BR 993898 'Shark' Ballast Plough Brake

BR 993898 'Shark' Ballast Plough Brake
BR Ballast Plough Brake DB 993898
Built By	BRCW Smethwick
Status	In service
Number	DB 993898
History
Built	1957
Diagram	1/597
Lot	3040
Type	Ballast plough brake
Capacity	20 tons
Telegraphic code	Shark
TOPS code	ZUV
Brakes	Vacuum braked
1990	Entered preservation on SVR
Goods Wagons

This Ballast Plough Brake, of type ‘Shark’, was built by BRCW at Smethwick in 1957 to Diagram 1/597, Lot 3040. The type was based on an LMS design, and had large metal ingots installed below the Guard’s floor to add extra weight. Fitted with a handbrake and stove, they were used in ballast train working; the ploughs being used to spread newly-dropped stone ballast.

Contents

993898 in preservation

993898 arrived on the SVR from Tinsley on 19 November 1990, and was later fitted with ploughs acquired from Duddeston Wagon Shops in Birmingham. It was used on engineers' P-Way trains until replaced by air braked Shark 993876 in 2017. The photograph below shows it in a ballast train at Bewdley in April 2015. It was in the siding at Eardington on 1 June 2016.

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  DB993898, Bewdley 2015

The plough can be seen in use in this video taken at Trimpley in February 2017. Link to YouTube

In 2016 the then owners took the decision to donate 993898 to the SVR Charitable Trust, thus ensuring its long term place as part of the SVR's wagon fleet.

As of January 2020 it is being restored by the Carriage and Wagon team in the cattle dock at Bridgnorth.

See also

• List of goods wagons
• Rolling stock currently under restoration‎

Links

• 993898 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line