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LTSV > Rail Data > More > Profiles List > Profile 62: Early (pre-1990) Bogie Open Wagons
Title:Early (pre-1990) Bogie Open Wagons Profile Index Image
Built:1921-1990
Builder:Various
Numbering:Various
Running Gear:Various
Quantity:870
Used:1921-current
Icons:
Summary:Bogie open wagons (or 'boxes') are probably the most numerous type in use today, carrying aggregates, ballast and scrap metal. A handful of batches had been built over the years but they did not become common until the 1980s. This profile covers the various types of bogie open wagons built before 1990.

Profile:
For many years, wagons were generally only fitted with bogies when the length of their loads (typically rail or steel products) dictated it. Almost everything else went in 4-wheelers. There were a few exceptions, such as the hoppers built for limestone or ballast in the 1930s, but bogie open wagons were particularly rare. For example, the LNER had just 130, comprising 50 brick wagons (half of which were inherited from the GNR) and 80 to carry sulphate of ammonia [1]. This situation continued into the BR era, with the only bogie wagons built for bulk loads (apart from ballast) being 30 iron ore wagons constructed at Shildon in 1951/1952.
Numbered B446000-B446029 to diagram 1/182, these wagons had two air-operated discharge doors on each side and are sometimes referred to as being hoppers. They were very similar in configuration to the much later wagons built to carry gravel between Lavant and Drayton in West Sussex (PHAs numbered FR17001-17011 built in 1971). I believe that BR's official definition of a hopper was a wagon that discharged between the rails, rather than outside, and there is no mention of the word hopper on the BR diagram sheet for these wagons [2]. They were used to carry iron ore from Tyne Dock to the steelworks at Consett, a route which featured gradients as steep as 1:35 [3]. Though the trains were normally formed of only 9 wagons they often still required banking assistance en-route, while the locos had to be fitted with Westinghouse equipment to power the door mechanisms.
Class 9F loco 92064 passing Pelton with a rake of Iron-Ore wagons heading for Consett in June 1965.
The date of withdrawal of these wagons is not known, but was presumably before the switch to feeding Consett using bogie tipplers loaded at Redcar in about 1972. There is no record of any TOPS code being allocated to the BR-owned wagons.
British Steel started a modernisation programme in the late-1960s, a central part of this being the use of imported iron-ore and block trains of bogie wagons fitted with rotary couplings to allow them to be unloading by 'tipping', without being uncoupled. This led to the delivery between 1971 and 1977 of four large batches of PTA wagons, to two distinct designs. These are covered in Profile 3, but it is worth reiterating that many of the wagons were later switched to aggregates and scrap metal traffic.
The next wagons to appear were not boxes, but they were certainly bogie opens. In 1977 Procor built 12 wagons for use by ICI carrying various chemicals between Runcorn and Willesden (pool number 0856 [4]). They were essentially 5-plank dropside opens, but the fact that the body was over 59ft long meant that they had five dropside doors on each side, and each door had four hinges and two damper/control arms. The wagons were divided into three sections by a pair of transverse bulkheads, these being about a foot taller than the rest of the bodywork. The central section of the wagons (accessed by the middle dropside doors) had cradles and clamps to secure drums or cylinders of hazardous chemicals, with the longer outer sections used for everything else. The wagons were owned by Procor and were numbered PR5300-5311 with TOPS code PNA-A and design code PN001A. The livery was varnished wood dropsides, grey metal ends and orange solebars. Bogies were of the relatively rare Gloucester Fastfreight design [5].
PNA number PR5309 was photographed in 1986 in-between its uses by ICI and Redland. It still carried the ICI livery (note the orange solebars) but had gained cargo winches on the solebars and lost the two transverse partitions.
The ICI traffic ceased in 1984 but a new use was found for the wagons when they were leased to Redland in 1986. Procor modified them with additional cargo winches (sometimes more accurately referred to as strap tensioners) on the solebars, this resulting in the issue of revised codes PNA-B and PN001B. Following a repaint into a pale green colour they entered service carrying roof tiles from Redland's three factories to various destinations alongside a fleet of BR-owned OAA wagons [6]. The traffic was evidently booming as more wagons were required, and Redland resorted to having a batch of 16 PFA bogie container wagons modified into dropside wagons. RLS92636-92651 had been built in 1985/1986 by Standard Wagon of Heywood and were intended to be used by Pedigree Petfoods. This did not materialise and the wagons were instead hired to Freightliner. In 1987 the wagons were returned to Heywood and modified by fitting cross members (to raise the floor height) and a body formed of fixed metal ends and six metal dropside doors on each side. At 67ft 4in over buffers, the PFAs were 4ft longer than the PNAs, this resulting in the increase in the number of doors. The converted wagons remained owned by Railease and retained their existing numbers but were recoded as PNA-B to new design code PN002A. They entered service in the first half of 1988 [7]. Despite all this investment, Redland ceased using railfreight for roof tiles in July 1990 [6]. The wagons were stored for a while at Rugby Cement Works, with the former container wagons then being de-converted back to KFAs (as the PFA code has changed to in 1990). Five of the wooden-bodied wagons had their sides and floors removed and replaced with Portacabins in 1991, in which form they were used as travelling accommodation vehicles within the Channel Tunnel construction site [8], while all 12 were in use with TML at Dollands Moor by 1992 [9]. It is presumed that they were all scrapped following the completion of the tunnel project.
