20' barytes wagons

[Celtic_transport]

Hi all,

wondering if anyone has any ideas or suggestions on how to make a model of the barytes wagons that were used as spoils wagons in the 90s/00s

[Mol_PMB]

Many possible approaches depending on your preferred material and your budget!.

The cheap option for the chassis would be a Dapol Prestwin kit; a more accurate but more expensive version could use an IRM chassis from a magnesite / ballast / bubble etc. JM design has also produced an etch for this type of chassis in the past, and Enda has done a 3D printed chassis that may be suitable. 

The body could be a simple plastikard box with some details added from microstrip, or it could be 3D printed.

I'm pretty sure there's a drawing available for the barytes wagons somewhere. The modifications for spoil seem to have been removing bits and welding up the doors.

 

Edited February 26 by Mol_PMB

[Celtic_transport]

3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

Many possible approaches depending on your preferred material and your budget!.

The cheap option for the chassis would be a Dapol Prestwin kit; a more accurate but more expensive version could use an IRM chassis from a magnesite / ballast / bubble etc. JM design has also produced an etch for this type of chassis in the past, and Enda has done a 3D printed chassis that may be suitable. 

The body could be a simple plastikard box with some details added from microstrip, or it could be 3D printed.

I'm pretty sure there's a drawing available for the barytes wagons somewhere. The modifications for spoil seem to have been removing bits and welding up the doors.

 

What were they modified from was it the silvermines ore wagons? Do you know when this modification happened i know that they were replaced by the new 42ft spoil wagons in 2011

[Mol_PMB]

8 minutes ago, Celtic_transport said:

What were they modified from was it the silvermines ore wagons? Do you know when this modification happened i know that they were replaced by the new 42ft spoil wagons in 2011

 

Some of my pics of them before modification:

 

[Celtic_transport]

Amazing photos, why were they modified do you know 

[Mol_PMB]

Originally, for barytes traffic, they were designed so the sides dropped down flat and the load was pushed sideways out of the wagon by a JCB or similar.

When the barytes traffic stopped, they were used by the PWD for spoil and also for rock armour on coastal sections of line. Initially they remained unmodified (as my pic of a rusty one branded PWD LKJ)

Later it seems that the doors were sealed up and the operating mechanism and balance weights were removed. They got a coat of red paint on the body.

@BosKonay's thread (in the resources section that I linked above) includes a drawing in original condition, and a load of photos of the later modified type.

My photos in the post above show unmodified wagons.

Strictly, there were two subtly different variants as-built, but I think those differences would not be obvious on a modified wagon.

[Celtic_transport]

Thanks for this information it's really helping me. Im going to try build some for my layout, its set between 2002-2009, which of the two variants would suit this period the modded or unmodded version?

[Mol_PMB]

Modded, I'd say. It's a bit after my period of interest so I'm not sure. They're simpler to model too.

 

Some NLI and IRRS links to pics in original condition:

https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000307992

https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000307993

https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000307510

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53509009601

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54403834689

 

[Westcorkrailway]

One of these wagons appears to have survived up to summer 2025. Unfortunatly I haven’t a clue what number it was 

[Celtic_transport]

8 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

One of these wagons appears to have survived up to summer 2025. Unfortunatly I haven’t a clue what number it was 

Any idea where it was last seen? Shame none survived into preservation 

[Mayner]

The Byrytes wagons were regularly used by PW Dept as spoil wagons on weekends while still in use for Byrytes Traffic for several years before traffic ceased in the late 80s. During this period Byrytes traffic appeared to be down to a 5 day operation, an empty fixed formation (20wagon) train of wagons would depart Foynes after unloading on a Friday and return to Limerick/Slivermines for loading Mon morning.

Wagon bodies would be a simple choice for 3D printing or scratchbuilding in plasticard using a NWSL Duplicutter https://nwsl.com/products/the-duplicutter-ii sides and floor in 0.04"/1mm plasticard & Evergreen rectangular V V strip. A Duplicutter has been one of the essentilas of my modelling tool kit for many years.

[Westcorkrailway]

On 2/3/2026 at 8:17 AM, Celtic_transport said:

Any idea where it was last seen? Shame none survived into preservation 

Last seen in county Clare, but I am 99 percent sure it’s been cut up, along with a wide variety of CIE stock of this era