Accurascale Meltdown: New PFA Nuclear Packs Announced

[BosKonay]

Our humble PFA went down a treat when they arrived in stock 12 months ago, with modellers loving the variety of loads we produced, with coal containers, gypsum containers and low level nuclear waste containers (LLNW) offered in our first run.

It was the latter load which sparked an absolute sales frenzy on these wagons, with our low level nuclear waste container wagon runs selling out in rapid time. Even the second production run sold out in a matter of days. As a result we looked closer into the nuclear traffic carried by our PFAs, and have now developed FIVE new interesting containers to represent the wide ranging nuclear traffic these wagons have operated on for DRS for over 20 years, right up to current operation.

Enter The Dragon

One of the more curious loads in the "Dragon" flask. It is used to carry 40 litre stainless steel canisters of fuel from the decommissioned Winfrith Dragon reactor in Dorset. The distinctive containers are moved by road to the loading terminal at Berkeley in Gloucestershire for onward transport to Sellafield. They first appeared in 2018, often accompanied with one or to 20ft FHISO containers (Full Height ISO), which our pack will depict.

We have tooled two different 20ft x 8ft 6in IP-2 containers for this new production and the "Dragon" flask will be teamed with a pair of one of these types. These 2896-series containers will be provided in grey and blue paint schemes, both with completely unique printing. This trio of three PFAs and loads will be part of our "Accurascale Exclusives" range, and only available direct via our website.

Nupak-ed with Detail

Around since late 1990s, the Nupak reusable drum carriers have found themselves a wealth of heritage traction in the early years of DRS, right up to their replacement by Novapacks in 2017. Initially loaded on bogie KFA wagons, they were partnered with the two-axle PFAs from the early 2000s and are the perfect partner for our Class 37/6s, as well as Class 20/3s, Class 33s and more!

They were initially used to move aging LLNW from Drigg to Sellafield that needed repackaging and storing at Sellafield, but more recently have been noted on Berkeley workings from Winfrith and Harwell between 2013 and 2017. They have operated in singular and pairs on a 20ft ISO transport frame with a variety of different-sized containers. Our pack will feature the most typical pairing of green 3739-series and blue 3390-series Nupak containers and one 20ft 2896-series container in brown red livery.

Super Novapak

The Nupaks were replaced from 2017 by the Novapak Type Bs, which were larger in size and offered better protection of their hazardous contents. These are also used on the Berkeley to Crewe and Crewe to Sellafield routes and are often mixed with 2896-series, "Dragon" flasks and unloaded PFAs acting as barriers. 

Initially single PFAs with two Novapak containers were the typical quantity in a train. However the from 2020 pairs of PFAs with four Novapaks began to be the norm as decommissioning of the Harwell and Winfrith sites accelerated. These once again will be offered in a pack of two wagons with Novapaks and one wagon carrying a 20ft 2896-series IP-2 container.

From Russia, With Love

Our final container is one that that runs in longer rakes and more akin to a standard 20ft ocean going ISO container. However, it does display subtle differences such as a subtly angled centre panel and two strengthened ribs each side.

These more conventional containers are finished in a brown red livery with distinctive markings and are used for export of reprocessed uranium from the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) at Sellafield to Russia via eastern ports. The first working took place in 2004 and while they are usually are exported from Hull they have previously used Felixstowe and Immingham in the past.

Running in longer trains than our other packs, they operate with as many as 15 PFAs with the end pair left empty as barriers. However, they can be shorter on occasions, such as 11 PFA with nine loaded. We are offering three packs of these wagons, each fully loaded. Typical power for these services in the past was top and tailed Class 20/3s and Class 37s, but more recently Class 68s have become the norm.

As you can see the loads are fully tooled and ride on our excellent diecast PFA wagon, steeped in a wealth of detail. Artwork is complete and we await painted samples in the coming months. Delivery is slated for Q4 this year and will have a price  of £74.95 per set of three wagons. Six packs are available, with five available direct or through our retailer network, and the Dragon pack available only via Accurascale. If you add three or more packs to your cart you will get 10% off your PFA order at the checkout!

We also plan to introduce further coal container and low level nuclear waste container packs later this year too, so keep an eye out for them!

Pre-ordering is now open, so click here and place your pre-order today!

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