The term ‘Demountable’ refers to a family of vehicles featuring removable tanks—typically lifted from the chassis by crane. Unlike standardized container trains, these wagons boasted a variety of both tank and chassis designs that weren’t interchangeable. This square-peg-in-a-round-hole arrangement may have lacked flexibility, but it opens up fascinating possibilities for model makers.

First introduced in 1949, a total of 114 Demountables were built, with production shared between Shildon, Derby, and Earlestown. Many used repurposed chassis, and they were generally manufactured in small, bespoke batches for specific breweries.

Famous names like Youngers, Whiteways, Aitchesons, and Bass were among the early adopters—but the cargo wasn’t all ale. Lemon Hart Rum, Guinness, and Whiteways Cyder also made appearances, along with more utilitarian loads like paint, varnish, and sodium silicate for companies like Crossfields and ICI.

For railway modellers, Demountables are a dream. Their unique designs and low production numbers meant they typically ran alone or in pairs on a wide range of services—from local ‘pick-up goods’ trains to longer-distance passenger workings, thanks to their vacuum and steam-heat pipes.

Whether you’re modeling a quiet rural branch line or a bustling mainline scene, these wagons make perfect cameos—reminding us that it’s always Beer o’ Clock somewhere!

Demountables remained in front-line service into the late 1970s, with some later used internally or for departmental duties. A few even made it into preservation, keeping the spirit of these distinctive wagons alive.

Clark Railworks Demountables will showcase their trademark commitment to quality. Expect finely detailed die-cast chassis, removable loads, sprung buffers, and our innovative ‘Ultraflex’ bufferbeam pipes—designed to smoothly handle 2nd radius curves, even with tension-lock couplings in place. Generous 26mm axles with ample ‘wiggle room’ make for straightforward conversion to EM and P4 gauges.

• Die-cast chassis

• Super-detailed underframe

• Sprung buffers

• ‘Ultraflex’ end pipes

• Removable NEM coupling and pocket

• Removable tank load with extra-fine securing chains

• Different chassis types

• Easy conversion to EM/P4, with 26mm axle