W.H. Davis Awarded Major Irish Rail Contract

Built at W.H. Davis’s Shirebrook facility in Nottinghamshire, the new wagons will meet both current and future requirements.

Buckland is delighted to announce that our portfolio company W.H. Davis has secured a significant new contract with Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) to supply 68 bespoke infrastructure maintenance wagons, supporting the long‑term resilience, safety and efficiency of Ireland’s national rail network.

The wagons, designed and manufactured at W.H. Davis’s facility in Shirebrook, Nottinghamshire, will replace Irish Rail’s existing engineering fleet, much of which has been in service for over half a century. Engineered to meet modern and future operational requirements, the new vehicles will transport essential infrastructure materials including rails, sleepers and track panels.

This order follows the successful award in April 2025 for 150 intermodal freight wagons under the same framework. Prototype wagons are already in production, with deliveries for both contracts expected to begin in summer 2027, followed by testing and entry into service later that year.

Andy Houghton, Managing Director of W.H. Davis, highlighted the significance of the award: “Our focus is on assured delivery and building partnerships founded on trust, as well as engineering performance. We are proud to support Irish Rail with dependable assets that will perform throughout their operational life.”

This contract further reinforces W.H. Davis’s position as a trusted UK rail engineering partner and underscores Buckland’s long‑term commitment to backing high‑quality, industry‑leading manufacturing businesses.

We congratulate the W.H. Davis team on this deal and look forward to supporting the delivery of this transformative programme for Irish Rail.