The UK’s last bespoke freight wagon manufacturer, WH Davis, has announced a deal with Celsa Steel UK. The order is for a purpose built rake of wagons to support operations at Celsa’s Cardiff works in South Wales. WH Davis will build the wagons at their plant on the edge of Mansfield in Derbyshire, England.
WH Davis, part of the Buckland Rail consortium, will remain busy throughout 2025. On the first working day of the new year, the company has already secured its first project. The company says it will be designing and manufacturing sixteen new “hot billet” wagons for their multinational client.
Sweet sixteen
The order comes with the backing of WH Davis’s expertise in recycling and remanufacturing. “This collaboration is a great example of our shared commitment to sustainability,” said a company spokesperson. “By reusing key components from existing wagons and integrating a newly designed wagon body, we’re delivering a solution for the safe and efficient transportation of hot steel billets at Celsa UK’s Cardiff facilities.”
The rake of sixteen wagons represents a significant order for the UK manufacturer. WH Davis specialises in short runs of highly developed rolling stock for specific needs. The company is the UK’s last remaining independent wagon manufacturer. At one time Britain had a large-scale goods rolling stock industry, with dedicated wagon works in many locations, particularly in England. WH Davis represents the last vestige of that industry.
Meeting of missions and minds
The run of sixteen wagons is well within the capabilities of the works at Langwith Junction. With that in mind, there’s plenty of production scope within their client’s operation. Celsa Steel UK is the largest producer of steel reinforcement products in the UK (rebar in common parlance). Their facilities in Cardiff deliver around 1.2 million tonnes of finished product each year, mainly to the UK and Irish markets.
Celsa commits to sustainability and uses rail freight as part of that strategy. “As the largest steel recycling company in the UK, Celsa Steel UK’s focus on sustainability aligns perfectly with our mission to reuse and recycle wherever possible,” said a statement from WH Davis. “What better way to start 2025 than with a project that combines our engineering expertise and sustainable solutions.”
Just under a year ago, Celsa took delivery of three low-emission multi-fuel rail and road capable Zephir LOK 16.300 shunting locomotives, supplied by the UK distributor Depot Rail. The hybrid units are intended to replace the ageing diesel “Class 08” shunters on site.