RLS92636 was one of 16 former container wagons rebuilt as dropside opens for use by Redland in 1988. They were destined to last for just two years before being converted back into container wagons.
The next user of bogie open wagons was Sheerness Steel. The steelworks at Sheerness had only opened in 1972 and it was never part of the nationalised British Steel Corporation. It also used processes that required only scrap metal as inputs, so there was no iron ore traffic, but there was an inward flow of scrap (some of which arrived by boat, some by train) and an outward flow of finished steel. As covered in Profile 47, Procor had built a batch of eight bogie steel wagons for Sheerness in 1974. In 1981, four of these were rebuilt as box wagons for scrap traffic, with the remaining four following suit in 1985. These were evidently successful as it was decided to order a production batch of scrap wagons to replace the elderly 16t Mineral wagons then in use. The new wagons were again built and owned by Procor, with the first 30 being delivered in 1982. They were numbered PR3100-3129 and were initially planned to be coded POA. However, it was decided that the POA code was only to be used for 2-axle open wagons, and the only other code for open wagons (PNA) was reserved for pallet/dropside wagons (as per the ICI/Redland wagons mentioned above). The new and converted scrap wagons were thus coded as PXA-Ts, although several were actually painted as POA and retained this code for several years [10]. The design code for the new-build wagons was PX029A, which is slightly odd. The steel wagons built in 1974 had been coded PX030A, changed to PX030B and PX030C when rebuilt as scrap wagons. Design code series are normally assigned sequentially, but in this case the PX030 series seems to have appeared six years before the 'earlier' PX029 series.
PR3100 was the first of the new-build scrap carriers for Sheerness Steel. It was only 3-years old when photographed but already looked rather worse for wear, including having lost all of the ladder steps on the end. The wagon coupled beyond was a Sheerness internal user, quite different to any type seen on the main-line.
The new wagons were over 7ft longer than the steel wagon rebuilds, with a length over buffers of 62ft 7in. They also had vertical ends compared to the sloped ones on the conversions, though the body was noticeably shorter than the underframe, leading to a 'ledge' over the headstock at each end. To prevent fragments of scrap metal accumulating here, sloped fillets were fitted within a couple of years of delivery. The bogies were Schlieren M25s, a boxy design that has seen only limited use in the UK. The M25 bogie came in two designs, with the side frames either being straight or with an angled drop at one end. The Sheerness wagons had the latter variety, although it is notable that at least two of the wagons (PR3120 and PR3121) had the bogies fitted the opposite way round to normal (i.e. with the drop end towards the center of the wagon rather than towards the ends). PR3121 had its bogies rotated to normal orientation later on. The bogies had disc brakes, with a small hand operating wheel mounted on one bogie only.
Similar PR3121 retained some mangled remains of its end ladder when seen, but of more interest is that the bogies are mounted the opposite way round to normal.
The bodywork was a fairly basic box with 13 substantial vertical ribs on each side and an angled top rib. A small access door for sweeping out was fitted at the right-hand end of each side, and the bodysides were flush with the flat solebars. Ends were plain (no ribs) but featured an access ladder formed of metal hoops. Scrap wagons are loaded and unloaded either using electro-magnets or grabs and they are prone to getting knocked about a bit. The ladders in particular were often bent out of shape or completely sheared off. The livery was quite distinctive, featuring dark blue solebars, and pale blue body with large Sheerness Steel lettering. A second batch of 10 wagons for Sheerness Steel was built by Procor in 1983, identical except that the body was slightly extended to line-up with the headstocks. Numbered PR3130-3139, these wagons were to revised design code PX029B. All the Sheerness Steel wagons were allocated to pool 0876 [4] and could be seen at various locations , quite often running in ones and twos in Speedlink services.
PR3133 was from the batch of ten wagons that had bodies extended to end flush with the headstocks. It had lost a buffer when seen in 1985.
Another 10 wagons followed from Procor in 1983 and, although broadly similar to the Sheerness wagons, they differed in size and details. Numbered as PR3140-3149, the wagons were coded PXA-T to design code PX029C. As with the Sheerness wagons, a couple initially carried incorrect POA codes. The body design was very similar but was over 9ft shorter in length (53ft 1in over buffers) and featured 11 ribs per side instead of 13. The height was also reduced by about a foot and there was no access door. Ladders were fitted, again formed of metal hoops, but now fitted at the far left of each side rather than on the end. The bogies were noticeably different, being Gloucester Lightweight Mk4s, and the hand brake was now a very large spoked wheel fitted below the solebar just inboard of one bogie. These ten wagons were for aggregate use and were hired to Foster Yeoman who used them mixed-in with their existing fleet of ex-British Steel PTA box wagons. Livery was grey with black solebars and large YEOMAN lettering in blue. The style was soon changed to have white letters on a large blue rectangle, while the body colour appears to have changed to cream (although this could just be a result of weathering).
Similar PR3142 was photographed in 1989, by which time the Yeoman lettering was in white on a blue background.
