With the deliveries of red Touax wagons, it seemed inevitable that some of the older Mendip Rail wagons would be coming off lease. 21 of the the oldest box wagons have been moved into store at Exeter, and seem to be marked for potential deployment for HS2 activities in 2021. Mendip Rail are apparently returning single piped box wagons while keeping those which are twin piped.
16 are from the series of KEA wagons (VTG 3170 to 3247) which were built by Procor as PXAs in 1987-88 for TML (TransManche Link, the Channel Tunnel). The remaining 5 are JNA wagons, VTG 3160, built by Procor in 1987 (although this is marked as a KEA) and 4 from the VTG 34xx series, built by Marcroft in 1998. All are conversions to some degree of TEA tankers from the early 1970s period.
Those now at Exeter include the following:
VTG 3240, a KEA, seen at Westbury on 10th February 2017.
VTG 3175, a KEA showing single brake pipe, at Dunbridge, 15th July 2019.
VTG 3206, a KEA, at Crampmoor, 23rd January 2019.
VTG 3170, a KEA, at Westbury, 10th February 2017.
