Replacement of 1950s YKA "Osprey" track wagons

[Oxfordblues]

Today I noticed a rake of 13 YKA "Osprey" wagons at Hinksey Sidings here in Oxford marshalled ready for a weekend track relaying job. These are 1950s "Salmons" fitted with yellow track-securing frames at each end. I estimate their total age at 13 x 70 = over 900 years!

We'd been told that the Ospreys were life-expired and would soon be replaced with new Wascosa units on container-flats, but that does not appear to have happened. I wonder if any reader can give me an update on the Wascosa wagon roll-out?

A gentle "nudge" in the hope that someone at DB-Cargo or with inside knowledge can report if the YKS "Ospreys", now around 70-years-old, will be replaced any time soon with the new Wascosa equipment.

 

[Adrian Barr]

The short answer is that "The Osprey question" is still unresolved with no obvious sign of the wagons being replaced in the immediate future. I don't know what the plan is for these wagons, but hopefully a strategy exists for their replacement as they must be well overdue for retirement.

As a more long-winded way of answering why the new FEAs have not replaced the Ospreys, I thought it would be worth delving into the fleet changes related to the introduction of the Wascosa fleet.

When the new Wascosa wagons were being introduced, it was a matter of speculation exactly what they would replace, although it seemed logical that the remaining 2-axle wagons in the infrastructure fleet would go, along with the ancient fleet of Salmon and Osprey. This was part of a post I made a couple of years back in the Wascosa wagon thread:

There will be 260 FEAs in total. There doesn't appear to be an "Osprey" variant with the fixed "goal posts" for conveying redundant track panels, meaning these will probably be loaded to the flat deck salmons and strapped up in the traditional way.

I expect the venerable coalfish, salmon and osprey fleets to disappear in due course, along with a few other non-standard wagons such as the last FJA super tench and the last few YLAs and YQAs (a few YQAs survive in use with "tench" units fitted). I'm not sure if the new tench / super tench FEAs are intended to displace the entire 2-axle "bass" fleet (mainly OCAs with some OBAs) - it will depend on the state of the existing fleet, how many variants of each module are built and how many "bass" are actually needed in traffic. We'll see...

At the time, it wasn't clear how many of each type of module would appear on the FEAs, and 40 arrived without modules, being used on intermodal trains for GBRF before the modules were fitted a few months later.

===Wagon Deliveries===

The timeline of Wascosa wagon deliveries was as follows:

50 x Bulk Ballast (high-sided) JNAs: moved from Dollands Moor to Eastleigh in two sets of 25 on 11/11/21 and 11/12/21

260 x FEA modular wagons (intermodal flats with modules fitted): moved from Dollands Moor to Eastleigh in batches of 20 between 29/01/22 and 11/01/23

260 x MLA "Falcon" ballast / spoil wagons: moved from Dollands Moor to Eastleigh or Wembley between 30/12/21 and 30/01/23

===Wascosa FEA fleet composition:===

The Wascosa FEA fleet is now formed as follows:

140 Salmons (flat bottom, for sleepers and track panels)
109 Supertench (open wagon with dropside doors, for general engineers materials, excluding loose aggregate)
11 Borail / Mullet wagons for carrying rails or S&C components to site (i.e. 60ft lengths or similar)

===Wagon Disposals and Fleet changes: Comparing the 2021 and 2024 infrastructure fleets===

This photo of 6Z85 arriving at Kingsbury with wagons for scrapping gives a representative sample of recent wagon disposals, featuring MFA/MHA/MPA coalfish, OBA/OCA bass, YSA/YWA salmons (caption has DB996954 as a YKA but this was a YSA in TOPS) and MXA lobsters (note the loaded wagon!):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/58806173@N08/53641187537/

For reference, there are links at the end of this post to photos of the wagon types mentioned, for anyone unfamiliar with the fishily named fleet. Note the numbers of wagons quoted may not be exact, but is based on a snapshot of the quantities in "live" pools. In addition there are plenty of stored wagons around, so for example when I say that the Bass have "disappeared" I'm talking about active use on the network; there are still plenty in storage awaiting disposal. I'm only looking at the types of wagon affected by the Wascosa deliveries, ignoring other types such as the existing fleet of falcons which were unaffected.

