Double-deck car transporters unveiled by Heljan

Visitors to the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC this weekend will be the first to see factory-decorated samples of Heljan's newly-announced models. Featuring a high specification and fine detail throughout, the vehicles will be offered in matching triple packs in BR lined maroon and BR ‘Motorail’ blue/grey covering their entire 25-year career.

Close attention to detail means that vehicles will feature either the original or revised pattern of fibreglass roof lights, plus vacuum brake/steam heat and dual brake/dual heating vehicles with the Electric Train Heat (ETH) and air brake equipment added to several car transporters towards the end of their life. Suggested Retail Price (SRP) for the presentation packs is £229.00.

Models proposed are as follows:

• 9620 EASTERN REGION CAR TRANSPORTER PACK 1: BR Lined Maroon E96288/289/290E
• 9621 EASTERN REGION CAR TRANSPORTER PACK 2: BR Lined Maroon E96286/293/297E
• 9622 EASTERN REGION CAR TRANSPORTER PACK 3: BR Lined Maroon E96287/291/294E
• 9623 BR MOTORAIL PACK 1: BR Blue/Grey TCV E96290/297/298E
• 9624 BR MOTORAIL PACK 2: BR Blue/Grey NVX E96291/294/299E
• 9625 BR MOTORAIL PACK 3: BR Blue/Grey NVV E96288/289/293E WEATHERED

A vehicle from (9620) EASTERN REGION CAR TRANSPORTER PACK 1: BR Lined Maroon

Separately fitted handbrake wheels, end door details, air pipes, etched train ferry lashing eyes, steam heat, vacuum brake and ETH equipment will feature. NEM couplers and sprung buffers are fitted as standard. Originally designated as TCVs, the vehicles later became NVV (vacuum braked) and NVX (dual braked) under BR’s TOPS computer system. Unusually, they featured a hydraulically operated central well capable of storing two cars as well as four cars on the upper deck – a 50% increase in capacity over more conventional car carrying vehicles of the time.

A vehicle from (9622) EASTERN REGION CAR TRANSPORTER PACK 1: BR Lined Maroon

When introduced in the early-1960s, the TCV car transporters were used between London, York and Edinburgh in sets of five or six vehicles with a handful of BR maroon Mk. 1 coaches, hauled by ex-LNER ‘Pacifics’ and later BR green ‘Deltics’, Class 40s, 45s, 46s or 47s. From the late-1960s onwards, they were painted in BR blue/grey and started to venture further afield on ‘Motorail’ services from London and northern England to the West of England, being hauled by Class 45s, 46s, 47s and ‘Westerns’. However, they were closely associated with the East Coast Main Line throughout their career.

A vehicle from (9623) MOTORAIL PACK 1: BR blue/grey 

Factory decorated prototypes are now in the UK for review and Heljan expects production to start in early-2023 with the first batch of car transporters due in shops in Spring 2023.