kevsmiththai Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Hi all I'm going to scratchbuild the elusive KMA hot core wagon MODA 95780. This vehicle was unique and was a modified BR Transformer wagon with a GLW of 204 tonnes Dave Mcdigital has a good photo of it outside Sellafield with its escort coaches and I've seen a couple of other pics of it on the internet but have struggled to find either a weight diagram or outline drawing of it It appeared in the B533 maintenace shed at Sellafield many years ago for 24 hours but this was before I has a site licencec camera so I could not get any photos of it Any thoughts Kev 7 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold nigb55009 Posted February 24 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 24 If you look on Barrowmore Model Railway Groups website, ther BR Diagram books. In the one titled "British Railways Diagrams of PO Wagons, Part 1" on page 169 of 266 is the diagram of MODA95780, diagram no, PX010A. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 This copy of the wagon diagram may be of interest as it is the one used by the SR Loads Inspector (Terry Knight) when checking the loaded wagon prior to departures from Chatham Dockyard. Whilst the later movements from Chatham used the converted Mk1's MODA 99150/1 to convey BR staff and the MoD armed escort, in the early days it would appear that normal goods brake vans were used as possibly no military presence was required at the time. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevsmiththai Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 (edited) Thank you gentlemen I'm already halfway through doing MODA 99150 and 151, converting them from Mainline BSKs in BlueGrey. MODA 99152 and 153 are complete ( Lima BSKs with the ends modified and doors and windows plated over) in Departmental Grey Before I retired I had quite a lot to do with all four DRS Mk II escort coaches so of course, I've already done them, complete with all the interior details ( Generator cage etc) I'll keep everyone updated on how I get on with the big beast Kev Edited February 24 by kevsmiththai 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HGR Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Built by Head Wrightson 1963. Their name was on an enormous relief plate on the centre of the wagon side. Was for the Admiralty, as a 'hot core' transporter for nuclear submarines (HMS Dreadnought I guess at that time) to work between Devonport or Rosyth and Sellafield. Registered by B.R. N.E. region (presumably as built on Teesside ?) as originator's number 457, given B.R. private owner number MOD 66660. P.O. wagon book 6 diagram number 412 : M.O.D. (Royal Navy) Wagon for Conveyance of Nuclear Cores (G.L.W. 185 Ton). As built it had vacuum brake, and tare just shy of 90 T, carrying capacity 95 T. Diagram in feet & inches of course. Later '70s, TOPS gave it AARKND code PXV D and design code PX 010 A (the diagram from SED Freightman above is an extract of the original issue of that diagram). Now re-numbered MODA 95780 and re-rated in Metric as 188 tonnes GLW, 96,600 kg carrying capacity, 91,350 kg tare. Issue 2 of the diagram added antenna restraining loop supports at either end of the wagon. From memory, I think this was a VHF wire aerial strung out between the two escort coaches over the top of the load. It was titled 188 tonne G.L.W. Road - Railer on the diagram, which we took as alluding to its use on Thurso workings for the Douneray reactor. Found it loitering in Shildon Wagon Works in April '84 in a livery of light blue (which we thought could have been 'light admiralty grey' when clean - which any normal person would swear is pale blue, not grey !) with a white central section on each side where the load was carried. Around that time it gained air brakes, becoming dual-braked PXX D, design code PX 010 B. Diagram title now simply stated 188 tonne G.L.W. Transporter. It was limited to 35 mph (originally 15 mph when loaded, but later permitted 35 mph under any loading condition), but the real kicker was that TOPS yielded RA 10 regardless of whether loaded or empty. In 1990 the 'P' group was moved to 'K' so this wagon became KMX D, design code KM 010 B. Then sometime in the mid '90s it lost the vac brake becoming air-only as KMA D, design code revised to KM 010 C. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 There are a number of official photo's of it in the Teesside Archive and details of the build in the Head Wrightson order books. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Did the Mk1 Escort Coaches ever get fitted with generators before they were replaced ? In the 1980's they had propane gas heating supplied by gas cylinders like the old kitchen cars etc. On the all electric SED it was always a nuisance having to get the gas cylinders changed at Chatham Dockyard before each trip, originally they were obtained from Clapham Jn where there was presumably still some loco hauled catering vehicles that used them, latterly they were obtained from Old Oak Common. Arrangements also had to be made for the gas cylinders to be changed over en route, I think perhaps in the Leeds area for Chatham - Sellafield movements to avoid any risk of the MoD escorts having not cooking or heating facilities. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Doing the same ..................... I'm struggling to source anything like suitable 6-wheel bogies however. The working from Chatham in the late 70's was often worked by a 45 which often put a wheel in the dirt in Gillingham Down yard (where the Chatham Dockyard branch started) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevsmiththai Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 2 hours ago, Southernman46 said: Doing the same ..................... I'm struggling to source anything like suitable 6-wheel bogies however. The working from Chatham in the late 70's was often worked by a 45 which often put a wheel in the dirt in Gillingham Down yard (where the Chatham Dockyard branch started) Looking at modifying the six wheel bogies found under the old Triang Trestol wagons. If that doesnt work I'll probably make a pattern and cast them in resin. It helps that the headstock and buffers are mounted on the Span bolster and not the outer bogie I'll keep you all posted Kev 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 (edited) You might find those Triang bogies are too short ..... they were too short for the Trestrol ! ( Too short in the wheelbase, at least. ) Edited February 26 by Wickham Green too wheelbase 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold C126 Posted February 26 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 26 (edited) Saw a model of this on a layout at one of the Gaydon exhibitions recently, livery was pale khaki and white 'inner third'. Chatted with the modeller - he had made the bogies (and everything else) from scratch. Looked wonderful. I will try and find the name of the layout. 