WH DAVIS has completed the majority of the order for ‘Ecofret2’ intermodal flats for leasing company VTG Rail UK. Eighty-four triple-sets are being produced at the Langwith Junction workshops, each set being made up of two FWA-C outers and a FWA-inner. The wagons are a development of the original ‘Ecofret’ design, which first appeared in 2012.
A major change has been the use of a new type of LN20 low trackforce bogie supplied by Wabtec Axiom Rail. Each triple set is 40.82m long and has a deck height of 996mm. Overheight, or hi-cube, containers can be transported over lines cleared by Network Rail as part of the Strategic Freight Network to W10 gauge. GB Railfreight is hiring the fleet for container services originating at Felixstowe, London Gateway and Southampton.
Short intermodal flats are the wagon type of the moment.