In my time I have made two different types of Russell Coal containers. The first ones I did were Appleby Models Kits and they were purchased and made back in the early 90’s. The containers were resin cast and the chassis was white metal. They were very good kits and went together very well. I am not 100% sure but I think I purchased the transfers from the same source. These were used quite a lot in the days of domestic coal and I used to run the two I obtained on the back of a train made up of HEA wagons.  Hauled by a 37, they looked great.

Before the EWS enterprise service ended to Potters of Ely there was a small domestic coal company on their site. This meant that 2 or 3 Russell  container wagons usually appeared on the train about once month or so. The actual containers had changed from the original orange ones that I previously modelled and were now a new design and aluminium colour. Whether this was unpainted or coated in some way I don’t know. Along with a friend we decided to build some. A prototype was made and then mould made. We had to make the container in 5 parts and  resin cast. The chassis was far more intricate and was in about 20 pieces, luckily we had access to a casting machine at the time and we used white metal to do the casting. After assembling and painting they looked very good, although on reflection I thought the chassis was only average and modifying a RTR or kit bashing would have been a better way. The container itself was excellent. The transfers were homemade again. I used to run these wagons with VGA, VDA, OBA and ferry wagons to form a train..