GWR P22 Ballast Hopper

GWR "Herring" Ballast Hopper Wagon Kit

250 wagons were built between 1945 and 1948 to diagram P22 some built by outside contractors, such as Fairlede Engineering in Chatteris, Cambs. A further 50 were built in 1951 for British Railways by Metropolitan Cammell. The wagons were disliked by railwaymen as they had a bar below the solebar to operate the doors. This made discharging and closing the doors difficult and also meant standing beside the wagon, which could be next to a running line. The code/fishknd for these wagons was "Herring" (not always on the wagon), but was also applied to other designs with a similar capacity, e.g. the rivetted hopper that in its welded form became the Catfish hopper. The Somerset & Dorset Railway was one line that used P22s in the 1960s. Some remained in use in the early 1980s. Others were transferred north, but not greatly liked!
The kit has its own "one-piece" underframe, which includes the "V" hangers, end plates and the lower part of the hopper (excluding the door parts at the bottom). The top part of the hopper has the upper vertical side ribs moulded on, and sits on top of the underframe/lower hopper section. Includes etched tie bars.