Ellis Clark Trains C3042

OO Gauge BR Bauxite Prestwin Wagons (3-Pcs), B873414, B873741 & B873744

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation

Manufacturer description

Our reference: C3042

Introduction

Our Prestwins depict the 12ft-wheelbase variant that comprised the majority of the fleet. Prestwins often ran as rakes, and to reflect this our Prestwins will be available in handy packs of three so that you can quickly build a prototypical train. There’ll be six sets of individually numbered wagons in total, covering pre- and post-TOPS identities.

Our Prestwins are in production now, and we hope to have them available for purchase in September/October of this year, priced at £120 per set of three wagons. You can pre-order yours – at no upfront cost – via our website (clarkrailworks.com) or by calling us on 01756 701451.

History, Info & Updates: We've made a handy blog post for this project which will give you a little bite-size history & info. To view the Prestwin Project page, click the 'Prestwin' tab in the project section of the top menu bar.

RRP - £120.00

Release date - November 2025

SPECIFICATIONS

If you’re familiar with our other wagons, you’ll know we never skimp on specs, and our Prestwins will be no exception. Our trademark die-cast chassis underpins a feast of fine details, from metal steps and grab handles to the spiders’ web of valves and pipework to be found at the summit of a Prestwin silo. We’re catering for variations in axle-box design, and our Prestwins will glide smoothly along on brass bearings. As with our other wagons, we’ve made EM/P4 conversion straightforward, with 26mm axles.

• Die-cast chassis
• 'Ultraflex' vacuum pipes
• Brass bearings
• Easy conversion to EM/P4, with 26mm axle
• Axle box variations
• Fine metal steps and handles
• Subtle variations in printed detail across each set of three wagons

**The images provided are for illustration purposes only and are the incorrect running numbers for this set**

Catalogue listing

Model details

The Ellis Clark Trains Set of 3 Prestwin Silo Wagons in BR Bauxite - TOPS is an OO gauge model designed to represent British Rail's Prestwin silo wagons of the 1960s. The set contains three wagons with running numbers B873414, B873741 and B873744, and will be released in BR Bauxite livery with TOPS numbering.

Prestwin silo wagons were introduced by British Rail to address the issue of finer-grained powdered solids pooling in earlier Presflo designs. The Prestwin design featured twin silos that used compressed air to discharge substances such as lime, sand and soda ash. The dual containers also allowed for quicker unloading. The wagons were built by Metro-Cammell and Gloucester RCW between 1960 and the early 1970s, with the first 31 vehicles having a 10ft 6in wheelbase and the final 100 having a 12ft wheelbase and larger capacity.

Prestwin wagons were used to transport a variety of substances, including alumina, sand, soda ash and sodium tripolyphosphate, across the country. They were initially painted in BR's bauxite livery, which remained in good condition for longer due to an extra paint layer. Some wagons were later repainted in dark grey or black, and many continued in service until the 1980s.

The model set features die-cast chassis, ultraflex vacuum pipes, brass bearings and fine metal steps and handles. The wagons can be easily converted to EM/P4 gauge with a 26mm axle. Each set of three wagons will feature subtle variations in printed detail.