Class LA Ballast Hopper

Class LA Ballast Hopper

In 1931 a group of ten ballast hopers were taken over from the PWD (PWD number 79-88). They were of a more modern design and higher capacity than the existing L class wagons and so were given a new classification (LA).

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1931	233, 262, 406, 426, 471, 587, 593, 599, 600, 604 ex PWD 79-88
1964	233, 406, 593, 600 fitted with extension boards
1965	262, 599, 604 fitted with extension boards
1966	471, 587 fitted with extension boards
1968	262, 471 written off
1969	599 written off
1970	587 written off
1971	406 written off
1977	426, 593, 600, 604 written off
1983	233 written off

The ten 1931 wagons formed the basis for a new postwar ballast hopper to replace the old, life expired L class wagons. There were detail differences between the two groups as might be expected given the passage of time. A total of 155 of these new wagons were built between 1955 and 1960.

From 1963 extension boards were fitted to both these and the ten older wagons and a 25mph (later 40kph) speed limit imposed when loaded.

1931	23701 - 23750 built
1957	23751 - 23800 built
1958	23801-6 built
1959	23807-23825 built
1960	23826 - 23855 built
1963	23701, 23702, 23703, 23707, 23708, 23710, 23711, 23712, 23713, 23715, 23716, 23718, 23719, 23722, 23723, 23724, 23725, 23726, 23728, 23729, 23730, 23731, 23732, 23733, 23734, 23739, 23740, 23742, 23743, 23744, 23745, 23746, 23747, 23748, 23749, 23750, 23752, 23753, 23755, 23756, 23758, 23759, 23760, 23761, 23762, 23763, 23765, 23766, 23767, 23768, 23769, 23770, 23771, 23773, 23774, 23775, 23776, 23777, 23778, 23779, 23781, 23782, 23784, 23786, 23787, 23789, 23790, 23791, 23795, 23796, 23797, 23798, 23799, 23800, 23801, 23802, 23803, 23804, 23806, 23807, 23808, 23810, 23811, 23812, 23813, 23814, 23816, 23818, 23819, 23820, 23822, 23823, 23824, 23825, 23827, 23828, 23829, 23830, 23831, 23832, 23834, 23835, 23836, 23837, 23839, 23840, 23841, 23842, 23843, 23844, 23846, 23848, 23849, 23850, 23851, 23855 fitted with extension boards
1964	23706, 23717, 23720, 23721, 23727, 23735, 23736, 23737, 23738, 23741, 23754, 23764, 23772, 23783, 23788, 23792, 23793, 23794, 23817, 23821, 23826, 23845, 23847, 23852, 23853, 23854 fitted with extension boards 23704, 23714, 23785, 23833 written off
1965	23705, 23709, 23751, 23757, 23780, 23805, 23809, 23815, 23838 fitted with extension boards 23753 written off
1970	23722, 23796 written off
1971	23726, 23756, 23793, 23806 written off
1978	23830 written off
1980	23746, 23802 written off
1981	23825 written off
1985	23701, 23702, 23718, 23720, 23729, 23734, 23736, 23737, 23744, 23745, 23749, 23757, 23775, 23777, 23778, 23779, 23782, 23788, 23789, 23790, 23792, 23794, 23797, 23800, 23808, 23810, 23819, 23821, 23826, 23827, 23832, 23838, 23840, 23844, 23845, 23849 written off
1986	23709, 23760, 23762, 23786, 23801, 23812, 23817, 23834 written off
1987	23770 written off
1988	23783 written off
1989	23843 written off
1990	23706, 23780, 23799, 23811 written off
1992	23733, 23707, 23787 written off

A further group of wagons classified as LA were the MRWA O class wagons whch were put in class LA in 1964 until it was realised that they were much more comparable to the older L class wagons. By 1966 they had all been re-classified as L.