ForgottenRail
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What actually happened to the HTA wagon trains? I’m situated on the Durham Coast Line in Sunderland and We don’t see them anymore, however we do get drax biomass trains frequently.
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Old HTA wagons
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sprinterguy
Established Member
110 of the 1144 wagons built have been cut 'n' shut into shorter HRA aggregates hoppers with the same laden weight, while many of the remainder have been off leased since 2015, as the power station coal trade disappeared, and have been scrapped from around 2018.
Indeed, it does feel odd seeing those end up in scrapyards already. Some are still in use with GBRf on the very last (Ratcliffe?) coal traffic, while some are stored in places like Exeter Riverside Yard. I’m a little surprised about that as I recall Riverside was one of the yards given up by DB back to NR a few years ago (Eastleigh was another which switched to GBRf) but I’m sure it’s money in NRs bank at least.
AlbertBeale
Established Member
What does HTA stand for?
littledude
Member
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It doesn’t stand for anything, it is a TOPS code for a particular type of hopper wagon, purchased by EWS and later transferred to DB Schenker, then DB Cargo. Originally built for power station coal traffic (both ‘pit’ and import coal), the fleet became largely redundant when the coal market collapsed in 2015.
The H indicates hopper, the T is the specific series within the hopper category and the A indicates that the wagon is air braked
Tom
AlbertBeale
Established Member
Ah - thanks!
Adrian Barr
Member
I think there are only 5 sets of HTAs left in traffic:
One set of HTAs moves coal from Immingham (Humber Import Terminal) to Ratcliffe Power Station for GBRF
Three sets of HTAs are used by DB on coke trains from Immingham Bulk Terminal to Scunthorpe Steelworks (2 sets required in daily use for the usual pattern of workings)
Another set of HTAs is used by DB on coal trains from Immingham (Humber Import Terminal) to Earles Sidings (for Hope cement works)
That's only about 10% of the original fleet left in traffic (excluding the conversions into HRAs for aggregates mentioned above, which is another 10% or so of the original HTA fleet).
The caption to this photo of HTAs for scrap (at Liverpool EMR sidings in 2018) is informative of the situation at the time, after the drastic decline of power station coal traffic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/45703818362/
There are still some movements of stored HTAs for scrapping on rare occasions, such as this movement to Newport Docks in 2022: https://www.flickr.com/photos/70710639@N05/53569865326/
One set of HTAs moves coal from Immingham (Humber Import Terminal) to Ratcliffe Power Station for GBRF
Three sets of HTAs are used by DB on coke trains from Immingham Bulk Terminal to Scunthorpe Steelworks (2 sets required in daily use for the usual pattern of workings)
Another set of HTAs is used by DB on coal trains from Immingham (Humber Import Terminal) to Earles Sidings (for Hope cement works)
That's only about 10% of the original fleet left in traffic (excluding the conversions into HRAs for aggregates mentioned above, which is another 10% or so of the original HTA fleet).
The caption to this photo of HTAs for scrap (at Liverpool EMR sidings in 2018) is informative of the situation at the time, after the drastic decline of power station coal traffic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/45703818362/
There are still some movements of stored HTAs for scrapping on rare occasions, such as this movement to Newport Docks in 2022: https://www.flickr.com/photos/70710639@N05/53569865326/
Wyrleybart
Established Member
An interesting factor in this is the HTAs were one of several new build fleets which EWS procured with autocouplers and no side buffers. To work with these new wagons the class 66 and 67 were fitted with swing aside auto couplers (except 66001/002). When EWS passed the ten class 66s to GBRf a couple of years ago, this obviously enabled GBRf to use auto coupler fitted wagons when needed. So 66783 "Flying Dustman" has been observed recently on the Ratcliffe coal runs using it's autocouplers to haul the HTAs.
DB nee EWS did fit a handful of HTAs with buffers and screw couplers in order to haul them with class 60s, back in the day
There’s a rake in Exeter Riverside yard that have been there for a while too.
Are they moved occasionally to keep them freed up does anyone know?
Adrian Barr
Member
Interesting... I was wondering if GBRF would move the Ratcliffe coal set from Barnetby (where it was stabled after the last working) but I wouldn't have guessed Collyhurst as a destination for them.
