DEVELOPMENTS

DB CARGO: WIA No. 85 70 4971 047-1 arrived at DB’s former Marcroft Engineering workshops in Stokeon-Trent on March 12 for overhaul, the five-unit car carrier set (UIC code Seefoors) remaining on site for exactly two weeks before returning to Warrington Arpley and back into traffic on the 26th. It was replaced on the same day by No. 85 70 4971 010-9.

FKAs continue to move to Stoke for container spigot conversion and a new life as FOAs (see last issue). On March 3, it was the turn of Nos. 81 70 4908 026-7 and 81 70 4908 114-1 to make the trip to the ‘Potteries’, while a fortnight later (19th) Nos. 81 70 4908 037/048/090/140 were heading for modification on the Arpley ‘tripper’. Moving in the opposite direction were

FOAs Nos. 81 70 4908 026-7 and 81 70 4908 114-1 on March 12 and Nos. 81 70 4908 090-3 and 81 70 4908 140-6 on the 26th.

A further 13 MPAs have been modified from MHA ‘Coalfish’ box wagons as follows: Nos. 394020/7 6/81/4/97/112/214/311/60/964, 396124/5/58.

DISPOSALS: The cull of iconic 1980s and 1990s-built bogie aggregate hoppers continues with the disposal of former RMC and RH Roadstone JGAs. On March 3, DB Cargo sent No. 67016 to Neville Hill to work a 6D53/00.42 to CF Booth, Rotherham, comprising Nos. RMC 13706, RMC 17203/5/7/16/8/9/23/44 and

RMC 19224/32/5/40. This includes examples of the 1984 and 1987 Standard Wagon, Horbury-built wagons for Hall Aggregates (an RMC subsidiary) and RMC respectively and, somewhat incredibly three JGAs from the 1997-built Tatrastroj Poprad, Slovakia, order. Cemex acquired RMC in 2005 and divested itself of its colourful orange fleet of JGAs in 2007, EWS taking them over which saw them spread their wings to other flows, including Mendip Rail traffic. A second delivery took place on March 10, the same locomotive delivering Nos. RMC 13705, RMC 17202/34/43/7 and

RMC 19229/39 to Booth’s yard on an identical diagram. Apparently Nos. RMC 13708 and RMC 17224 were left at Neville Hill due to braking problems.

Meanwhile a further four JGAs from the W H Davis-built batch of hoppers for RH Roadstone in 1987 have been sent by road to Sims Newport for their appointment with the gas axe. Latterly operated by GB Railfreight, although they spent some time in Freightliner green between 2005 and 2015, Nos. ERG17309/17/8/24 made the move from Long Marston in March. Also arriving at Sims during the period under review were HTAs Nos. 310038/112/79/533/92/3/618/708, all previously stored at Newport

ADJ Yard.

Finally, Ron Hull Jr, Rotherham, has received MEAs Nos. 391314/50/5/ 438/40/61/71/507/46/84/601 for scrapping, all ex-Dee Marsh, apparently having purchased them almost two years ago!