‘Standardisation’ is a word often used in association with the Great Western Railway but it didn’t just apply to locomotives: the GWR used the same underframe from its ‘Iron Mink’ van under a new open wagon too.
The GWR’s open wagons evolved from simple, archaic one-plankers to this more contemporary looking four-plank design in just 16 years. The number of body planks increased, sprung buffers replaced wooden dumb buffers and, in 1886, the steel underframes from the new ‘Iron Mink’ were also used under a new four-plank, 10 ton capacity body.
The GWR built thousands and thousands of four-planks with either single-sided lever brakes or DCI brakes (with minor detail differences) until a fifth plank was added to the design in 1902. In 1927, the Board or Trade ‘Either Side’ brake regulations came into force and resulted in over 18,700 single-sided four-plankers being given an additional lever brake and shoe. These wagons finally appeared in the diagram book as Dia. O21.
Despite being built in huge numbers, these wagons remained in the shadows for all their lives. They kept the railway moving but never grabbed the headlines and it’s difficult to track when they finally disappeared from the network.
Our range of OO Gauge GWR Four-Plank Open Diagram O21 has the usual wealth of full external, internal, and underframe detail. It features numerous tooling variants, such as oil or grease axle boxes, and a variety of brake gear combinations covering single and double-sided brakes.
A brand-new grease axle box tooling variant has also been included on some models in the 2025 range. These models represent wagons that would have been seen during the pre-grouping era.
Some of the Four-Plank Open Wagons are supplied with parts for the modeller to attach an optional sheet rail (depending on the prototype), in either operational or stowed position.
All models feature spoked wheels, NEM coupling pockets, and are finished off with brass bearings and a high-quality livery application.
If it were not for the GWR 813 Preservation Fund, it’s likely that the Dia. O21 would have slipped unnoticed into history. It managed to acquire the final three survivors (Nos. 41277, 52137 and 52243) but only No. 41277 is anything more than a rusting underframe. This vehicle was saved from Sharpness Docks in 1984 where it had apparently lain since being withdrawn in the 1930s. Restored in the 1980s, it’s based at the Severn Valley Railway where it requires a full overhaul to bring it back to its former glory.
Pre Order our 2025 Range wagons below:
These items have now sold out direct from Rapido Trains UK.
