Bachmann TTA Tank Wagon 37-582D
Reference books
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Bachmann
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Model purchased from Trains4U
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A standard Bachmann box conceals this model that was first produced over 15 years ago!!
Following on from the traits of Yesteryear Hornby, and lima. By building a fairly generic wagon, then applying multiple liveries to it every year or two! (some of which seen here)
RRP is a whopping £32.95!! With available discounts I got this one for £29.65 still 3 times what I paid when they first came out!!
Numbering, lettering and artwork is crisp and legible, even the sole bar.
It's nice to see blackened wheel sets are inserted, hopefully becoming a standard that other manufacturers take up. It would also be nice to see these become available as a spare part some time soon!
As a model of age, the level of detail is still to a high standard especially in areas where others fail. Brake blocks in line with the wheels being an obvious one.
A thing that spikes one of my pet hates is the buffers. Being hydraulic the telescopic part needs to be silver. (I’ll just quickly rectify that!)
Something I can commend, is the couplings. On older versions of this model, they had a cranked tension lock coupler that was set to the wrong height!! A small spacer being needed to correct the issue. On the new model a straight coupler set to the right height = big thumbs up!! (Note, this was probably rectified some time ago, I just haven't caught up yet :-)
Being a generic model with multiple identities, it took me a while to find a reference to what this model actually depicts. I’d love to be proven wrong on this, but whilst doing the research, it would appear that this model is a representation of a vacuum braked vehicle, making it TOPS code TTV not TTA as advertised!! Air Brake gear in place - no vacuum cylinder!!
This shouldn't bother many, unless they are avid rivet counters like me! Doh!!
The Shell and BP logos on the wagon sides makes this a Shell-Mex and BP Ltd wagon. A joint venture started on 1st January 1932 formed by Shell and BP, then known as Anglo-Persian Oil Company. For distributing and marketing operations in the UK.
This agreement lasted until 1st January 1976.
When these wagons would've been renumbered, possibly twice?
Strictly speaking these are a little out of the era I model, which is late 1970’s. Logos in the way they are adorned, are from the late 60’s early 70’s and would've been removed or painted out prior to TOPS renumbering, and most certainly before the split of Shell and BP into two separate companies.