Dapol O Gauge 7F-054-005 BR B870040 Diagram 1/250 12-Ton Ventilated Meat Van Passenger Crimson RTR
The Dapol O gauge British Railways meat van makes an excellent alternative to the standard ventilated box vans when making up a train. The extra end and side vents on the vans make them noticeably different, but empty meat vans were regularly used for other loads. In addition these vans were originally painted in passenger crimson livery, though most slowly turned brown, even if not actually repainted into goods bauxite.
The Dapol model features a detailed moulded plastic body on a compensated diecast chassis with plastic running gear and brake detail. Metal wheels and axles are fitted along with sprung buffers and BR 'instanter' 3 link couplings.
The BR ventilated meat vans were readily identifiable by the column of four ventilator bonnets down the central panel of the pressed steel ends and louvre vent panels either side of the doors. These vans were originally passenger-rated, British Railways offering rapid delivery by passenger train for premium and perishable products, thus received the crimson livery applied to passenger and parcels vans. Most were later used principally in goods service and were repainted in goods van bauxite or brown, though a dirty bauxite/brown wagon and a dirty crimson one came out to about the same colour!