Heljan BR Mk 1 CCT
◆ GAUGE ‘O’ ◆ MODEL Heljan 9403 BR Mk 1 CCT BR Rail blue, Red Star ◆ PRICE £199.00 ◆ AVAILABILITY Heljan stockists Web www.heljan.co.uk
The vast majority of BR’s Mk 1 passenger and non-passenger carrying stock came in the form of bogie vehicles. However, during the late 1950s, when much of the stock was being built, a need for a few twin-axle vans was also identified.
The CCT, or Covered Carriage Truck, certainly retained an archaic designation, harking back to the days of hauling horse-drawn carriages by rail. Indeed, each of the ‘Big Four’ companies had maintained stocks of four-wheel covered vans to handle a wide variety of cargoes as part of passenger trains.
Commodities included parcels, newspapers, milk churns and generic light goods. However, Carriage Trucks offered the added benefit of accommodating road vehicles, loaded via sets of end doors and drop flaps. Internal chocks and restraining equipment were provided and, if multiple vans were coupled together, numerous motor vehicles could be loaded from the end ramp and driven between vehicles.