BR 27 ton iron ore tippler wagon, number B386369

This is one of almost 10,000 sturdy wagons specifically designed by British Railways to carry iron ore traffic. Prior to WW2 hoppers had been used for iron ore, for example Shelton hopper number 251 is typical of the wooden designs used. In the BR era it was found that it was just as easy to empty the wagons by rotating them on a tippler, removing the need for any doors at all. The BR design is superficially very similar to the 16 ton mineral wagon, with a body 16'6" long featuring clear steel sides braced by channel sections. However, iron ore is much denser than coal, so the wagons have a smaller cubic capacity (being about 4" lower than a 16ton mineral), and a higher payload, at either 26 or 27 tons. The higher overall weight of a loaded wagon means that the running gear is built to a higher specification, and as the wagons were intended to work in block trains, it was expected that they should operate at higher line speeds than a typical coal train. There are technically five different diagrams for BR iron ore tipplers, all varying slightly in detail. The first three were built with a 9'0" wheelbase, but on the last two it was increased to 10'0" to improve stability when running. The first 8,590 wagons were built originally without automatic vacuum brakes, but 8-shoe clasp vacuum equipment was included on the last 1,000 built to Diagram 1/185 from new. The majority of the earlier wagons had their heavy double brakes replaced by either a vacuum 4-shoe push-rod or 8-shoe clasp system.

Most tipplers were used for iron ore traffic, and were regularly seen in the Stoke area in block train working. In 1965, 94 tipplers were branded to be used for chalk traffic, and 91 for sand traffic, replacing obsolete fleets of older wagons. The absence of doors ensured there were no leaks en route! A number of those used for sand were employed on this traffic in the Stoke area until the early 1980s. In the early 1970s the demand for wagons for home ore traffic declined and many more of the tipplers were used for stone traffic, with a distinctive "STONE" logo stencilled on the sides. Some of these were a feature of the Stoke area too, appearing on the Caldon Low stone trains. Other wagons were converted for Ingot Mould traffic, carrying large lumps of steel on a bed of ballast, but as far as is known these were never used in Stoke.

Above: BR 27 ton iron ore tippler B386369 before restoration at Shelton works

B386369 is a 27 ton example built at Derby 1958, one of 1,450 ordered on lot 3091, to diagram 1/184. It had hand brakes only when new but would have been very soon re-equipped with the vacuum clasp brakes it now carries. Roller bearings and large self-contained buffers are also fitted but it is not known whether it had these from new. The wheelbase is 10'0". The exact workings on which B386369 were used have not yet been discovered, but it is representative of wagons with a strong tie to the local area. It has evidence of having been used for stone traffic and use in the block train number 7631. It was initially purchased privately for preservation at the Ribble Steam Railway but was exchanged with one of Foxfield's 16ton mineral wagons at a photographic charter event at Shelton Steelworks in 1999. After arrival, B386369 was restored in literally a couple of days, with the seized brakes freed and a total repaint in BR grey livery, with full lettering. The restoration was carried out in the comfort of the heated workshop at Shelton, enabling work to continue late into the night, and full use was made of the high pressure grease line to renew the lubricant in the roller bearings.

Above: Official BR photograph shows how Iron Ore Tippler wagons looked when built 

B386369 is probably the only example of a BR iron ore tippler in preservation to have been fully restored. Others preserved include B386917 at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, and a rake of six at the Rutland Railway Museum, Cottesmore.

A number of identical wagons were built by private contractors for British Steel Corporation; although they were built to the BR drawings they were always privately owned and operated wagons.One of these, BSCO 25197, is also preserved at the Rutland Railway Museum.