From coal to nuclear

Built to move coal-carrying containers for Cawoods, the remaining PFA fleet can now be found transporting nuclear materials for Direct Rail Services. David Ratcliffe tells the story of these innovative low-deck wagons.

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THE PFA wagon story starts in 1986 when fuel firm Cawoods ordered 172 of them to carry containers of domestic coal and patent fuel for export to Ireland.

Cawoods originally used its containers on a route between Liverpool and Dublin by sea, but in May 1972 – when faced with ongoing dock labour issues at Garston – the company moved to a newly-built container handling wharf at Ellesmere Port (Cheshire). Although the terminal was close to the Ellesmere Port West to Eastham branch of the Manchester Ship Canal Railway, it only gained a rail connection in 1986 when the quay was extended, new overhead gantry cranes installed, four rail sidings built and the PFA fleet ordered.

The wagons were built by Standard Wagon at its Heywood Works (Lancashire) during 1986/87, being allocated TOPS numbers CAWD 92703-874 and design code PF012A. The low-deck, two-axle, airbraked wagons were designed to accommodate 20ft by 8ft containers. With coal being a relatively light bulk product, an 8ft-high container was essential to maximise capacity; but the low-platform design was required so the wagons could pass under existing coal washery loading screens.

The 838mm platform height was slightly lower than the wheel height so, in order to provide protection for each wheel, four inverted L-sections were fitted to the top of the floor, which protruded into a recess in the base of the specially-built coal containers.