Oxford Rail OO OR76WW003 Warwell A Wagon British Steel Corporation DM748305 Diamond Bogies

Oxford Diecast OR76WW003 OO Gauge Warwell A Wagon British Steel Corporation DM748305 with Diamond Bogies

A detailed model of the depressed centre Warwell wagons built during WW2 to carry US-built Sherman tanks and other military vehicles between the factories and west coast importing ports to the embarkation ports along the south coast. The depressed centre well was needed to keep the higher vehicles inside the restricted British loading gauge, but the wagons were built with sloping end ramps and bridge plates so vehicles could be driven along the length of a train for rapid loading and unloading.
Following the invasion many of these wagons were transferred to France to keep the advancing front line supplied with replacement armoured vehicles, which would often have a low maximum road speed.

After WW2 the Ministry of Defence retained a small fleet of these wagons for moving military vehicles, some being rebuilt in the late 1970s with modern bogies and air train brakes. The remainder were passed to British Railways ownership, being used as well wagons for high or heavy loads and in engineering service.

This model is finished as a wagon with the original diamond frame bogies now fitted with bolsters to provide level supports for carrying lengths of steel, making good use of the 50-tons carrying capacity.