41 tonne Open Spoil Wagon.
DETAILS FOR THIS VEHICLE.
Location : Tonbridge West Yard.
Date : 29/06/1993.
Type : 31 ton capacity Open Spoil Wagon.
Weight : 41 t GLW / 13 t Tare.
Number : DC 210254.
Number Series : Random numbers in the 210100 to 210399 range.
Builder : 1977-78 by BREL Shildon Works.
TOPS Code : ZCA.
CCE Code : SEA URCHIN.
Lot No. 3908.
Diagram No. : -
ADDITIONAL NOTES.
With British Rail having gone for air brakes as default standard for wagons in 1983 the bulk of the Civil Engineers fleet remained largely vacuum braked or unfitted vehicles well into the 1980's but as more and more ex revenue air braked vehicles became available so more of the older dedicated engineers types disappeared. The problem came when certain types of vehicles were required which hadn't been cascaded from the revenue fleet like suitable wagons to carry ballast spoil which could be loaded and unloaded by mechanical excavators. The older short wheel based 'Grampus', 'Lamprey's and 'Tunney's were very susceptible to floor damage when unloaded by digger so BR set out in the late 1980's and early 90's on a conversion programme for redundant Air braked vans using the underframes as chassis for new spoil wagons. An initial conversion programme saw former VJX Ferry vans converted to 'Sea Hares' but the most successful conversion was the redundant air braked goods vans from VAA, VBA, VCA and VDA to ZCA 'Sea Urchins'. Further ZCA vehicles were built using chassis from ex OBA Open goods vehicles too in the 110xxx range.
The vehicle seen here is loaded with chalk removed from one of the many cuttings through the North Downs during weekend engineering work and will be destined for landfill at East Peckham Tip on the Medway Valley line.
[Taken on a Practika MTL5B using Jessop CT100 film and scanned from a print]
41 tonne Open Spoil Wagon.
DETAILS FOR THIS VEHICLE.
Location : Tonbridge West Yard.
Date : 29/06/1993.
Type : 31 ton capacity Open Spoil Wagon.
Weight : 41 t GLW / 13 t Tare.
Number : DC 210254.
Number Series : Random numbers in the 210100 to 210399 range.
Builder : 1977-78 by BREL Shildon Works.
TOPS Code : ZCA.
CCE Code : SEA URCHIN.
Lot No. 3908.
Diagram No. : -
ADDITIONAL NOTES.
With British Rail having gone for air brakes as default standard for wagons in 1983 the bulk of the Civil Engineers fleet remained largely vacuum braked or unfitted vehicles well into the 1980's but as more and more ex revenue air braked vehicles became available so more of the older dedicated engineers types disappeared. The problem came when certain types of vehicles were required which hadn't been cascaded from the revenue fleet like suitable wagons to carry ballast spoil which could be loaded and unloaded by mechanical excavators. The older short wheel based 'Grampus', 'Lamprey's and 'Tunney's were very susceptible to floor damage when unloaded by digger so BR set out in the late 1980's and early 90's on a conversion programme for redundant Air braked vans using the underframes as chassis for new spoil wagons. An initial conversion programme saw former VJX Ferry vans converted to 'Sea Hares' but the most successful conversion was the redundant air braked goods vans from VAA, VBA, VCA and VDA to ZCA 'Sea Urchins'. Further ZCA vehicles were built using chassis from ex OBA Open goods vehicles too in the 110xxx range.
The vehicle seen here is loaded with chalk removed from one of the many cuttings through the North Downs during weekend engineering work and will be destined for landfill at East Peckham Tip on the Medway Valley line.
[Taken on a Practika MTL5B using Jessop CT100 film and scanned from a print]