We're proud to unveil an all-new range of North Eastern Railway (NER) Diagram V4 brake vans for 4mm:1ft / ‘OO’ scale. This exciting release marks the start of a newly tooled range of exclusive NER wagons, developed in partnership with EFE Rail.

An impressive eight-model line-up is planned, each featuring subtle tooling variations to accurately represent the real vehicles throughout their working lives. Models are priced at £45.95 each, with delivery expected in late 2026.

MODELS ANNOUNCED

  • E87076 – NER NE livery No. 13503 “Goods Forth”
  • E87077 – NER NE livery No. 52821 “Mineral (Tyne Dock)”
  • E87078 – NER NE livery No. 56002 “Goods N E Newcastle Forth”
  • E87079 – NER NE livery No. 1328
  • E87080 – LNER livery No. 11920
  • E87081 – LNER livery No. 23087
  • E87082 – BR livery E61445
  • E87083 – BR livery E1492

Pre-orders are now open across the full range.

 

MODEL DETAIL & VARIATION

To reflect production differences, the tooling suite allows for extensive variation, including:

  • Different lamp iron positions
  • High and low handrails
  • Roof rain strip variations (or none fitted)
  • Document clip positions (or omitted)
  • Body planking differences above the solebars
  • Fully detailed underframe and brake equipment

Across the range, seven different bodies and two chassis types are represented.

 

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Introduced in 1908, the NER Diagram V4 brake van was a major step forward in British brake van design. It was the first NER brake van to feature a steel underframe, improving strength and durability while allowing more standardised construction.

The wood-framed body retained veranda platforms at each end and prominent side lookouts (duckets), giving the guard excellent visibility and operational control. This successful combination made the V4 the NER’s standard goods brake van through to the early 1920s.

Following the 1923 Grouping, the design directly influenced the LNER Toad B, ensuring the V4’s legacy continued well into the LNER and early British Railways eras.

 

SERVICE LIFE & INFLUENCE

Diagram V4 brake vans worked unfitted freight trains, assisted with braking on gradients, and played a vital role in shunting duties. Surviving examples and photographic evidence show that the design was robust and long-lived, with some vehicles lasting into BR ownership.

Many of the V4’s design principles — particularly the steel underframe and veranda layout — influenced British brake van development for decades.

 

RESEARCH-LED ACCURACY

Working closely with the North Eastern Railway Association, TMC has drawn on extensive archive research to capture subtle differences between build batches. Liveries span NER, LNER and early BR, with several early vans tied to specific traffic flows, such as Tyne Dock mineral traffic, making them ideal companions for models like Accurascale’s NER 20T hopper wagons.

As Howard Smith of TMC explains:

“Diagram V4 brake vans hold strong appeal for modellers of early 20th-century freight. With new private owner wagons and NER rolling stock now available in ‘OO’, a suitable brake van is clearly in demand — and more NER model exclusives are on the way from TMC.”

👉 Explore the new range and place your pre-order today.

Further NER announcements will follow throughout the year.