Accurascale ACC3147 Cutdown HYA ex-Biomass - Blue/Black with VTG branding with Tail Lights (Pack 1)

Expected Delivery Q3 2025 (Subject to Change at Manufacturer's Discretion).

This pack contains two wagons; one of which features a working LED Tail-Light.

Cutdown HYA ex-Biomass -  Blue/Black with VTG branding  (Pack 1)

• HYA  37 70 6955 227-3
• HYA  37 70 6955 314-2
  
  
• Common Features:

• Pack of two Wagons, each with individual running number and decoration
• Highly-detailed OO Gauge / 1:76.2 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 160g

Prototype History

The HYA/IIA family of bogie coal hoppers was one the most significant casualties of the doubling of the UK’s carbon tax from April 2015. Built by International Railway Services (IRS) in Romania and at WH Davis’ workshops at Langwith Junction, Shirebrook, for Fastline Freight and GB Railfreight between 2007 and 2013, the 368-strong fleet was the youngest in operation with some examples just two years old. While around a third of the newest vehicles were either outshopped or modified with top doors for biomass use, this left around 250 wagons with an uncertain future.

As coal volumes fell, examples were either stored or redeployed to carrying aggregates, which was not ideal because the denser nature of stone meant the wagons could only be partially filled. This made a full train inefficient compared to purpose-built hoppers. VTG Rail was the first to look at reducing the length of the wagons to make them more suitable, commissioning WH Davis to remove the centre bay, which equated to some three metres or so. The prototype, No. 371051, was released in February 2016 and by the middle of 2024 just 77 examples remained unconverted. Notably, all rebuilds are TOPS coded HYA, whether they started life as an HYA or an IIA, and from 2020 the programme also included former biomass versions made redundant by the arrival of higher-capacity IIA-D covered hoppers, also built by WH Davis.

From mid-2021, WH Davis outshopped the next 48 cutdown wagons, originally built for GE Rail Services/Fastline as IIAs but latterly operated by GBRf, with the bodyside above the lower angle change in ‘steel blue’, complete with Touax and GB Railfreight brandings. The rest of the wagon is black. This replaced the unpainted, patch painted and silver-grey finish seen on previous batches and instantly made them the classiest-looking members of the fleet. This image change was continued onto 371073-371080, released in 2022 in the same scheme, albeit with just the GBRf logos. They are mostly to be found behind the operator’s diverse range of Class 66s and can be found all over the UK working on behalf of Aggregate Industries (from Bardon Hill, Coton Hill and Grain), Cemex (from Peak Forest), and Tarmac (from Arcow and Rylstone).

In August 2022, WH Davis completed the first pair of blue-painted HYAs for VTG, they were followed by a batch of nine wagons – all ex-biomass – which were destined for use on Freightliner-powered Mendip Rail Services out of Whatley and Merehead quarries. A further batch of 25 VTG-owned IIAs was sent to Langwith Junction in November 2023 for length reduction, but these are currently in store at Gascoigne Wood. This leaves just two sets of original length IIAs in operation, one biomass for Drax services and one with the top doors removed for aggregates use.

The Model

A much requested model in this new livery, Accurascale’s second run of the cutdown HYA wagons represent these modified wagons from both HYA and IIA donors, with end detailing to reflect the parentage of their donors. Each twin pack will come with individual markings, from unique running numbers to different branding depending on lessor of the wagons such as VTG or Touax.

Accurascale have revisited the wagons too, switching the tail light operation from a battery to track pick up to save any fussy changing of batteries and opening of ends. These will still be controlled by magnetic wand. Accurascale has also asked the factory to ensure our high demands of free rolling are met, with additional procedures in the quality control department being put in place for this production run too.