Open box wagons

MXA lobsters (rebodied BDA type bogie bolster steel wagons) reduced from 211 examples in 2021 to 124 currently. This is a surprise given that the boxes on them still look new. I'm not sure whether it's intended to get rid of all of them, or if the withdrawals were based on the condition of specific wagons.

The coalfish fleet (MFA / MHA / MPA / MTA) in use in 2021 numbered 882 wagons, all of which have now been taken out of traffic, with many scrapped.
There were over 1400 coalfish conversions carried out (numbers mentioned online are 135 MFA, 1066 MHA, 222 MTAs), although the majority of the MTAs had already been withdrawn from traffic by 2021. Numbers of coalfish still in use had dropped below 100 by the beginning of this year, seeing only occasional use, but all seemed to be out of traffic by the end of February.

On the plus side are the 260 new Wascosa MLA Falcons, and also 279 JNA "Hawk" conversions from MRA sidetippers. Out of the 400 sidetippers built, 60 appear to be retained for use as sidetippers, leaving another 60 stored wagons that might potentially be converted to Hawks. Example of JNA "Hawk": https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/53013302955/

Counting the coalfish as equivalent to half a Falcon bogie wagon (by capacity), the number of withdrawn wagons vs the new Falcons and Hawks balances out quite well. We'll see how many more MXAs get cut up and how many more Hawks are converted from sidetippers.

Opens (Bass / Supertench)

The 2021 fleet had around 39 OBAs (fishkind "Bass" with mesh or wooden doors) and 138 OCAs (Bass with steel doors). These have all now disappeared, although a few survived into early 2024, the last stragglers accompanying the sets of tilting wagons based at Beeston.

There were also 20 FCA/FYA intermodal wagons in use with "Supertench" modules on them, along with 5 YQA Supertench conversions from Parr wagons and a random FJA Supertench which was originally an old-style Freightliner flat.

These 177 2-axle "Bass" and 21 bogie "Supertench" have been replaced by 109 of the new Wascosa FEA "Supertench" wagons.
If you regard 2 Bass as equivalent to 1 Supertench (i.e. you could fit the contents of 2 bass wagons into one Supertench), again the numbers match up quite nicely.

This shot shows a typical Supertench load of timber "dunnage" (used to separate layers of concrete sleepers being delivered to site): https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/53795086443/

Mullets (Borail)

In 2021 there was a small pool of 14 YLA "Mullet" wagons for carrying short lengths of rail. These have been replaced by 11 FEAs with equivalent modules for carrying rail. These have seen very limited use, but are occasionally loaded at Hither Green PAD (Pre-Assembly Depot) with track components for delivery to engineering worksites.

An example of an old YLA mullet conveying a switch rail (and what appears to be a lifting beam) can be seen here (zoom in for detail):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37059-uk/48652660298/
The leading salmon is acting as a runner wagon for the overhanging load, along with a more conventional 2-axle RRA runner wagon at the rear

Incidentally, although not affected by the Wascosa wagon deliveries, the RRA runner wagons are now a rare breed after their decline in use on steel and pipe traffic. 8 RRAs remain in the infrastructure fleet, mainly for use with the 3 FZA "Super Salmons" designed to convey long rails or S&C components.
Loaded FZA Super Salmons with RRA runners (see caption to first photo for more info):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/49428688423
https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/52607194628/
https://wagons-library.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/9/6929845/rra-110743-18-03-17-6c25-2_orig.jpg

Apart from the RRA runners, the only other 2-axle wagon I can think of that's still in use on infrastructure traffic is the YXA generator van 210306 for the Skako YDA "Octopus" ballast distribution train:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tayrail/17249847334/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tayrail/17686109909/

Salmons

In 2021 there were 173 YSA/YWA flatbed salmons in use for carrying sleepers or track panels (more often new track panels for delivery to site rather than old panels from site). There were also 20 KFA intermodal flats in use as salmons, with flatbed modules fitted.

The YSA/YWA flatbed salmons have all disappeared, to be replaced by 140 Wascosa FEAs with salmon modules. Given the age difference, the better availability of the modern wagons should balance out the reduction in fleet size. However, with the FEAs kept busy moving concrete sleepers, it can be seen that there wouldn't be many spare to do the work of the Osprey fleet. 20 KFAs also remain in use as salmons.

