Accurascale ACC3143 OO Gauge Cutdown HYA Hopper Wagons - Blue/black GB Railfreight - Twin pack

Built in several batches by IRS, Romania, and WH Davis, UK, between 2007 and 2011, almost 400 of these high capacity wagons were delivered for service on coal trains across the network.

TOPS coded HYA (later recoded IIA after the adoption of 12-digit UIC numbers), they were developed for First GB Railfreight from the EWS HTA by Thrall successor IRS, complete with track friendly TF25 bogies, enabling GBRf to quickly start running coal trains and break the EWS/Freightliner monopoly of the business.

Soon after the GBRf order, then new operator Fastline Freight also contracted IRS for a batch of their own HYAs, later IIAs, delivered from 2008. Both the GBRf and Fastline Freight hoppers were delivered in unpainted steel, featuring distinctive weld line patterns along the bodyside of each wagon.

Most wagons were festooned with branding of their operators and leasing companies such as GE and VTG, although some did not receive any operator logos at all when entering service.

After the demise of Fastline in 2010, their wagons were leased to other companies such as Colas, Freightliner and GB Railfreight, with some wagons continuing to operate to this day carrying the Fastline branding.

With the demand for coal falling due to environmental concerns in recent years, particularly after the introduction of a new carbon tax in 2015, these impressive wagons are still much in demand, having been redeployed on aggregate trains with very little modification.

From 2010, many of the British-built IIAs were converted to biomass wagons or delivered with the distinctive roof doors and operating equipment, while 2016 saw the debut of the first hoppers cut down to a smaller size for dedicated stone workings, with around 150 converted so far (These are both are of interest to us. Watch this space...) However, coal and aggregate traffic still provides the original length wagons with plenty of work across the UK daily!

Presently, haulage tends to be provided by GBRf Classes 60 and 66, although in the past DRS, Fastline and Freightliner Class 66s and Colas Class 60s and 70s have all featured atop these wagons.

Our Model

These hopper wagons are a major gap for any modeller who specialises in the 2007-current scene and it is one we are delighted to fill.

• Pack of two Wagons, each with individual running number and decoration
• Highly-detailed OO Gauge / 1:76 Scale Models on 16.5mm track
• NEM standard coupler pockets with ‘kinematic’ close coupling functionality
• NEM narrow tension lock couplers at correct height
• Sprung buffers & dummy screw link couplers
• Etched metal factory fitted detailing
• Extra fine factory fitted detail plastic parts including air pipes, brake hand-wheel, levers, hopper operating brackets
• Individual lettering, logos and codes from real wagons for authenticity
• Highly detailed TF25 low track force bogies with brake blocks in line with wheels and separate brake-shoes and brake adjuster
  
• Blackened RP25.110 profile wheel-sets with 14.4mm back-to-back measurements, and 26mm over pinpoints
• Wagons are 195mm over buffers in length and weigh 160g