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Hopper Wagons
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21 ton Hopper Wagons
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24.5 ton Hopper Wagons
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HOP32 AB / HAA
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CBA Limestone Hopper Wagons
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HBA Coal Hopper
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Bulk Salt Hopper Wagon
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Ore Hopper Wagons
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A pair of 21 ton hopper wagons in the siding at Hornsey Broadway (Parkside kits).
Until the introduction of the Parkside 21 ton hopper in 2007, the Dapol ready-to-run version
was a good basis for modelling this type of wagon. This Dapol example has been modified to
represent a re-bodied vacuum braked wagon, the bodysides having been re-built and extra detail
added. Fitted with 0.33mm wire handrails, vacuum cylinder and pipe running along the top of the
solebar (TOPS code HTV).
Other R-T-R wagons retain the original riveted body to represent an unfitted version, and
are enhanced with wire handrails and door operating levers fashioned out of brass.
The Parkside range features 3 variants of the 21 ton hopper wagon. This view shows a number of
re-bodied examples, finished in typical unfitted grey livery, although some took on a definate
shade of brown once the paint had rusted off!
Looking smart in their bauxite livery, these two wagons are ex-works re-bodied & vacuum braked.
Another variant of the Parkside kit, showing one with little of the original paint, and one
recently out of the BR workshops.
Ex-LNER 21 ton hopper wagons under construction (Parkside kit) showing the step by step process
of making and fitting the end handrails.
A selection of 21 ton hopper wagons built by Pete Johnson for the Canada Road fleet.
This HTO is finished as it might have appeared only a year or so after being re-bodied in the BR works.
The same goes for this HTV. The pair will feature in late 1970s sequences on the layout.
Offering a wider timespan, this ‘HOP21’ branded unfitted example would not look out of place
from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s.
From Karl Crowther for Hebble Vale Goods - A start has also been made on some weathering of the
wagon fleet. This is a Parkside 21T hopper that has been painted and weathered using enamel
paints – mainly Humbrol, but the dark rust colour is Revell Matt 84.
Painting the intricate rust patterns on these vehicles is proving to be something of an artistic challenge.
Shenston Road hopper wagons as built and finished by Greg Brookes (Parkside kits).
The plastic buffers have been replaced with sprung versions with steel heads.
Other details include circuit working decals, made from yellow transfer material.
21 ton hopper wagon in use for transporting imported cider apples from South Wales to Bulmers at Hereford.
This and the following images show the 4 scratchbuilt 24.5 ton hopper wagons by Greg Brookes
for the Shenston Road fleet.
Shenston Road 24.5 ton hopper wagon.
Shenston Road 24.5 ton hopper wagon.
Shenston Road 24.5 ton hopper wagon.
Accurascale 24.5 ton hopper wagon at Shenston Road.
Accurascale 24.5 ton hopper wagon at Shenston Road.
Accurascale 24.5 ton hopper wagon at Shenston Road.
The Wibdenshaw / Hornsey Broadway rake of 32 merry-go-round wagons are based on the earlier
body style Hornby model, with its quaint suspension that makes it want to go anywhere
other than on straight track!
To improve the running qualities of this wagon, one of the floating axle mounts is glued
solid to the chassis, whilst the other is allowed to rock but not pivot, as shown by the
glued on sections of plastic section. With this 3-point suspension modification, the wagons
handle much better and can easily negotiate 2' 6" curves, with 30+ trailing wagons.
The as-built bodies had horizontal braces across the top of the hopper, and after a number of
years these became damaged or detached, causing the body to swell at the top. A body re-building
project started in the mid-1970s without the need of the horizontal stays. The re-built bodies
are easily identified by the large bracing along the top sides of the hopper, and this change
is reflected in Hornby's revised offering with solid suspension.
The insides of the hopper body have been sprayed a galvanised colour, and then supplemented
by spaying a coal dust finish. All wagons have been individually coded, some with HOP AB and
others with the TOPS code HAA. Buffer shanks have been painted silver to represent the hydraulic
type, and maintenance points picked out in white paint. Reference to Paul Bartlett's wagon
website has proved invaluable in detailing most of the wagons for Wibdenshaw.
The wagons are fitted with EM gauge Gibson 14mm disc wheels (with pads on one side only),
and Smiths instanter couplings.
HAA hopper in use as a dedicated barrier vehicle.
