Wagon kits for 1960s and 1970s

[west_clare_wanderer]

Hi all.

I've accumulated a nice selection of stock now (with hopefully some more items to arrive soon), basically all from the IRM stable. 

However, I'd like to supplement these with some kit built stock and would like some recommendations for kits for other opens, vans, or other types of wagons. I wan to add some variety.

My chosen time period is mainly early Supertrain era, but I'd also like to have some stock to model the mid/later 1960s too. 

What should I be looking out for to supplement my corrugated opens and H vans to add some variety? And whose kits would you recommend?

I'm thinking that variety will be much easier to achieve in the 1960s compared to 1970s. Maybe some wooden open wagons and some earlier types of vans. 

Any suggestions gratefully received.  

Thanks as always for your help. 

Dave 

[Mol_PMB]

Quite a lot of kits have been made in the past but are no longer available, including John's JM design wagons and most of Leslie's Provincial wagons range.

Leslie may still have a few resin kits in stock:

KITS Available – Provincial Wagons

 

Enda's Past-Avenue / CK Prints includes some interesting wagons and hopefully more to come, some of which have their origins in John's or Leslie's designs.

ckprints.ie

 

Pre-Grouping Railways a couple of nice GNR(I) wooden opens; the 6-plank one can also be gently modified to MGWR or GSR types:

Irish Railways – Pre-Grouping Railways

https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/17455-voiding-the-warranty-mols-experiments-in-21mm-gauge/page/4/#findComment-262452

Bitumen tanks got everywhere in small quantities and there are several options to modify them from RTR

 

For the later period, almost everything was based on a standard 20' chassis (though these weren't all identical - there are variants of brakes, W irons etc).

Originally the idea was to build around a thousand 20' flats and a whole load of different types of containers / swapbodies to fit on them, each suited to different traffics. In time, this evolved and many of the flat wagons were permanently fitted with bodies to suit a particular traffic. And more wagons with dedicated body types (especially for bulk minerals) were built. 

IRM have modelled some of these, and Enda has produced some of the flat wagons as 3D prints, which could be used as the basis of scratchbuilt bodies.

 

That should be enough to fill your stash for a bit!

 

 

[west_clare_wanderer]

Thanks very much

Lots of links to explore there and things to keep me busy. I couldn't find some of things that people reference, but that makes sense if they are no longer available. I suppose indicative of changing times and growth of 3D printing rather than more traditional kits. 

I'll cease with the questions for a bit and give you all a rest! Apologies. Especially to you Paul. 

Thank you very much again. 

[Mayner]

1980s-90s was probabably the heyday for Irish outline wagon kits with Model Irish Railways (MIR) of Portadown producing 60s-70s era wagon and diesel loco kits until the late 2000s. 

1. Model Irish Railways (MIR) Ian McNally. Initially whitemetal later resin kits: CIE 121,141,071 diesel available complete with wheels gears & motor. A Class/001 body possibly ex-MTK. NIR Hunslet 1 piece resin body. 80Class etched overlays/whitemetal ends to fit Lima MK2 body shells.

Wagons.  CIE Cement Bubble: Pallet Cement: 20T-14' wb 4w Container Flat+ 20' container: 42' Bogie Flat + 40' container:  Bogie Fertiliser Wagon: Bogie Cement Wagon: Bogie Ammonia Tank Wagon. Wagons originally had whitemetal chassis (reasonable quality & standard of detail) replaced with one piece resin chassis after 2000. Cement bubble vacuum formed plastic body, containers plastic injection moulded kit, Bogie Cement & Ammonia one piece resin bodies.

Sylvimcnall-O continues to sell MIR decals and spare parts on E bay  https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?item=117226927670&rt=nc&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l161211&_ssn=sylvimcnall-0

2. Studio Scale Models. Post 1960 Etched kit CIE 30T Brake Van. Etched body glue or solder assembly on Dapol Prestwin chassis. 42' Container Flat, Ammonia Tank Wagon (brass kit)Pre-1960 Etched kit GN 20T Brake Van (relatively complex kit). Cast metal kits. GSWR & MGWR "Convertible" Wagons (gone by late 1950s, Irish "Standard" Open Wagon GSWR/Midland/GSR/CIE some lasted to late 60s/early 70s. 

