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N Gauge – HAA merry-go-round hopper wagon

Article originally published issue #3 (Summer 2005) of Modern Railway Modelling

The history

Several years ago when Hornby Mintrix still marketed a range of British N gauge 1:148 outline models it included an HAA merry-go-round hopper wagon which was considered, at the time, to be one of the finest and most accurate models of the genre. When the range was withdrawn the popularity of the wagon ensured that second-hand examples could change hands at eye-wateringly high prices. And, as part of the many polls conducted amongst N gauge enthusiasts, the HAA MGR hopper always headed the list of most highly desired wagon as a replacement RTR subject. As such it came as no surprise that both Peco and Bachmann (under the Graham Farish brand) considered it ripe for development and production as a new N gauge model.

Peco were first to launch their version in October 2004. It was somewhat quietly introduced and consequently came as bit of a surprise. Bachmann were still in the development process and were not expecting to have their version available until early 2005. However, they had been parading a pre-production example of it at various exhibitions (including Warley, Ally Pally and the N Gauge Show) and on their website. Therefore the launch of Peco version was a bit of a coup as they had, in almost complete secrecy, developed and made available a completely new wagon. And the surprise was that this was Pecos first all new wagon for many years including featuring a new chassis and being based on a actual fairly modernish prototype.

The first Peco wagon was a pre TOPs HAA MGR coal hopper coded Hop 32 AB in silver livery with bauxite cradle strapping and black under-frame is available in six different wagon running numbers. At the time of launch Peco announced that they would also be shortly producing a Railfreight version with red cradle framing and a number of specific accessories including top extensions and china clay sheeting. The Railfreight version, an HAA with red cradle frame arrived just a few weeks later in early November.

The model

The wagon is basically an all plastic affair with separate mouldings for the body, chassis and cradle frame. There is a small metal rectangle to provide a bit of additional weight trapped between the body and chassis which clip together. On each side of the body of the pre TOPs version is a finely printed data panel with readable HOP AB code, tare of 13 and wagon number plus an electrification warning symbol.

The body and cradle are finely detailed while the chassis includes a wealth of details including pipe runs recessed in to the sole bars, handbrake rigging, discharge actuators and axle box springing. Overall the wagon includes some of the finest moulded details that I’ve ever seen on any N gauge wagon. The look of the wagon faithfully captures the character of the prototype and when compared against the real wagon there appears to be nothing major missing or out of place.

The wagon is fitted with Pecos own spring-less ELSIE (easy light lift coupling) rapido style coupler that is common on all their N gauge wagon range. This allows the wagons to be easily coupled by pushing together and with a far closer nearer scale distance than is achieved by the sprung version fitted to Farish and Minitrix stock. Unfortunately, probably as a compromise of needing to negotiate set-track curves with the close coupling provided, the buffers are somewhat rather small and undersized.

There is one other downside issue and that is the use of plastic wheel-sets which are fitted to the wagon. Now that the majority of other N gauge manufacturers are using metal low profile blackened wheels to NMRA standards it would have been an ideal opportunity for Peco to upgrade their wagon range.

Comparisons

The new Peco wagon is bound to be compared with the old defunct Minitrix HAA wagon. Against the Minitrix version it looks very similar in style meaning that both versions could easily be run side by side without any obvious or glaring differences. However, upon close inspection the Peco offers finer moulding and is, in my opinion, a better product. It has more detail and improved fidelity in the under-frame area, increased riveting on the cradle frame, a less pronounced top lip and finer thinner end stanchions, as well as coupling closer together.

Comparison with the Farish version when it becomes available will also be inevitable. At the moment only a pre-production version has been exhibited so a direct comparison would be unfair although it too looks like it will be an accurate and well detailed model. It would seem that the real competition will be in the selling price. The Peco wagon list price is currently £11.25 while the Farish version is on their website with a proposed price of £7.10 although of course these will be discounted by bulk dealing retailers.

The prototype

The first Peco model is based on the original version of the wagon when it was introduced in the late 1960’s. Vast numbers were built and they ran in long rakes, normally of 36 wagons, to improve the efficiency of coal deliveries from the pits to the then new electricity generating power stations on a continual merry-go-round basis. Later they were incorporated in to the new BR TOPs computer system coded as HAAs. Some were converted in to covered CDA variants for the conveyance of China clay and Peco have announced that they intend to produce such coverings as an accessory. Although still in use around the country they are gradually being replaced with larger capacity bogie wagons.

Summary

Without doubt this is a very welcome and highly demanded wagon. It fills the gap left by the demise of the Minitrix version very well indeed and Peco are to be congratulated in making an accurate and well detailed relatively modern wagon. The downside is that it’s shortly going to be replicated by the introduction of another version providing unnecessary competition and potentially wasted development and manufacturing effort. It’s going to be a matter of you pays your money and you takes your choice…….

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