Mendip Rail KEA wagon disposal, summer 2022

Following the start of deliveries of the new blue '5932' VTG JNA box wagons from May, it has recently been apparent that the KEA wagons were no longer in traffic. These were originally delivered for TML usage from Procor in 1987-88, using running gear from former tanker wagons, and later were taken on by Yeoman.

In early June, the Mendip Pools contained the following, where JNAs 3160 and 3167 were visibly the same as the KEAs.

• JNA 3160-3168 (pool 718 = 1, pool 728 = 1) = 2
• KEA 3170-3246 (pool 718 = 15, pool 728 = 9) = 24
  

I have found a report from late July showing all 26 of these wagons were noted at Gascoigne Wood, understood to have moved north as a group of 20,. and later 6, via Crewe and Leeds. They could be for re-use - holding for  HS2?

Report from 1st August, which I have reordered:

       WGNS OVER  00 DAYS AT STATION 16511 (GASWDWSUS)     
                                                                              
WAGON      WGN TAG WGN LOCN. CURR.  COMM.   HLD  CRIPL  L   STATUS   LOCN. DAY
NUMBER     KND NBR STS       DEST.          RSN  DESC.  E  HR DY MO  DY MO    
                                                                              
VTG   3160 JNA 352  0  16511 72024                      E  12 29 07  29 07  0
VTG   3167 JNA 352  0  16511 73235                 O    E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3170 KEA 352  0  16511 72024                      E  12 29 07  29 07  03
VTG   3172 KEA 352  0  16511 72024                      E  12 29 07  29 07  03
VTG   3173 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3175 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3178 KEA 352  0  16511 73235                 P    E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3181 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3188 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3196 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3197 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3202 KEA 352  0  16511 72024                      E  12 29 07  29 07  03
VTG   3203 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3206 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3208 KEA 352  0  16511 73235                 J    E  15 05 07  05 07  26 - one journey only, and I had not seen this one in 2 years
VTG   3212 KEA 352  0  16511 72024                      E  12 29 07  29 07  03
VTG   3213 KEA 352  0  16511 72024                      E  12 29 07  29 07  03
VTG   3215 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3224 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3229 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3230 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3231 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3238 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3240 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3243 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26
VTG   3244 KEA 762  0  16511 82201                      E  15 05 07  05 07  26

This appears to show arrivals of 20 on 5th July, and 6 on 29th July. Location 16511 is Gascoigne Wood, 82201 is Whatley, 72024 is Wembley Reception - but no longer their destination.. All 26 are in my books.

Two trains, on 27th and 30th June were my final sightings of these wagons.

27th June, 6V62 13:21 Up Yard- Whatley, at Eastleigh

in order: 3243, 3244, 3175, 3178, 3167 and 3197 - all at Gascoigne Wood 8 days later. 6 seemed rather a high number for a single rake, and actions may already have been underway to gather the wagons together.

 VTG 3243.

'JNA' VTG 3167. The large YEOMAN letters can still just be determined.

VTG 3197.

30th June, 6V62 13:21 Up Yard- Whatley, at Crampmoor
in order 3173, 3231, 3224, 3229, 3215, 3238, 3230, 3203 and 3206 - all at Gascoigne Wood 5 days later, this may have been close to being a final working, where  9 can be seen to be a very high number for one train, and with no overlap with that three days earlier. 

VTG 3173.

VTG 3229.

VTG 3206 was the last in the train, and while I did not know it at the time, it was my last sighting of a KEA in Mendip Rail service.

The replacement of the JYA wagons then commenced, and conclusion may be imminent, as new '5932' boxes arrive. The 1998 Marcroft JNAs may then be anticipated to follow.

Other VTG KEA wagons remain in traffic in the Peterborough - Acton / Neasden flow, in the Calvert pool 762.

Credit to the contributors to the Freightmaster forum.