DEUTSCHE Bahn acquired EWS from Canadian National Railway in June 2007, rebranding the company as DB Schenker. Historically, Schenker was a road-based logistics company and today, Schenker-branded lorries and containers are acommon sight on British roads.
Only one fleet of new wagons was built during this period, HLA’s Nos. 82 70 6956 000-7 to 011-4, delivered by WH Davis in 2010 to design code HL 003A. Ordered to replace older stock carrying dredged aggregates from Angerstein Wharf, they were short-lived and scrapped by 2021.
Since March 2016, railfreight operations have been carried out under the DB Cargo UK banner. Notably, this company and its forerunners have taken over various private owner wagon fleets, including British Gypsum, Brunner Mond, Marcon, National Power and RMC Roadstone. Not all the wagons remain in use, but others with now-obsolete branding are still to be seen, especially in the Peak Forest and Warrington areas.
Land Recovery JNA box wagon No. 81 70 4932 718-6 pictured at Longport (Stoke) on September 23.
■ DELIVERIES from WH Davis to Drax Ltd have been IIA biomass hoppers Nos. 83 70 0698 226-3 to 239-6/241-2. Also new from Greenbrier Europe are FEA-G container flats Nos. 81 70 4663 201-6 to 220-6 for GB Railfreight and JNA-T box opens Nos. 81 70 5932 807-7 to 811-9.