Graham Farish 100T TEA bogie tanker - N gauge

While there has been a 100T TEA tank wagon in the Farish range since the 1980s, it’s fair to say that was ‘basic’ with little in the way of chassis and equipment detail, sparse printing and wheels fit to cut your pizza! However, this model shows just how far N gauge has come over the years and it can be considered to be the equal of its 4mm scale big brother.

The model is the same diagram as Bachmann’s OO gauge model and carries onward a similar level of detail with etched ladders and platforms on the ends of the tank body, moulded walkways and access hatches on the upper surface of the tank and reinforced bearers along the length of the underside. The Gloucester pattern bogies are well-captured with commendable relief and definition. The rapido couplings are body-mounted with lateral springing ensuring there is no undue forces exerted onto the bogies on curves, resulting in smooth running. In fact, so smooth is that running I had a job to keep it from moving on my photo table which a spirit level says should be perfect. I think, therefore, that there will be little trouble for an appropriate diesel such as 37s or 47s handling a sensible rake of 10-14 of these. The wagon is nicely weighted for its size with a weight centrally placed inside the tank barrel.

Decoration is up to the consistently high standard achieved by Bachmann and Farish, with good print density and clarity in markings, of which there are many when you start to look down on top the chassis solebars. This model is a much-needed update suitable for the 1960s onward, and I look forward to seeing a few trains of these on exhibition layouts.

Read our full review in the September issue of BRM, out on August 15.