Kit BK33 Schörling Railgrinder (Schleifwagen)

Brief History

• Works cars are an important part of most tramcar fleets. Tramway track often suffers uneven wear and corrugations, which can be smoothed out by specialised grinding vehicles.
• This specialised railgrinding vehicle was manufactured by the car building firm Schörling in Hannover over many years and with many minor variations, especially in the end windscreens. It was used throughout Germany and exported to several surrounding countries.
• This type of railgrinder was delivered to (amongst others): Amsterdam, Augsburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt/Main, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Munich, Nuremburg, Prague, S.N.C.V. (Belgium), Vestische Strassenbahn, Vienna.
• The model in the photograph is from Hamburg. The Schörling fleet numbers in Hamburg were:
  • Railgrinder 1704, built 1952 (3 end windows); in 1954 renumbered 2039; in Jan. 1959 renumbered 2145 (1 large end window); in Dec. 1968 renumbered 3982; scrapped in 1974.
  • Railgrinder 1705, built 1951 from Schörling (with 4 side and 3 end windows); in Dec. 1954 renumbered 2040; in March 1960 bought by Frankfurt/Main, later by Karlsruhe.
  • Railgrinder 1706, built 1952 (3 end windows); in Dec. 1954 renumbered 2041; in Dec. 1960 renumbered 2141; scrapped in Feb. 1962.
  • Railgrinder 2144, built 1957 from Schörling (with 1 large end window); in Dec. 1968 renumbered 3983. This car continue in service until the end of the Hamburg tramway system in 1978. It is now preserved in the German Tramway Museum at Wehmingen near Hannover (open air).

Modernised Schörling 4092 in Prague Museum

Kit special features

• This kit has an unmotorised 4 wheel truck. A matching ME24S09 motorised truck is available separately.
• The whitemetal trolley pole supplied is non-working.
• Decals are supplied for several of the Hamburg works vehicles.
• On special request from BEC-KITS, buffers are available for the S.N.C.V. versions.

Bibliography

• Höltge, Dieter und Kochems, Michael. 2008. Strassen- und Stadtbahnen in Deutschland. Band 11: Hamburg. (2161 colour photograph) EK-Verlag GmbH. ISBN 978 3 88255 392 5.
• Hoyer, H. 1994. Die Hamburger Strassenbahn. Wagenpark Teil 3: 1945 bis 1978. Verein Verkehrsamateure und Museumsbahn e. V., Hamburg (VVM). (Pages 117-118, 128-129)

Download instructions

• BK33 Schörling Railgrinder (Schleifwagen) Instructions in English
• BK33 Schörling Railgrinder (Schleifwagen) Instructions in German
• BK33 Schörling Railgrinder (Schleifwagen) Parts list and assembly drawing