Ospreys

In 2021 there were 128 YKA Ospreys for conveying redundant track panels off site. The "goal post" load restraints only require minimal strapping and ensure the load is placed centrally on the wagon.

And in 2024... there are still 127 Osprey in live pools. Almost a third of those are currently out of traffic (showing their age) but the rest are kept busy. There's no sign of a replacement for them, although it would seem logical to find some 60ft container flats and design and fit an equivalent "Osprey" module to them.

While the FEA salmons have seen sporadic use moving redundant track panels from engineering worksites, the common factor seems to be that these are sites which involve working in tunnels. Working in a tunnel probably makes lifting panels onto an Osprey impracticable: I assume they typically use a crane attachment on a road-rail vehicle to lift 30ft panels out (an Osprey can hold six of these, or three 60ft panels). In a tunnel, I think they use the remaining old-style YJB twin-jib "tracklayer" cranes to load panels onto a flatbed salmon.

YJB Tracklayer: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/6043100300/
YJB Tracklayers lifting a panel: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93293618@N05/51948691953/

I'd originally assumed that since there were no Wascosa FEAs ordered with Osprey modules, the FEAs with flatbed salmon modules would be used for moving all redundant track panels from site. However, the numbers of wagons available don't really stack up for this to be an option.

=======================
======Wagon Photos:=======
=======================

Out with the old:

FCA Supertench https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/50659977823/
FJA Supertench https://www.flickr.com/photos/dbs60100/21928837959/
MFA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/44596182624/
MHA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/145614974@N04/50025211778/
MPA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/52918376705/
MTA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/27422014062/
OBA Bass (mesh doors) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/49077796656/
OBA Bass (wood doors) https://www.ltsv.com/w_photos_view.php?photoid=3155
YLA Mullet https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardajones/8257337328/
YQA Supertench (ex Parr) https://www.flickr.com/photos/davekirwinphotography/49859430307/
YWA Salmon (empty) https://www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwpeakdaleworkscom/50171056071/
YWA Salmon (loaded) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/49600184186/

In with the new:

FEA Mullet (Wascosa) https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/flexible-wagons-to-refresh-infrastructure-fleet/61982.article
FEA Salmon (Wascosa) empty https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/52712537402/
FEA Salmon (Wascosa) loaded https://www.flickr.com/photos/196572826@N08/53538609191/
FEA Supertench (Wascosa) https://www.flickr.com/photos/67444577@N02/52249596235/
JNA (Wascosa - Bulk Ballast) https://www.flickr.com/photos/195739968@N04/53121648848/
JNA Hawk ex-Sidetipper https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardajones/53734261773/
MLA Falcon (Wascosa) https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/52918468930/

Still in use:

KFA Salmon (loaded) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/49600176966/
MXA Lobster https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/26900964983/
YKA Osprey (empty) https://www.flickr.com/photos/queenfanjohn/25385506409/
YKA Osprey (loaded) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/51787636483/

 

[DBS92042]

The short answer is that "The Osprey question" is still unresolved with no obvious sign of the wagons being replaced in the immediate future. I don't know what the plan is for these wagons, but hopefully a strategy exists for their replacement as they must be well overdue for retirement.

As a more long-winded way of answering why the new FEAs have not replaced the Ospreys, I thought it would be worth delving into the fleet changes related to the introduction of the Wascosa fleet.

When the new Wascosa wagons were being introduced, it was a matter of speculation exactly what they would replace, although it seemed logical that the remaining 2-axle wagons in the infrastructure fleet would go, along with the ancient fleet of Salmon and Osprey. This was part of a post I made a couple of years back in the Wascosa wagon thread:



At the time, it wasn't clear how many of each type of module would appear on the FEAs, and 40 arrived without modules, being used on intermodal trains for GBRF before the modules were fitted a few months later.