Next to arrive were another 10 wagons for Sheerness Steel, built by Procor in spring 1986 and given numbers PR3150-3159. Wagon data books gave the length of this batch as being 53ft 1in and the design code PX029C, both the same as the Yeoman wagons [11]. However, it appears that they were actually the same length as the earlier Sheerness wagons (62ft 7in) and to design code PX029D. They had 13 vertical ribs on each side and also had the longer overhang (from the bogies) at each end. One difference from the earlier Sheerness wagons was the bogies. Instead of the Schlieren M25s, Gloucester Cast Steel bogies were fitted, possibly recovered from scrapped bogie tank wagons. As a result, the hand brake wheel was now fitted below the solebar, though was considerably smaller than the ones on the Yeoman wagons. Another difference was that the size of the Sheerness Steel lettering was increased, now showing just one letter between each pair of bodyside ribs. Surprisingly at least one of these wagons (PR3150) was also given the incorrect POA code [12].
Livery and body design on PR3150-3159 was similar to the PR3130-3139 batch, but the bogies were different and the brakes were controlled by a wheel mounted below the solebar.
Later in 1986 Procor built another batch of box wagons, though these were slightly different. Numbered as PR27000-27016 and coded PXA-N they shared some design similarities with the Sheerness and Yeoman wagons but were only 42ft long, with slightly taller bodywork. As such, they were similar in size to the former-British Steel PTA tipplers which by then were working for Yeoman and ARC. The new wagons were for ARC and featured mustard yellow bodywork with huge ARC letters in grey on each side. To enable the wagons to work with the PTAs, buckeye couplings of the AAR E/F type were fitted. The PTAs had been built with these couplings to enable them to be rotated for unloading without uncoupling. In aggregates use, the couplings were fixed (ie no longer able to rotate) but were evidently still acceptable as their use subsequently became quite common on new wagons. Two of the new wagons were outers, with conventional drawgear at one end, while the other 15 were inners, with buckeyes at each end. The outer wagons and ten of the inners were fitted with Schlieren M25 bogies, similar to those on the Sheerness wagons, while the other five inners had BSC Axle Motion bogies, the same as those fitted to the PTAs. The PTA wagons were the main type to use these bogies and were built between 1972 and 1978. It is not known if the bogies on the new wagons were newly-constructed or if they were spares made at the same time as the PTAs. Design codes were PX046A for outer wagons PR27015/27016, PX046B for inner wagons with Schlieren bogies PR27000-27009 and PX046C for inner wagons with Axle Motion bogies PR27010-27014.
Yet another batch of 10 wagons from Procor appeared in early 1987, these being PR3160-3169 for hire to Yeoman. At 53ft long they were virtually identical to the earlier PR3140-3149 batch except for the fitting of AAR couplings. PR3160-3163 were outer wagons to design code PX029F, while PR3164-3169 were inners to PX029E, and the full TOPS code was PXA-N. Bogies were from scrapped tank wagons and were of the Gloucester 3-piece Cast Steel type.
The second batch of PXA wagons for Yeoman were identical to the first apart from the fitting of AAR automatic couplings instead of conventional couplings and buffers.
Planning for the construction of the Channel Tunnel was underway at this time, and batches of box wagons were ordered for two related freight flows. The first was the movement of concrete tunnel lining segments from a manufacturing plant on the Isle of Grain to the tunnel construction site at Shakespeare Cliff, near Dover. This seems quite an odd traffic to use box wagons on, as flat wagons could equally have been used. Perhaps the planners had the wagon's subsequent use in mind. Procor of Wakefield built the wagons to its established design, with the first delivered in late-1987. AAR couplings were utilised and the bogies again came from scrapped tank wagons. The wagons had a new TOPS code of PXA-Z and were numbered as PR3170-3177 (outer wagons to design code PX029H) and PR3178-3195 (inner wagons to design code PX029G). The wagons had a rich yellow livery with a large TML logo at the right-hand end (TML was Transmanche Link, the company responsible for construction of the tunnel). The bogies were either Gloucester Mk2, Gloucester Mk3 or ESC1 (all three being similar in appearance) and all had shoe brakes.
PR3179 was an inner wagon from the first batch of PXA-Z and was seen when about a year old, by which time the Procor logo had been changed to a CAIB one. It has the TML logo at the right end and inspection platforms at both ends. The metal bars visible above the top are part of the load of concrete tunnel lining segments.
A further batch of similar wagons was delivered in early 1988, comprising outer wagons PR3196-3211 and inners PR3212-3247 to give a total fleet of 78 (with 24 outers and 54 inners). One change with this second batch was the fitting of an inspection platform on each end, and the earlier wagons were modified to match [13]. The platforms were presumably required to assist in the loading of the concrete segments, which must have been a fairly delicate job. Another change was in the bogies. Most of the second batch had the same mix of shoe-braked bogies as the first batch, but ten (outers PR3208-3211 and inners PR3242-3247) had disc-braked bogies. They also featured a much larger handbrake wheel on the solebar and these wagons were given new design codes PX029K (inners) and PX029L (outers). As some of the wagons were not yet required, they saw temporary use working as aggregates carriers from Whatley Quarry [14].
PR3196 was an outer from the second set of PXA-Z. It was seen at Westbury before entering service with TML, and has a Procor logo at the left but no TML one at the right.

Also from the second set, outer PR3211 was one of the few PXA-Z wagons to be fitted with disc-braked bogies. These 10 wagons all featured a larger handbrake wheel.
