Compra TS Marketplace: HSA Scrap Wagons PC

British Rail converted surplus HEA coal hoppers into scrap wagons during the late 1980s to address shortages in suitable rolling stock. These basic modifications created flat-bottomed designs for mechanical grabs and magnets, using welded steel plates or added ballast that increased tare weight. In this Train Simulator add-on, weathered maroon and Railfreight red/grey liveries appear in loaded and unloaded states with realistic physics. Players operate these detailed simulation wagons featuring intelligent tail lamps, animated hand brake levers, and variable infill methods. Body variations match vehicle numbers, including end ladders on earlier models, while randomized textures, load planes, and five logo styles add authenticity. Rail enthusiasts gain tools for custom scenarios, backed by a user manual on features and tweaks.

With the decline in domestic and industrial coal traffic as a consequence of switching many energy needs to natural gas British Rail found themselves with a surplus of relatively new air braked coal hoppers. These hoppers (TOPS code HEA) had been constructed in the late 1970s to enable facilities that were unable to handle merry-go-round trains to be served using modern wagons. With a surplus of HEA wagons available a number of different experiments were undertaken to try and find useful work for the underused assets.

One of the conversions which were attempted with the HEA hoppers from 1987 was for scrap traffic as there was a distinct shortage of suitable wagons at the time. This shortage was possibly as a consequence of the removal of vacuum braked and unfitted trains from the network which meant that the 16T mineral wagons that had previously been used for scrap traffic were no longer available. It should also be remembered that at this time British Rail were actively encouraging customers to own or lease their wagons rather than them being supplied by the railway.

With this situation in mind, a very basic conversion of HEA hoppers was attempted for scrap traffic. The main aim of the conversion was to produce a flat bottomed wagon and to take the hoppers out of use as loading and unloading at scrap processors would be via mechanical grabs and magnets. This flat bottom was achieved in two ways, either a steel plate was welded across the bottoms of the hoppers at approximately under-frame height or a similar level of ballast was dropped into the wagon. The latter wagons can be identified by an increased tare weight that was patch painted on to the data panel.
Inevitably the end of Speedlink saw the end of the majority traffic for which the wagons had been converted but some do appear to have remained in use well into the 1990s.

The HSA Scrap Wagon Pack for Train Simulator includes weathered maroon and weathered Railfreight red/grey liveries, in loaded and unloaded states with suitable physics.

• Other features include:
  
• Intelligent tail lamps
  
• Animated hand brake lever
  
• Variable infill method with tare weight patch
  
• Five different logo styles randomly applied with overrides
  
• Variable load planes randomly applied
  
• Body switching dependent on vehicle number with reference to end ladders on earlier vehicles
  
• Randomised textures of Railfreight red/grey versions

The pack includes a user manual with further details about the rolling stock and the customising of some of the features when using the wagons in scenarios.