The Whales were the longest ballast hopper wagon used by BR with the highest payload - 50 tons and 1271 cu. ft. capacity. They were 40 ft. 0in. over headstocks with 5 ft. 6 in wheelbase plateback bogies at 30 ft. 6 in. centres. A single batch DB982350 - 982439 were built 1966 - 67 at Shildon on lot 3591 and allocated diagram no. 1/589 and TOPS diagram YH500A. All were originally allocated to the Engineers of the Southern Region. The entire fleet was refurbished and finished in the engineers - grey and yellow livery in the early 1980s and moved to the Midlands. NOTE – These photographs are low quality scans and may not print well. Do not order larger prints.
