Totem A Wagon Plain Red

Totem A Wagon Plain Red

Model

1:76 Scale model produced by Oxford Rail. This model is ready-to-run and will make a great addition to any model railway collection.

Model Features

• 1:76 Scale Model
• This model is best suited to 371mm radius curves
• This model is fitted with NEM style couplings

Details

Built in 1899 for the Great Western Railway, the Totem A (Diagram B2) was a specialised 25 ft 1 in armour plate bogie wagon designed for moving exceptionally heavy industrial castings. With an original load capacity of 45 tons, later increased to 50 tons, these robust wagons were primarily used to transport large iron components. A documented working includes the movement of a large anvil from Cardiff Docks to BSA in Birmingham.

Due to the extreme nature of its loads, the wagon was restricted to a maximum speed of 25 mph and limited to journeys of 25 miles without a stop. Operationally, this meant Totem A wagons were typically marshalled in stopping goods trains, usually positioned close to the brake van for safety and control.

The wagon was originally fitted with a Thomas handbrake, later replaced by the more familiar Dean-Churchward style handbrake as part of ongoing upgrades.

For model railway enthusiasts, Totem A wagons offer a distinctive and highly prototypical addition to Great Western heavy goods formations, particularly on layouts depicting specialised industrial traffic.