‘Salmon’ Bogie Rail Wagon – YMO Variant

This model represents the ‘Salmon’ bogie rail wagon in its conventional YMO form, featuring five bolsters for transporting 60-foot rail lengths. It is finished in the earlier black departmental livery used prior to later repaints into yellow.

Derived from an LMS design, the ‘Salmon’ bogie wagon measures 62 feet in length and was produced in large numbers by British Railways between 1949 and 1961, with 849 units built. Designed for heavy-duty rail transport, a single wagon could carry several 60-foot rail sections, while a rake of wagons could accommodate welded rail lengths up to 600 feet.

By 2008, around 400 remained in service, having been modernised with new bogies and air brakes. Widely used by permanent way and civil engineering departments, these wagons played a vital role in railway maintenance and infrastructure projects throughout their operational lives.