UK: The first wagons to be built from new with leasing company VTG Rail UK’s iWagon monitoring technology have entered service with Breedon Group.
The construction materials supplier ordered 62 Type JPA powder cement wagons through VTG in November 2024 to replace existing vehicles. They are being built by Feldbinder at its tank wagon factory at Lutherstadt Wittenberg in Germany.
VTG’s iWagon technology was launched in 2024 to offer wagon operators integrated wheelset flat protection, advanced sensors, real-time data analytics and automation, with Knorr-Bremse’s FreightControl Sentinel system as the backbone. The technology has been retrofitted to 51 existing wagons, but VTG said the Breedon order was a milestone ‘demonstrating the transition from pilot and retrofit activity to fully integrated, new-build digital rolling stock.’
Nigel Day, Business Improvement Director at VTG Rail UK, said ‘the combination of purpose-built wagons and iWagon technology gives our customers greater visibility of asset condition and performance, enabling smarter maintenance and more efficient operations from day one.’
The first 18 of the wagons were delivered to Breedon’s Hope Cement Works via the Channel Tunnel, and following final inspection entered service on January 14. The remaining 44 wagons will be introduced in batches over the next 12 months.
Ian Smith, Managing Director for Cement & Building Products at Breedon, said ‘we selected the Feldbinder JPA wagons fitted with VTG’s iWagon system for the visibility, efficiency and safety the technology provides – supporting our priority to keep our people and partners safe while maintaining dependable service. We’ve worked with VTG since 2016, and this investment underlines our long-term partnership as we operate this new generation of fleet together in the years ahead.’
