Graham Farish N 377-766 BR COVHOP Soda Ash Covered Hopper Wagon Light Grey
A detailed model of the BR standard design covered hopper (covhop) wagons built in the 1960s and serving until the mid-80s.
Covered hopper wagons are used for a range of dry granulated or powder products which require weather protection, with the hopper permiting rapid discharge of the load. Covered hoppers were used for powered chemicals (eg washing powder), crushed ores (eg alumina), granulated sugar and high-grade sand for glass making.
This grey painted hopper represents an example with hand brakes only.
Era 7 1971-1982
Many of these covhops did not have train brakes, or were fitted with through pipe connections only, the fitting of train brake cylinders and pull rods to these wagons provided something of an engineering challenge!
Later built batches were equiped with vacuum train brakes and as BR sought to improve goods train performance the 'unfitted' hoppers were high on the 'hit list' for early withdraw. The running of faster goods trains demanded more brake power which could be applied by the driver. Ideally all wagons would be brake fitted and by the early 1980s these unfitted covhops had been almost entirely replaced by newer designs of covered hopper like the polybulk wagons.