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Accurascale ACC1049

BR 16T Mineral - 1/109 - BR Freight Grey (Original text on black panels) - Pack J

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)

Manufacturer description

Seen as very much the ‘missing link’ in the ‘Powering Britain’ range, the 16 ton mineral wagon is an essential addition to the Accurascale range to tell the story of coal traffic on the railways throughout the 20th century. The archetypal BR 16 ton all-steel non-hoppered mineral wagon proliferated across the United Kingdom’s railway network during the 1950s and 1960s and there was probably not a siding, freight yard or industrial railway system in the country that did not house at least an example or three of these vitally important, yet mundane railway vehicles.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

Accurascale has released a new 16T Mineral wagon model as part of their 'Powering Britain' range. This model is a representation of the BR Freight Grey livery with original black panels, and is part of a triple pack (Pack J). The model features a die-cast metal chassis and plastic body, weighing 37g and measuring 78mm in length and 34.53mm in width.

The model has a wheelbase of 36mm, allowing it to operate on a minimum radius of 371mm. It comes with separately fitted side doors, top doors, and end doors, as well as metal 3-hole wheels with blackened brass bearings and chemically blackened wheels. The model also features eroded metal, plastic, and wire detail parts, including handrails, grab handles, and lamp brackets.

The 16T Mineral wagon was a crucial part of the UK's railway network, with the first batches being built in 1944 for use during World War II. The MoWT worked with Charles Roberts and Hurst Nelson to design two types of wagons, with a total of 6652 wagons produced. After the war, the railways came under state control, and the demand for coal movements increased, leading to the construction of thousands more wagons.

The Ideal Stocks Committee reported in 1950 that the majority of the existing wagon stock was in poor condition and recommended the replacement of over 250,000 wagons. This led to the construction of over 127,000 new wagons, including the 16T Mineral, by 1955. The wagons were built to two diagrams, 1/108 and 1/109, with the 1/109 type being slightly smaller and having a different capacity.

The 16T Mineral wagon played a significant role in the history of the UK's railways, with over 221,000 wagons being built between 1951 and 1959. The wagons were eventually withdrawn from service in the 1960s and 1980s, with many being scrapped or repurposed for internal use.