KSA 'Car Cube' van/ carrier Profile and Models
33 70 4739 013-9 at Washwood Heath in May 2012. ©Dan Adkins
100 of these large vans were built for Rover Cars by Rautaruukki of Finland in 1995 to convey preformed car parts and completed sub-assemblies securely between plants. Coded KSA-A under TOPS, and nicknamed 'Cube' or 'Talgo' wagons , they incorporated full-length sliding covers as well as floors that could be raised and lowered to simplify unloading while optimising use of the restrictive British loading gauge. They travelled to Britain from Finland via the Channel Tunnel and were used between Swindon, Longbridge and other Rover plants. In 2001 WH Malcolm acquired several KSAs for secure transportation of Anglo-Scottish freight on the WCML and two were repainted into Malcolm's Logistics livery. In 2012 several redundant KSA wagons were acquired by the wagon leasing company NACCO and converted to timber carriers. The work involved removal of the sliding covers and the hydraulic floor mechanism, installation of 14 pairs of heavy duty stanchions and the removal of some end panels, and replacement with bars designed to stop logs sliding through. (Information provided via Revolution Trains) |
|
Type of Vehicle |
Large Vans |
Builder |
Rautaruukki, Finland |
Build Dates |
1995 |
Total Built |
100 |
Wheel Configuration |
2 x Bogies |
Operated By |
Railfreight Distribution EWS Direct Rail Services Colas Rail Freight |
Main Duties |
Car Transport Timber Transport |
In Service Until |
Present |
Surviving Examples |
Many still in use |