Drewry Overhead Inspection Vehicle - N Gauge 1:148

This kit includes the Body and two Inspection Platform sections (raised or lowered) to create the Drewry Railcar Overhead Line Inspection Vehicle "OLIVE". You will also need a Kato 11-103 Tram Chassis and - for detailing the vehicle - ladders and some thin brass wire for handles.

This model is in 1:148 British N Gauge.
£1 from the purchase of this model will be donated to the N Gauge Forum towards its operating costs.

Vehicle History
This is one of two vehicles built by the Drewry Car Company in 1950 for British Railways for overhead line inspection and maintenance. They were works numbers 2267 & 2268, and were given the numbers DB998900 & DB998901 by British Railways. These vehicles were originally used on the Manchester - Sheffield - Wath (Woodhead) and the Great Eastern electrification schemes. By 1968 both vehicles had moved on Colchester overhead line depot. The vehicles were offered for disposal on the Eastern Region 'surplus to requirements' list in late 1976. They were purchased by Derby Technical Centre staff, who were erecting non-operational overhead line equipment on their test track at Old Dalby in Leicestershire.

Both vehicles were purchased from Old Dalby by the EM2 Locomotive Society in November 1997, with the same intention as the Technical Centre staff had back in 1976 - make one good vehicle out of the two and scrap the remains.

The vehicle is diesel powered and has a maximum speed of 23mph. It was originally designed to work at speeds as low as 1.5 mph while inspection of the overhead line is in progress. It was fitted with a hydraulically operated inspection tower for this purpose, although this has been removed in preservation.