GB Railfreight (GBRf) has recently taken delivery of the first 25 new JNA-X box wagons that were assembled in Romania.

The wagons are on lease to GB Railfreight, and arrived at Wembley in London last weekend where they are undergoing an acceptance and inspection process before their handover to GB Railfreight.

Last March, Porterbrook, GBRf, and Greenbrier announced they had reached an agreement for 50 new box wagons. These 25 are the first part of that order, with the rest expected to arrive in the UK later this year. An order for 100 Greenbrier ’60 intermodal twin wagons has also been placed by the three companies, and the first of these are due to arrive in the UK within the next few weeks.

Each tonne of freight transported by rail produces 76% less carbon than by road haulage, which means the new box wagons will contribute towards the Green Recovery and help to deliver a more sustainable railway.

The wagons are fitted with track-friendly bogies. These have been designed so that the wagon’s tare weight, volume capacity, and payload are optimised to the shortest wagon length over buffers for the bulk material they will transport. High-strength steel is used for the wagons’ box structure, as it provides structural reliability and longevity throughout the wagons’ life.

David Golding, Asset Director at GB Railfreight said:” It’s great that we now are ready to roll out these high-strength and reliable JNA-X Box Wagons. These will be vital to us in delivering more sustainable freight, as we are able to transport heavier freight using fewer emissions than road haulage. This demonstrates our clear commitment to decarbonise the industry, in supporting the government’s net zero strategy.”

Mark Wyborn, Head of Freight at Porterbrook said:“It is a very proud moment for all of us at Porterbrook to be able to hand the brand-new box-wagons over to GB Railfreight, ready-to-go out on the railway and support rail freight growth.

“This partnership demonstrates Porterbrook’s long-term commitment to investing in rail freight. Together with Greenbrier, we have all had to overcome significant local and global challenges to keep the production and delivery of these wagons on schedule. Seeing them now arrive in the UK is a true testament to the dedication and teamwork shown by everyone involved.”

John Brown, Head of Sales at Greenbrier said:”We are delighted to see the first box wagons delivered to the UK, demonstrating this excellent partnership with Porterbrook and Greenbrier which goes back over fifteen years.

“Our cooperation and teamwork to overcome many challenges together during this project is evidence of our long-term commitment to supply these box wagons to our customers on time.”GB Railfreight (GBRf) has taken delivery of the first 25 new JNA-X box wagons that have been assembled in Romania.”