Bachmann 33-133 35 Ton AL Ex-Bulk Grain Wagon BRT Blue – Weathered.
These wagons were introduced in 1966 for Associated British Maltsters Ltd and Scottish Malt Distillers and were originally designated ‘Whisky covhops.’ Their higher capacity over the traditional 20-ton whisky grain wagons provided an immediate handling and operational advantage and their vacuum braking entirely suited block train formation working. The type was widely travelled as dictated by the geographic nature of grain cultivation and storage, and the regional specialisation of whisky distilling on Speyside and at other Scottish locations. As a result these attractive businesslike wagons could be seen operating over long distances on Anglo-Scottish workings formed into company trains, and at terminal locations where they were shunted and positioned for loading and unloading in ones and twos, the perfect wagon for a branch line or shunting layout using a Bachmann Class 08, 20 and 24, or for main line continuous run operation behind a Branchline Class 37, 40, 45, 46 or 47. Empty examples could also be seen marshalled into long distance freight services running between the major marshalling yards that opened in the early sixties, including Carlisle Kingmoor, Edinburgh Millerhill, Perth New Yard and Craiginches Yard in Aberdeen. Many vacuum braked examples were later used on Alumina traffic in Scotland from Fife to Fort William, whilst others were variously repainted into the colour schemes of their new users. By virtue of their introduction in 1966 these wagons had opportunity to operate over some of the classic late Scottish closures, including the Strathmore route, Moray Coast, Perth Direct via Glenfarg and the Waverley route.
