MFA coal sector

[class37418stag]

Hello everyone

MFA coal sector carry coal or ballast?

 

Thank you

[johnw1]

MFA 391052 https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6862291721/ in Toton yard as part of a spoil/ballast train

[Fat Controller]

However, when the cutting-down was done, the wagons retained the colours of the donor wagons in most cases, so there were vestiges of Coal Sector livery to be seen on some of them. I did hear that there were examples with top and bottom bits from different wagons, and hence carrying a mixed livery. Perhaps someone can confirm this?

[Mark Saunders]

The original use of MFA was for 390000 & 390001 which were the prototype BR scrap wagons, built on two HBA chassis at Shildon in 1976! Drawing in BR wagons vol 1.

 

These were in effect superseded by the Railease POA's.

 

They did become Coal Sector wagons as part of the South Wales trials of air braked box wagons becoming MFB's working with the 5 MAB's and 3 original MEB's (HEA with floor added, later all becoming flask barriers) to work in fitted trains with MDV's till they all were in turn replaced with the first batch MEA's.

 

Mark Saunders

[Mark Saunders]

However, when the cutting-down was done, the wagons retained the colours of the donor wagons in most cases, so there were vestiges of Coal Sector livery to be seen on some of them. I did hear that there were examples with top and bottom bits from different wagons, and hence carrying a mixed livery. Perhaps someone can confirm this?

 

I depends which works did them, as both Marcroft at Stoke and RFS at Doncaster did them as to whether the top was cut off or the bottom removed and reattached to the floor!

 

Mark Saunders

[Glorious NSE]

However, when the cutting-down was done, the wagons retained the colours of the donor wagons in most cases, so there were vestiges of Coal Sector livery to be seen on some of them. I did hear that there were examples with top and bottom bits from different wagons, and hence carrying a mixed livery. Perhaps someone can confirm this?

 

I've never seen any evidence of an MFA in a mixed livery from the rebuild* - all of them however ended up with shiny new patch painting on either the top or bottom of the body depending (as Mark says) where they cut the extra height out, so that might be the basis of that rumour, as early on you'd have had wagons that were half shiny and half weathered!?

 

*There is at least one coal sector one that had a partial EWS repaint, so has red sides and yellow ends, so in a mixed livery - but that's not quite what you mean...