14 October 2022
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Six different packs containing five new wagon loads join this range. Andy York takes a closer look...
When Accurascale first released its PFA container flat wagon last year with assorted containers it was the low level nuclear waste wagons that flew out of the warehouse doors fastest, so the team looked further into the waste traffic and have now released six different packs containing five new wagon loads.
Accurascale has released three wagon/container packs containing three individually-numbered and containers in different liveries. Let's take examine these:
1.
One of the more curious loads is the 'Dragon' flask, top right. It is used to carry 40 litre stainless steel canisters of fuel from the decommissioned Winfrith Dragon reactor in Dorset. The distinctive containers are moved by road to the loading terminal at Berkeley in Gloucestershire for onward transport to Sellafield. This trio of three PFAs and loads is part of the 'Accurascale Exclusives' range and only available via its website.
2.
Accurascale has released three wagon/container packs containing three individually-numbered and individually-decorated containers. These ran in longer rakes of up to 15 wagons (with an empty flat wagon at each end as a barrier) and are akin to a standard 20ft ocean-going ISO container. However, it does display some differences such as a subtly angled centre panel and two strengthened ribs each side.
3.
Since the late 1990s, the Nupak reusable drum carriers have found themselves a wealth of heritage traction in the early years of DRS, right up to their replacement by Novapacks in 2017. Initially loaded on bogie KFA wagons, they were partnered with the two-axle PFAs from the early 2000s. They were initially used to move aging LLNW from Drigg to Sellafield that needed repackaging and storing at Sellafield, but more recently have been noted on Berkeley workings from Winfrith and Harwell between 2013 and 2017.
4.
The Nupaks were replaced from 2017 by the Novapak Type Bs, which were larger in size and offered better protection of their hazardous contents. These are also used on the Berkeley to Crewe and Crewe to Sellafield routes and are often mixed with 2896-series, 'Dragon' flasks and unloaded PFAs acting as barriers.
See more images of these new models and read more about the history of their prototypes in the December 2022 issue of BRM.
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