SCT EUROPE is currently supplying 272 tailor-made Barber S-2-E three-piece bogies to British wagon manufacturer W H Davis, for use on 32 tank wagons and 104 hopper wagons of 66 tonne gross weight which have been ordered by Magadi Soda Co for use in Kenya (RG 1.07 p10).
SCT re-engineered an existing design to meet the requirement for a 16·5 tonne axleload metre gauge bogie which can accommodate 851 mm diameter wheels within the existing profile.
The first wagons have proved successful since arriving in Kenya last summer, and deliveries will be completed early this year.
Last year SCT Europe introduced its 'track-friendly' Barber Easy Ride range of primary suspension freight bogies, which are designed to provide economic benefits for operators and infrastructure managers as well as reducing the environmental impact of transport. The use of high tensile strength cast steel, with two welds located in low-stress areas, provides high fatigue resistance, giving the bogie frame a design life of at least 30 years, and lowering the risk of catastrophic failure in a derailment. All safety-critical parts are visible for inspection, and wearing components are designed with easy removal and replacement in mind.
Passive axle-steering on curves helps reduce wheel wear and the need for reprofiling and replacement, reducing the single largest maintenance cost associated with wagon bogies.
Soft vertical suspension reduces ground-borne vibration and ballast degradation. Lateral forces are controlled to reduce track-shifting forces on curves, and the 2 m axle spacing can reduce the point load on bridges. Environmental benefits include reduced braking noise and wheel screech on curves, and the reduced frequency of recycling of scrapped parts.
In April SCT Europe will deliver 24 Easy Ride 22·5 tonne axleload bogies with integrated brakes to W H Davis, for use in the construction of six new 180 tonne flask wagons which will carry high-level nuclear materials for British Nuclear Fuels. These specialist vehicles will each have four bogies, and half of the bogies are being equipped with parking brakes. Acceptance testing of the vehicles is due to begin this summer.
SCT Europe is currently in the final stages of developing a new bogie which will enable wagons to be built with a deck height of 720 mm enabling the transport of 9 ft 6 in high containers up to 45 ft long without the need for gauge enhancement. Testing of the new wagons will be undertaken this autumn.