The second set of wagons for Channel Tunnel related traffic were intended to carry minestone from Snowdown Colliery the short distance to the TML depot in Sevington (near Ashford). 20 bogie box wagons were built in 1988, once again using bogies and equipment salvaged from scrapped tank wagons. First to appear were 12 wagons built by C C Crump at Connah's Quay. These were generally similar to the other TML wagons and were 53ft long with 11 vertical ribs on each side. However, the ribs were noticeably slimmer than those on the Procor-built wagons, while the top rib was squarer and continued around the ends of the wagons. The ends themselves were not plain but featured a mix of vertical and horizontal ribs, rather similar to the 2-axle POA wagons also being constructed around this time. Another difference was that conventional couplings were fitted at both ends. The wagons were owned by Tiger Rail and featured the yellow Tiger logo at the left hand end, with the large TML logo at the right. Bodywork was a deep blue with black solebars and bogies and the wagons were numbered TRL3248-3259. Design codes were PX050A/B/C/D, depending on which type of bogie was used, and a new TOPS code of PXA-G was applied.
The diagram PX050 wagons were built by C C Crump and differed in many details from the Procor-built batches.
The other 8 wagons were also blue but were built by Procor to their established design. Numbered TRL3260-3267 they had design code PX029J, the full TOPS code not being known. An interesting aspect of the use of these wagons was that, due to a reversal en-route, brake vans were required, and a pair of Southern Railway bogie brake vans (ADS56286 and ADS56303) were allocated with at least one being repainted in Trainload Freight grey livery with Construction Sector symbols [15]. The Snowdown traffic finished within a year and the blue wagons were transferred to Yeoman aggregates work, with the Crump-built batch first having a visit back to Connah's Quay for brake modifications [16].
Although in the same blue livery as the Crump wagons, the 8 Procor-built minestone wagons shared more in common with the yellow TML wagons.
A very different style of bogie box wagon appeared in October 1988. Yeoman had ordered a batch of 61 wagons to be built and owned by Orenstein and Koppel of Dortmund in Germany. They were similar in size to the PTA type, being 42ft long, but had 12 vertical ribs on each side, along with a horizontal rib at mid-height. A full-height access door was fitted at the left-hand end, and each side had two large nameboards fitted, these showing the Yeoman name and Y logo. The bodies, including the ends, bufferbeams and flush solebars, were painted silver. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the new wagons was their bogies, there being O&K type 25-100s. These were of typical German design, with large plate frames, and hitherto only been seen on ferry wagons. AAR automatic couplings were to be used, so the batch comprised a mix of inner and outer types. It seems the original plan was to have 6 outer wagons (numbered OK3268-3273) and 55 inners (OK3274-3328) [17], but in the event a further 6 wagons were also delivered as outers (3276/79, 3282/83 and 3307/12). The wagons were unusually coded as PHAs, this code normally applying to hopper wagons. It was said at the time that this was a temporary measure for operating reasons and that they would eventually be recoded as PXAs [17]. The full TOPS code was PHA-T (newly assigned) and the design codes were PH012A for the outers and PH012B for the inners. It would appear that some wagons received minor modifications, perhaps before delivery, and these were given design codes PH012C (outer) or PH012D (inner). The wagons were delivered using the Dover train ferry and entered service around the turn of 1988/1989 on traffic from Yeoman's terminal on the Isle of Grain in Kent. Within a few months they had been replaced by Tiphook box wagons (q.v.) and were moved to the main Yeoman operation at Merehead [18].
Outer wagon OK3268 still looked new when seen in 1989.
The final new type covered by this profile first appeared in January 1989. Tiphook Rail was a new name in the industry and they ordered several large batches of wagons for hire to end-users. Among these was a batch of 50 box wagons, built by Arbel Fauvet in France and given RIV numbers 33.70.6790.000-049. The international numbers dictated that they would be allocated the PIA TOPS code that applied to all UK-registered, ferry-compatible, private-owner wagons. The full TOPS code was PIA-H to diagram E703 (hence design code PIE703). Dimensionally, the new wagons were a few inches shorter in height than the Yeoman PXAs, while the length of 43ft mean that they were slightly longer than the PTAs (but a lot shorter than the PXAs). The design featured 7 vertical ribs on each side, running from the top rail to slightly below the flush solebars. Unlike all the previous wagons, the ribs were H-section rather than box. At the right-hand end of each side was a ladder (the top part of which was just metal hoops), while nearby was a large square access door, unusually hinged at the bottom. Bogies were the Y25 type, common but not previously seen on open wagons, and the wagons were finished in light grey overall (except for the black bogies) with a giant TR Tiphook Rail logo on the right half of each side. Three of this batch were hired to ARC for workings out of Whatley Quarry, while one served as a demonstrator to other potential customers [19]. The remainder were allocated to Foster Yeoman work from the Isle Of Grain, where they replaced the O&K boxes (see previous paragraph).
Tiphook-branded 33.70.6790.027-0 was also looking almost factory-fresh when photographed in 1989.
Tiphook placed a repeat order for 50 more box wagons in 1989 [20] to be numbered 33.70.6790.050-099 to the same TOPS and design codes. The dates of delivery of this batch are not clear and it is thought they may have initially worked on the continent. A fleet book published in 1990 [21] stated that they were all either stored or working in Europe. The same source stated that most of the first batch were by then working for Bardon Hill Quarries. Livery was the same as for the first batch, except that a much smaller TR Tiphook Rail logo was applied.
