BR Ballast Hopper Wagon - CATFISH kit

Catfish 19ton Ballast Hopper Wagon - OO unpainted plastic kit

Require glue, paint, transfers, couplings, wheels (Gibson 12mm & brass bearings) to complete.

Catfish hoppers were similar to the Dogfish, the main differences being a lower hopper (reducing the load capacity) and lack of side chutes.

These wagons have a hopper fitted with one central discharge door and were basically a welded version of the earlier "Mackerel".

236 Catfish were built from 1955-58 by Metropolitan-Cammell to BR Diagram D1/586 and were numbered:
1955: Lot 2682/3 DB992531 - 650. Lot 2775 DB992651-710
1958: Lot 2929 DB993508 - 566.(152 were still in service at 2/94)

These were all built with oil axleboxes & self-contained buffers as on the model. A further 471 were built to Lots 3039/3331 in 1960/61 (DB983376 576/627 - 896). These had Oleo buffers & roller bearings. (353 were still in service 2/94)

Catfish were originally allocated to the LMR, but from the late 60s spread onto the ScR & ER. Some were loaned to the SR in the 1970s. Catfish were worked with most other types of ballast hoppers. Rarely seen in the SR and WR areas.

Alan Gibson Wheels compatible : 12mm 3-hole