WH Davis to build ‘MegaBox’ wagons

Beacon Rail’s new 75m3 capacity boxes will be more flexible than existing JNA Ealnos-style vehicles.

WHILE previous box wagons built using reconditioned Freightliner

HHA coal hopper components have been sourced from Eastern Europe, Langwith Junction-based rolling stock specialist WH Davis has scored a significant coup after being awarded the contract to build 46 new high capacity boxes for Beacon Rail for delivery towards the end of 2021.

This is the third such programme to use bogies, wheelsets and braking equipment from redundant HHAs after Greenbrier Europe in Poland built 64 MWA boxes for Freightliner in 2016 and a further 76 in 2019. Notably this latter batch was owned by Beacon Rail.

The reuse of components is nothing new in the rail industry, with the 1980s and 1990s in particular seeing hundreds of box wagons of all shapes and sizes built using chassis, bogies and brake equipment recovered from two-axle and bogie tank wagons. This followed a massive contraction in the movement of petroleum, gases and chemical products during this period. The removal and overhaul of the HHA parts will be managed by Yellow Rail of Derby, who will also arrange the recycling of the hopper body. TUV UK will handle the approvals process.

The new bogie boxes will feature a 25% capacity increase compared to previous deliveries of JNA Ealnos and MWA, which maxed out at 60 cubic metres. The new 75 cubic metre vehicles have thus been dubbed ‘MegaBox’, putting them in a similar class to DB Cargo’s ex-EWS/Thrall MBAs that go by the same marketing description, as well as wagons like the VTG Rail JXA.

The first move of HHAs for component recovery took place on February 18, when No. 66955 worked a 4V66/06.57 York Yard South-Long Marston comprised of 18 vehicles,

Nos. 370005/12/49/50/60/82/95/10 1/9/27/9/31/45/64/97/225/9/44. This was followed by a 4Z20/06.28 Leeds Hunslet Yard-Long Marston transfer on March 11, with No. 66502 hauling another 18 HHAs, Nos. 370011 /20/7/34/8/46/85/100/16/35/48/6 1/90/202/17/39/41/5.

Network Rail/TfL CAPITAL PROJECTS: London has seen a number of major rail projects progress during lockdown, including these at King’s Cross (above) and Barking Riverside. King’s Cross is almost unrecognisable in this mid-March view when most of the main line tracks and platforms had been removed for remodelling and the reopening of the third (eastern) Gasworks Tunnel from June. Meanwhile this impressive viaduct at Barking has been built for the Riverside extension of London Overground’s service from Gospel Oak, which is due for completion in autumn 2022.

Chris Addoo ISLAND LINE TESTING: Vivarail Class 484 EMUs began main line testing between Eastleigh and Fareham on April 1, ahead of their transfer to the Isle of Wight later in spring, Nos. 484003+484002 pictured at Hedge End just after midnight on April 2 as the 5Q84 Eastleigh TRSMD to Eastleigh via Fareham.