Revolution Trains is following up its award-winning KUA four-bogie nuclear fuel carriers with another nuclear vehicle – the new-build FNA-D ‘standard’ flask carrier now in use across the network.
These wagons were built by WH Davis from 2014 and have now fully displaced the older style wagons built in the 1970s.
They are used to convey spent nuclear fuel in hardened flasks from power stations in England, Scotland and, until recently, Wales to Sellafield reprocessing plant in Cumbria.
The wagons are operated by DRS and usually run singly, or in small numbers, with haulage by DRS class 66, 68 or 88 locomotives in pairs, either double-headed or top and tail, as insurance against failure.
The Revolution Trains model will feature our usual high specification including highly detailed plastic moulded parts produced from original works drawings, kinematic couplers in NEM sockets and separately fitted detail parts in wire, plastic and photo-etched metal where appropriate.
CAD work is complete and the models in both 00 and N are expected to go into tooling very shortly.
“Having worked with DRS on the huge flasks used for submarine fuel, modelling their smaller brothers seemed an obvious step,” explains Revolution Trains’ Mike Hale. “While the fleet is not especially large – just over three dozen wagons – they are widely used and operate across the network.”
“Although there are just 40 wagons in the fleet, because DRS usually runs these trains in rakes of fewer than five wagons and almost always with two locomotives, we think they are a great ‘train-set’ train and can be used by those with layouts large or small,” added Revolution Trains co-director Ben Ando.
All the wagons have a green body and white flask cover, and Revolution will be offering several different numbers to enable modellers to assembly realistic rakes.
CAD on the N gauge version is almost complete, with the 00 model following soon after. The order book is expected to open shortly with delivery anticipated for early 2023.
For morning information visit the Revolution Trains Website.