Wagon Report
WH DAVIS has completed construction of 46 JNA-U ‘Jumbo’ open box wagons for Beacon Rail Leasing, Nos. 81 70 5932 105-6 to 150-2. Capacity is 75.0 cubic metres, which is 25% more than the standard JNA-T type. Overall length is 16.6 metres and tare 24 tonnes. Operated by GB Railfreight, terminals served include Small Heath yard, Birmingham.
Other JNAs to be seen at Small Heath are the ‘Black Adder’ type from the series Nos. GERS 4401-424. Dating from 2002, these are also a product of WH Davis, mating new bodies with refurbished bogies and other belowsolebar equipment. Originally owned by GE Rail Services, they are now part of the Touax fleet.
However, cancellation of the HS2 project north of Birmingham has not reduced demand for new rolling stock. Now underway at the Langwith Junction workshops is construction of a further 25 open box wagons, type JNA-V. Direct Rail Services is leasing the stock from owner VTG Rail UK. A modified braking system supplied by Knorr-Bremse is being fitted. Maximum payload will be 79.6 tonnes and tare 24 tonnes. Capacity will be 60 cubic metres. Identities are Nos. 81 70 5932 812-7 to 836-6.
Wagony-Swidnica in
Poland continues to dispatch new FEA-G intermodal flats through the Channel Tunnel. Destined for GB Railfreight at Peterborough, the latest batch has comprised Nos. 81 70 4663 241-8 to 280-5. Still to be delivered are Nos. 81 70 4663 281-3 to 440-5, including a further batch for Wascosa/ Network Rail.
NETWORK Rail IFA tilttable flats given overhauls at Arlington Fleet Services have been Nos. 37 70 9378 017-1/018-9/019-7/020-5/0239/024-7/025-4, together with YRA Lifting beam carriers
Nos. DB 979055/106. Also visiting Eastleigh works for general repairs were Direct Rail Services PFA flats Nos. DRSL 92723/731.
CELSA Steel UK’s works at Tremorfa, Cardiff produces steel billet by the electric arc process. This method requires inputs of scrap steel rather than the raw iron ore, coke and lime mixes needed by blast furnaces. Changes proposed by British Steel at Scunthorpe and Tata Steel at Port Talbot involving the use of electric arc furnaces will result in a major downsizing of the mainline and internal wagon fleets that service these sites at present.
However, Celsa still uses a sizeable internal fleet of approximately 150 wagons for a variety of tasks, including box opens for baled and fragmented scrap, bogie billet carriers and flats for the movement of steel rod coil
(see also photo on page 92). A similar fleet of wagons is employed by Liberty Steels at sites in South Yorkshire.
FURTHER BYA ‘Stegosaurus’ conversions carried out at Stoke Wagon Works have been Nos. 966029/043/044/046/082 /125/138/154/158/160/176/23 9, making a total of 70.
DB Cargo UK disposals to European Metals Recycling scrapyards at Cardiff, Kingsbury and Sheffield have been:
OAA ‘Squid’ dropside opens
Nos. 100006/096; OCA opens Nos. 112018/021/041/060/1 27/131/163/181/219/279/3
74; ZCA ‘Sea Urchin’ spoil and ballast open No. DC 200388; VGA ‘Speedlink’ sliding wall van No. 210610; HTA bogie coal hopper No. 311074; MEA box opens Nos. 391140/153/214/ 231/232/234/307/317/327/35 2/363/423/425/516/585/688 ; MHA ‘Coalfish’ opens Nos. 39 4141/163/207/255/318/362/ 647/896/897/937; MTA spoil and ballast open No. 395152; SPA steel coil wire flats Nos. 460019/209/340/383/824,
No. 461048; SSA scrap carriers Nos. 470072/098; YVA cable drum flats Nos. KDC 950048/0 56/064/093/098/113/221/36 9/444/807/849; YWA‘Salmon’ railflat No. DB 996474.