===Wagon Deliveries===

The timeline of Wascosa wagon deliveries was as follows:

50 x Bulk Ballast (high-sided) JNAs: moved from Dollands Moor to Eastleigh in two sets of 25 on 11/11/21 and 11/12/21

260 x FEA modular wagons (intermodal flats with modules fitted): moved from Dollands Moor to Eastleigh in batches of 20 between 29/01/22 and 11/01/23

260 x MLA "Falcon" ballast / spoil wagons: moved from Dollands Moor to Eastleigh or Wembley between 30/12/21 and 30/01/23

===Wascosa FEA fleet composition:===

The Wascosa FEA fleet is now formed as follows:

140 Salmons (flat bottom, for sleepers and track panels)
109 Supertench (open wagon with dropside doors, for general engineers materials, excluding loose aggregate)
11 Borail / Mullet wagons for carrying rails or S&C components to site (i.e. 60ft lengths or similar)

===Wagon Disposals and Fleet changes: Comparing the 2021 and 2024 infrastructure fleets===

This photo of 6Z85 arriving at Kingsbury with wagons for scrapping gives a representative sample of recent wagon disposals, featuring MFA/MHA/MPA coalfish, OBA/OCA bass, YSA/YWA salmons (caption has DB996954 as a YKA but this was a YSA in TOPS) and MXA lobsters (note the loaded wagon!):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/58806173@N08/53641187537/

For reference, there are links at the end of this post to photos of the wagon types mentioned, for anyone unfamiliar with the fishily named fleet. Note the numbers of wagons quoted may not be exact, but is based on a snapshot of the quantities in "live" pools. In addition there are plenty of stored wagons around, so for example when I say that the Bass have "disappeared" I'm talking about active use on the network; there are still plenty in storage awaiting disposal. I'm only looking at the types of wagon affected by the Wascosa deliveries, ignoring other types such as the existing fleet of falcons which were unaffected.

Open box wagons

MXA lobsters (rebodied BDA type bogie bolster steel wagons) reduced from 211 examples in 2021 to 124 currently. This is a surprise given that the boxes on them still look new. I'm not sure whether it's intended to get rid of all of them, or if the withdrawals were based on the condition of specific wagons.

The coalfish fleet (MFA / MHA / MPA / MTA) in use in 2021 numbered 882 wagons, all of which have now been taken out of traffic, with many scrapped.
There were over 1400 coalfish conversions carried out (numbers mentioned online are 135 MFA, 1066 MHA, 222 MTAs), although the majority of the MTAs had already been withdrawn from traffic by 2021. Numbers of coalfish still in use had dropped below 100 by the beginning of this year, seeing only occasional use, but all seemed to be out of traffic by the end of February.

On the plus side are the 260 new Wascosa MLA Falcons, and also 279 JNA "Hawk" conversions from MRA sidetippers. Out of the 400 sidetippers built, 60 appear to be retained for use as sidetippers, leaving another 60 stored wagons that might potentially be converted to Hawks. Example of JNA "Hawk": https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/53013302955/

Counting the coalfish as equivalent to half a Falcon bogie wagon (by capacity), the number of withdrawn wagons vs the new Falcons and Hawks balances out quite well. We'll see how many more MXAs get cut up and how many more Hawks are converted from sidetippers.

Opens (Bass / Supertench)

The 2021 fleet had around 39 OBAs (fishkind "Bass" with mesh or wooden doors) and 138 OCAs (Bass with steel doors). These have all now disappeared, although a few survived into early 2024, the last stragglers accompanying the sets of tilting wagons based at Beeston.

There were also 20 FCA/FYA intermodal wagons in use with "Supertench" modules on them, along with 5 YQA Supertench conversions from Parr wagons and a random FJA Supertench which was originally an old-style Freightliner flat.

These 177 2-axle "Bass" and 21 bogie "Supertench" have been replaced by 109 of the new Wascosa FEA "Supertench" wagons.
If you regard 2 Bass as equivalent to 1 Supertench (i.e. you could fit the contents of 2 bass wagons into one Supertench), again the numbers match up quite nicely.

This shot shows a typical Supertench load of timber "dunnage" (used to separate layers of concrete sleepers being delivered to site): https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/53795086443/

Mullets (Borail)

In 2021 there was a small pool of 14 YLA "Mullet" wagons for carrying short lengths of rail. These have been replaced by 11 FEAs with equivalent modules for carrying rail. These have seen very limited use, but are occasionally loaded at Hither Green PAD (Pre-Assembly Depot) with track components for delivery to engineering worksites.

