scottishlocos Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 All I am fairly up to speed with WHL freight from the past few decades but have a few questions which I hope somebody could answer firstly what was carried in the VBA/VAA/VGA vans which were used in the 80's there are many pictures in books and online but was this traffic from Corpach or Alcan? The same goes for the Cargowaggons which were used in the 90's and 00's In addition I have seen OBA wagons in some pictures and had always thought they were for timber traffic but then I seen a pic of them being shunted at Alcan and a further pic showing OBA's at Fort William depot and it is almost certainly metal products being carried. Thanks Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Having general interest in the line, I'd also be curious to know what was carried in these wagons. Having had a quick look through a few books, the only possible help I can offer is the following.... The final photo in "Freight Only Vol 3 - Wales and Scotland" shows 37412 heading north into Dumbarton in 1988. Behind the loco are 4xVAA/VDA then part of an OAA/OBA is in view. The rest of the train is out of shot. The caption reads.." Normally 7Y41 conveys empty timber wagons to Arrochar but on this occasion the only traffic was government stores to Glen Douglas" However, I've seen plenty of photos with VAA/VDAs on trains much further north so doubt if this was the only traffic carried in these vans? Were there occasions when vans to/from Glen Douglas would be tripped via Fort William? Regards Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishlocos Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 Alan I have already ruled out the MOD traffic as I am fairly sure this was and still is if and when it still runs an out and back trip to and from Mossend I think maybe these types of wagon were used because they could be used for both types of traffic from Fort William. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I believe there were some trial runs done with fish food for the salmon farming industry; the only other thing that springs to mind is paper from Corpach. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 All I am fairly up to speed with WHL freight from the past few decades but have a few questions which I hope somebody could answer firstly what was carried in the VBA/VAA/VGA vans which were used in the 80's there are many pictures in books and online but was this traffic from Corpach or Alcan? The same goes for the Cargowaggons which were used in the 90's and 00's In addition I have seen OBA wagons in some pictures and had always thought they were for timber traffic but then I seen a pic of them being shunted at Alcan and a further pic showing OBA's at Fort William depot and it is almost certainly metal products being carried. Thanks Dave On page 134 of Freight Only Vol 3, mentioned by Alan above, refers to aluminium ingots for the West Midlands loaded in OCAs from Lochaber. also mentioned is paper to Pensnett, Wolverton and elswhere from the Corpach paper mill, which would be in vans, cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 (edited) Hello Dave I've been looking again at what I have on WHL freight. An old DVD - Rail Freight Today 3 covers Scotland. I think it dates from the mid 90s and has some good footage taken on the line and inside the Alcan and Corpach factories. Loading arrangements at Alcan (overhead crane) would mean aluminium only being carried on freightliner flats or open wagons. OBAs would be another a possibility, though I've never seen this. Would they be strong enough to carry the ingots? Although, as mentioned, no problem with OCAs. It was interesting to see the freightliner wagons buckle and flex when the aluminium was loaded. Looking at the size of the paper rolls, they could have been carried in VAA/VDAs or VGAs. One roll in a VDA, possibly two in a VGA, side loaded by large forklift? The cargowagons remain a mystery - paper from Corpach is a possibility although, during the late 1990s, they appeared on the line at the same time as paper was being carried, sheeted, on freightliner flats. One possibility might have been a short term contract to deliver paper? Alan Edited November 20, 2014 by 60091 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hello Dave I've been looking again at what I have on WHL freight. An old DVD - Rail Freight Today 3 covers Scotland. I think it dates from the mid 90s and has some good footage taken on the line and inside the Alcan and Corpach factories. Loading arrangements at Alcan (overhead crane) would mean aluminium only being carried on freightliner flats or open wagons. OBAs would be another a possibility, though I've never seen this. Would they be strong enough to carry the ingots? Although, as mentioned, no problem with OCAs. It was interesting to see the freightliner wagons buckle and flex when the aluminium was loaded. Looking at the size of the paper rolls, they could have been carried in VAA/VDAs or VGAs. One roll in a VDA, possibly two in a VGA, side loaded by large forklift? The cargowagons remain a mystery - paper from Corpach is a possibility although, during the late 1990s, they appeared on the line at the same time as paper was being carried, sheeted, on freightliner flats. One possibility might have been a short term contract to deliver paper? Alan No problem with the OBAs carrying ingots of aluminium; they're rated to carry the same load as the OCAs, and have similar 'turnover' bolsters on the floor. In the days prior to air-braked wagons being used, I believe both 12t Pipe and 22t Tube wagons were used. Cargowaggon and similar ferry vans were used to carry paper on both domestic and European flows; the reeled paper on the Freightliner flats was only one of several flows from the plant, another being of 'swap-bodies' on twin-wagon container flats (I seem to recall the swap-bodies belong to Ambrogio). It might be that the VBA/VDA vans were carrying imported pulp to supplement local production; I'm sure I've seen photos of this also being carried in sheeted open wagons. I think the pulp was imported via one of the smaller East Coast ports, perhaps Methil? