Accurascale British Railways 24.5t HOP 24/HUO Hopper Wagon
Reviewed by Derek Peters
Photographs supplied by Accurascale
Website: www.accurascale.co.uk
The hopper model represents the 1/148 revised and 1/154 patterns from 1958-1962. HOP 24 were classified HUO under BR (TOPS) and lasted in regular use as late as 1987. Some continued to work beyond that date, in a various collieries.
The Model
After opening the box, you will quickly notice the plastic mouldings are clean and sharp, including the strengthening fittings on the inside of the wagon. The colour of the hopper body is freight grey and the solebar and below are black. The hopper doors are nicely moulded above and below the wagon floor.
The wagon weighs approximately 150g and the wheels are independently sprung. I have a garden railway and this combination of weight and suspension ensured there were no running problems.
The buffers are sprung just right. The spring on the coupling hook is a little bit weak for my liking but this could easily be changed if you wanted to.
The model fits in well with the rest of my 20t hoppers, so I will definitely add more to my fleet.
