Take a look at our latest Formations Guide, produced in partnership with Hornby Magazine, which covers hopper trains between the 50s & 90s

Hopper Trains Formation Guide - 1964-1997

FORMATIONS GUIDE
Hopper Trains (Era 5 to 9)

Hopper trains formation guide created in partnership with Hornby magazine

During the 1950s and 1960s the large amount of aggregates, coal and mineral trains saw an increase in the use of dedicated hopper wagons over the more traditional open wagons that had previously been more commonly used. This was owing to the fact that hopper wagons could be unloaded much more quickly by utilising discharge chutes equipped on these vehicles.

As part of Dr Beechings "The Reshaping of British Railways" the idea of "Merry-go-round" (MGR) coal trains was introduced. This involved locomotives being fitted with a system that allowed for very slow speed running through loading and discharging facilities at collieries and power stations respectively. 

As with coal, aggregates, cement, china clay, coke, fly ash, grain, minerals, ballast and sugar more could be loaded and discharged using hopper wagons by adopting similar procedures, albeit often with more manual intervention.

The following formations guide represents operations from the 1960s to the late 1990s comprising a variety of hopper wagons, includes links to products where available and to "dreamlist" items where an item has never been produced.

An additional 30 hopper train formations are available in the June issue (HM144) of Hornby Magazine. Buy yours HERE.

 

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We also recently launched a new Formations discussion group on Facebook, where you can give feedback on our guides and give suggestions for future formations. Get involved with the group, HERE.

 


Shorthand Info & Key: 
Liveries: BR = br black, gr = BR grey, bau = BR bauxite, bl = BR blue, LL = BR large logo blue, main = Mainline blue, br = brown

* - Not in current catalogue but may be available as a pre-owned item
# - Requires some modification
^ - Similar item

 

Key
     
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This means an item is available, or has been available in the past, that is suitable to represent a particular item in a formation. Click the link to go through to the product page.

Add to dreamlist icon This means the item is not available ready-to-run. If you click the icon and then add the 'Dreamlist' item to your wishlist then we will notify you via email if anyone subsequently announces a model of the item. Find out more about Dreamlist HERE.

 


Era 5

 

Wigan North bulk salt - 1964
WD 2-8-0 in BR black with late crest hauling a train of Covhop wagons in BR grey and bauxite liveries. Spotted at Wigan.

 
Wigan North bulk salt - 1964 WD 2-8-0 in BR black with late crest hauling a train of Covhop wagons in BR grey and bauxite liveries.
 
  WD 2-8-0 BR* Covhop bau* Covhop gr* 20t brake bau          
OO Gauge View product details View product details View product details View product details          
  WD 2-8-0 BR Covhop bau Covhop gr 20t brake bau          
N Gauge View product details View product details View product details View product details          
  WD 2-8-0 BR Covhop bau Covhop gr 20t brake bau*          
O Gauge Add to dreamlist Add to dreamlist Add to dreamlist View product details          

 

Era 7

 

02:57 Northwich to Tunstead  - 1975
Class 25 in BR blue hauling empty ICI hoppers. Spotted at Buxworth.
 
02:57 Northwich to Tunstead  - 1975 Class 25 in BR blue hauling empty ICI hoppers.
 
  Class 25 bl ICI hop x15              
OO Gauge View product details View product details              
  Class 25 bl* ICI hop x15              
N Gauge View product details Add to dreamlist              
  Class 25 bl ICI hop x15              
O Gauge View product details Add to dreamlist              

 

South Manchester cement traffic - 1979
Class 40 in BR blue hauling 3 CPV 'Presflo' wagons. Spotted at Altrincham.
 
South Manchester cement traffic - 1979 Class 40 in BR blue hauling 3 CPV 'Presflo' wagons.
 
  Class 40 bl Presflo bau x3* 20t brake bau*            
OO Gauge View product details View product details View product details            
  Class 40 bl* Presflo bau x3* 20t brake bau            
N Gauge View product details View product details View product details            
  Class 40 bl* Presflo bau x3 20t brake bau*            
O Gauge View product details Add to dreamlist View product details            

 

Era 8

 

Coal empties through Tolworth  - 1984
Class 73/1 in BR large logo blue hauling empty HEA hoppers in BR bauxite. Spotted at Tolworth.
 
Coal empties through Tolworth  - 1984 Class 73/1 in BR large logo blue hauling empty HEA hoppers in BR bauxite
 
  Class 73 LL HEA br x6*              
OO Gauge View product details View product details              
  Class 73 LL* HEA br x6*              
N Gauge View product details View product details              
  Class 73 LL HEA br x6              
O Gauge Add to dreamlist View product details              

 

Era 9

 

6K68 Worksop to Oxcroft - 1997
Class 58 in Mainline blue hauling 30 empty MGR hopper wagons. Spotted at Seymour Box.
 
6K68 Worksop to Oxcroft - 1997 Class 58 in Mainline blue hauling 30 empty MGR hopper wagons
 
  Class 58 main* MGR red x30*              
OO Gauge View product details View product details              
  Class 58 main* MGR red x30              
N Gauge View product details View product details              
  Class 58 main MGR red x30              
O Gauge Add to dreamlist View product details              

 

 

 

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