the manufacturer is anticipating that production of models will commence in Q3. Decorated samples have been approved subject to a few minor amendments, and Revolution is to close the order book soon for the models to go into production. The models are available to pre-order on its website and several different packs are available, with different numbers in each.

Models are being offered in original 'Blue Circle'-branded livery as well as the later, debranded and TOPS-numbered style. For the Blue Circle livery, four different triple packs are available, making a total of 12 different models, while for the TOPS variant, three different triple-packs are available, offering the modeller a choice of nine different models. Revolution hopes this will provide customers running all but the longest of trains the chance to run differently-numbered wagons. This model is its third aimed at the ‘transition era’ modeller, following its Class B tank wagons and 'Sturgeon' track carriers.

The new models are available to pre-order via the Revolution Trains website.