Ellis Clark Trains C3042C

OO Gauge BR Bauxite Prestwin Wagons (3-Pcs), B873393, B873729 & B873758

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: C3042C

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 model train set in OO Gauge, representing the British Rail Blue era. The set includes three wagons with running numbers B873393, B873729, and B873758, all in BR Bauxite livery with TOPS numbering.

Prestwin wagons were designed by British Railways to address a problem with the earlier Presflo design, where fine-grained powdered solids would pool in the square corners of the wagons, preventing full discharge. The Prestwin design featured twin silos with curved ends, allowing substances such as lime, sand, and soda ash to be unloaded more easily under compressed air.

The first 31 Prestwin wagons were built with a 10ft 6in wheelbase, while the final 100 had a longer wheelbase of 12ft and were lower and larger in capacity. These wagons were used to transport a variety of substances, including alumina, sand, soda ash, sodium tripolyphosphate, china clay, slate powder, and salt.

The Prestwin wagons were initially painted in BR's bauxite livery, which remained vibrant for longer than other vehicles. Some wagons were later repainted in dark grey or black, and many remained in service until the 1980s.

The model set features a die-cast chassis, ultraflex vacuum pipes, brass bearings, and fine metal steps and handles. It also includes axle-box variations and subtle printed detail variations across each set of three wagons, making it suitable for conversion to EM/P4 or 26mm axle.