3. Jeremy Suters Irish Kits. High quality whitemetal kits introduced late 90s/early 2000s. Likely to be rare sold at UK exhibitions and advertised on New Irish Lines. Pre-1960 mainly Ulster subjects: GNR(I) Standard Covered Van: GNR(I) Bread Container Wagon & Container (both duplicated by Provincial Wagons/Leslie) NCC version of Bread Container Wagon, UTA Parcels Van converted from GNR Bread Van (possible Provincial duplicate: MGWR Loco Coal Wagon gone by late 50s?

Post 2010  Fallen Flag suppliers.

Model Irish Scale Rail (Martin McKay) planned to introduce an extensive range of RTR CIE wagons using resin body on Dapol chassis. Despite favourable reviews of a Bulleid Open & H Van in the May 2013 edition P173-4 of New Irish Lines https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ad8q0xs64ed1b9be0ktwe/New-Irish-Lines-Vol.-6-No.-5-2013-May.pdf?rlkey=ev4qbxmrymaqeqczbofgnsdh5&e=1&dl=0  the business does not appear to have been a success. 

Irish Freight Models initially produced wagons with resin or 3D printed on Bachmann? rtr chassis later shifting to producing resin bodies rtr coaches and coach kits.

JM Design. I produced etched kits/detail parts since 2010, produced 3D printed wagons mainly RTR between 2021-24 with very little interest in/ demand for kits.

Most wagons produced would have operated to mid-1970s Details on wagon produced 

I guess MIR/SSM/Jeremy Suter/MISR/IFM/JMD wagon kits will eventually appear on-line auctions, exhibitions and executors scales.

[west_clare_wanderer]

12 hours ago, Mayner said:

1980s-90s was probabably the heyday for Irish outline wagon kits with Model Irish Railways (MIR) of Portadown producing 60s-70s era wagon and diesel loco kits until the late 2000s. 

1. Model Irish Railways (MIR) Ian McNally. Initially whitemetal later resin kits: CIE 121,141,071 diesel available complete with wheels gears & motor. A Class/001 body possibly ex-MTK. NIR Hunslet 1 piece resin body. 80Class etched overlays/whitemetal ends to fit Lima MK2 body shells.

Wagons.  CIE Cement Bubble: Pallet Cement: 20T-14' wb 4w Container Flat+ 20' container: 42' Bogie Flat + 40' container:  Bogie Fertiliser Wagon: Bogie Cement Wagon: Bogie Ammonia Tank Wagon. Wagons originally had whitemetal chassis (reasonable quality & standard of detail) replaced with one piece resin chassis after 2000. Cement bubble vacuum formed plastic body, containers plastic injection moulded kit, Bogie Cement & Ammonia one piece resin bodies.

Sylvimcnall-O continues to sell MIR decals and spare parts on E bay  https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?item=117226927670&rt=nc&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l161211&_ssn=sylvimcnall-0

2. Studio Scale Models. Post 1960 Etched kit CIE 30T Brake Van. Etched body glue or solder assembly on Dapol Prestwin chassis. 42' Container Flat, Ammonia Tank Wagon (brass kit)Pre-1960 Etched kit GN 20T Brake Van (relatively complex kit). Cast metal kits. GSWR & MGWR "Convertible" Wagons (gone by late 1950s, Irish "Standard" Open Wagon GSWR/Midland/GSR/CIE some lasted to late 60s/early 70s. 

