The order book deadline is closing soon for Rapido's next batch of GWR 'Iron Mink' and 'Not Quite Mink' Goods Vans in OO Gauge!

This new batch includes a huge range of new pre-grouping, big four era, private owner and fantasy variations - including everything from traditional GWR colour schemes to all sorts of other railway companies depending on where your layout is situated.

The range of OO Gauge 'Iron Minks' and 'Not-Quite-Mink's has the usual wealth of full external and underframe detail. It features numerous tooling variants such as short, long or plated over vents, oil or grease axle boxes, three different door styles, and a variety of brake gear combinations covering single and double-sided brakes. A brand-new grease axle box tooling variant has also been included on some models in the 2025 range. These models represent wagons that would have been seen during the pre-grouping era. There is also a new GPV door variant on some versions, too.

All models feature spoked wheels, NEM coupling pockets, and are finished off with brass bearings and a high-quality livery application.

The Great Western Railway’s V6 ‘Iron Mink’ is one of the most recognisable designs that came out of the Swindon wagon drawing office. What made these wagons so recognisable was the fact that they shunned traditional wooden construction and were made from metal instead.

Shortages of timber forced the GWR to investigate building vans from metal but it wasn’t until 1888 that what could be called the ‘standard Iron Mink’ appeared. This boasted a 16ft 6in underframe and a capacity of 8 tons. Over 4,000 were built up to 1901 when the GWR reverted to wood bodies.

The ‘Iron Minks’ were long lived with examples surviving through until British Railways days in revenue and Departmental service. They could be found all over the UK railway network and some were recorded as far north as Inverness.

The V6 ‘Iron Minks’ received many modifications over the years. Larger vent hoods were introduced in 1899, grease axleboxes gave way to oil, different brake styles were fitted and, when required, metals doors were often replaced with wood.

With war looming, the ‘Iron Mink’s’ metal construction made it an ideal gunpowder van. Wooden doors were replaced with thick metal ones and the end ventilators were covered with a plain panel. After the First World War, these ‘Iron Minks’ were converted back to goods traffic.

The Second World War led to further need for gunpowder vans and, once again, the ‘Iron Minks’ were called upon again. The GWR loaned 100 to the Southern Railway in 1937 (complete with SR lettering) where they stayed until the end of the war.

‘Iron Mink’ withdrawals started in the 1930s and continued through to the mid-1960s. Despite being condemned, many of the vans found alternate uses such as sawdust and sand vans in depots, lamp rooms and tool stores. Two van bodies even found usage as stop blocks at Machynlleth and were fitted with self-contained buffers!

Luckily, four complete ‘Iron Minks’ (alongside several van bodies) have survived into the preservation at the Severn Valley Railway, Didcot Railway Centre, Swindon and Cricklade and South Devon Railway.

The GWR pioneered the metal-bodied van, better known as the ‘Iron Mink’ and the basic design was adopted by not only private wagon builders but other railway companies. Other railways and builders would use what was essentially the ‘Iron Mink’ body but use underframes and fittings to their own design.