◆GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆MODEL Rapido Trains UK 915001 BR OAA open wagon, BR bauxite ◆PRICE £39.95 ◆AVAILABILITY Rapido stockists Web www.rapidotrains.co.uk
AsBritish Rail sought to revolutionise its freight operations, the Air-Braked Network (ABN) was devised, demanding a fleet of new, high-capacity wagons that could be operated at higher speeds. Designed for general merchandise traffic, the 45t Open AB wagon first appeared in 1971, featuring a 20ft 9in wheelbase, twin-axle arrangement, plus long, drop-down side doors.
When the TOPS system was introduced a couple of years later, the wagons were classified as OAA and carried all manner of commodities, to all corners of the BR network, on ABN – and later Speedlink – services. Many examples were cascaded into departmental use during the 1980s, while others were modified for carrying concrete blocks, lasting in service well into the 2010s.