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 (edited) OBA loaded with Alcan ingots can be seen on my website, see 110734 at Warrington Central. 110756 at Workington [sorry Windows 8 doesn't permit copying of URL] There are various photos of ingots loaded on my site. Paul Edited November 21, 2014 by hmrspaul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 (edited) [sorry Windows 8 doesn't permit copying of URL] Sorry to digress but … you gotta be kidding Edited November 21, 2014 by westie7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 I stent some time here in the mid 90s. Don't forget OTAs were actually loaded at fw with timber. Cargowaggons were deffo from corpach - didn't they make credit card receipt paper, chip and pin being the downfall ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
40044 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Paper was indeed carried in cargowaggons in Enterprise days. Mostly to Cardiff Canton, it formed the backbone of 6V60 Mossend - Cardiff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 In Tom Noble's excellent 'Diesels On The Regions - Scottish Region' there's a photo of a 37 with a single VAA or VBA captioned thus - "37081 arrives at Crianlarich on 23rd August 1982 with mail from Fort William, for transfer on to the 17.58 Oban to Glasgow train. The locomotive and van will return to Fort William, uplifting any traffic that may be lying at Crianlarich. This arrangement followed the suspension of the 15.20 Corpach to Mossend and the corresponding 13.38 Mossend to Corpach trains." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peak experience Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 i've seen a picture of the ex BR class 08 (08 077 perhaps?) at the paper mill at Corpach on a train of either VAA/VBA/VCA vans which were being loaded with paper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 (edited) Hi all Quick question, did the Corpach freight traffic and the Mallaig tanks have to come into Fort William station to run round? Ian Edited December 14, 2014 by ianwales Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishswissernie Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 (edited) Hi all Quick question, did the Corpach freight traffic and the Mallaig tanks have to come into Fort William station to run round? Ian The only freight that would needed to be worked into the station would probably be the Tanks on a mixed from Mallaig, there was a direct link into the Mallaig junction yard off the line from Mallaig see this link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/5746673872/in/set-72157626778604158 The cross over point can be seen at the bottom of the photo. Freights to or from Glasgow reversed direction at Mallaig Junction. There are a number of views in this album : https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/sets/72157626778604158/ of freight traffic, mainly in the late 1980's This view shows vans heading for CORPACH on the Lochy viaduct: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/5746143949/in/set-72157626778604158 Ernie Edited December 14, 2014 by Irishswissernie 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Unless I imagined it, I think I saw the EPS 37 and freightliner flats on the aluminium traffic, running round in the station Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince minto Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 you did'nt imagine it freightliner used to hire a EPS 37 which worked the alcan blocks,forgot where to,the 37 only used to work as far as mossend heres 37604 waiting to depart fort william 14-8-2000 vince 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scots region Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Hi all, Would any of you be able to recommend sources for WHR fish traffic? thanks ScR P.S not to hijack this thread. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davefreight Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 See Rail Express April 2014 for some more details on WHL freight. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scots region Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Thanks Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold young37215 Posted September 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 18, 2017 you did'nt imagine it freightliner used to hire a EPS 37 which worked the alcan blocks,forgot where to,the 37 only used to work as far as mossend heres 37604 waiting to depart fort william 14-8-2000 37604 FORT WILLIAM (2) 14-8-2000.jpg vince An example of this can be seen in the superb DVD Heavy Metal which shows one of the last southbound ingot trains traversing the WHL. The DVD is worth buying for the sound alone although the video is pretty special. All in all Heavy Metal is my favourite WHL DVD by a distance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Plumstead Full Loads Depot used to receive reeled paper in air braked vans and sheeted opens from Corpach, some of which were then backloaded with baled pulp, until the depot closed in the early / mid 80's. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arran Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 HI All Opens like OBAs could go up with a steel load in suppose also Pulp and come back with logs The Vans could go up with pulp and come back with paper. Regards Arran Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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