Bulk grain hopper in BR livery

Bulk grain hopper in BR livery

No. B885312

• Finely moulded body with accurately modelled ladders and walkways
• Accurately applied livery and decoration
• Profiled wheels

Post Nationalisation, most bulk grain transportation was performed by rail and British Rail based its new standardised grain hopper on the LMS steel bodied grain hopper design with a 10’6” wheelbase and 21’ body. These wagons normally ran in small rakes of between 2 and 10 wagons as part of a general mixed goods train. The bulk grain was discharged from the wagon via a bottom discharge chute and then via an auger to the waiting road transport. The bulk transportation of grain grew during the 1960’s and 70’s as Britain exported grain overseas, however this net export  had diminished by the early 1990’s  and the bulk movement of grain by rail became uneconomic. Today the proportion of grain transported in bulk is a very small proportion and ironically most grain is now transported in sacks as it was before the advent of rail freight services.