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British Railways "Grampus" ballast and sleeper wagon, DB 986419

"Grampus" DB 986419 - (built in 1956). Richard Salmon

This is an example of a 20 Ton drop-side Ballast and Sleeper Wagon to diagram 1/572 designed by British Railways and codenamed a 'GRAMPUS'.

4,059 Grampus were built to diagram 1/572 by six different builders. DB 986419 was one of 116 similar vehicles ordered under lot No. 2886 from the Cambrian Wagon Works in 1954. It was built with handbrake only, i.e. no power brake or through pipe.

These vehicles were allocated to the Chief Civil Engineer on a Regional basis, the allocation being originally denoted by a cast plate on the left hand door on each side. As these were easily broken if the door was damaged, it is not possible to determine the original allocation of this vehicle. However, it was latterly allocated to the Western Region. It was purchased from Reading Wagon Repair Depot in 1987.

Note the underslung racks (to securely carry the removable end planks when not required) at each end on this wagon.