Tri-ang Australian

 

Moldex R50/53/258 Princess Class Locomotive

and R30/31/34 Tender

Tri-ang Railways

1959 – 1967

 

 

 

 

The Australian models had a smaller nameplate than the UK made version and this caused some differences in the names used. The known variants used are shown above with the original version at bottom left.

The name of 46200 was actually “The Princess Royal”, but there was insufficient space for this. Moldex never modified the die to enlarge the nameplate, so the Australian red Princess was always just “Princess Royal”.

“Princess Victoria” should have been numbered 46205, but again the original lettering tool was never updated. The 1962/3 version of the black Princess with a “Princess Elizabeth” nameplate is rare and may be a small batch printed by mistake, rather than an attempt to match the name to the number on the black locomotive.

 

The approximate dates of the nameplate variations were :-

1959 – 61 Princess Elizabeth 46201

moulded, red painted on black body

1962 – 63 Princess Victoria 46201 printed, white on black body
1962 – 63? Princess Elizabeth 46201  printed, white on black body
1962 – 63 Princess Elizabeth 46201 printed, yellow on green body
1964 – 67  Princess Royal 46200 printed, yellow on red body
1966 – 67? Princess Royal 46200 printed, white on black body

  

 

 

The inscription on the underside of the body was always R50/53 MADE IN AUST. & NZ and it was not modified when Moldex introduced the red R258 in 1964.

 

 

Information and photographs Graeme Brown