An example of an old YLA mullet conveying a switch rail (and what appears to be a lifting beam) can be seen here (zoom in for detail):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37059-uk/48652660298/
The leading salmon is acting as a runner wagon for the overhanging load, along with a more conventional 2-axle RRA runner wagon at the rear

Incidentally, although not affected by the Wascosa wagon deliveries, the RRA runner wagons are now a rare breed after their decline in use on steel and pipe traffic. 8 RRAs remain in the infrastructure fleet, mainly for use with the 3 FZA "Super Salmons" designed to convey long rails or S&C components.
Loaded FZA Super Salmons with RRA runners (see caption to first photo for more info):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/49428688423
https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/52607194628/
https://wagons-library.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/2/9/6929845/rra-110743-18-03-17-6c25-2_orig.jpg

Apart from the RRA runners, the only other 2-axle wagon I can think of that's still in use on infrastructure traffic is the YXA generator van 210306 for the Skako YDA "Octopus" ballast distribution train:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tayrail/17249847334/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tayrail/17686109909/

Salmons

In 2021 there were 173 YSA/YWA flatbed salmons in use for carrying sleepers or track panels (more often new track panels for delivery to site rather than old panels from site). There were also 20 KFA intermodal flats in use as salmons, with flatbed modules fitted.

The YSA/YWA flatbed salmons have all disappeared, to be replaced by 140 Wascosa FEAs with salmon modules. Given the age difference, the better availability of the modern wagons should balance out the reduction in fleet size. However, with the FEAs kept busy moving concrete sleepers, it can be seen that there wouldn't be many spare to do the work of the Osprey fleet. 20 KFAs also remain in use as salmons.

Ospreys

In 2021 there were 128 YKA Ospreys for conveying redundant track panels off site. The "goal post" load restraints only require minimal strapping and ensure the load is placed centrally on the wagon.

And in 2024... there are still 127 Osprey in live pools. Almost a third of those are currently out of traffic (showing their age) but the rest are kept busy. There's no sign of a replacement for them, although it would seem logical to find some 60ft container flats and design and fit an equivalent "Osprey" module to them.

While the FEA salmons have seen sporadic use moving redundant track panels from engineering worksites, the common factor seems to be that these are sites which involve working in tunnels. Working in a tunnel probably makes lifting panels onto an Osprey impracticable: I assume they typically use a crane attachment on a road-rail vehicle to lift 30ft panels out (an Osprey can hold six of these, or three 60ft panels). In a tunnel, I think they use the remaining old-style YJB twin-jib "tracklayer" cranes to load panels onto a flatbed salmon.

YJB Tracklayer: https://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/6043100300/
YJB Tracklayers lifting a panel: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93293618@N05/51948691953/

I'd originally assumed that since there were no Wascosa FEAs ordered with Osprey modules, the FEAs with flatbed salmon modules would be used for moving all redundant track panels from site. However, the numbers of wagons available don't really stack up for this to be an option.

=======================
======Wagon Photos:=======
=======================

Out with the old:

FCA Supertench https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/50659977823/
FJA Supertench https://www.flickr.com/photos/dbs60100/21928837959/
MFA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/44596182624/
MHA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/145614974@N04/50025211778/
MPA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/52918376705/
MTA Coalfish https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/27422014062/
OBA Bass (mesh doors) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/49077796656/
OBA Bass (wood doors) https://www.ltsv.com/w_photos_view.php?photoid=3155
YLA Mullet https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardajones/8257337328/
YQA Supertench (ex Parr) https://www.flickr.com/photos/davekirwinphotography/49859430307/
YWA Salmon (empty) https://www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwpeakdaleworkscom/50171056071/
YWA Salmon (loaded) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/49600184186/

In with the new:

FEA Mullet (Wascosa) https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/flexible-wagons-to-refresh-infrastructure-fleet/61982.article
FEA Salmon (Wascosa) empty https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/52712537402/
FEA Salmon (Wascosa) loaded https://www.flickr.com/photos/196572826@N08/53538609191/
FEA Supertench (Wascosa) https://www.flickr.com/photos/67444577@N02/52249596235/
JNA (Wascosa - Bulk Ballast) https://www.flickr.com/photos/195739968@N04/53121648848/
JNA Hawk ex-Sidetipper https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardajones/53734261773/
MLA Falcon (Wascosa) https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/52918468930/

Still in use:

