New biomass fleet means greater capacity
Latest wagon design should lead to more efficient train operations between the Port of Tyne and North Yorkshire’s Drax power station.
ENERGY generation company Drax has placed an order with WH Davis for 30 new wagons to convey biomass fuel pellets to its power station in North Yorkshire.
Drax is supplied by an average of 17 trains per day, six days a week and already operates a fleet of 225 wagons from the same manufacturer, but the new vehicles will each be able to carry 30% more than their predecessors, equating to a total payload per wagon of 71.6 tonnes.
Completion
The first examples of the new fleet are expected to be completed early this year. They will enter service on trains to Drax from the Port of Tyne. Along with Immingham, Hull and Liverpool, it receives ships of pellets which, between them, meet the bulk of the power station’s biomass needs.
The company predicts that the greater capacity of the wagons will lead to more efficient rail operations, equating to a reduction in emissions of over 25%.
Supply chain
Bruce Heppenstall, Drax plant director said: “Our biomass trains deliver up to 30,000 tonnes of biomass to the power station each day, enabling Drax to power millions of homes and businesses across the UK with reliable, renewable electricity and support energy security.
“It is therefore vital that we have a robust supply chain and investing in these new wagons will further increase our resilience and cut carbon emissions on our Tyne to Drax rail route by more than a quarter, whilst continuing to support thousands of jobs across the North, including at WH Davis and Davis Wagon Services’ facilities.”