LSWR 40T Bogie Ballast Hopper (SR diag 1735)

These ballast hoppers were built in two batches, the first sixteen in 1903/4 and a further 4 in 1911. All were built by Turner’s of Nottingham.

They were built to provide a high speed delivery service from Meldon Quarry to the rest of the system. It is believed they ran in maximum rakes of 7 or 8 vehicles with a 10T Ballast Plough at one end and a 10T Ballast Brake at the other. All were vacuum braked from the start. Smaller rakes were not uncommon once the delivery area had been reached.

They gave almost 60 years of continuous service not being withdrawn until the 1960s.

The penalty for this long service, and carrying heavy loads at high speeds, was constant maintenance. Many photos show strengthening plates at various places and the SR further strengthened the bogie pivot area with heavy angle irons (all provided in the kit).

Further information can be found in “Southern Wagons Vol 1” (p80)

Rake of six hoppers built and painted by Eric Penn. Photo taken on Graham Hatton's 'Yes Tor' layout (set up in Denis Tillman's garden) courtesy Mike Day.

7mm scale

7mm scale | Photo: The late John Handover


7mm scale | End Platform


7mm scale | Chute operating mechanism (dummy)


4mm scale