KFA Salmon (loaded) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/49600176966/
MXA Lobster https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/26900964983/
YKA Osprey (empty) https://www.flickr.com/photos/queenfanjohn/25385506409/
YKA Osprey (loaded) https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/51787636483/

Very interesting read, thank you very much for that

 

[Wyrleybart]

Thanks very much Adrian Barr for that interesting synopsis. I worked in TOPS 1980-1992 and considered myself relatively au fait with the ballast wagon scene back then, but things have massively changed. Back then the huge majority of wagons were Yxx and Zxx as they were pretty much all engineers traffic. These days a lot of tired old BDAs seem to have been overhauled and fitted with brand new box bodies and become MXAs - used for a handful of years and now being scrapped. Presume this was a DB plan rather than a Network Rail initiative, but how does it work in practice ? Do the FOCs contract to provide wagons to Network Rail contracts, and if so are they competitively tendered ? Or is it the case that Yxx and Zxx are owned by Network Rail and the newer Mxx, Kxx etc are owned by the FOCs ?

Lots more questions than answers !!!!

 

[Oxfordblues]

Thank you Adrian Barr for the very interesting information. According to my wagon-spotters' guide the YKA Ospreys date back to as early as 1952 (built by Head Wightson and later GR Turner) and now average around 70 years old. But inexplicably there seems to be no proper plan to replace them.

 

[Adrian Barr]

According to my wagon-spotters' guide the YKA Ospreys date back to as early as 1952 (built by Head Wightson and later GR Turner) and now average around 70 years old. But inexplicably there seems to be no proper plan to replace them.

To be fair, I suspect (or at least hope) there is some kind of plan to replace them, I'm just not aware of what it is or when it will happen.

I worked in TOPS 1980-1992 and considered myself relatively au fait with the ballast wagon scene back then, but things have massively changed. Back then the huge majority of wagons were Yxx and Zxx as they were pretty much all engineers traffic.

Some wagons were recoded from their Z and Y engineers TOPS codes during the days of EWS and the need for wagons on Enterprise services. For example YAA "Brill" and ZAA "Pike" wagons were recoded back to BDA / SPA types for use on steel traffic. In this photo, an OBA Bass still shows its old ZDA code: https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/49069984321/

Wagons from the "B" number series (originally vacuum-braked) tended to stay with their Y or Z codes until withdrawal, for example ZFV Dogfish or YCV Turbots. The YWA / YSA Salmons and YKA Ospreys are probably the last examples from the "B" number series (it's a quirk of fate that the DB number series wagons ended up being owned by DB!)

Some air-braked wagons that were specifically for civil engineers traffic kept their Y or Z codes, such as YLA Mullets, YQA Parrs, ZCA Sea Urchins.

Wagons that entered the engineers fleet during the privatisation era tended to be coded with the rest of the fleet, rather than having special Z and Y codes to distinguish them as engineers wagons.

These days the Y and Z TOPS codes tend to be more associated with On-track plant and specialised equipment, rather than standard types of wagon. For example the specialized "chute" wagons for the Rail Discharge trains are coded YEA, and the specialised wagons with conveyors underneath that work on the High-Output trains (e.g. ballast cleaning or track renewal train) are coded YDA or YXA. Tampers and similar machines are often coded ZWA, snowploughs are ZZA.

https://gingespotting.smugmug.com/Wagons/Y-TOPS-Code
https://gingespotting.smugmug.com/Wagons/Z-TOPS-Code
https://gingespotting.smugmug.com/Wagons/Track-Machines

These days a lot of tired old BDAs seem to have been overhauled and fitted with brand new box bodies and become MXAs - used for a handful of years and now being scrapped. Presume this was a DB plan rather than a Network Rail initiative, but how does it work in practice ? Do the FOCs contract to provide wagons to Network Rail contracts, and if so are they competitively tendered ? Or is it the case that Yxx and Zxx are owned by Network Rail and the newer Mxx, Kxx etc are owned by the FOCs ?

The general engineers wagon fleet (including the Z and Y coded wagons) that passed into privatisation from British Rail days went almost entirely to EWS and eventually DB.

