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Heljan 9633

NVX Newton Chambers Car Carrier BR Blue/Grey Late E96294E

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

Prototype Era
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation

Manufacturer description

DETAILS

Featuring a high specification and fine detail throughout, the vehicles will be offered in matching triple packs in BR Lined Maroon and BR ‘Motorail’ Blue/Grey covering their entire 25-year career. Close attention to detail means that vehicles will feature either the original or revised pattern of fibreglass roof lights plus vacuum brake/steam heat and dual brake/dual heating vehicles with the Electric Train Heat (ETH) and air brake equipment added to several car transporters towards the end of their life.

Fine details include separately fitted handbrake wheels, end door details, air pipes, etched train ferry lashing eyes, steam heat, vacuum brake and ETH equipment. NEM couplers and sprung buffers are fitted as standard.

HISTORY

Originally designated as TCVs, the vehicles later became NVV (vacuum braked) and NVX (dual braked) under BR’s TOPS computer system. Unusually, they featured a hydraulically operated central well capable of storing two cars as well as four cars on the upper deck – a 50% increase in capacity over more conventional car carrying vehicles of the time.

When introduced in the early-1960s, the TCV car transporters were used between London, York and Edinburgh in sets of five or six vehicles with a handful of BR maroon Mk1 coaches, hauled by ex-LNER ‘Pacifics’ and later BR green ‘Deltics’, Class 40s, 45s, 46s or 47s. From the late-1960s onwards, they were painted in BR blue/grey and started to venture further afield on ‘Motorail’ services from London and northern England to the West of England, being hauled by Class 45s, 46s, 47s and ‘Westerns’. However, they were closely associated with the East Coast Main Line throughout their career.

FEATURES

• Finely Applied Livery Details
• NEM Couplings
• Early/late rooflight arrangement
• Steam/dual heating parts
• Vacuum/dual braking parts
• Fine bogie/underframe detail
• Authentic livery differences between vehicles in each pack
• Weathered finish

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

Heljan Newton Chambers NVX Car Transporter (BR (Late) Motorail Blue) – model E96294E. The model reproduces a British Rail car‑carrier built by Newton Chambers between 1960 and 1961, bearing the manufacturer part number 9633. It represents the NVX (dual‑braked) version that operated throughout the British Rail sectorisation era.

The vehicle is supplied in a three‑pack with matching BR Lined Maroon and BR Motorail Blue/Grey liveries. It features the original or revised fibreglass roof‑light pattern, vacuum brake and steam heat equipment, and later‑era dual brake, dual heating, Electric Train Heat (ETH) and air‑brake fittings. NEM couplers, tension‑lock couplings, sprung buffers, handbrake wheels, end‑door details, air pipes, etched ferry‑lashing eyes and the unique 6‑ft‑9‑in bogies are modelled to scale.

Historically the carriers were designated TCV, then NVV (vacuum‑braked) and finally NVX under the TOPS computer system. Introduced in the early 1960s, they could hold two cars in a hydraulically operated central well plus four on the upper deck – a 50 % capacity increase over contemporary designs. They were initially used on London‑York‑Edinburgh services, later painted in BR blue/grey for Motorail routes across the network, and were commonly hauled by ex‑LNER Pacifics, Deltics, Class 40, 45, 46, 47 and “Western” locomotives.

Key features of the Heljan model include finely applied livery details, authentic NEM couplings, period‑accurate roof‑light arrangements, steam or dual heating parts, vacuum or dual braking components, detailed bogie and underframe work, weathered finishes and subtle livery differences between the three vehicles in each pack.