MEDWAY QUEEN SPECIAL PROJECTS
THE MEDWAY QUEEN WAGON PROJECT
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Although the New Medway Steam Packet Co. did not have its own private owner wagons it is entirely believable that a steam ship operator would run such wagons to carry coal and other commodities. The "wagon project" began in 2003 with the aim of making that same provision in the popular model railway scales; allowing you to have something a bit different on the layout whilst promoting and supporting the preservation of PS Medway Queen. The wagons, except the 0 gauge transfers, have been commissioned from Dapol Ltd. or Robbie’s Rolling Stock. Over the years the “wagon project “ has raised thousands of pounds towards the restoration costs. In 2007 alone, two batches of 00 wagons and one for N raised about £1400 profit, which is worth £5600 when seen as partnership funding for the HLF grant. In general 00 models sell out in about 8-10 months and N gauge, with a smaller batch size, in about 6 months; so if you are interested in obtaining any of these models don’t delay!!
It is planned to display a selection of current and previous Wagon models at the Kew Festival of Models on 2/3rd October 2010 at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum.
Currently available in N gauge.
For N gauge we have a box van and conflate wagon. These are based on Peco models and have been decorated by Robbies Rolling Stock (www.robbiesrollingstock.co.uk) exclusively for the Medway Queen. Robbie produces and applies transfers rather than direct printing so the process is rather labour intensive and the products will be available in successive small (20 items) batches. A first batch of the vans sold out in about 10 days at Alexandra Palace, London in 2009 and an N Gauge club open day the following weekend! Further batches of both vans and conflat wagons with containers are now available. The vans carry running number "40" in memory of Dunkirk and the conflat containers carry "66" which was the year Medway Queen opened as a nightclub on the Isle of Wight.
N Gauge Box Van
N Gauge Conflat
A very limited number of black 20T mineral wagons are also still available at £11 each plus the usual P&P charges.
“The Dockyard Railway”
PS. Medway Queen is being rebuilt in the Albion dry dock in Bristol with the aid of the Heritage Lottery Fund. In 2009 we commissioned a Dapol promotional wagon in 00 gauge lettered “Albion Dockyard”. These proved so popular that it has been decided not just to repeat the idea in N gauge but to expand on the theme and produce a small range of wagons relevant to ports and docks. Some will be printed Dapol products, like the majority of our “New Medway Steam Packet Company” wagons, but others will be produced by “Robbies Rolling Stock” using custom transfers like the N gauge box van and conflats of 2009. The intention is to produce wagons on the following schedule during 2010:
Albion Dockyard Fuel Oil Tank (Black) - £11 each
Albion Dockyard Lubricating Oil Tank (Red) - £11 each
Albion Dockyard 7 plank open wagon - Available September 2010
Railway steam crane alongside the Albion Dock.
Photo: Museum of Bristol
The philosophy behind these wagons, as with previous “New Medway” releases, is one of believable fiction. Businesses such as this did have their own wagons before 1948 and many such vehicles would have survived after that date. You can capture the atmosphere of docks and harbours served by a private steam railway on your own layout or include individual vehicles in a freight train. Albion Dock was once part of a larger ship-building enterprise and railway tracks remain in the area. Old photographs show an extensive system with rails alongside the dock for steam cranes and transportation of materials.
Currently available in 00 gauge
There are no wagons available in 00 at present. New models are expected to be introduced in 2011
Other railway related items available
"We also hold a small stock of Kestrel building kits and Oxford Diecast road vehicles for N gauge. These can be supplied at the same time as wagons but please email mq.reading@ntlworld.com to check price and availability."
Past wagon issues – all now sold out
The first wagons were produced in 2003 bearing the running number 19. The first batch were split between black and bauxite body colours and when a second batch was commissioned a small number of green models were made and sold at a slightly increased price. The following year a similar model bearing the number 24 was produced in all three colours.
Year 2003 Dapol 7-plank wagon Gauge 00
Running number 19 – The ship was built in 1924
Quantity made (batch 1) black 50, bauxite 50
Quantity made (batch 2) black 50, bauxite 50, green 30.
Year 2004 Dapol 7-plank wagon Gauge 00
Running number 24 – The ship was built in 1924.
Quantity made 188 (total) , black , bauxite & Green
An N gauge version of the 7-plank wagon (No.24) appeared in 2006 and it too sold very quickly. The decision was taken to continue the wagons in both 00 and N gauges.
Year 2006 Dapol 7-plank wagon Gauge N
Running number 24 – The ship was built in 1924 Quantity made Green 109
Year 2006 POW Sides transfers
0 Gauge
Running number as required
Quantity made 33 sets
Year 2007 Dapol ventilated van Gauge 00
Running number 40 – Dunkirk evacuation.
Quantity made 95
Running number 53 – Spithead Coronation Review.
Quantity made 90
Year 2007 Dapol Conflat
Gauge 00
Running number 66
(Opening of Medway Queen Club, Isle of Wight)
Quantity made (green container on GWR) 60
Quantity made (blue container on SR) 60
Year 2007 Dapol “Gunpowder van” Gauge N
Running number 53
(Spithead Review of the Fleet)
Quantity made 108
We discovered a 1937 SR working timetable for special trains in connection with the Spithead Naval Review. This showed that a train was run for passengers on a Medway Queen excursion to view the fleet.
Year 2008 Dapol Conflat Gauge 00
Running number 37
(Spithead Review of the Fleet)
Quantity made (green container on GWR) 80
Quantity made (blue container on SR) 78
Year 2008 Dapol 20T mineral Gauge N
Running number 37
(Spithead Review of the Fleet)
Quantities made; black 65, green 65
In 2009, a departure from NMSPCo wagon liveries was the production of 5-plank vehicles in the livery of the Albion Dockyard. Medway Queen’s rebuild started in the Albion Dockyard in Bristol and if you look around Bristol Harbour-side or any large dock complex you will find the remains of the railways that once served such establishments. These wagons are a fitting tribute, therefore, to Bristol’s part in the continuing Medway Queen story.
Year 2009 Dapol 5-Plank wagon
Gauge 00
Running number 9 (rebuild started)
Quantity made black 60, Green 90
Registered No. 2100358
Charity No. 296236
Copyright © 2009 by the Medway Queen Preservation Society.
Designed & Controlled by Tim Corthorn