The allocation of TOPS codes to private-owner wagons was changed in January 1990. This added the use of GENKOCs J and K for bogie wagons (non-specialist) and special-purpose wagons respectively, these letters having been freed-up in 1983 by the recoding of steel coil wagons into the B and S GENKOCs. The aim was to allow more flexibility and to avoid situations where one code covered several different types (as with the PIA code mentioned above). Most of the wagons discussed in this profile had (until then) been coded PXA, but now they were to be spread across several new codes. The PXA-T scrap wagons (which included 10 used by Yeoman for aggregates) became JXA-T, while the PXA-Z concrete segment wagons became KEA-Z. Note that these were considered to be special-purpose wagons, even though they were essentially just boxes. The PXA-N wagons (aggregates carriers with AAR couplings) were initially to be recoded as JRA-N, though this was changed to JNA-N before implementation. Likewise the PXA-G aggregates wagons (with normal couplings) were to be JRA-G but in fact became JNA-G. The JRA code was retained for the former PIA-H Tiphook wagons, these becoming JRA-H, while the Yeoman O&K wagons changed from the misleading PHA-T to a unique JYA-T. Regarding the ICI/Redland dropside wagons, new codes JOA-B and JPA-A were proposed for wagons with and without cargo winches respectively (ex PNA-B and PNA-A). This seems odd since all the PNA-A wagons were thought to have been modified as PNA-B in 1986. In any case, the wagons were to be withdrawn a few months after the new codes were introduced and it is not known if the JOA code was ever actually applied. Completing the picture, the British Steel PTA tipplers became JUA-D (ex PTA-D inners) and JTA-E/F (ex outers PTA-E/F) [22]. In all cases, the design codes remained as before apart from the change of the first two letters. For example, wagons to PX046A would now be to JN046A. For an overview of the before and after codes, see the table at the end of this profile.
In what appears to have been an administrative error, a batch of bogie hopper wagons built in France in 1990 for Tiger Rail (and hired to English China Clay) were given the same JRA-H code as the Tiphook box wagons. This anomaly remained unchanged until the hopper wagons were withdrawn in 2020.
The first post-1990 change to affect the bogie box fleets took place in late-1990 or early-1991 when three of the Tiphook wagons were modified at Marcroft Engineering in Stoke. They were fitted with a hinged framework with a tarpaulin cover, allowing the load space to be easily enclosed. The wagons were used on a traffic of toxic copper and lead waste from Commonwealth Smelting at Avonmouth and Hoboken-Pold in Belgium [23] [24] [25]. Revised codes of JRA-J and JRE745 were allocated, and it was intended that the wagons would be renumbered 33.70.0804.000-002 to reflect their now 'covered wagon' status [26]. Another design code issued in connection with this was JRE756, although details are not clear [26]. It would appear that the renumbering never took place and the frameworks were removed some time later. They then reverted to being coded JRA-H, although they remained assigned to design code JRE745 and could still be recognised by having an extra strip of metal along each top edge.
33.70.6790.028 was one of three JRA-H wagons to be (briefly) fitted with a hinged top cover in 1991. Long-since de-converted, some of the alterations made are still visible on the top edges of the body.
Something of a mystery is a wagon numbered 84.70.6094.000 which was noted at the Derby Technical Centre in early 1997 and said to have been renumbered from a JRA [27]. Design code JRE844 was assigned to this, the TOPS code of JRA-H was unchanged [28], but no further details are known for this, nor for design code JRE841 which was also applied to one of these wagons [28].
A derailment and subsequent collision at Taplow Bridge in October 1989 had damaged several of the ARC-operated PTA and PXA wagons [29]. The wagons were moved to the Marcrofts works at Gloucester, then again to Stoke when the Gloucester works was closed. Repairs to the wagons did not take place until 1991, and three of the PXA-N (now JNA-N) were completed in a white livery with at least one (PR27005) gaining huge CAIB logos in red (CAIB having taken over Procor in the interim) [30]. It would appear that the Schlieren M25 bogies were also replaced by Gloucester GPS25 ones [31] and a new design code of JN046D was issued.
Construction of the Channel Tunnel was progressing and the trains to carry concrete lining segments were no longer required. Six of the KEA-Z were retained for other work, including the movement of narrow gauge locos that had been used earlier in the construction process [32]. Some of the remainder were hired to Sheerness Steel for use on scrap traffic alongside the JXA-T wagons [32]. The minestone wagons were now seeing use carrying railway ballast on the Southern Region, including several of the Crump-built batch and all 8 Procor ones [33]. The minestone wagons were owned by Tiger Rail, but this company went into receivership in 1992. The Crump wagons (3248-3259) were sold to CAIB and were reprefixed accordingly, while the ownership of Procor ones (3260-3267) reverted to finance companies [34]. Two of the Procor-built wagons were hired to Cleveland Potash to carry rock salt from Boulby to Middlesbrough in 1992 [35], and the other six soon joined them.
More of the wagons found new work from 1993, when Inter City Great Western hired 28 for use carrying ballast in the London area. This included the ten JXA-Ts previously used by Yeoman (3140-3149) and 18 of the KEA-Zs [36]. The inspection platforms on the latter wagons might still have been useful but they were proving prone to damage during loading and unloading and they were completely removed from many of the wagons. Also in 1993, most of the Crump-built wagons were hired to Sheerness Steel and used on short trip workings between Ridham Dock and Sheerness [37].
