Bachmann & Farish HRA aggregate hoppers

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’/’N’ ◆ MODELS • Bachmann 37-865B HRA bogie hopper, DB Cargo red, £69.95 each • Graham Farish 373-865A HRA bogie hopper, DB Cargo red, £46.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk

Hundreds of highcapacity wagons were left redundant following the sharp downturn in coal traffic during the late 2010s, with DB Cargo cascading many of its HTAS into aggregate traffic.

However, these 100-ton capacity bogie hoppers, built by EWS in the early 2000s, could only be partly filled, owing to stone being much denser than coal. As a result, loaded trains contained a significant amount of empty space within the wagons. To improve efficiency, DB experimented with a shortened HTA, cutting out the central hopper bay and welding the two ends back together.

A single prototype, numbered 41 70 6723 001-7, was created in 2017 and trialled on workings from the Peak District to terminals in Greater Manchester. The successful trial lasted five months, leading to a substantial conversion project covering 110 wagons, with work spread between Axiom Rail at Stoke on Trent and WH Davis at Shirebrook. The converted wagons were given the TOPS code of HRA and, despite being around 20% shorter, they retained a maximum capacity of 100 tonnes. A full rake of HRAS allowed more stone to be carried in a shorter formation, compared to a train formed of HTAS, thus greatly improving efficiency.

Bachmann Europe announced an HRA for both the Branchline ‘OO’ and Farish ‘N’ gauge ranges a few months ago, and it’s interesting to have both new models for review at the same time, especially when comparing them to the original HTAS, which have also been in each range for some years.

Four versions are offered in each scale, featuring individual running numbers, in DB Cargo’s vibrant Traffic Red livery. Placed side-by-side with an HTA, the reduction in length is significant, but there are clearly plenty of common parts employed across each model, including the bogies and smaller detail fittings. Scale dimensions of the ‘N’ and ‘OO’ HRAS are spot-on and, like the original HTAS, there’s an attractive level of detail along the lower sides, with pipes, brackets, hopper controls and handbrake wheels.

The twin hopper discharge doors are well rendered, and the interior features the correct central partition. The headstocks feature plastic lamp brackets, while the ‘OO’ version is equipped with Kadee-style knuckle couplers mounted to the chassis, with a sprung, pivoting action. These work well with similar couplers supplied with the HTAS, replicating prototypical practice. Alternatively, the knuckles can be removed and a set of NEM pockets and tension

lock couplers slot into the bogie frames. The Farish HRA features standard ‘N’ gauge couplers mounted to the bogies in NEM sockets.

With both the ‘N’ and ‘OO’ HRAS, a set of plastic buffers is provided as an optional fitting, allowing the ‘outer’ wagons to be replicated, which feature conventional drawgear.

I was particularly pleased that the raised weld seams have been added to the hopper body sides, which are a distinctive feature of the real wagons, reminding me of a friend’s Ford Fiesta that he bought from a backstreet garage in the early ‘90s – a true ‘cut-and-shut’ creation. I gather that the HRAS are less of a death trap, however!

Both wagons are nicely weighted (‘OO’ version 145g, ‘N’ version 22g) and run extremely well. Build quality and paint finish are top-notch, with the various logos and data panels crisply printed and fully legible.

As a fan of latter-day freight operations, especially those concerning the Peak District quarries, the HRA is a very welcome release. With many dealers offering the ‘OO’ HRAS at around £60 each and the ‘N’ versions at the £40 mark, creating a prototypical 20+ wagon rake requires a significant outlay, but then how many of us have room for trains of that length? Besides, as the roll-out of converted wagons was a protracted affair, modellers have the option of replicating mixed rakes of HTAS and just a few HRAS, hauled by a DB Class 66 or ‘60’.

They’ll certainly make for an interesting addition to a layout and avoid the need for a DIY conversion, which is something I’d been trying to motivate myself to do for the past few years. Happily, that’s no longer necessary!