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Dapol 4F-027-017

Silver Bullet ICA Ermewa 33 87 7898 006-4 Weathered

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

Prototype Eras
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation
Era 9 (1995 to 2004) Initial Privatisation
Era 10 (2005 to 2015) Rebuilding of the Railways

Manufacturer description

China Clay or Kaolin has a wide variety of uses including the production of Porcelain and in certain cosmetics where it is used as whitener and pigment. The biggest use for China Clay however, is for making paper where the China Clay imparts a fine surface finish.

The main areas where China Clay is mined are China, Malaysia, and Cornwall and it is generally extracted from the ground by ring high pressure water jets to form slurry. In the UK, this slurry is collected and commonly transported using the ICA China Clay slurry wagon, commonly known as Silver Bullets due to their distinctive shape and colour.

Silver Bullets are a common sight leaving the South West of England up to the large paper mills in Scotland. Each wagon has a maximum capacity of around 90 tonnes and they commonly travel in rakes of more than 10 wagons.

NACCO is the main operator of Silver Bullets and liveries include NACCO with English China Clay (ECC) branding and NACCO unbranded.

MODEL DETAILS

The Dapol model of the ICA Silver Bullet features:

• NEM pockets
• Profiled wheels
• Superbly printed livery and details
• Highly detailed body and chassis moulding
• Many added extra details with etched hand rails and ladders

SPECIFICATIONS

• OPERATOR ICA ERMEWA
• RUNNING NUMBER 33 87 7898 006-4
• COUPLINGS NEM
• PAINT FINISH Weathered

MEASUREMENTS

• LENGTH OVER BUFFERS 189mm
• WIDTH 33mm
• HEIGHT 50mm

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

Dapol Silver Bullet ICA Ermewa 33 87 7898 006‑4 is an OO‑scale model of the ICA China Clay slurry wagon, commonly known as a “Silver Bullet”. The model is finished in a weathered livery representing the Initial Privatisation era and carries the operator marking ICA Ermewa. It is equipped with NEM couplings (including a tension‑lock variant) and features profiled wheels, etched handrails and ladders, and a highly detailed printed body and chassis moulding.

The model measures 189 mm in length over buffers, 33 mm in width and 50 mm in height. Its running number is 33 87 7898 006‑4 and the manufacturer part number is 4F‑027‑017. The minimum radius for operation is listed as Radius 2.

Silver Bullet wagons are used in the United Kingdom to transport China clay (kaolin) slurry from the South West to paper mills in Scotland, typically operating in rakes of more than ten wagons with a capacity of around 90 tonnes per wagon. NACCO is the principal operator of real‑world Silver Bullets, and liveries may include NACCO with English China Clay branding or an unbranded version.