A snippet from a 2016 customer magazine explains the MXA conversions:

Network Rail first approached DB Cargo UK in the spring of last year, needing 58 wagons to be provided at short notice. After a period of planning, DB Cargo UK decided to convert steel wagons that were out of use into new MXA wagons that would transport the construction materials. In July, maintenance workers at DB Cargo’s Axiom Rail Stoke Depot presented the prototype of the wagon, which subsequently received approval for use on the rail network.

These and other DB-owned wagons are basically hired out to Network Rail, with maintenance done by DB.

For new builds of engineers wagons, Network Rail generally own them. For example the "NLU" or "NR" owner prefixes seen on some falcons or autoballasters indicate "National Logistics Unit" (part of NR) and Network Rail. Network Rail in turn have a contract with DB for maintenance of their fleet (at least the common types such as falcons and autoballasters, rather than the more specialised equipment such as the high-output trains).

Having said that, there have been some new-build wagons owned by DB, such as the MOA "Swordfish" and MLA "Red Snappers."
Red Snapper: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/8659855279/
Swordfish: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/8660364085/

Conversions from EWS-owned wagons (such as the coalfish fleet, or the MCA/MDA Swordfish converted from MBA "Monster Box" wagons) also stayed in EWS /DB ownership.
One clue to ownership is the colour scheme and markings, with the Swordfish and Red Snappers painted EWS maroon compared to the yellow of most of the NR fleet of falcons.

There were some MLA wagons (equivalent to falcons) purchased by GBRF for use on a Metronet contract involving maintenance on London Underground. These are now in general use by Network Rail but I believe they are still owned by GBRF. https://www.flickr.com/photos/davekirwinphotography/48711837388/

The infrastructure maintenance companies (such as Balfour Beatty) own various equipment such as the different types of rail cranes, with the owner's logo often visible.
For example this 12 ton crane owned by Balfour Beatty at Victoria: https://www.flickr.com/photos/juniper007/13198263175/
Or this Kirow crane (and its KFA support wagons) owned by Volker Rail: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dbs60100/16364679086/

The Wascosa fleet is a new development. As explained in an article:

In October 2019 NR placed a 10-year contract with Wascosa to lease 570 wagons of three different types: 50 JNA box wagons, 260 MLA box wagons and 260 FEA container flat wagons that will carry a variety of infrastructure materials using interchangeable bodies.

Wascosa won the contract in partnership with GB Railfreight (GBRf)

Maintenance of the new Wascosa fleet for NR is to be undertaken by Wabtec in Doncaster as subcontractor to GBRf.
https://www.railjournal.com/fleet/wascosa-unveils-network-rail-wagon-fleet/

The "partnership" with GBRF would involve, for example, movement of the wagons from Dollands Moor, and stabling at GBRF-controlled yards such as Eastleigh before entry into service. GBRF are probably also involved in general UK management of the wagons, such as co-ordinating maintenance with Wabtec (who will maintain the wagons out "in the field" rather than at their Doncaster works). Network Rail would control the overall use of the wagons as required on their services, same as the rest of their fleet, whether owned outright or on hire from DB.

There are a few other oddities, such as the 20 KFA intermodal wagons in use as salmons, which are hired from Touax (formerly Tiphook, with TIPH prefix). Similar KFA wagons, owned by VTG, are in use on the weed control train: https://wagons-library.weebly.com/kfa---weed-control-train.html

NR vs DB wagon fleet (main types, list not exhaustive)

NR wagon fleet (some have owner codes NR, NLU):

FEA Railhead Treatment train (642xxx series - intermodal flats with water/sandite modules)
IEA Falcon (90 ton low-sided box wagon)
IFA Tilting Wagons for S&C
IOA Bulk Ballast wagons (100 ton high-sided box)
KFA Railhead Treatment train (7093100xxx series - intermodal flats with water/sandite modules)
KRA Sleeper Carriers
HQA Autoballaster
JJA Autoballaster
JNA Falcons (NLU 29xxx series, 90 ton low-sided box wagon)
JNA Hawk (ex MRA)
JZA Rail Delivery Train wagons (for offloading continuous welded rail)
JZA Fan wagon (for airflow in tunnel worksites, ex KFA intermodal flat)
MRA Sidetipper
YEA Rail Delivery Train wagons (for offloading continuous welded rail)
YDA High-Output wagons
YRA Beam Carriers (work with tilting wagons)
YXA High-Output wagons

