British Railways built a large number of bogie bolster wagons between 1949 and 1962. The 52ft long version was originally known as a 'Bogie Bolster D'. Following the move to air-braked trains, after 1964, 1250 of these were rebuilt to become BDA bogie bolster wagons under TOPS, the first vehicle being converted at Swindon in 1975. BDAs were used for the conveyance of mainly metal products such as steel rods but, with the decline of that traffic, those remaining are used in departmental service, mainly for carrying rail to and from work sites. 388 BDA wagons remained in service on the national network in 2008.