DRS Nuclear Fuel Train Formations

[ELTEL]

As I understand by the time DRS contract for Nuclear Flask took place the use of barrier wagons and brake vans had ceased.

 

On researching the above there have been barrier wagons used by DRS in some formations as reported here by RMWEB members 

 

Does any one have any photographic of a DRS Nuclear Flask train formation with either barrier wagons or barrier wagons and a brake van.

 

Many thanks 

 

Eltel 

[Simon Bendall]

When DRS took over the flask workings, the use of brake vans had ceased but barriers were still required. DRS used the ex Drigg PFA skip carriers BNFL91000-29 for this, these being OBA chassis with all bodywork removed. The requirement for barriers on regular power station flask workings ceased in 2000 IIRC. There's some pics of such formations spread amongst this collection for example https://daviddockray.smugmug.com/Trains/Latest-scans/

Edited November 13, 2019 by Simon Bendall

[ELTEL]

Simon

 

Many thanks.

 

Terry 

 

[russ p]

The runners weren't all if any OBAs as there was the remains of a door track on some if not all 

[DanielP]

On 13/11/2019 at 11:58, Simon Bendall said:

Drigg PFA skip carriers BNFL91000-29

 

Seems to be correct, as shown here in mid-1999. Has anyone made this version of the PFA in 00 scale? It's almost completely flat on top and quite different to the Accurascale ones. 

 

Credit: flickr/Steven Clements

 

Credit: flickr / Matt Taylor

 

[Simon Bendall]

2 hours ago, DanielP said:

 

Seems to be correct, as shown here in mid-1999. Has anyone made this version of the PFA in 00 scale? It's almost completely flat on top and quite different to the Accurascale ones. 

 

No but using the chassis from a Cambrian OBA kit with a new deck would do the job.

[60091]

Hope these might be of interest. Both photos would be Sellafield-Hartlepool-Sellafield.

 Hexham, September 1999.

 

 

Sunderland, February 1999.

 

[DanielP]

Thanks for the confirmation. Clearly these barrier PFAs were replaced with the ex-container ones at some point after 1999, would anyone happen to know roughly when?

[60091]

Ridding Mill, September 1999. Hartlepool - Sellafield.

Not a very clear shot of the wagons. Are these the exPFAs with lower centres which originally held the coal containers? 

 

[Simon Bendall]

On 07/04/2021 at 18:28, DanielP said:

Thanks for the confirmation. Clearly these barrier PFAs were replaced with the ex-container ones at some point after 1999, would anyone happen to know roughly when?

 

The ex OBA PFAs were originally used on the low-level waste traffic to Drigg carrying skips of contaminated material. When DRS took over the power station workings in 1999, they were deployed as barriers as this was still a requirement at that time and this continued until 2002. 

 

The Drigg workings became containerised in the mid 1990s, initially using bogie wagons, but the well-type PFAs were acquired from 1999 to expand the fleet. As they weren't always needed for the Drigg workings, this allowed them to be used as barriers as well. I don't think they were ever used as barriers on the traditional power station workings but they have been used as spacers on the Barrow Docks trains and the more recent Georgemas traffic.

 

[Simon Bendall]

16 hours ago, 60091 said:

Ridding Mill, September 1999. Hartlepool - Sellafield. Not a very clear shot of the wagons. Are these the exPFAs with lower centres which originally held the coal containers? 

 

 

Yes they are, as per the Accurascale model.

[DanielP]

Aha, so Accurascale empty PFA with Bachmann DRS 20306 could be ok for a late-1999 layout.

Thanks all.