EWS Industrial has introduced much heavier steel slab freight trains in South Wales which means fewer train journeys. The increase of more than 33 per cent heavier trains has been made possible because of a modification programme to convert and strengthen standard BAA steel slab wagons.
Trains previously hauled 1,500 tonnes of steel slab, but from March this year the weight has increased to 2,000 tonnes a train.
The regular 28-wagon services have been delivering in four train movements the tonnage that was once delivered in five trains movements.
EWS Industrial, one of four new divisions set up by EWS, says the heavier trains represent an efficient use of both railway and environmental resources as more steel can be delivered in one movement.
The heavier trains are operating between Port Talbot and Llanwern. Neil McDonald, EWS Industrial managing director, said: "We are making excellent use of rail capacity and other scarce resources.
"With road haulage producing five times more CO2 and 10 times more harmful emissions than our services, the increased tonnage hauled further strengthens our environmental credentials."