Traces of where the inspection platform was fitted to the wagon end can still be seen on prefixless KEA-Z 3200
From 1995, Sheerness Steel started receiving a new batch of bogie scrap wagons, rebuilt from covered steel coil carriers (numbered in the TIPH3008-3024/3042-3062 range). These replaced the original Sheerness fleet (3100-3139/3150-3159) which were sent to Marcroft Engineering for overhaul and repaint into a new (darker) blue livery. Five of the wagons were given new top covers, each formed of sections fashioned from the top-half of tank barrels from scrapped LPG wagons. Each section featured a square pad to enable electro-magnets to be used to fit and remove the covers [38] [39]. It is not known if a new design code was issued for this modification, and the wagons all reverted to standard form fairly soon afterwards. The overhauled wagons were put to use carrying scrap metal between Shotton and Port Talbot. This flow may not have lasted long but in 1997 they were in use between Swindon and Liverpool [40] for European Metals Recycling [41].
The use of large-capacity bogie box wagons on infrastructure use was not without its problems. In February 1997 a train formed of various types (3 of the PR300x ex-Sheerness, plus JNAs, KEAs and Tiphook JRAs) derailed on the viaduct at Bexley in London [27]. The wagons were carrying spoil between Three Bridges and Hoo Junction and it was considered that the wagons had possibly been overloaded. Spoil would tend to be denser than clean ballast, especially if compounded by wet weather. The four JRA-H wagons that derailed (33.70.6790.009/025/070/072) were written-off, joining 33.70.6790.034 which had been condemned in 1992 for reasons unknown [42].
By 2005, most of the wagons covered by this profile were still in use. The main exception was the batch of 8 Procor-built JNA-J wagons. After sale to NACCO and use on rock salt traffic from Boulby, all 8 were scrapped in 2003/2004 [43]. CAIB had been taken over by VTG in 2002, and the latter company was applying its plain grey livery (and VTG number prefixes) to many of the former Sheerness JXA-T wagons, along with the JTA/JUA wagons bought after they had been displaced from iron ore workings by closures of steelworks at Ravenscraig and Llanwern. Other wagons remained in the their existing liveries, though extensive weathering often made it hard to tell what the actual base colour was! One of the O&K/Yeoman JYA-T wagons (OK3312) was fitted with new TF25 bogies as an experiment in 2000, gaining new design code JY012F [44]. This only lasted for a short time, with the bogies soon removed for use on other types [45].
Most of the ex-Sheerness JXA-T were repainted grey following the takeover of CAIB by VTG in 2002, though by 2013 they were beginning to look tired again.

Conversely, the former Yeoman JXA-Ts were never repainted, though the original colour was almost hidden by dirt and rust.

By 2013 the C C Crump-built wagons had seen use carrying minestone, ballast and now scrap metal, but they had never been repainted. Although the blue livery is indiscernible, the location of the original TML logo can just be made out on the third panel from the right.

Unlike most of the types covered by this profile, the Yeoman PHA/JYA wagons have always worked for the same operator, although they no longer display the Yeoman name. Note the full-height access door at the left, and the AAR couplings.
Withdrawals gathered place over the next few years, claiming most of the former BS/ARC/Yeoman JTA/JUA and JNA wagons, along with a few of the ex-Sheerness JXA-Ts. In about 2011, twenty of the former Tiphook JRA-H wagons were modified by having their height extended, reflected in the allocation of new design code JRE969. This was for scrap metal traffic and the body extensions were painted black while the rest of the wagon bodies remained in their well-worn existing colours. The centre panels on some of the wagons were repainted black, with the logo of Lynch applied.
33.70.6790.089-0 was one of the JRA-H wagons extended in height for scrap metal traffic. Note the rather crudely painted centre and end panels. The markings on the other panels are from unloading using mechanical grabs.

Tiphook 33.70.6790.079-1 from the second batch of JRA-H wagons was still in original condition and livery when seen in 2015. This photo shows how wagons with inspection doors are not ideal for carrying fine grade materials. How much had leaked out during its 150-mile journey?!
The 270xx JNA-Ns became extinct on the network in about 2016, although it is believed that a handful may still exist in storage at Long Marston. The last of the 300x JXA-Ts followed in 2020, again after a long period in storage [46]. Given the age of the wagons (in particular the recycled bogies), and the delivery of large numbers of new box wagons with more 'track-friendly' bogies, the remaining types are likely to face withdrawal over the next few years.
The table below lists all pre-1990 private-owner bogie open wagons (including those covered by other profiles) in number order.
