Rolling Stock
Numbering Guide
The MVR uses an alpha-numeric numbering system inspired by the Isle of Man Railway. Different types of vehicle are indicated by a letter, followed by the number of the individual vehicle. 32mm gauge vehicles are denoted by an 'N' suffix; when vehicles are reguaged this suffix can be added or removed as required.
For passenger coaches, four-wheelers are numbered in the 'A' series, and bogie coaches in the ''B' series. There are then sub-series of numbers for different classes of vehicle:
1-5: all-third
5-10: third brake
11-15: composite
16-20: composite brake
21-25: all first
26-30: first brake
31-35: full brake
Not all these number series are actually in use at present, but they will allow space for any future acquisitions to be inserted into the number sequence into a logical order.
N.B. the numbering scheme was revised in December 2021; some older pages may refer to vehicles under their old numbers.
For passenger coaches, four-wheelers are numbered in the 'A' series, and bogie coaches in the ''B' series. There are then sub-series of numbers for different classes of vehicle:
1-5: all-third
5-10: third brake
11-15: composite
16-20: composite brake
21-25: all first
26-30: first brake
31-35: full brake
Not all these number series are actually in use at present, but they will allow space for any future acquisitions to be inserted into the number sequence into a logical order.
N.B. the numbering scheme was revised in December 2021; some older pages may refer to vehicles under their old numbers.
Passenger Coaches
A1/2 are a pair of generic Austrian-style 4-wheelers by LGB. They were the MVR's first passenger coaches, acquired at Christmas 1999. By 2014 both had been repainted into our standard cherry red livery.
A3, A7 and A21 are a rake of Accucraft Isle of Man Railway four-wheeler, being an all-third, third brake and first class observation car respectively. All were acquired in 2021; A3 was new, the other two second-hand. A21 was previously based on the Vale of White Horse Railway, who carried out its conversion from a standard all-third to an observation saloon. For the time being, these fun in their factory-finish red and cream livery.
A6N is a scrathbuilt brake third coach, of uncertain age and provenance. I acquired it second-hand in 2012. It carries plain blue livery with 'LTR' lettering.
A31 is an IP Engineeing Vale of Rheidol Railway four-wheel full brake van. This was acquired as a kit in 2011, and completed in April 2013.
B1 is a modified IP Engineering Vale of Railway semi-open all-third. This was built by the Vale of White Horse Railway, who reduced its length from seven compartments to five. We purchased it in 2021. It still carries its VWHR livery of plain carmine with VWHR crests.
B2 is a North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway Metropolitan all-third. It was scratchbuilt by an unknown maker and acquired by us in 2021. It carries NWNGR maroon livery.
B3 began life as a Bachmann bogie coach, which we acquired second-hand. The body had been heavily cut down by the previous owner in an attempt to turn it into a 10mm scale standard-gauge vehicle. I decided to use this vehicle as the basis of a new short-wheelbase bogie coach; the brief was to create a basic but robust vehicle for day-to-day use, allowing the more delicate B1 to be held back for special occasions. I salvaged the bogies, clerestory roof sides and parts of the underframe from the original Bachmann coach; the couplings came from Brandbright, the balcony steps and railings from GRS; everything else was scratchbuilt from wood and plastic. She entered traffic in 2012.
B11 is an NWNGR Metropolitan "tourist coach". It has a glazed, first-class central compartment and semi-open third-class end compartments. It was scratchbuilt by an unknown maker and acquired by us in 2021.It carries NWNGR maroon livery.
B12 is the pride of our carriage fleet. She is based on a Wisbech & Upwell Tramway design; this is actually a standard gauge prototype, but one so small that she does not look incongruous on 45mm gauge. She was built from a GRS kit purchased in 2004. Unfortunately, the original whitemetal balcony railings were poorly designed, but the Deben Valley Railway kindly supplied a replacement set made from laser-cut wood.
B16 is an NWNGR Pickering composite brake coach. It was scratchbuilt by an unknown maker and acquired by us in 2021. It carries NWNGR maroon livery.
A3, A7 and A21 are a rake of Accucraft Isle of Man Railway four-wheeler, being an all-third, third brake and first class observation car respectively. All were acquired in 2021; A3 was new, the other two second-hand. A21 was previously based on the Vale of White Horse Railway, who carried out its conversion from a standard all-third to an observation saloon. For the time being, these fun in their factory-finish red and cream livery.
A6N is a scrathbuilt brake third coach, of uncertain age and provenance. I acquired it second-hand in 2012. It carries plain blue livery with 'LTR' lettering.
A31 is an IP Engineeing Vale of Rheidol Railway four-wheel full brake van. This was acquired as a kit in 2011, and completed in April 2013.
B1 is a modified IP Engineering Vale of Railway semi-open all-third. This was built by the Vale of White Horse Railway, who reduced its length from seven compartments to five. We purchased it in 2021. It still carries its VWHR livery of plain carmine with VWHR crests.
