Three series of Balloon Trailers were constructed by the London Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR) between 1905 and 1907 to provide low cost high capacity local train services to meet competition from tramways in the Company’s territory.
Balloon Trailers, so called because of the high elliptical roofs which characterised the vehicles, generally ran as single coaches coupled to A1 “Terrier” 0-6-0 tank engines. Photographic evidence indicates them being used with other Balloon stock and six wheeled LBSCR coaching stock.
The coaches survived into Southern Railway days, although variations were made to the Westinghouse brake gear to enable them to be used elsewhere on the Southern system. Unfortunately, detailed documentation of the changes is not clear, and it is not known whether vehicles had both Westinghouse and vacuum brakes. Balloon Trailers were generally withdrawn between 1938 and 1944.
Fuller details (including drawings and photographs of the vehicles) can be found in the book “Carriage Stock of the LB&SCR” by P J Newbury - Oakwood Press 1976 (now unfortunately out of print, but secondhand copies can be found) and “Bogie Carriage Stock of the LBSCR” by David Gould - Oakwood Press and currently in print.
The MSC Models Kit
The kit represents one of the final batch of nine Balloon Trailers introduced in 1907. Due to the difficulty in assessing the changes to the coaches in Southern Railway days, parts have only been provided to construct a vehicle in LBSCR condition with a Westinghouse brake.
The coaches are ideal for modellers who only have sufficient space for a small layout. Numbering and technical information will be found on the scale drawing attached.
Wheels have not been provided in the kit as there are a number of different standards available in O Gauge. Slaters Plastikard Ltd 3' 7" Mansell disc wheels are suitable.