HOP 21/HTO/HTV, By Accurascale

[astropsidings]

24 minutes ago, pharrc20 said:

I am looking forward to obtaining some of the fitted HTVs as they used to work out of Dove Holes quarry when it was Peakstone later RMC. They were mainly used on the flow to Bletchley before they started to be replaced by the air-braked Peakstone PGAs then the RMC PHA bogie hoppers (later JGAs). A rake of HTVs was involved in the runaway and collision at Chinley North Junction on 20 February 1987, when 47089 "Amazon" lost control on the decent from Peak Forest towards Chinley. I think they also used HTVs on the flow to Pendleton Amasvo and Watford as well.

HTVs at Peak Forest, 1989. The nearest looks like B340365 on the original scan.

 

Ian

[Accurascale Fran]

New Accurascale Exclusives - ICI and ZDV Engineers 21 Ton Hopper Packs

 

 

Hi everyone,

 

Our recent announcement of our 21 ton BR hopper wagons, later designated HTO and rebodied and designated HTV has gone down very well indeed with modellers. 

 

Considering it fills a long standing and much needed gap in the wagon range of 00/4mm modellers, it is unsurprising how popular they have been if our pre-orders are anything to go by!

 

Of course, even though the HTO and HTVs were very much seen as a humdrum BR standard wagon in grey and bauxite liveries, they did go in differing directions later on in their careers, with industrial and engineering operations making use of them later in their lives.

This always gives us some great ideas for some limited edition, one time run "Accurascale Exclusives" packs, and today we present two very different packs to you for consideration; our ZDV engineers triple pack, and our ICI internal user pack!

 

ZDV Pack

 

 

With the transfer of domestic coal transport to the air braked wagon fleet of HEA wagons in the 1980’s, the HTV fleet were in terminal decline. British Rail engineers saw this and upon evaluation deemed many wagons to have a reasonable amount of serviceable life left in them.

 

Engineering trains were typically vacuum braked and employed ex squadron service wagons in new roles and the HTV’s were no different. Whilst many wagons were converted to box-body spoil wagons such as Clams and Rudds, some of the fleet retained their original bodywork either in cut down form to gain the Tope fishkind name or not altered at all and just receiving the ZDV TOPS code.

 

 

Our pack of ZDV engineers wagons represent the latter. Photographs show these wagons in use variously in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s for carrying spoil at many infrastructure jobs across the country. The patch painting, rusty bodywork and chalked markings make these wagons stand out from the rest as being unloved, uncared for yet equally vital in maintaining the country’s railway network.

 

ICI Pack

 

 

ICI Lostock Soda ash works, Northwich is more well known as being the destination of the 1930’s built LMS bogie hoppers from Tunstead but their internal rail network had a number of other vehicles present.

 

 

As well as a brace of Ruston 165 0-4-0 diesel shunters, there were a small number of ex BR rebodied HTV hoppers. These were used from their withdrawal in the 1980s well in to the 1990s for carrying “hot rocks”, hot, processed limestone around the plant during the production of Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate)

The Model

Each wagon features a wealth of separately applied detail, from handrails on the diecast chassis and hopper ends to the intricate brake gear and hopper operating mechanism underneath, all museum quality detail and prototypical accuracy modellers now come to expect from our wagons and which is now our standard specification.

As well as a diecast chassis with full hopper detail, each wagon rides on 26mm axles, which are 2mm in diameter, with pin points in brass bearing cups for ultimate smooth performance and ease of conversion to finescale tolerances.

With the wagons announced later in development to curb waiting times, we're already at decoration stage and we are about to begin production of these wagons in the coming weeks. Delivery of the models to customers is currently estimated at Q3 2025. Both wagon packs will be a one off, limited production run in special presentation packaging like all models in the Accurascale Exclusives range.

Each pack is priced at £99.95 and we're operating their usual 10% off when you buy two packs or more, along with a new offer of 15% when you buy 5 or more packs direct from our website. That means each wagon just costs £27.47 when you factor in loyalty points rewards and postage and packaging being free! They can of course be mixed with other HTO/HTV wagon packs in the launch range to get these discounts. 

Pre-order yours today for no money down right here: https://www.accurascale.com/collections/hto-htv-hopper

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

 

 

[pharrc20]

Ah, I wondered if you might do the Lostock internal users. Do you know about the S.A.P. versions that worked at Winnington/Wallerscote? I have photos but they are not mine but some that were posted on a FB group some years ago and appear to show unfitted HTO type wagons in a spot of bother 😉 

Cheers Paul

[brushman47544]

Thanks for the update @Accurascale Fran. Presumably these are not the additional HTVs in bauxite with early OHL flashes that @Steve Purves said were coming earlier this week?

[pharrc20]

Following on from my earlier email, I have found the same two images on Flickr. I can't link share them as the owner has disabled sharing. But if you search for user Dallam Dave or his two images titled "CP69 / CP70 Derailment inside ICI Wallerscote works, Northwich" you should be able to find the images. Shown with two of the I.C.I. fleet of EE diesel-electric 0-6-0 shunters (similar to BR class 11s) in the I.C.I. Mond green livery.

 

Cheers Paul

[Fredo]

Hi, saw the painted samples a while ago, did you research on a surviving original wagon and a rebodied one on a heritage line? Thanks Fred

Edited July 22 by Fredo

[zr2498]

On 30/05/2024 at 11:59, The Stationmaster said:

A & B - pre 1964 (some no doubt lasted longer in that condition),   C & D, post 1964 when the codes, e.g HOP21, and maintenance detail panel were introduced.   Yellow data panel was introduced in mid 1968 so might possibly have been seen in the final days of the steam era but not very likely.

 

C & D lasted into the early part of the TOPS period but that was well after the end of steam.

 

Thanks for this useful info.

I see there is a yellow data panel on one of the hoppers in pack C. Can I assume that by removing the yellow panel it could back date the hopper to say '66 or earlier?

 

Extra info:

I have had confrimation that the HOP21 hoppers can be back dated by removing the yellow data panel which was introduced in 1968.

Further checks of the maintenance data panels might be needed for those packs, but essentially they were introduced mostly in 1964 (some in 1963).

Edited August 9 by zr2498
More info added

[zr2498]

On 07/07/2024 at 11:38, Steve Purves said:

 

Yes! 

 

The decorated samples shown do not include the packs with the earlier flashes. Let me get back to my desk next week and give me a nudge and I'll update the Web artwork

Regards

Steve

Hi Steve

Unless I have missed something, I do not see any mention of the HOP21VB since the 'history' part of the original announcement.

 

 

Are there any plans for these, or could your HTVs be easily converted with some alternative markings?

 

 

Extra info:

 

Accurascale may well have the HOP21VB hoppers in future runs. A useful addition for pre-TOPS?

These are basically the same as HTVs, but with earlier markings. Railtec transfers that are available would not be cheap to apply, as limited numbers on each sheet.

Edited August 9 by zr2498
Extra info added