Wagon News
GBRf orders more FEAs
Greenbrier Europe is to supply 100 additional FEA twin flats to GB Railfreight to further expand its intermodal services. The new wagons will be leased from Porterbrook for an initial ten year period, with deliveries due to commence from August 2022 at the rate of ten twins per month. Meanwhile, the first of the newly-built Ecofret2 triple flats have begun to enter traffic added to existing GBRf services. A further batch of the FWA triple sets was released from WH Davis on March 17, NHS-liveried 66731 transferring the flats from Shirebrook to Gascoigne Wood to await deployment. In tow were 83 70 4520 234-3, 83 70 4521 053-6, 83 70 4520 235-0 followed by 236-8/054-4/237-6, 238-4/055-1/2392, 240-0/056-9/241-8, 242-6/0577/243-4, 244-2/058-5/245-9 and 2467/059-3/247-5.
Modified BYA appears
The first significant conversion of a BYA steel wagon emerged from DB’s Stoke wagon works at the end of March. Now sporting DB red, 966050 has been modified into an open steel carrier with the removal of its hood, runners and ends. Internally, cross-bracing has been fitted to divide the coils with eight triangular-shaped supports protruding above each side, leading to the wagon being nicknamed the ‘stegosaurus’. Now on trial ahead of potential further conversions, it was noted on the I mm ingham Wolverhampton circuit in mid-April.
Stoke developments
The first four Chinese-built wagons for London Underground that arrived in the UK last September for trials were delivered to Stoke in early March, these being low-height box wagons BW001 and BW002 and flats FW001 and FW002. Two further FKA intermodal twins have also been modified, recoded FOA and returned to traffic, these being 81 70 4908 090-3 and 140-6.
Shirebrook HHA swaps
The latest batch of shortened HHA hoppers was collected from Shirebrook on April 16 by 66596, it taking 370264/72/75, 370393 and 370401/09 to Gascoigne Wood. A month earlier on March 15, 60055 had made the opposite journey with 370255/57, 370359/67/68/72/80/81/92/93 and 370406, which should be the last of the 100 HHAs due for conversion.
Long Marston exchanges
Having sat unused since their delivery last June, blue-liveried JNAs 81 70 5500 734-753 were retrieved from store at Long Marston on March 29 by 20118 and 20132 and taken to Chaddesden Sidings for deployment with DCR. Also included in the move were former Railtrack JNAs VTG3432/64/86, which continued on to Wembley later the same day behind 60055. A further ten HHA hoppers were delivered to Long Marston on April 6, 66556 arriving from York with 370019/55/64/67, 370128/50/51/67/70 and 370220. Next to arrive on April 15 were box wagons from Bescot, 66115 bringing in JXAs VTG3114/21/74, KEAs VTG3241/42/47 and JNAs VTG3400/42 and VTG3500/08/19.
Beilhack overhauls
The overhaul of Network Rail’s Beilhack snowploughs is now underway at Brodie Rail’s Kilmarnock workshops. Already completed are ADB965578 and ADB965579, which are now based at Doncaster West Yard instead of their long-time home of Carlisle Kingmoor. This in turn allowed ADB965576 and ADB965577 to be moved by road from Doncaster to Kilmarnock during March.
Latest disposals
Scrapped on site at To ton Yard during late March and early April were BDAs 950167/234/333/425/615/958, BFAs 950596/676, MEA 391696, MFAs 391445/533, OBA opens 110300/548, OCAs 112126/295/240, YLA Mullet DC967513/521/550/5 78/600/603/605/614/631/633/6 41 and YQA Parr DC967503/643. Meanwhile, HTA hoppers 310038/1 12/179/533/592/593/618/708 were delivered to Sims, Newport on March 17.