Ellis Clark Trains C3042B

OO Gauge BR Bauxite Prestwin Wagons (3-Pcs), B873388, B873748 & B873755

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: C3042B

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 a new release for OO gauge model railway enthusiasts. The set represents British Rail's Prestwin design, which was introduced in the 1960s to address a problem with the earlier Presflo design. This issue involved fine-grained solids pooling in the corners of the Presflos, preventing them from being fully discharged.

The Prestwin design features twin silos that allow substances to flow easily out of the wagons when subjected to compressed air. The dual containers also enable quicker unloading. The wagons were constructed by Metro-Cammell and Gloucester RCW, with the first 31 vehicles having a 10ft 6in wheelbase and the final 100 having a longer wheelbase and larger capacity.

The Prestwin wagons were used to carry a variety of substances, including alumina, sand, soda ash, and sodium tripolyphosphate, across the UK. They were initially painted in BR's bauxite livery, which remained vibrant for longer due to an extra paint layer. Some wagons were later repainted in dark grey or black. The set will include running numbers B873388, B873748, and B873755.

The model features a die-cast chassis, ultraflex vacuum pipes, brass bearings, and easy conversion to EM/P4 with 26mm axle. The set also includes fine metal steps and handles, and subtle variations in printed detail across the three wagons.