Coal traffic on the modern railway travels in block-freight trains of giant bogie hopper wagons, each one carrying 100 tons of the black stuff. Manufactured goods are packed into standardised containers, which can be craned from ship to train to lorry without any handling of the contents. And the whole operation is slicker and more efficient than the railwaymen of a few generations ago could ever have imagined. But back in the good old days, individual wagonloads were the basis of railway goods transport, and the wagons would be coupled together to make up the mixed-goods trains of blessed memory. Some of the wagons belonged to the railway companies themselves, and tended to be painted in plain browns and greys with just the company initials to distinguish them. But others were the so-called private owner wagons, operated by collieries or quarries or factories or coal merchants, and each bearing their own distinctive livery. (Although the term 'private owner' was a bit misleading, as most of the operators didn't actually own their wagons but just leased them from the manufacturers. Just like modern commercial vehicles, in fact.) Bring back the colour and variety of steam-age goods trains on your layout with our North West Set 3.

Please note these wagons are boxed individually. Loads are not included.