B2 is a North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway Metropolitan all-third. It was scratchbuilt by an unknown maker and acquired by us in 2021. It carries NWNGR maroon livery.
B3 began life as a Bachmann bogie coach, which we acquired second-hand. The body had been heavily cut down by the previous owner in an attempt to turn it into a 10mm scale standard-gauge vehicle. I decided to use this vehicle as the basis of a new short-wheelbase bogie coach; the brief was to create a basic but robust vehicle for day-to-day use, allowing the more delicate B1 to be held back for special occasions. I salvaged the bogies, clerestory roof sides and parts of the underframe from the original Bachmann coach; the couplings came from Brandbright, the balcony steps and railings from GRS; everything else was scratchbuilt from wood and plastic. She entered traffic in 2012.
B11 is an NWNGR Metropolitan "tourist coach". It has a glazed, first-class central compartment and semi-open third-class end compartments. It was scratchbuilt by an unknown maker and acquired by us in 2021.It carries NWNGR maroon livery.
B12 is the pride of our carriage fleet. She is based on a Wisbech & Upwell Tramway design; this is actually a standard gauge prototype, but one so small that she does not look incongruous on 45mm gauge. She was built from a GRS kit purchased in 2004. Unfortunately, the original whitemetal balcony railings were poorly designed, but the Deben Valley Railway kindly supplied a replacement set made from laser-cut wood.
B16 is an NWNGR Pickering composite brake coach. It was scratchbuilt by an unknown maker and acquired by us in 2021. It carries NWNGR maroon livery.
Freight Wagons
C1 is a freelance cattle wagon built from an IP Engineering kit. She was completed in 2006, and is painted in our standard livery of grey with black strapping and ironwork.
C2 is a Welshpool & Llanfair Railway cattle wagon assembled, like V2, from an old GRS kit. This was kindly built for us by the Vale of White Horse Railway, and entered traffic in 2020. Grey/black livery.
F1 is a freelance flat wagon, also built by the Woodrow Light Railway with IP couplings/running gear. She entered traffic in 2005. Plain grey livery.
F2 is a Welshpool & Llanfair Railway flat wagon, built from an old GRS kit which we acquired second-hand. She was completed in 2018. Grey/black livery.
G1 was built from an IP Engineering kit, but modified by fitting multi-height centre-buffer couplings and LGB tension locks, so that she could be used as an adaptor wagon. It entered traffic in 2004, and was repainted in its present brown livery in 2012.
G2 was purchased second-hand at the 2009 Stoneleigh show. She appears to have been scratchbuilt, but sadly we know nothing of her early history. She was originally 32mm gauge, and had no proper couplings, only safety chains. I fitted her with new wheels and axleboxes from IP and multi-height couplings from Brandbright. The roof was replaced after an accident in 2011, and extra weight was added inside the body at the same time. Grey/black livery.
G3N is an Accucraft W&L brake-van, acquired second-hand in 2020, and subsequently converted to 32mm gauge. Weathered grey livery.
H1 is a 4-wheel grain hopper with a pitched roof, designed and built by J. Irving. Acquired new in 2018. Plain brown livery.
L1/2 are a pair of freelance bolster wagons supplied to us in kit form by our friends the Woodrow Light Railway. The couplings and running gear came from IP Engineering. L1 was completed in 2004, L2 in 2007.
O1N (formerly T1) is an Accucraft Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 4-wheel open wagon, purchased new in 2006. This initially ran on the MVR as a 45mm gauge vehicle. It was regauged to 32mm in 2021.
O2 is one of the Brandbright 4-wheel open wagon kits given away free by the 16mm Association to junior members in 2008. (I still qualified at that time!) She was completed and entered traffic the following year.
T1 is a Lehmann (LGB) "Toy Train" tank wagon in Shell livery. She has been very slightly Anglicised by removing the end steps and filling in the small gap in the decking at that end of the wagon. As on A1/2, her moulded LGB centre-buffers have been modified to take three-link coupling chains, but she also retains her LGB tension locks.
S1 is an Accucraft Welshpool & Llanfair Railway sheep wagon, acquired in 2020. She carries GWR dark grey livery and lettering.
S2N is a sheep wagon, constructed from an Ash Models kit. It was completed in 2020.
V1N is another vehicle of uncertain origin. It appears to have been inspired by British Railways' standard-gauge ventilated vans. We acquired it second-hand in 2015.
V2 is an LGB 4-wheel box van, acquired for use as a battery wagon with loco No. 2. She carries a plain grey livery.
Vehicles on Loan
An LGB 4-wheel open wagon (right) was on loan to the MVR from 2008 to 2019. Two 4-wheel Bachmann tipper wagons were loaned to us by the Woodrow Light Railway from 2004 to 2013.