The ZA class brake vans were built to provide passenger accommodation on goods trains. Although they looked like a coach they were never classed as such. There were two groups of these vans. The first group (listed here) had a platform end whilst the later vans did not. Three builders were responsible for the platform ended vans. 5843- 5857 were built by the Oldbury carriage and Wagon Co. whilst 6270-6284 came from the Ashbury carriage and wagon Co.. The last van, 4992, was built by the W.A.G.R. When the W.A.G.R. stopped providing passenger accommodation on goods trains the ZA and the similar but smaller ZB class vans were made redundant but many found a new life as workmen's vans. Six others donated their frames to QS class> sleeper wagons. Full details of the class are listed below:

Number	Issued to traffic	New Number	Date	Electric Light	Converted to	Date	Converted to	Date	Written off
ZA4992	March 1906	ZA158	January 1939	September 1958	VW5083	April 1965	-	-	June 1983
ZA5843	July 1902	ZA159	June 1939	March 1957	VC5156	April 1976	-	-	1991
ZA5844	July 1902	ZA160	November 1939	February 1959	VW5140	July 1968	-	-	1987
ZA5845	August 1902	ZA161	July 1939	March 1958	VC5089	December 1969	VW5089	March 1976	August 1976
ZA5846	August 1902	ZA162	January 1941	October 1958	-	-	QS?	-	April 1967
ZA5847	August 1902	ZA163	April 1939	August 1958	VW5139	December 1966	-	-	1990?, 1996?
ZA5848	August 1902	ZA164	December 1938	-	-	-	-	-	December 1949
ZA5849	August 1902	ZA165	June 1939	May 1960	-	-	-	-	July 1965
ZA5850	September 1902	ZA166	December 1938	-	-	-	-	-	October 1956
ZA5851	September 1902	ZA167	April 1940	February 1959	-	-	QS	-	October 1962
ZA5852	October 1903	ZA168	April 1939	?	VW5084	April 1965	-	-	1991
ZA5853	October 1903	ZA169	March 1939	March 1957	-	-	QS	-	May 1963
ZA5854	December 1903	ZA170	February 1939	February 1959	VW5085	April 1965	-	-	1985
ZA5855	December 1903	ZA171	January 1939	April 1957	VW5086	April 1965	-	-	1996
ZA5856	February 1904	ZA172	January 1939	June 1958	-	-	-	-	September 1965
ZA5857	February 1904	ZA173	January 1941	January 1958	-	-	-	-	November 1970
ZA6270	June 1903	ZA174	October 1940	December 1956	VW5108	July 1966	-	-
ZA6271	June 1903	ZA175	January 1940	June 1960	VW5071	October 1961	-	-	1996
ZA6272	July 1903	ZA176	February 1939	March 1957	VC5105	August 1966	VW5105	March 1976	August 1976
ZA6273	June 1903	ZA177	December 1938	October 1958	-	-	-	-	December 1975
ZA6274	July 1903	ZA178	August 1939	July 1960	-	-	-	-	September 1965
ZA6275	July 1903	ZA179	March 1939	October 1958	VW5072	October 1961	-	-	1985
ZA6276	August 1903	ZA180	May 1939	August 1958	VW5134	March 1967	-	-	1986
ZA6277	August 1903	ZA181	December 1938	August 1958	VW5087	April 1965	-	-	1992
ZA6278	August 1903	ZA182	January 1939	June 1958	-	-	QS?	-	January 1964
ZA6279	August 1903	ZA183	September 1939	May 1960	VC5090	December 1969	ZA183	March 1980	November 1985
ZA6280	August 1903	ZA184	January 1939	November 1958	-	-	QS	-	April 1963
ZA6281	September 1903	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	November 1946
ZA6282	October 1903	ZA186	December 1938	May 1958	VW5109	July 1966	-	-
ZA6283	October 1903	ZA187	?	June 1958	-	-	QS?	-	December 1963
ZA6284	October 1903	ZA188	?	May 1958	VW5133	March 1967	-	-	1987

This class was rather unlucky with fire. ZA4992 was destroyed by fire at Broomehill on 12 March 1908. It is shown as ‘Rebuilt’ in the February 1909 Weekly Notice. ZA5846 was destroyed in the workshops fire in December 1909 and rebuilt, re-entering service in May 1912. ZA6281 was the Hopetoun van from June 1910 until November 1946. It never returned to the main system and doesn't seem to have been renumbered ZA185. Despite in theory being written off from its third career in August 1976 VW5089 (ex ZA5845) was still very much extant and in use well into the 1980's.