66787 ran light from Doncaster to Barnetby on Tuesday 30th July and worked a 4M59 14:28 Barnetby to Collyhurst via Hebden Bridge with 18 HTAs, pictured here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tramsntrains/53892004959/
After running light back to Doncaster, the same loco repeated the exercise the following day, same headcode and timings, with another 11 HTAs. I think this leaves 4 HTAs remaining at Barnetby, if TOPS is correct.
I assume Collyhurst is just a convenient place to store them for the time being. The spoil traffic from Collyhurst (and Leeds Whitehall Road) to Roxby appears to have ceased - it was running in December but I'm not sure if it's run during 2024 (although the spoil from Barking Renwick Road to Roxby still runs occasionally). If GBRF have an existing agreement to use the sidings at Collyhurst, it may be cheaper than storing them elsewhere and save taking up limited siding space in one of their yards.
It's possible they are occasionally moved, as DB locos are in the yard regularly on china clay workings, but I don't know. I think there are 25 HTAs in there along with 6 FCA / FYA intermodal flats (3 twins). Most of those HTAs were last in traffic on Aberthaw coal in 2016 from places like Cwmbargoed, Tower, Onllwyn and Avonmouth. I'm not sure of the date they reached Exeter from South Wales (they had previously been in storage at East Usk) but they've been there since 2019 at least. Some others arrived from Westbury, having been used on Mendip stone workings after being displaced from coal workings.
The FCA / FYA flats arrived from Margam for storage at the end of 2022 - there were three FIA twins with them which later went back into traffic. The FCAs / FYAs had previously been used on the Onllwyn - Mossend coal container flow and also the Hardendale to Margam lime (which still runs... at least until the remaining blast furnace at Port Talbot shuts down).
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To complete this round-up of HTA-related excitement, 5 DB HTAs were sent for scrap from Doncaster to Attercliffe on Thursday 1st August as a 6Z83. Their last use had been on the Earles coal workings (which are still running from Immingham). I found this photo of 66168 passing Mexborourough with this working: https://www.flickr.com/photos/192731604@N04/53895837794/
Snow1964
Established Member
Without wishing to go off topic, Mendip rail seem to have some new bogie aggregate hoppers, which I think are HOA.
No idea if these are replacing HRA, or replacing something else, or for extra stone traffic
Adrian Barr
Member
A recent delivery of new HOA wagons on the 5th August was mentioned in the "tailgating at Westbury" thread:
From the VTG newsletter:
The O&K hoppers are the Yeoman branded JHA bogie hopper fleet that was introduced not long after the 59s entered service (OK 193xx numbers). https://www.flickr.com/photos/camperdown/46508302964/
They were originally coded PHAs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/162529734@N06/49357041581/
The LTF (Low Track Force) hoppers are the ARC-liveried bogie hoppers introduced around the same time as the ARC Class 59s: https://www.flickr.com/photos/35476094@N04/11937601403/
Those were also PHAs, then became JHAs, later being repainted into Hanson livery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevor-plackett/9306210359/
I think there are currently 99 of the O&K hoppers and 84 of the LTF hoppers in service, although 15 of the LTF hoppers can be substracted from that number as 37800 + 37884 have taken 15 of them to Attercliffe today as a 6E25 (presumably for scrapping).
I can't remember how many of the LTF hoppers were built, but some were lost in the Southall crash in the late 90s.
Neither of the fleets are exceptionally old by the standards of wagons in general, but they have been intensively used and are probably non-standard in terms of parts compared to more modern builds. Also the O&K hoppers are 45mph max (both loaded and empty) which restricts the paths available for them. There was also a fleet of Yeoman-liveried O&K box wagons which were 45mph, but those have already been replaced - I think some ended up at Gascoigne Wood for storage.
The O&K build JHA's also utilise the same bogie as the CargoWaggon's, which, are notoriously tricky to service and overhaul as the springs have to be set a certain way when disassembling or reassembling. I can imagine parts aren't as easy to come by now either. The new HOAs of course use the now standard track friendly bogie from Wabtec.
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