WAGON REPORT
NETWORK Rail is undertaking the biggest reorganisation of its track ballast renewal system fleets since the introduction of the virtual quarries or local distribution centres more than a quarter of a century ago.
Two programmes are involved. Firstly, there is the arrival of new wagons financed by Swiss leasing company Wascosa. Of these, 50 JNA-T bulk ballast opens are already in service operating to GB Railfreight run yards such as Bescot, Eastleigh and Whitemoor. Secondly, the majority of the Thrall Europa-built fleet of MRA sidetipping ballast wagons are to be rebuilt as conventional gondola opens.
Changing requirements have already seen large numbers of MRAs, which are formed into five-wagon sets, downgraded. Hydraulic ramgear, which operates the tipping bodies, has been locked out of use and on board generators disabled. However, in this configuration the carrying capacity of the 90 tonne gross MRAs is no better then the DB Cargo fleet of 80 tonne MXA ‘Lobster’ opens.
Reconstruction of the MRAs will be done over a period of two years by Derby RTC-based Loram UK. First to be modified are Nos.
501016/067/166-168. Prior to the MRAs there were only two notable batches of bogie side-tipper wagons, both from the Heywood works of Standard Railway Wagon. In 1985, five 88 tonne twin-body tippers, Nos. THOM 2800-004, were delivered to W&M Thompson Quarries for the conveyance of crushed agricultural lime from Ferryhill, County Durham, to Montrose. A year later they were followed by Nos. BBC 28009-012 for Boothferry Borough Council and operated from Hatfield Colliery to
Glews Hollow, Goole, carrying landfill material. Both orders were type PTA, design codes PT005A/B, with a tare of 28 tonnes and a maximum payload of 60 tonnes. Each of the twin tipper bodies had a capacity of 23.9 cubic metres.
Equally as rare, at least for revenue duties, were sidedischarge hoppers. A small fleet of 92 tonne wagons were assembled by Installation Manufacturing Contractors of Hartlepool for Francis Parker Ltd: PHAs Nos. FR 17001-011 to design code PH003A. Of continental appearance, they ran from gravel pits at Lavant (West Sussex) to a distribution centre at Drayton, a distance of just five miles. By 1992 they were recoded to JGA, design code JG003A, and stored out of use in Chichester yard.
Both the BBC/FR wagons carried loads that had a high clay content making it ‘sticky’ and difficult to discharge cleanly through the usual clamshell doors of standard hoppers. Full-length side doors were therefore provided to overcome this problem.
■ An addition to the consist of the Bayer eco-friendly weedspraying train is KFA intermodal flat No. TIPH 93394, with the alternate EVN identity of No. 99709395006-8.
It carries Nos. MEBU 3280030/ 0045, which are ‘super heavy’ tanktainer modules. Each has a maximum gross weight of 32 tonnes, with a tare of 4.26 tonnes and a water capacity of 27830 litres. The wagon itself is 21.32 metres long, has a tare of 30 tonnes and a payload of 61.8 tonnes. Maximum speed is 60mph. Also added to the rake is KFA No. TIPH 93282
(EVN No. 99709395005-0) carrying a Genelec MEN energy module. Tare weight is 34.8 tonnes.
■ DB Cargo workshops at Stoke are rebuilding 30 redundant covered coil flats into open steel slab carriers. The work entails removal of the hoods and ends.
Completed are BYA’s Nos. 964010/018/033/035/049, Nos. 966002/004/007/009/011/017/ 040/047/059/079/097/100/117 /144/145/159/161/171/201/20 5/209/233/244/247.
■ Arlington Fleet Services is carrying out general repair of four-wheel PFA flats for Direct Rail Services including Nos. DRSL 92721/724/730/73 3/740/768/777/784. Deleted from stock YSA ballast cleaner support flat No. DB 979403.