Oxford rails ICI hopper wagons

[Kevin Johnson]

I’m planning on buying a rake of Oxford rails ICI hopper wagons but I would like some help on what class diesel locos would have been pulling these wagons.

[pharrc20]

Depends on the era you are modelling Kevin but as a summary this should help:

 

1963 Green Metro-Vick Co-Bos and English Electric Type 4s class 40s on trial

1964 to early 70s Green Derby later body style Type 2s class 25s along with one Darlington built 25 early body style.

 

1970s onwards BR Blue mainly class 25s any type along with class 40s

 

1980s same but with class 37s/45s/47s being used to often on roadstone aggregates trains. The usual limestone trains to Northwich were almost always 25s or 40s with rare substitutions by 45s or 47s.

1984 Pairs of blue Class 20s introduced following successful trials in Sept 1982. The 20s ousted the 25s and 40s. 37s, 45s 47s still common along with 31s too.

1986 Railfreight livery comes in and brake valve modified pool of 8 class 20s tried out 20301&302 Railfreight livery disc headcodes, 303-308 headcode boxes all blue.

1987 refurbished class 37/7s tried then a fleet of 13 new refurbished class 37/5s nos. 37676-688 introduced which take over bulk of traffic from 20s, 31s and 47s though these are still used.

1988 Railfreight sector livery some 37s repainted in the Construction livery others remain in Railfreight red stripe livery. Some ex-Scottish 37/4s appear in BR Large Loco livery before repainting into Construction. 47s often blue, railfreight, rf red stripe, BR large logo or RF Distribution liveries. 31s rf, rf red stripe, rf Construction 

 

Up to around 1992 pretty much the same with 47s then as pools and depots change it is single 37s used along with pairs on longer trains. Intercity Mainline 37/4 ex-passenger locos make an appearance and stay along with other ex sector liveries like metals and coal. 31s and 47s same as above but with Dutch engineers livery appearing.

 

Privatisation era pretty much any the three companies could be seen starting with Transrail then once EWS acquired all three freight companies then pretty much any livery was game including new EWS colours from 1996 right until the end of 1997. Railfreight grey, Dutch, BR large logo, Loadhaul, Mainline freight blue, sector greys inc department. As the 37s were still vacuum-braked these were pretty much all EWS had for the JGV (former PHV) hoppers though 31/37 pairings occurred a few times too.

 

For the models that Hatton's have left they would all come under the post 1992 haulage liveries as above as the wagons are modelled with the cast I C I letters correctly removed, which occurred after the divesting of I.C.I. starting in 1991. The JGVs wagons passed into the ownership of Buxton Lime Industries (BLI) who owned and operated Tunstead and Hindlow quarries. The wagons served Brunner Mond and Co. at Winnington and Lostock works in Northwich.

 

Loads of photos of the hoppers trains on Flickr now have a look for places like Great Rocks, Peak Forest or anywhere in between to Northwich for idea. Lots of new photo being added in lockdown/pandemic times.

 

HTH cheers Paul Harrison

 

[Steamport Southport]

I think there's a thread about them in the Hattons section.

 

But I remember them mostly with Class 25s and Peaks. Then it was Class 37s.

 

 

 

Jason

[Kevin Johnson]

Thanks guys for the information, most helpful.