100 ‘Mink G’ vans were built at Swindon during 1930/31 and at 30ft long with a capacity of 20 tons were the largest 4-wheel goods vans ever constructed*. Mink Gs could carry almost twice the cargo of a standard box van and because they were vacuum-braked could do it at speed in the formations of express goods trains. 
The vans’ roofs and bodysides were made from planked wood, with the former topped off by a lead-painted canvas sheet for waterproofing. Painted from the outset in the GWR’s dark grey freight stock livery, they turned bauxite from 1948, in line with the convention for British Railways vacuum-braked vans. The Mink Gs were withdrawn from the front line during the 1960s; some then took on Departmental duties, and five have been preserved.
Constructed in one batch, Mink Gs were a pretty uniform bunch, with few technical variations other than a transition from spoke to disc wheels. The specification includes; a die-cast chassis, Easy conversion to EM/P4, Sprung buffers, Ultraflex vac and air pipes, ● Fully detailed underside, Separately fitted end details, Disc- and spoke-wheeled variants, Removable NEM pockets Additional detail parts to replace NEM pockets and Brass axle bearings.
Eight versions of the Mink Gs representing the vans throughout their history, from the 1930s GWR through BR and Departmental use to present-day preservation have been announced.
C3060 (GWR Original - dark grey) Vehicle no. 112809, with spoked wheels (1930–1947)
C3061 (Early BR bauxite) Vehicle no. W112873, with 3-hole disc wheels (1948–1956)
C3062 (Late BR bauxite) Vehicle no. W112814, with 3-hole disc wheels (1957–1966)
C3063 (Pre-TOPS BR bauxite) Vehicle no. W112843, with 3-hole disc wheels (1967–1972)
C3064 (Departmental bauxite) Vehicle no. 042432, with 3-hole disc wheels (late 1970s)
C3065 (GWR grey with white roof, ‘Newbury/Slough’ Pres.) Vehicle no. 112843, with 3-hole disc wheels (Preservation, Didcot Railway Centre, 1991–1997)
C3066 (GWR blue/grey white roof, ‘Fishguard’ Pres.) Vehicle no. 112843, with 3-hole disc wheels (Preservation, Didcot Railway Centre, 2005–2016)
C3067 (GWR grey white roof, Pres.) Vehicle no. 112850, with spoked wheels (Preservation, Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway, 2021–2023)
Click the links above to pre-order, due early 2027.
Subject to alteration.
