NR1201B China Clay Hood Wagon UCV B743470 Bauxite

China clay traffic from Cornwall requires, and still requires, special handling as the mineral can suffer from contamination if allowed to become wet. Pre-nationalisation there were many different vehicles but from the late 1940s and early 50s a new standard china clay wagon (then referred to as a “Clay-Tip”) was introduced by the GWR and British Railways. Eventually 875 wagons were built and these lasted well into the 1970s, after which the fleet was reduced as volumes declined. They operated all internal Cornish china clay trains and on a long-distance service between Cornwall and the Staffordshire potteries. These wagons featured end-opening doors to allow the clay to be released by tipping the wagon. Originally the wagons were covered by tarpaulins, but this method was difficult to handle, damage in the tarps causing leaks and the generally tying and untying of ropes being an inefficient process. So in the mid-70s the idea of creating a “tent” cover was introduced, allowing water to run off and the new arrangement was less likely to attract damage. The “hoods” as they were referred to were coloured sky blue in recognition of the ECC company colours, although in no time the chin clay caused them to become much paler!  In the era of the BR “TOPS” system the wagons were coded UCV but in 1983 that code was changed to OOV (no physical changes occurred to the wagons). Our models represent these types from a different period in time. 
 
By 1987 it was realised that a new vehicle would be required as the wooden-bodied clay hoods were reaching the end of their lives, which led to the introduction of the CDA hopper and the end of the familiar “hoods”. Around 12 survive in various states of preservation.
 

Key Features:

• Detailed body and under-frame moulding
  
• Finely decorated and printed detail
  
• Couplers mounted in pocket for easy removal if desired
  
• Metal-tyred disc wheels
  
• Separate hood that replicates the real thing in very fine detail