Revolution Trains have announced they will off the Arbel car carriers in N Gauge.
Previously only available in kit form, CAD work on the new model is underway, and the order book is opening imminently, with the usual EarlyBird price available to encourage early orders.
60 five-unit sets were ordered by BR’s Railfreight Distribution sector ahead of the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994.
They were designed to offer complete protection and, being fully enclosed, meant that new cars could be shipped between the UK and continental Europe without needing to be waxed, saving time and money.
Initially they were operated by Auto Care Europe, a partnership comprising RfD, SNCB and Cobelfret. Some outer wagons were adorned with the ACE logo and car maker markings too. On privatisation ownership passed to EWS and from around 2007 the DB Schenker (now DB) logo was added to the intermediate cars of some sets.
The model features the usual Revolution Trains refinements including separately fitted brake parts and articulation units designed to allow operation down to curves of radius 2.
The articulation units have been designed to allow the model to comfortably negotiate R2 curves, and for added realism the customer will have the option, for the tail end car, of replacing the tension-lock coupler with a cosmetic air pipe, in either the loose or stowed position, and a control box moulding that clips into the NEM pocket to recreate the look of the real thing.
The model is also being released in OO Gauge with the CAD for that shown here. The N Gauge CAD is currently work in progress and is expected to be revealed soon.
For more information, visit the Revolution Trains website