OriginalCurrent/Final
NumbersTOPSDesignUserTOPSDesignNotes
PR3000-3007PXA-TPX030B/CSheernessJXA-TJX030B/FAll withdrawn
PR3100-3129PXA-TPX029ASheernessJXA-TJX029F
PR3130-3139PXA-TPX029BSheernessJXA-TJX029G
PR3140-3149PXA-TPX029CYeomanJXA-TJX029C
PR3150-3159PXA-TPX029DSheernessJXA-TJX029H
PR3160-3169PXA-NPX029E/FYeomanJXA-TJX029E/F/K
PR3170-3247PXA-ZPX029G/H/K/LTMLKEA-ZKE029G/H/K/L
TRL3248-3259PXA-GPX050A/B/C/DTMLJNA-GJN050A/B/C/D
TRL3260-3267PXA-?PX029JTMLJNA-?JN029JAll withdrawn
OK3268-3328PHA-TPH012A/BYeomanJYA-TJY012A/B/E/F/H
PR5300-5311PNA-APN001AICIJOA-BJO001BLater Redland, then TML
BSSC26000-26106PTA-D/E/FPT001A/B/CBritish SteelJTA-E/F, JUA-DJT001D/E, JU001A/BScunthorpe
BSTE26450-26563PTA-D/E/FPT002A/B/CBritish SteelJTA-E/F, JUA-DJT002E/F, JU002DConsett
BSSW26564-26677PTA-D/E/FPT003A/B/CBritish SteelJTA-E/F, JUA-DJT003B/C, JU003ALlanwern
BSRV26678-26800PTA-D/E/FPT004A/B/CBritish SteelJTA-E/F, JUA-DJT004E/F, JU004DRavenscraig
PR26801-26850PTA-D/E/FPT002D/E/FARCJTA-E/F, JUA-D JT002E/F, JT002DReno from 26450-26563 batch
PR27000-27016PXA-NPX046A/B/CARCJNA-NJN046A/B/C/DAll withdrawn
RLS92636-92651PNA-BPN002ARedlandJOA-BJO002AEx-PFA, reverted to KFA
33.70.6790.000-099PIA-HPIE703VariousJRA-HJRE703/745/969Tiphook-owned

References:
[1] A Pictorial Record of LNER Wagons, Peter Tatlow, OPC 1976, p.105/106
[2] BR Wagon Diagram Books on Barrowmore Model Railway Group website,
[3] Railway Modeller magazine, June 2021, p.402
[4] TOPS Circle 5, Dave Larkin, JDMRC 1984, p.4
[5] Modern Private Owner Wagons on British Rail, David Ratcliffe, PSL 1989, p.78
[6] Rail Express magazine, issue 250 (March 2017), p.M26/27
[7] Rail magazine, issue 82 (July 1988), p.27
[8] Rail magazine, issue 152 (July 1991), p.38
[9] Rail magazine, issue 172 (April 1992), p.43
[10] Rail Enthusiast magazine, issue 39 (December 1984), p.55
[11] Private Owner Wagons Volume 1, Andrew Marshall, Metro Enterprises 1989, p.4
[12] Rail Enthusiast magazine, issue 58 (July 1986), p.37
[13] Rail magazine, issue 80 (May 1988), p.34
[14] Rail magazine, issue 81 (June 1988), p.30
[15] Rail magazine, issue 86 (November 1988), p.47
[16] Rail magazine, issue 88 (January 1989), p.34
[17] Rail magazine, issue 87 (December 1988), p.50
[18] Rail magazine, issue 94 (April 1989), p.38
[19] Rail magazine, issue 92 (March 1989), p.22
[20] Rail magazine, issue 110 (November 1989), p.34
[21] International Ferry Wagons, Andrew Marshall, Metro Enterprises 1990, p.13
[22] Rail magazine, issue 116 (February 1990), p.38
[23] Rail magazine, issue 144 (March 1991), p.44
[24] Rail magazine, issue 146 (April 1991), p.26
[25] International Train-Ferry Wagons in Colour, David Ratcliffe, Ian Allan 2009, p.47
[26] Rail magazine, issue 230 (July 1994), p.45
[27] Rail Express magazine, issue 12 (May 1997), p.35
[28] Rail Express magazine, issue 27 (August 1998), p.55
[29] Rail magazine, issue 112 (December 1989), p.34
[30] Rail magazine, issue 158 (October 1991), p.44
[31] UK Railway Pics web gallery by Martyn Read, https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/
[32] Rail magazine, issue 160 (October 1991), p.45
[33] Rail magazine, issue 164 (December 1991), p.39
[34] Rail magazine, issue 176 (June 1992), p.43
[35] Rail magazine, issue 184 (September 1992), p.42
[36] Rail magazine, issue 196 (March 1993), p.42
[37] Rail magazine, issue 212 (October 1993), p.44
[38] Rail magazine, issue 264 (October 1995), p.58
[39] Rail magazine, issue 270 (January 1996), p.60
[40] Rail magazine, issue 320 (December 1997), p.54
[41] Rail Express magazine, issue 20 (January 1998), p.53
[42] Rail magazine, issue 186 (October 1992), p.43
[43] Rail Express magazine, issue 174 (November 2010), p.M16
[44] Rail Express magazine, issue 53 (October 2000), p.39
[45] Rail Express magazine, issue 54 (November 2000), p.42
[46] Rail Express magazine, issue 294 (November 2020), p.33

Links:N.B. Links will open in a new window.

Notes: No notes have been left yet. ?There may be some notes posted but which have not yet been approved.

