14 ton 'Air Ministry' tank Profile and Models

5478 at the East Anglian Railway Museum in August 2011. ©Dan Adkins

The majority of these tank wagons were built between 1939 and 1944 as Class A wagons for aviation fuel, being 17ft-6inch long on a 10ft wheelbase fitted with RCH either side braking and split oil axle boxes. The tank was 7ft-2inch diameter containing 4275 gallons saddle mounted with two small platforms on the top of the tank. After the war and around 1947, surplus tank wagons were converted to Class B fitted with heating coils to help discharge of viscous fuel and bottom discharge. All Class A tanks had gone out of service by 1971 with the last B Class tank following in 1973. (Information provided via Dapol)
Type of Vehicle	Tank Wagon
Builder	Air Ministry
Build Dates	1939 to 1944
Total Built	Hundreds
Wheel Configuration	4-wheel
Operated By	Various Private Owners
Main Duties	Aviation Fuel transport Consumer Fuel & Oil transport
In Service Until	1973
Surviving Examples	Some in preservation