'Devonport Road'. Edited February 26 by C126 Found layout. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold C126 Posted February 26 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 26 Just found this one on Flickr, that I remembered: N.b., crash over-ride bars at ends (at least I assume that is what those two prongs are for?!). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 1 hour ago, C126 said: Just found this one on Flickr, that I remembered: N.b., crash over-ride bars at ends (at least I assume that is what those two prongs are for?!). The upright supports are part of the aerial system mentioned above by HGR, and were presumably to prevent the actual aerial from getting too close to the OHL. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HGR Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 I was grazing the Internet for that same pic, just couldn't remember where I'd seen it and used the wrong search term. It looked a lot better when I saw it at Shildon - more pale blue than outdoor storage algae green ! What I'm not sure on is at what date it was through-wired for ETH. Should have taken a photo' or more notice of it at Shildon I guess. The ETH was jumpered up from the bogies to the body corners, to run along conduit on the the top of the side girders. Attached are B.R. Private Owner Freight Stock (book 6) dia. 6/412. Also issue 2 of PX 010 A (original issue is in the copy on Barrowmore MRG web-site), and PX 010 B. BR 6-412.pdf PX 010 B iss 1.pdf PX 010 A iss 2.pdf 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 4 hours ago, C126 said: Just found this one on Flickr, that I remembered: N.b., crash over-ride bars at ends (at least I assume that is what those two prongs are for?!). A member on here - EastWestDivide has a picture of it taken in Doncaster Works (?) without the horns or ETH fittings which he may agree to post or copy. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevsmiththai Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 I saw this picture of Dave Skipseys' quite a while ago Jamming a tail lamp on the drawhook stood out a bit but I assume the lamp irons were U/S Kev Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Did it have its own lamp irons ? ........ it was probably not expected to travel unescorted ! ( and the buffer beam area looks more than a little clutttered with other stuff ! ) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HGR Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Vehicles only originally had lamp irons if they were allowed / expected to be last in the train. What that meant was that when guards were permitted to ride in the rear cab of the loco, and brakevans were dispensed with, many fitted vehicles had to have lamp irons added ... often done locally with a liberal element of positional (un)accuracy thrown in for good measure (no pun intended - I'll get me coat !). Vehicles conveying explosive / flammable / hazardous loads that required the special Bardic battery-electric tail lamps had specially modified lamp irons with a ridge up the back that prevented ordinary naked flame paraffin oil lamps being used. At least that was the intention - back in the '80s I've seen one or two sets of bogie tanks coming off the Phillips Petroleum trip with an oil lamp hanging on the rear drawhook ! Also a report of one of the trips getting propelled into the loading siding with an oil lamp still on the end, hopefully quickly removed and extinguished by the site personnel. Vehicles that shouldn't ever be the last one in a train, because of requirements for barrier vehicles, etc. never had, and remained without lamp irons. Other than the later day pic above, I only ever saw the PXV / PXX with a 20T freight brakevan at either end if it wasn't between the escort coaches. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 2 hours ago, HGR said: Vehicles only originally had lamp irons if they were allowed / expected to be last in the train. ... Which has been pretty much everything ( else ) built since 1963 ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Attached photo (apologies for the poor quality) may be of interest, it shows the 1333 Norwood to Ashford VB service hauled by 33046 on 14/04/1980 departing from Tonbridge West Yd with MODA 97580 marshalled behind the loco. It is just possible to make out the antenna restraint supports, but not the provision, or not, of lamp brackets. MODA 97580 was almost certainly en route to Ashford Works for overhaul or modification. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 On 26/02/2024 at 18:19, Southernman46 said: A member on here - EastWestDivide has a picture of it taken in Doncaster Works (?) without the horns or ETH fittings which he may agree to post or copy. @eastwestdivide 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredo Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Reading back through the thread it seems we don’t know what finally happened to the wagon, is that correct? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) Yes, I posted that photo in Doncaster a few years back. It may have succumbed to the picture meltdown. No access to my photos at the moment. edit: can’t even find the thread it was in Edited February 28 by eastwestdivide 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Looking again at the OP's photo at the start of this thread, the wagon looks to have been equipped with three internal baffles, presumably to allow the conveyance of two smaller flasks. Movements to / from Chatham conveyed one cylindrical flask, suspended between the main girders, similar to the Devonport Road model. The wagon had a number of different fixing points on the main girders, so could presumably be adapted to carry several load configurations. I have some copies of photos showing how the Chatham flasks were suspended and secured within the main girders which may be helpful for modellers, once I can locate them I will scan and post them here. It would be very interesting to see the wagon in its road movement configuration, surely photos must exist of such an unusual movement. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Unfortunately (as you know) the Kent end of the Chatham movements were always at night and I never managed a photo even though I knew when the trains were running (Father worked in HMD) and in the 70's being too young to be out that time of night. The only evidence it even happened was the occasional presence of the empty wagon & barriers in Gillingham Yard with a failed / derailed Peak or just the failed / derailed Peak if the wagon was laden and the train moved on by a replacement loco. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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