Data tags: ?Tags are mainly intended to show links to relevant profiles when looking at the detail page for TOPS codes, designs, batches etc. Here they work 'backwards' and will take you to the detail pages. Batch: 33.70.6790.000-049
Batch: 33.70.6790.050-099
Batch: B446000-B446029
Batch: PR3100-PR3129
Batch: PR3130-PR3139
Batch: PR3140-PR3149
Batch: PR3150-PR3159
Batch: PR3160-PR3169
Batch: PR3170-PR3247
Batch: TRL3248-TRL3259
Batch: TRL3260-TRL3267
Batch: OK3268-OK3328
Batch: PR5300-PR5311
Batch: PR27000-PR27009
Batch: PR27010-PR27014
Batch: PR27015-PR27016
Batch: RLS92636-RLS92651
Design/Diagram: 1/182 56t Bogie Iron Ore Wagon
Design/Diagram: JN029E Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner)
Design/Diagram: JN029F Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer)
Design/Diagram: JN029J Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: JN046A Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer, Schlieren Bogies)
Design/Diagram: JN046B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Schlieren Bogies)
Design/Diagram: JN046C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Axle Motion Bogies)
Design/Diagram: JN046D Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner, GPS25 Bogies)
Design/Diagram: JN050A Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: JN050B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: JN050C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: JN050D Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: JO001B Bogie Open Dropside Wagon (Additional Cargo Winches)
Design/Diagram: JX029A Bogie Open Box Wagon (Scrap Metal)
Design/Diagram: JX029B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Scrap Metal)
Design/Diagram: JX029C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: JX029D Bogie Open Box Wagon (Scrap Metal)
Design/Diagram: JY012A Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer)
Design/Diagram: JY012B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner)
Design/Diagram: JY012C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer)
Design/Diagram: JY012D Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner)
Design/Diagram: JY012F Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer)
Design/Diagram: KE029G Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Shoe Brakes)
Design/Diagram: KE029H Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Outer, Shoe Brakes)
Design/Diagram: KE029K Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Disc Brakes)
Design/Diagram: KE029L Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Outer, Disc Brakes)
Design/Diagram: PH012A Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer)
Design/Diagram: PH012B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner)
Design/Diagram: PH012C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer)
Design/Diagram: PH012D Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner)
Design/Diagram: PN001A 65tonne GLW Bogie Open Dropside Pallet Wagon
Design/Diagram: PN001B Bogie Open Dropside Wagon (Additional Cargo Winches)
Design/Diagram: PN002A Bogie Open Dropside Wagon (ex Container Flat)
Design/Diagram: PX029A 102t GLW Bogie Open Box Wagon (Scrap Metal)
Design/Diagram: PX029B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Scrap Metal)
Design/Diagram: PX029C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: PX029D Bogie Open Box Wagon (Scrap Metal)
Design/Diagram: PX029E Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner)
Design/Diagram: PX029F Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer)
Design/Diagram: PX029G Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Shoe Brakes)
Design/Diagram: PX029H Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Outer, Shoe Brakes)
Design/Diagram: PX029J Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: PX029K Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Disc Brakes)
Design/Diagram: PX029L Bogie Open Box Wagon (Concrete Sections, Automatic Couplers, Outer, Disc Brakes)
Design/Diagram: PX046A Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Outer, Schlieren Bogies)
Design/Diagram: PX046B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Schlieren Bogies)
Design/Diagram: PX046C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers, Inner, Axle Motion Bogies)
Design/Diagram: PX050A Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: PX050B Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: PX050C Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: PX050D Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
Design/Diagram: E703 Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, RIV)
Design/Diagram: E745 90t GLW Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, RIV, Hinged Top Cover)
Design/Diagram: E756 Bogie Open Wagon with Sliding Roof
Design/Diagram: E841 Bogie Hopper Wagon
Design/Diagram: E844 Bogie Hopper Wagon
Design/Diagram: E969 Bogie Open Box Wagon (Extended Height Body)
Design/Diagram: JRE703 90t GLW Bogie Open Box Wagon
Design/Diagram: JRE745 90t GLW Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, RIV, Hinged Top Cover)
Design/Diagram: JRE756 Bogie Open Box Wagon with sliding roof
Design/Diagram: JRE841 Bogie Hopper
Design/Diagram: JRE844 Bogie Hopper
Design/Diagram: JRE969 Bogie Open Box Wagon (Extended Height Body)
Design/Diagram: PIE703 Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, RIV)
TOPS Class/Code: JNA-G P.O. Open, general, bogie
TOPS Class/Code: JNA-N P.O. Open, aggregate, bogie
TOPS Class/Code: JOA-B Bogie Open Dropside Waong (Additional Cargo Winches)
TOPS Class/Code: JRA-H Bogie Open Box or Hopper Wagon (RIV)
TOPS Class/Code: JRA-J 90t GLW Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, RIV, Hinged Top Cover)
TOPS Class/Code: JXA-T P.O. Open, steel scrap, bogie
TOPS Class/Code: JYA-T P.O. Open, bogie
TOPS Class/Code: KEA-Z P.O. Open, concrete sections, bogie
TOPS Class/Code: PHA-T Bogie Open
TOPS Class/Code: PIA-H (1) Bogie Open Box Wagon (RIV)
TOPS Class/Code: PNA-A (1) Bogie Open Wagon (Pallets, Dropsides)
TOPS Class/Code: PNA-B P.O. Open, aggregate, 2 axle
TOPS Class/Code: PXA-G Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates)
TOPS Class/Code: PXA-N Bogie Open Box Wagon (Aggregates, Automatic Couplers)
TOPS Class/Code: PXA-T Bogie Open, Steel Scrap
TOPS Class/Code: PXA-Z Bogie Open, Concrete Sections

Added on:14/07/2022
Edits: Record edited 1 time.
Time / DateEdited byChange
23:31 on Fri 15/07/2022Thomas YoungDetails of origins of PFA added

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