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LTSV > Rail Data > More > Profiles List > Profile 9: PHA/JHA/HLA Marcon Bogie Gravel Hoppers
Title:PHA/JHA/HLA Marcon Bogie Gravel Hoppers Profile Index Image
Built:1969-1991
Builder:Charles Roberts or W H Davis
Numbering:MAR17701-MAR17735, later 300701-300735
Running Gear:Gloucester Cast Steel or GPS bogies
Quantity:35
Used:1969-c.2010
Icons:
Summary:For a small fleet seen in a limited area, this group of wagons has had a fairly interesting time, although I am perhaps biased as they were one of few types that I saw on a regular basis. Three batches were built, with two types of bogies and several other design differences. Over the years, four liveries have been carried, and all the wagons were eventually rebodied and modified to have a more uniform appearance. Throughout this time the wagons worked in block formations carrying sea-dredged gravel from terminals on the River Thames to various locations around London.

Profile:
An intital batch of 12 wagons was built by Charles Roberts in 1969 for use by Murphy Aggregates to carry sea-dredged gravel from Angerstein Wharf near Charlton in South-East London. With the advent of TOPS, these were numbered MPHY17701-17712 and coded PHA. The type featured a hopper body of octagonal section and considerably shorter than the underframe. The body had an enclosed end with doors to access the brake equipment and was mounted on distinctive perforated (for weight reduction?) solebars that were set high to enable unloading conveyors to be positioned underneath. Short sub-frames rather like those found on many bogie oil tank wagons were fitted, and the wagon sat on Gloucester Cast Steel bogies. The original livery was green with large Murphy Aggregates lettering.
Some 14 years later a second batch of 10 wagons was constructed by W.H.Davis to the same basic design. These were however mounted on newer Gloucster GPS bogies and featured a revised end design whereby a plate ran from the top of the hopper to the bufferbeam to protect the brake equipment. Further wing plates joined this to the sides of the hopper to give a cowled appearance. A grey livery was applied with Marcon Aggregates lettering in yellow on the hopper sides, the solebars and bogies being black. Numbers were MAR17713-17722 to design code PH004B (the originals being PH004A).
In 1984 operation of the fleet moved from Angerstein Wharf to Cliffe in Kent, although it later moved back. The wagons themselves gradually acquired a work-stained orangey-brown tint to their liveries, with the side lettering all but invisible.
A third batch of 13 wagons was built between 1989 and 1991, again by W.H.Davis and again with minor differences. The end protector plates were slightly narrower, and the wing plates were ommited, exposing the hopper support framework and air tanks. The initial livery of this batch is not known but the entire fleet was soon repainted into a deep yellow scheme that was better able to disguise the weathering. At about the same time the original batch were rebodied (also by W.H.Davis) to the revised design. Under the TOPS re-coding exercise in 1990, all these wagons became JHAs.
wagon photo
HLA 300721 and an unidentified JHA at North Acton on 29th May 2007. Note the differences in hopper design, end plates and bogies. Photo by Damon Cross (no link).
The services were typically formed of a block of 12-15 wagons and were hauled (to various terminals in and around London) by double-headed class 33 diesels. Later on classes 37, 60 and 66 took over. In 1998 the whole fleet was sold to EWS who continued to use them on the same services. The fleet was recoded as HLAs and given the numbers 300701-300735 in the air-braked series, although actual repainting (into EWS maroon) and relettering of the wagons has been a very gradual process.

References:

Links:N.B. Links will open in a new window.
Photos of Marcon PHA wagons on Paul Bartlett's website

Photos of JHA wagons on Martyn Read's website

Photos of HLA wagons on Martyn Read's website

Photos of JHA wagons on Andy Jupe's website

Photos of HLA wagons on Andy Jupe's website

Notes: No notes have been left yet. ?There may be some notes posted but which have not yet been approved.

Data tags: ?Tags are mainly intended to show links to relevant profiles when looking at the detail page for TOPS codes, designs, batches etc. Here they work 'backwards' and will take you to the detail pages. Batch: 300702-300734r
Batch: MPHY17701-MPHY17712
Batch: MAR17713-MAR17722
Batch: MAR17723-MAR17735
Design/Diagram: PH004A 102t GLW Bogie Hopper - Aggregate
Design/Diagram: PH004B Bogie Aggregate Hopper
TOPS Class/Code: HLA-A Bogie Aggregate Hopper
TOPS Class/Code: JHA-L P.O. Aggregate Hopper, bogie
TOPS Class/Code: PHA-L

Added on:01/10/2007
Edits: This item has not been edited.
External Photos
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