Porterbrook, the British rolling stock leasing company, and GB Railfreight have ordered from The Greenbrier Companies to manufacture and deliver 50 new Greenbrier box wagons with a capacity of 60 m3.
The two British companies have signed a partnership agreement which is based on their 15-year relationship as part of a sharp growth in rail freight demand.
“The announcement strengthens Porterbrook’s long-term commitment to investing in rail freight and the tangible benefits this will bring not only to the economy, but to the UK’s green recovery. We are thrilled that GB Railfreight has chosen to extend its partnership with Porterbrook and support us in our ambitions to bring green, innovative and affordable rolling stock options to the UK supply chain,” Mark Wyborn, Head of Freight at Porterbrook said.
The transaction marks a renewed commitment from the companies to developing sustainable freight transport to meet the significant expected growth in the sector.
Recent research by IPEX on the UK market, commissioned by Porterbrook, cited projections that intermodal rail freight is forecast to grow by over 10%, between 2022 and 2034 while construction sector traffic is expected to increase by up to 35% over the same period.
“By partnering with Porterbrook, the new rolling stock marks our commitment to supporting sustainability in the construction sector. As we look towards the future, this investment will help meet growing demand for rail freight services, whilst playing a key role in the delivery of Government’s net zero targets,” David Golding, Asset Director at GB Railfreight, said.
The four-axle open box wagons for the UK are designed for ‘level fill’ of bulk products but they can be easily adapted to meet any bulk handling requirements. The length, height and axle load can be changed to vary the volume or tonnage per unit length to suit.
At 90 tonnes, the standard steel wagons are designed to run at a maximum speed of 100 km/h while unloaded, they can operate at 120 km/h.
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