Two hundred and fifty-five freight wagons are being built for EWS services in the UK and in France.
The wagons are destined to be used on engineering services for Network Rail and for Euro Cargo Rail, EWS’s French freight arm.
The order for Network Rail trains involves 105 low-sided box wagons. These have been ordered by EWS Network to support its seven-year infrastructure haulage contract with Network Rail.
The 90 tonne wagons are being manufactured in Poland by Greenbrier and the first set of 15 wagons should arrive in Britain during January after going through extensive testing in Poland.
The remaining wagons will be sent from Greenbrier to EWS Network in batches, with the final wagons expected by late spring 2008. The wagons have been fitted with Axiom Rail’s AMIII suspension systems, which are more ‘track friendly.’
In France, Euro Cargo Rail has received the first stage of an order for 150 aggregate wagons. The first 44 wagons were delivered to Euro Cargo Rail in early December and immediately entered into service. The remaining 106 wagons are expected to be delivered early this year.
The 90-tonne capacity wagons are being built by Arbel Fauvet Rail at Douai in northern France.
Alain Thauvette, director-general of Euro Cargo Rail France, said: “These new wagons will help Euro Cargo Rail France to continue delivering high levels of reliability and punctuality.
“They are an important addition to our fleet as we expand across France. We look forward to winning more new-to-rail traffic as these wagons are delivered.”