Rail freight UK

The final FEA-G intermodal wagons have now arrived in the UK, marking the successful delivery of a total 100 new intermodal wagons as well as 50 new JNA-X Box Wagons in a partnership between GB Railfreight (GBRf), Porterbrook, and Greenbrier.

The wagons, which are now on lease to GBRf, signify an increase in rail freight capacity in the UK to encourage the modal shift from road to rail. With each tonne of freight transported by rail producing 76% less carbon than road haulage, the new wagons will help to deliver a more sustainable railway and support the UK’s net zero target.

Dave Golding, Asset Director at GB Railfreight, said: “These new wagons are some of the best available in the UK right now and we’re continually adding them to our services. They have allowed us to move an extra 1.2 million tonnes of aggregate every year. Combined, they will remove c.400,000 lorries movements from our roads a year, leading to a huge reduction in our carbon emissions and delivering significant road safety benefits.”

The innovative new FEA-G intermodal high-density twin wagons can carry six twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) on each service, significantly increasing the volume of cargo that can be transported on each journey.

The JNA-X box wagons also represent a design evolution, featuring additional strengthening on the box without adding any weight. They can each carry 101.6 tonnes, and are playing a key role in the movement of construction materials for HS2 from the Peak District to Birmingham.

The successful on time delivery is a significant achievement for the teams from GBRf, Porterbrook and Greenbrier as the project was impacted by the pandemic, a supply chain disruption, and surge in inflation and energy price increases due to the war in Ukraine.

Mark Wyborn, Head of Freight at Porterbrook, said: “This project demonstrates our commitment to freight and positions us well for future growth in the sector. It is testament to the strength of our partnership with GB Railfreight and Greenbrier that we’ve worked together and agreed ways to mitigate significant challenges.”

John Brown, Head of Sales at Greenbrier said: “In November 2022 the first JNA box wagons arrived into the UK, on schedule, followed shortly after by the first 60ft Intermodal Twin wagons. Both orders were complete in 2023 with the last wagons having just arrived.

“The positive outcome of both projects is testimony of the close collaborative working relationship we had with Porterbrook and GBRf to manage the challenges we all faced caused by Covid and the situation between Russia and Ukraine.  Transparency and early communication were key throughout both projects in order to succeed. We had the contracts in place and Greenbrier were and are committed to delivery on time, every time to our customers.”