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Revolution Trains RT-OO-CAR4-401A

Quad set Cartic-4 car carrier - BR Motorail blue (set A)

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

Prototype Eras
Era 6 (1967 to 1972) British Rail Blue (Pre-TOPS)
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)

Manufacturer description

The iconic 4-car articulated Cartic-4 car carriers were built between 1966 and 1972 and lasted until the mid-2000s. The Cartic-4 car carriers were developed jointly by BR and Ford and adopted a radical design at the time for freight stock – comprising a permanently coupled four-part vehicle in which the inner cars were linked via shared bogies on articulated joints. The majority were built for private vehicle transporters MAT, Silcock & Collings and Tolemans, however some were also built by BR and used to launch its Motorail brand in 1966. This offered motorists the opportunity to take their car on holiday with them, with an extensive network of services between cities including London, Birmingham and Sheffield and Scotland, the South West and North Wales. Once Motorail stopped the Cartic-4s were used to transport cars around the country both in block flows from factories to delivery points and in Speedlink flows to dealers.

All of our models feature:

• Quad pack of Cartic-4 wagons (each individually numbered and with prototypical livery variations) in BR blue livery in as built condition (ie no side mesh/screens or roof) - suitable for Era 6/7
  
• NEM kinematic close couplers
• Choice of set numbers – set A or B (each quad set will feature different numbers)
• Each quad set measures 840mm over buffers

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

Revolution Trains Quad set Cartic‑4 car carrier – BR Motorail blue (set A) is offered under manufacturer part number RT‑OO‑CAR4‑401A. The model represents the British Rail blue livery used before the introduction of the TOPS system.

The Cartic‑4 car carriers were built between 1966 and 1972 and remained in service until the mid‑2000s. Developed jointly by British Rail and Ford, the design featured four permanently coupled vehicles with shared bogies on articulated joints. Most units were supplied to private vehicle transporters such as MAT, Silcock & Collings and Tolemans, while a number were operated by British Rail for its Motorail service, which allowed motorists to travel with their cars on routes linking London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Scotland, the South West and North Wales. After the Motorail service ended, the wagons continued to move cars both in block freight from factories to delivery points and in Speedlink services to dealers.

The model consists of a quad pack of Cartic‑4 wagons, each individually numbered and finished in the original BR blue livery as built, without side mesh, screens or roof. It includes NEM kinematic close couplers and is available in two set numbers, A or B, each providing a different numbering sequence. The assembled set measures 840 mm over buffers and is described as suitable for Era 6/7 operation.