New Accurascale ICI and ZDV Engineers 21 Ton Hopper Packs

These wagons will form part of the “Accurascale Exclusives” range; limited production run in special presentation packaging only available directly from the Accurascale website.

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. Each wagon rides on 26mm axles, which are 2mm in diameter, with pin points in brass bearing cups for smooth performance and ease of conversion to finescale tolerances.

Accurascale is already at decoration stage and are about to begin production of these wagons in the coming weeks. Delivery of the models to customers is currently estimated at Autumn 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 Accurascale is operating its 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 the website.

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.

Accurascale’s pack of ZDV engineers wagons represent the latter. Photographs show these wagons in use variously in the late 1980s and early 1990s 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 1930s-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 into the 1990s for carrying “hot rocks”, hot, processed limestone around the plant during the production of Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate).

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