DB Cargo UK has taken delivery of a fleet of brand-new welfare vans which will provide improvements in the company’s effectiveness when working out in the field.

As one of the UK’s leading providers of breakdown and recovery services for the rail industry, the new fleet of vans will soon be out in action throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

The vehicles are specially adapted Ford and Iveco vans which feature onboard toilets, catering and cleaning facilities which allow DB Cargo UK‘s recovery teams to create a base even in very remote areas of the UK rail network.

The rail logistics company’s team of breakdown and recovery specialists are called out to over 100 incidents each year, ranging from minor derailments to major accidents. The ability to offer a rapid and effective response as a recovery service is essential to keeping the UK’s rail network on the move.

Based at Didcot, Wigan and Millerhill, DB Cargo UK’s emergency teams are operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Jon Harman who is the company’s Head of Asset Management and Maintenance described the team’s work as both physically and mentally challenging with recovery often taking place in difficult environments and in harsh weather conditions. Jon also spoke about how the welfare vans would support and improve the working environment and well-being of his colleagues.

Jon also said: “This is a significant investment we’re making in our breakdown and recovery service which plays a pivotal role when things go wrong on the rail network. The new welfare vehicles provide a safe, dry and warm sanctuary for our colleagues out in the field who are often called to locations where there are little or no on-site facilities,”

Sean Coulby, DB Cargo UK’s Breakdown and Recovery Manager spoke about how some incidents require teams to be on site for a good number of days, sometimes weeks and that the new welfare facilities would make life a great deal easier for his colleagues.

Sean also said: “The tragic passenger train derailment at Stonehaven in Scotland in 2020 and last year’s derailment of a freight train at Petterill Bridge in Cumbria are just two examples of the type of challenging incidents our teams respond to,” said Sean.

“On each of these occasions, we were on site for several weeks, leading the recovery effort and directing operations. This can be exhausting and stressful work so we want to do all we can to improve the on-site experience for our frontline colleagues,” he added.

“The new vans are comfortable and practical and we can’t wait to deploy them out into the field.”