-----------------
DB Wagon fleet:

FAA Cable Train (intermodal low deck well wagon with large cable reels attached)
FCA Super Tench [withdrawn] (intermodal flat with modules fitted)
FJA Super Tench [withdrawn] ex FFA/FGA (intermodal flat with modules fitted)
FYA Super Tench [withdrawn] ex FCA (intermodal flat with modules fitted)
FZA Super Salmon
MCA Swordfish (ex MBA "Monster Box) 100 ton low-sided box wagon
MDA Swordfish (ex MBA "Monster Box) 100 ton low-sided box wagon
MFA Coalfish (ex MEA, originally HEA) [withdrawn]
MHA Coalfish (ex HAA) [withdrawn]
MPA Coalfish (ex MHA with modified brakes) [withdrawn]
MOA Swordfish (100 ton low-sided box wagon)
MLA Red Snapper (90 ton low-sided box wagon equivalent to Falcon in EWS Maroon colour)
MTA Coalfish (ex TTA) [withdrawn]
MXA Lobster
OBA Bass [withdrawn]
OCA Bass [withdrawn]
RRA Runner
SPA Pike
VXA Generator Van for Skako "Octopus" set
YLA Mullet [withdrawn]
YKA Osprey
YQA Parr [withdrawn]
YSA Salmon [withdrawn]
YVA Cable train (withdrawn)
YWA Salmon [withdrawn]

===================================

The LTSV website has some detailed "wagon profiles" explaining the history of certain types: https://www.ltsv.com/rd/profile_list.php

In addition to the "gingespotting" website that I linked above for the Z and Y TOPS codes, these sites are useful sources of wagon photos:

https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock
https://wagons-library.weebly.com/

The LTSV website has a photo section: https://www.ltsv.com/rd/photos.php
And a "fishkind" list: https://www.ltsv.com/rd/fishkind_list.php

And Paul Bartlett's site is especially good for older types of wagons and historical photos: https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/paulbartlettsrailwaywagons

 

[eastwestdivide]

These days a lot of tired old BDAs seem to have been overhauled and fitted with brand new box bodies and become MXAs

Don’t forget those tired old BDAs were themselves 1970s/1980s rebuilds (new bogies and air brakes fitted) from unfitted bolster D (BDO) wagons of 1950s vintage, so the basic underframes must be creaking a bit.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Don’t forget those tired old BDAs were themselves 1970s/1980s rebuilds (new bogies and air brakes fitted) from unfitted bolster D (BDO) wagons of 1950s vintage, so the basic underframes must be creaking a bit.

Some of the BDAs converted to BTA pipe wagons, and then again to slab carriers, are looking a bit tired. This photo of a South Wales slab train on the LTSV website says "note the sagging" in the caption: https://www.ltsv.com/rd/photo_view.php?id=9172
There have been more slab carriers converted from BYA covered coil wagons recently at Stoke, so I'm not sure if the BTAs will continue in use on this traffic.

Also on the LTSV website is a snippet of news about some wagon conversions from MLAs. It's a good website for wagon news and information:

Another conversion program has started with 8 MLA box wagons (from the batch 503001-503090) taken to W H Davis for conversion to what is said to be a range of new types.

From: Wagon news round-up Posted on Thursday 13th June 2024 by Thomas Young https://www.ltsv.com/rd/news.php

I think these MLAs are GBRF owned, but used on Network Rail services, so I'm not sure if the conversions would be for NR use or for unrelated GBRF flows. I did wonder if they could be destined for conversion to Ospreys, but I think they are slightly too short to be easily converted to carry 60ft track panels. I'll wait and see what emerges from WH Davis...

***
I mentioned earlier in the thread that the FEA salmons do occasionally convey track panels from site, but that this seemed to be in connection with work in tunnels. This happened again last weekend with a worksite at Beechwood Tunnel (between Birmingham International and Coventry). 6P01 conveyed sleepers to site on FEA salmons as normal, but there were also 8 empty salmons (7 FEAs and a KFA) for conveying track panels from site. The same train conveyed a lifting beam on BDA wagon 950412 (which appears to be owned by Balfour Beatty), for use with a pair of tracklayers conveyed to site on 7P02 (DRP 78215 + DRP 78222, also owned by Balfour Beatty).