Wagon News
Announced in December 2020, the first of the new Wascosa-owned infrastructure wagons for Network Rail arrived in the UK early on November 11.
These were 25 JNA box wagons built by Greenbrier Europe to the now familiar design, 81 70 5932 151-175 being finished in all-over yellow with large Wascosa lettering and somewhat smaller Network Rail logos.
All were taken from Dollands Moor to Eastleigh Yard by 66751 later the same day where they will be deployed on virtual quarry ballast duties. Another 25 JNAS are still to come along with 260 ‘Falcon’ ballast wagons and 260 flat wagons with assorted track and ballast carrying modules.
‘Mega 3’ back in traffic
A new intermodal service between Immingham Docks and Doncaster iport was officially launched on
October 22. Operated by Victa Railfreight on behalf of DFDS Seaways, the ‘Humber Express’ will convey containers over the relatively short distance for onward distribution, and is being marketed as helping to alleviate the current lorry driver shortage.
The service is currently employing the 22 IXA ‘Mega 3’ wagons, 80 4905 001-022, that were returned to the UK back in June and initially stored at Tilbury. These were moved to Willesden by 60055 on October 18 and then continued to Immingham the next day.
For the official press launch four days later, 20205 and 20227 were the unlikely choice of motive power, these only taking the train as far as Barnetby before returning to Immingham once the media’s cameras had departed. One of the first full workings was on November 4 with Colas Rail’s 56049 in charge of the 4Z16 22.20 Immingham-doncaster.
More FFA twins arrive
Freightliner took delivery of another 40 FFA-G container twins during the second half of October, 92032 bringing half of this amount north from Dollands Moor to Wembley early on the 19th. These continued on to Basford Hall behind 66567 later that day with the 4Z90 working formed of 81 70 4846 029+034, followed by 079+080, 198+213, 144+147, 055+050, 140+139, 132+133, 138+141, 136+143, 065+064, 200+175, 212+209, 210+215, 216+197, 031+009, 083+084, 081+072, 099+086, 208+183 and 202+179. Then, on October 29, the GB Railfreight electric repeated the trip to London with 81 70 4846 118+117, 019+022, 156+137, 146+129, 126+131, 134+135. 222+219, 041+006, 023+026, 051+008, 103+108, 025+016, 033+044, 128+106, 122+123, 154+153, 148+127, 204+199, 218+211 and 047+052. These did not move on to Crewe until November 4, with 66547 for haulage. With such a large influx of new stock, more transfers of older types for storage at Barassie Yard have taken place, October 6 seeing 66543 depart Crewe with FEA 640005/006/355/356/447/448, FLA 605001/016/020 and 606004/018/151/52, and KFA TIPH93483 and RLS92554.
On October 22, 66418 repeated the journey with FLAS 605002/006/015, 606002/012 and 606111/112/115/116/121/122/135138/147-150/161-164/175/176.
More hoppers for WH Davis
The latest IIA hoppers to be released from shortening at WH Davis are 37 70 6791 002/08/19/27/45/46/56/58 /66/67/69/85/86/88/90, which were hauled to Doncaster Decoy by 66779 on October 19. The green celebrity had earlier delivered HYA 371074/75/80 to Shirebrook for the same work. On November 3, it was the turn of 66723 to head to the wagon works from Doncaster with IIA 37 70 6791 000/14/38/47/48/51/63/68 for conversion.
HLA hoppers sent for scrap
All 12 of the HLA-B bogie hoppers in the 82 70 6956 000-011 series were delivered to the EMR yard at Kingsbury from Bescot for disposal on November 4.
Previously stored at Wembley, these were only built in 2010 by WH Davis and mainly saw use on DB aggregates services in the south east.