Class VA Bogie vans

Class VA Bogie vans

The production of 100 new VA class vans was underway at the time of the 1922 Royal commission as a developed version of the older, shorter VA class vans. The VA design came in for criticism (some of which was rather unjust). These new vans were 33'-0" long over headstocks compared to the 30'-0" of the rebuilt V class vans. They had a similar composite underframe and 4'-6" wheelbase bogies. In 1929 eleven vans were fitted with 5'-6" wheelbase SX type bogies so as to be more suitable for passenger train use. This was the start of the evolution of the VB type. The next step being the fitting of crate floors. Details of the careers of the 33'-0" VA's are as follows

1922	10129-10228 built Midland
1923	10172 labelled for Cream Traffic	1964	10139 to VC
?	10152, 10176, 10179 labelled for Fish Traffic	1965	10180 written off
1929	10147, 10175 labelled for Rabbit Traffic	1966	10145 written off
	10135, 10141, 10147, 10175, 10211, 10222 fitted with 5'-6" SX type bogies	1967	10193, 10227 written off
?	10136, 10146, 10174, 10181, 10194 fitted with 5'-6" SX type bogies	1968	10140, 10178, 10186, 10187, 10192, 10195 written off
1931 1934	10202 written off 10134, 10138, 10153, 10159, 10171, 10177, 10203 fitted with crate floors	1970	10139 from VC 10191 to VW
1935	10214 to VW 10214 from VW	1971	10143 written off 10204, 10221 to VE
1936	10131, 10172, 10179, 10213 fitted with Milk shelves 10134, 10135, 10136, 10138, 10141, 10146, 10147, 10153, 10159, 10171, 10174, 10175, 10177, 10181, 10194, 10203, 10211, 10222 to VB	1972	10149, 10150, 10151, 10152, 10154, 10155, 10156, 10158, 10161, 10162, 10166, 10167, 10169, 10170, 10172, 10176, 10183, 10188, 10196, 10199, 10200, 10201, 10205, 10207, 10208, 10214, 10216, 10217, 10218, 10224, 10225 written off
1942 1946	10165 written off 10131 written off	1973	10129, 10130, 10139, 10157, 10164, 10179, 10197, 10212 written off 10168 to VW
	10162, 10168, 10188, 10228 used as temporary brake vans	1974	10142, 10144, 10148, 10163, 10184, 10189, 10198, 10209, 10210, 10226 written off
1954	10206, 10228 to VC 10220 written off	1975	10173, 10182 written off 10133 to VW
1961 1962	10215 written off 10190 written off	1976	10137, 10160, 10219 to VC
1963	10185, 10213, 10223 written off	1977	10132 written off

From 1964 to 1970 the former M.R.W.A. class LC vans 40721 and 40722 were classified VA.