Accurascale JSA steel carrier wagons

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Accurascale JSA Steel Coil Wagons ◆ PRICE £55.95 (twin pack) ◆ AVAILABILITY Accurascale Web www.accurascale.co.uk

With Accurascale having already produced a 4mm scale model of the PTA/JTA/JUA iron ore and aggregate tippler wagons (MR283), it was a logical move for the manufacturer to also consider the JSA steel coil carriers. With the downturn in UK steel production, a raft of the 1970s-era tipplers became redundant and were rebuilt to form the JSA fleet.

Introduced in the mid-1990s, the JSA has been a common sight on metals traffic in various parts of England, but especially in South Wales. The distinctive three-piece telescopic hood certainly made for an eye-catching sight, as it does in model form, with Accurascale’s new wagon packs providing another visual treat.

On offer are all three iterations of the JSA (see Factfile), with two different hood patterns and an ‘open top’ version, which brings the story bang up to date, as this is how the wagons have been emerging from a recent refurbishment programme. Offered in twin-packs and bundle deals, these models offer great value and had been selling fast at the time of writing.

Like the prototype, the model chassis’ tippler heritage is apparent, with an impressive level of fidelity and finesse. The sprung, pivoting coupling units promote smooth, reliable running and there’s a full complement of air brake plumbing under the floor.

The bodywork is even more stunning, with the end strengthening framework of the hooded wagons looking totally convincing. There are small grab handrails and pivoting door locking levers (which do actually work!) and separately fitted lamp brackets.

The hoods, although they can be posed open, are not really designed to be opened and closed repeatedly and, accordingly, must be handled with care. Indeed, it’s best to avoid lifting the model by holding the sides of the hood, with a grip around the underframe edges being safer. The hood components clip into narrow slots in the solebars and, if disturbed, can be a little tricky to get back into position. If you do decide to open one up, the detailed interior cradle can be appreciated, complete with plank and fastener detail. Thin metal ‘U’ section girders run longitudinally, perforated with tiny holes to allow the load securing bars (supplied in a separate bag) to be slotted into place – a very impressive touch. Other separate details supplied include dummy screw couplings and brake hoses.

Livery application is superb, with the attractive British Steel blue versions my personal favourite. All logos, TOPS number panels and instruction/ warning legends are crisply printed and correct. The VTG version, with the revised aluminium hoods, sport pronounced rivet head detail and a subtle metallic finish. Again, the level of decoration is very high, with the attention to detail extending to the thin yellow warning stripes atop the ends.

The third, most recent, prototype version of the JSA is more functional in appearance, with cut-down ends and no hoods. However, the model still has plenty to offer, including a revised cradle design, with lateral cooling strips. Those metal ‘U’ section girders can be fully appreciated on the open version (although a few had broken off our samples on arrival), as can the detail on the deep side channels, with their cut-back brackets that once held the door sliding channels. To enhance the open wagon versions, a set of moulded plastic steel coil loads is provided – three per wagon – which sport a convincing bright metallic finish and moulded coil detail at the ends. There’s also the load securing bars to fit, as mentioned earlier.

Each wagon weighs in at 75g (70g for the open-top versions with coils loaded) and all six samples ran faultlessly under test. If your inspiration lies in the modern railway, then these wagons will be a worthy addition to your freight fleet. The ability to pose the hoods open could be irresistible for those who like a freight yard cameo scene. Furthermore, the wagons will look fantastic behind a DB or Ews-liveried ‘60’ or ‘66’. (GD)

The sprung, pivoting coupling units promote smooth, reliable running and there’s a full complement of air brake plumbing under the floor