3. Jeremy Suters Irish Kits. High quality whitemetal kits introduced late 90s/early 2000s. Likely to be rare sold at UK exhibitions and advertised on New Irish Lines. Pre-1960 mainly Ulster subjects: GNR(I) Standard Covered Van: GNR(I) Bread Container Wagon & Container (both duplicated by Provincial Wagons/Leslie) NCC version of Bread Container Wagon, UTA Parcels Van converted from GNR Bread Van (possible Provincial duplicate: MGWR Loco Coal Wagon gone by late 50s?

Post 2010  Fallen Flag suppliers.

Model Irish Scale Rail (Martin McKay) planned to introduce an extensive range of RTR CIE wagons using resin body on Dapol chassis. Despite favourable reviews of a Bulleid Open & H Van in the May 2013 edition P173-4 of New Irish Lines https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ad8q0xs64ed1b9be0ktwe/New-Irish-Lines-Vol.-6-No.-5-2013-May.pdf?rlkey=ev4qbxmrymaqeqczbofgnsdh5&e=1&dl=0  the business does not appear to have been a success. 

Irish Freight Models initially produced wagons with resin or 3D printed on Bachmann? rtr chassis later shifting to producing resin bodies rtr coaches and coach kits.

JM Design. I produced etched kits/detail parts since 2010, produced 3D printed wagons mainly RTR between 2021-24 with very little interest in/ demand for kits.

Most wagons produced would have operated to mid-1970s Details on wagon produced 

I guess MIR/SSM/Jeremy Suter/MISR/IFM/JMD wagon kits will eventually appear on-line auctions, exhibitions and executors scales.

 

John, 

Thank you so much for such a comprehensive review. I'm very grateful.

As with a lot of things, I feel I made my return to the hobby a few years too late! It seems that there isn't anything available nowadays in this particular niche. I missed out on your own products and @leslie10646's while in modelling hibernation. 

I must say, your own standard Irish 12T open wagon, and selection of vans, is exactly what I was looking for. It's such a shame that you didn't get the necessary support to the take the project further. I'd have definitely had a selection if I'd been around then. They could provide some much needed variety to what IRM produce. 

Thinking of an alternative approach, regarding the 12t open wagon in particular, is there any kit of a British prototype which could be used as the basis for a passable representation of such a wagon? 

[Mayner]

In certain respects its almost an ideal time to for building a mid 50-early 2000s era Irish outline layout with the sheer amount of quality RTR locos & stock released since the mid 2000s.  The majority of wagon stock (with a few exceptions) introduced since the mid 50s is available in RTR form and CKPrints help fill some of the gaps in post 70 stock/containers (Pallet Cement, Fuel Oil bodies, UniLoad, Coal & Oil Containers.

The "Standard Irish" wooden bodied wagon and earlier versions of the H Van had largely gone by the early 70s.  Maindraw back with using a British prototype is that  Irish and Britsh wagons were quite different in appearance (mainly brake gear & body detail) so challenging even to convert a British outline kit, though tank wagons built to a common standard.

A lot depends on what you are trying to achieve as a modeller; whether your interesting in modelling/operating a railway or more interested in modelling individual locos and pieces of rolling stock.  Applying the 2' rule, some British outline opens in weathered CIE livery (allover grey) less likely to stand out like a sore thumb and blend in as part of the train/model.

[west_clare_wanderer]

On 15/6/2026 at 10:32 AM, Mayner said:

In certain respects its almost an ideal time to for building a mid 50-early 2000s era Irish outline layout with the sheer amount of quality RTR locos & stock released since the mid 2000s.  The majority of wagon stock (with a few exceptions) introduced since the mid 50s is available in RTR form and CKPrints help fill some of the gaps in post 70 stock/containers (Pallet Cement, Fuel Oil bodies, UniLoad, Coal & Oil Containers.

The "Standard Irish" wooden bodied wagon and earlier versions of the H Van had largely gone by the early 70s.  Maindraw back with using a British prototype is that  Irish and Britsh wagons were quite different in appearance (mainly brake gear & body detail) so challenging even to convert a British outline kit, though tank wagons built to a common standard.

