Old HTA wagons

[ForgottenRail]

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.

 

[sprinterguy]

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.

 

[fgwrich]

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]

What does HTA stand for?

 

[littledude]

What does HTA stand for?

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]

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

Ah - thanks!

 

[Adrian Barr]

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/

 

[Wyrleybart]

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/

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