These diminutive items of rolling stock have been a common sight on the railway network ever since they entered service in December 1986. A total of 172 were constructed by The Standard Railway Wagon Company for Cawoods Coal Ltd. A portion of the fleet was acquired by British Fuels Ltd., in the mid 1990's and could be seen carrying that company's distinctive Red containers throughout Northern England and Scotland. A sizeable number of the fleet were also transferred to British Gypsum, which used the PFA's to carry purpose-built Gypsum containers on flows throughout England. In the early 2000's Direct Rail Services purchased several PFA wagons for use as container carriers and spacer wagons in the transportation of radioactive waste from nuclear power stations throughout the country, a task they are still in use for today.
(Information provided via Accurascale)
Type of Vehicle |
Container flat |
Builder |
Standard Railway Wagon Company |
Build Dates |
Late 1980s |
Total Built |
172 |
Wheel Configuration |
4-wheel |
Operated By |
Cawoods Coal British Fuels Ltd British Gypsum Direct Rail Services |
Main Duties |
Container carrying Coal transport Gypsum transport Spacer wagons Nuclear waste |
In Service Until |
Present |
Surviving Examples |
All in service |