A lot depends on what you are trying to achieve as a modeller; whether your interesting in modelling/operating a railway or more interested in modelling individual locos and pieces of rolling stock.  Applying the 2' rule, some British outline opens in weathered CIE livery (allover grey) less likely to stand out like a sore thumb and blend in as part of the train/model.

 

Thanks again John, that's really helpful. 

You're right, this is the golden age of modelling Irish prototypes. We are so so lucky nowadays. My chosen modelling timeframe is around 1965 to 1975 and IRM provide about 95% of what I need, to an exponentially higher standard than I could hope to achieve in a hundred years with my bodging approach. 

Where the initial question comes from is a desire to add half a dozen different wagons to add a little variety to my H vans and corrugated opens. I do enjoy making wagon kit too. 

I'm definitely in the 2' rule club mind.... Nothing I do stands up to close inspection. Far different to some of the artists round here! 

I'm going to check in with CKPrints to see what is available. 

Thanks again for being so helpful.

[west_clare_wanderer]

On 11/6/2026 at 4:14 PM, Mol_PMB said:

For the later period, almost everything was based on a standard 20' chassis (though these weren't all identical - there are variants of brakes, W irons etc).

Originally the idea was to build around a thousand 20' flats and a whole load of different types of containers / swapbodies to fit on them, each suited to different traffics. In time, this evolved and many of the flat wagons were permanently fitted with bodies to suit a particular traffic. And more wagons with dedicated body types (especially for bulk minerals) were built. 

IRM have modelled some of these, and Enda has produced some of the flat wagons as 3D prints, which could be used as the basis of scratchbuilt bodies.

I'm guessing it is some of these I'm after: https://ckprints.ie/product/20ft-flat-wagon 

Then a variety of wagon bodies could be mounted on them (such as the double beets, pallet cements, tanks etc.)

[Past-Avenue]

Hi west_clare_wanderer

I'll be at the show in limerick this weekend if you are around and can see all the stuff that I'm printing in the flesh. 

I started doing body's to fit onto the Dapol prestwin chassis as you could just buy one rake of chassis and change the body's to suit what you want to run on your layout. I then got asked for Irish chassis and I have a 20ft and 22'6 in the range. I have a  number of other RTR wagons that might interest you which can be found on the website. I have everything in stock most of the time and if you want you can purchase one and try it before you commit to a rake etc. 

Enda

Ckprints.ie 

 

[exciecoachbuilder]

13 hours ago, west_clare_wanderer said:

I'm guessing it is some of these I'm after: https://ckprints.ie/product/20ft-flat-wagon 

Then a variety of wagon bodies could be mounted on them (such as the double beets, pallet cements, tanks etc.)

CK prints are very good. I got a few of  the two different cement wagons Enda is selling, plus the chassis to go with them. All painted up, and transfers from studio scale models they look really good and run well too. 

                                 Paul.

[west_clare_wanderer]

11 hours ago, Past-Avenue said:

Hi west_clare_wanderer

I'll be at the show in limerick this weekend if you are around and can see all the stuff that I'm printing in the flesh. 

I started doing body's to fit onto the Dapol prestwin chassis as you could just buy one rake of chassis and change the body's to suit what you want to run on your layout. I then got asked for Irish chassis and I have a 20ft and 22'6 in the range. I have a  number of other RTR wagons that might interest you which can be found on the website. I have everything in stock most of the time and if you want you can purchase one and try it before you commit to a rake etc. 

Enda

Ckprints.ie 

 

 

Hi Enda. 

Thanks very much for taking the time to post. Your stuff looks absolutely amazing. I'll definitely be ordering some bits and pieces from you. I'll drop you a message. 

Dave 

 

9 hours ago, exciecoachbuilder said:

CK prints are very good. I got a few of  the two different cement wagons Enda is selling, plus the chassis to go with them. All painted up, and transfers from studio scale models they look really good and run well too. 

                                 Paul.

Thanks Paul. I'll have to get some stuff ordered!