For 2011, Hornby promised some new wagons and delivered a new standard BR brake van, GWR horse box, steel tippler mineral wagon, KFA container wagon and a ZFO ballast hopper. The last of these was the last to arrive and was made available in three forms - an LNER version which quickly sold out and a BR engineer's version both as a solo model in pristine condition and as a triple pack of weathered wagons. The LNER wagon was grey and the BR versions, which are in the 2012 catalogue are all olive green and, as expected, all have different numbers.

The earliest real 25 ton wagons were designed and built by Leeds Forge Co. Ltd in 1926 for the LNER Engineer's Department and the LMS received a similar lot to this design. They were bought for the transportation and spreading of ballast. The unusual non-symmetrical shape of the hopper was to leave room at one end for the control platform with its three control wheels. These operated three hopper doors . As the train of wagons was drawn along, the hoppers would be emptied. The centre door dropped ballast between the rails and the two outer doors dropped their load either side of the track. A plough brake would evenly spread out the ballast.