Accurascale and RealTrack announce PCA Cement Wagon in 4mm and 2mm

BosKonay · October 13, 2018

Accurascale today announces its next model; the CFMF PCA bulk cement wagon in 4mm scale and a 2mm variant in collaboration with Realtrack Models. Both models were unveiled with pre-production samples at the Great Electric Train Show in Milton Keynes on September 13th.

Built by CFMF of France for wagon leasing company STS, the 50 PCA bulk cement wagons of the PC017B design diagram started entering service in 1982. Assigned the numbers STS10600-STS10651, 15 members of the fleet were hired to Rugby Cement for use on workings from Halling Cement Works in Kent to Greenford, Southampton, and possibly Bow Goods and Tilbury Riverside.

Meanwhile, other examples were leased to Blue Circle for use on a number of workings. This included: special cement (e.g. Sulfacrete) from Swanscombe to destinations that included Barnstaple, Bristol Avonside Wharf, Exeter Central, Leeds Marsh Lane, Middlesbrough Goods, Southampton and Theale; special cement from Rhoose to destinations that included Bristol Lawrence Hill, Carmarthen, Exeter Central, Gloucester Llanthony, Hamworthy, Plymouth Friary and Taunton; oil well cement from Snodland to Chacewater; and bulk cement from Westbury to destinations that included Barnstaple, Carmarthen, Gloucester Llanthony and Southampton.

A further batch of 15 wagons was manufactured in 1985 by another French firm, Fauvet-Girel. Numbered STS74030-STS74044 and assigned design diagram PC017C, these vehicles received Rugby Cement livery and replaced the wagons from the previous batch which had been leased to that company.

All wagons were re-liveried in 1996 when they were leased by Castle Cement for use on workings to London – initially to Kings Cross freight depot and then to the freight facility at St. Pancras from 2003. Since 2013, a number of these wagons have also been used on workings between Clitheroe and Avonmouth.

Realtrack Models previously announced a model of this distinctive wagon, but approached Accurascale in Spring 2018 with a view to forward the project, while also developing a 2mm variant. The two companies have worked together to bring forward the model, with Accurascale releasing the 4mm wagon under its own brand and Realtrack releasing the 2mm model under its banner.

Accurascale’s 4mm version will see the model released in STS dark grey, Rugby Cement and Castle Cement branding, featuring multiple running numbers in packs of three. The 4mm packs are priced at £69.95 for 3 wagons, with attractive reductions across all three liveries for rake bundle deals. Each wagon is at the standard customers expect of Accurascale, with over 100 separate parts in each wagon, with the highest attention paid to accuracy, detail and running quality. Ease of conversion to EM and P4 is also incorporated, as well as NEM pockets at the correct height. A factory sample has been received in both scales and a number of tweaks and corrections are currently being made before production. Realtrack will release the wagons in the same three liveries as Accurascale, with prices TBA.

The project is well advanced with Accurascale’s newest factory and a delivery date of January 2019. The Realtrack 2mm version is due in Q1 2019. Pre-orders of the 4mm wagon are available now exclusively via the Accurascale website: www.accurascale.co.uk