Initially released April 10 2006
This wagon has been released in three batches. The third lot came with a variety of loads - sand, brick and coal.
The first batch of 109 wagons was released in April 2006 and all had the standard coal loads in them. These were sold out by June.
A second batch of 96 wagons was released in September 2006, half of these had new sand loads in them, whilst the other half had new brick loads. The brick loads sold out very quickly - bearing in mind that Stephens were a brick company! The sand loaded versions sold out on November 14th - to someone in Kidwelly appropriately.
A third batch was released in 2007 with half of the 120 wagons containing bricks and a quarter each will having coal or sand.
Stephens Silica Brick works was situated at Kidwelly on the South Wales route from Swansea to Fishguard.
David Randles has sent in this information....
The main Stephens "Dinas" Brick Works at Kidwelly was originally located alongside the main line. It was just east of the level crossing and on the up (north) side of the main line. In 1900 the works was relocated to the opposite side of the main line - ie the down (south) side. It was just east of the signalbox (which still survives).
The site was extended several times with additional sidings added in 1901 and 1912. There was a loading siding and platform adjacent the main line extending to buffer stops by the signalbox. There were also 8 or 9 other sidings into the main works from the east end. I recall that the works was still handling rail traffic in the early 1960s (mainly coal and bricks in BR minerals, opens and "Palbrick" wagons).
I remember seeing a rather decrepit wooden open with very faded "Stephens" lettering on the site in the late 1950s. The rail connection to the works was severed in around October 1965.
Stephens also had a siding on the Mynydd-Y-Garreg branch at Minkie
Road, opened in about 1930 and closed in 1957. In addition there was another small Silica Brick Works (Smarts Silica Brick Co) on this branch with a siding which opened in 1925 and closed in 1959. I'm not sure if this
was also owned by the Stephens Company.
325 of these 5-plank wagons have been produced by Dapol. Blackham Transfers have prepared the transfers for the numbers.
The photograph is of one of the wagons prior to the application of any transfers. These are in the range from 20 to 29 - hence allowing those who wish to have a number of differently numbered wagons.
The price of these wagons was slightly higher than expected due to the printing of all the 'metal' strapping.
