Ammonium Nitrate/Chemical Tank Wagon

The Great War marked a turning point in the industrialisation of warfare, introducing new technologies such as tanks and aeroplanes. In the UK, the Ministry of Munitions played a critical role in revolutionising the production of munitions. From 1915, it took full control of armament manufacture, from sourcing raw materials to producing completed shells. One of its major successes was the establishment of National Shell Filling Factories (NSFFs), where explosive charges were packed into shell casings. The largest and most productive of these was NSFF Chilwell near Nottingham, which produced over 19 million shells and employed more than 8,000 workers by 1918.

Chilwell used amatol, a dangerous mix of TNT and ammonium nitrate. This hazardous process led to a devastating accident on 1st July 1918, when an explosion killed 138 workers and injured 250 more. To improve the logistics of ammonium nitrate transport, the Ministry built a factory in Swindon and ordered 100 specialised 10-ton tank wagons from The Leeds Forge Company. These airtight, steel wagons were designed to prevent moisture ingress, which could cause the ammonium nitrate to harden. The wagons were filled through top manholes and emptied by tipping via a hinged end door, aided by their unusual conical shape.

After the war, these wagons were declared surplus and converted for liquid transport by sealing the end doors and adding discharge systems. Many found new life with private firms like the British Molasses Co., Glasgow Corporation Chemical Works, and British Sugar Corporation. Chipman Chemicals also repurposed them for weedkilling trains that operated from the interwar period into the 1960s. These tank wagons, known for their durability, remained in service well into the early modernisation era. Today, two original examples are preserved at the Middleton Railway and the Leeds Industrial Museum, showcasing a legacy of wartime innovation and industrial adaptation.

This ready-to-run model in 00 gauge is produced by Rapido Trains UK.

Specification

• Tooling variations allow for hinged, fixed or discharge end door
• Split or continuous top walkways
• Disc wheels running in metal bearings
• High level of detail above and below the floor line
• High quality livery application - 13 versions
• NEM coupler pockets
• 1:76 scale, (OO gauge)
• UK designed