For the Shenston Road fleet, these SM68D/CBA test etches for the CBA hopper have been fitted as
produced by Phil Eames and Colin Craig of Stenson Models. Appleby Model Engineering cast resin
hoods (which are no longer available) have been fitted to the Hornby HAA hopper, then finshed
off with the new Stenson etches.
Although the etches (and potentially the hoods) are not in production due to other projects in
the pipeline, Stenson Models welcome enquiries with the potential for special orders.
The conversion to a CBA (built in the late 1960s) were originally running from Tunstead to Margam,
and later Hardendale to Margam carrying powdered lime for the steel works at Port Talbot. This view
shows the first 2 of a planned 14 wagon rake.
This rake of HBA hoppers date back to my 00 gauge days with Calder Bridge, and were initially
used to trial EM gauge for a subsequent layout. After many years of just being re-wheeled and
3-link couplings fitted, they were finally upgraded to a more representative wagon.
The HBA wagons were begining to appear on BR during 1976 in all-over bauxite, and only painted
black below the solebars. These Replica based wagons have been resprayed and weathered to
represent a late 1970s rake. The coal loads use black foundry sand, with Oleo buffer shanks
picked out in silver.
This HBA model has been modified by Paul James, and backdated to produce the original type of
friction link springs instead of the later Brunninghaus type. The replacement parts came from
the leftovers of a Cambrian OBA kit. Careful removal of the moulded brake detail around the
handbrake lever proved to be the difficult part, but the re-designed Bachmann model should be
easier because of seperately fitted parts. Whilst on the work bench, the opportunity was taken
to move the end ladders to the centre line (as found on the first 200 built examples), although
this is quite tricky due to the fragile and brittle nature of them. The last of the HBA
suspensions were converted around 1983.
This heavily modified bulk salt hopper built by Paul James is based on the Lima agregate hopper
with a few detail differences. The first is the outside ribs that need to be added using plastic
L angle section. The salt hopper is a scale 2ft 2inches longer than the Lima agregate hopper and
this is most noticeable on the 18ft 2in (5537mm) wheelbase, compared to 16ft 0in (4880mm). This
is not easy to remedy as you have to change the wheelbase and the hopper length whilst keeping the
hopper detail consistent. By careful calculation of measurements and starting with a smaller middle
part it is possible to make 3 salt hoppers out of 4 agregate hoppers.
Scratchbuilt HKV iron ore and limestone hoppers at Shenston Road, built by Greg Brookes.
A pair of hopper wagons at Shenston Road, left hand is a Jedenco etched brass kit, whilst the
right hand is a scratchbuilt 13 ton hopper by Paul James.
Canada Street's Iron Ore hoppers are ready for the rust brush. These are the mixture of adapted
Ratio kits and cut-down Dapol bodies with Parkside underframes.
An ex-private owner Iron Ore hopper from 1938, as indicated by the 'P' prefix to the running number,
now weathered to a typical mid-sixties rust-spotted condition. Wagons such as these lasted into the
mid-1970s on limestone traffic around the Peak district and elsewhere.
Shown here and below are another couple of rusty ore hoppers, this time to the BR diagram 1/162.
This design was a direct carry-over from the private owner fleets built before 1948, and again
lasted into the 1970s, rivets and all.
One of very few survivors is now on display (with several other unusual BR wagons) at the NRM
Shildon out-station, still in true to life rusted condition!
During Canada Road’s appearance at the 2011 Expo EM in Bracknell, the later BR style iron ore
hopper was spotted running on the Mostyn layout. When it turned out it was now available as a
kit from 51L the chance of a new wagon type for the layout was impossible to resist. In this
view the model of the diagram 1/163 wagon begins to take shape using a combination of resin,
whitemetal, and brass parts. It will be finished in a late 1960s appearance, to run with other
ore wagons of the earlier riveted design.
Shown under construction is the 51L kit of the BR Dia 1/163 ore hopper, which is now ready for
painting. The kit has a resin casting for the main body tub, with detailing parts in a mix of
whitemetal and etched brass. Although requiring care to assemble, the finished underframe is
superbly detailed. I have chosen to substitute plastic plate-front axleboxes to match my selected
prototype, and have also added worksplates and routecard holders in the same material. The slanted
support stanchions at each end appear too narrow as supplied, so these have been re-made in plastic
to match photographs. An example of the vacuum fitted version of this design survives at the Ribble
Railway in Preston.
The BR Dia 1/163 ore hopper from the 51L kit has now gained its basic livery and is ready for
weathering. The markings are a mix taken from transfer sheets by Fox, Modelmasters, and MTK, the
latter being over 30 years old!
