long wheelbase coal wagons replacing HAAs?

[RichmondCommu]

Yes, and I think you could be right. Did you mean the Colas operated wagons? Just been looking at a pic of a rake behind a 56, and they do look like possible conversions, thanks for that.

Yes the Colas ones. Always worth a trip up to Ribblehead if you get chance. My in-laws live in Dentdale which is very helpful! However I think the traffic is seasonal.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Also important as NR fines operators for spilled coal.

Bloody hell! On a busy route how do they know which FOC is too blame?!!

 

[sprinterguy]

I think it's a great pity that an effort was not made to create a "wind cutter" rake similar to what can be seen on the GCR. I know that kind of thing requires funding but having grown up in the East Midlands (deep in MGR country) it's the kind of thing that I would have helped to fund.

Was there not an appeal started sometime last year aiming to do just that. I may be wrong but it rings a bell that it was a Class 56 owning group with the idea of saving some of the last surviving wagons, don't know if they achieved their aim, seems to have gone quiet lately.

An effort was made - See the link that I posted on the first page:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=95328

 

[tjlrailblue]

HBA / HEA were manually discharged hoppers used mainly for domestic coal

 

[Ploughman]

Am I right in thinking that a number had the top cut off and had a box body fabricated to act as spoil carriers on ballast trains?

 

[edwin_m]

Am I right in thinking that a number had the top cut off and had a box body fabricated to act as spoil carriers on ballast trains?

Pretty sure that some MEA and MFA wagons (but perhaps not all of them) were rebodied HEAs. MFA are mainly used for ballast but MEA were more in revenue service although I don't think they run much these days.

 

[Eng274]

Also important as NR fines operators for spilled coal.

EWS back in 2006/7 experimented with a special substance that could be sprayed as a film over coal wagons to stop coal bouncing off under the buffeting effect of a 20-odd wagon rake. I remember a news article with North Queensferry residents complaining about passing coal trains dropping coal from the north viaduct.

IIRC coal trains are allowed on the forth bridge as long as two aren't on the bridge at the same time or (I think) a HST isn't on the bridge at the same time as a coal train.

 

[Jamesb1974]

Why do they have fronts and rears which point diagonally downwards as opposed to a traditional hopper. Does this make them easier to fill/load/unload?

The sloping ends are not part of the actual hopper. The slope outwards to create an internal space where the brake gear sits. This is accessible by removing the corrugated end covers. The hopper slopes inwards in the opposite direction to the outer ends.