W.H. Davis Wins Irish Rail Contract: €23M for New Wagons

W.H. Davis wins a €23 million contract to supply new infrastructure maintenance wagons to Irish Rail, modernizing the fleet for enhanced track maintenance.

January 28, 2026 2:39 pm

🛑 Key Takeaways:

UK-based W.H. Davis has secured a contract to supply a new fleet of infrastructure maintenance wagons to Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail).
The order is valued at approximately €23 million, with deliveries scheduled to begin in summer 2027.
This deal replaces a 50-year-old fleet, modernizing Irish Rail’s maintenance capacity and solidifying W.H. Davis’s role as a key supplier.

SHIREBROOK, UK – Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) has awarded UK manufacturer W.H. Davis a contract valued at approximately €23 million to produce a new fleet of infrastructure maintenance wagons. The new rolling stock, to be built at W.H. Davis’s Shirebrook facility, will replace a fleet more than 50 years old, with deliveries set to commence in summer 2027.

Category	Specification / Detail
Contract Value	Approx. €23 million
Client	Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
Supplier	W.H. Davis
Asset Type	Infrastructure Maintenance Wagons
Key Timeline	Deliveries from summer 2027; In-service late summer 2027
Manufacturing Location	Shirebrook, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

Operational & Technical Details

The new wagons are engineered to meet current and future operational requirements for Iarnród Éireann. Their primary function is the transport of essential track components, including rails, sleepers, and pre-assembled track panels. This capability is critical for ensuring safe and efficient track maintenance and renewal across the Irish rail network.

The new fleet directly replaces existing maintenance wagons that are approaching the end of their operational life after over five decades of service. Prototype vehicles are currently in production. Following delivery, the wagons will undergo testing and commissioning before entering service in late summer 2027.

Market Impact Analysis

This €23 million order significantly strengthens the commercial relationship between W.H. Davis and Iarnród Éireann. It follows a previous contract for 150 intermodal freight wagons placed in April 2025, positioning the UK firm as a strategic supplier for Irish Rail’s ongoing fleet modernization program. For Iarnród Éireann, the investment represents a crucial upgrade to its infrastructure maintenance capability, enhancing network reliability and operational safety.

The contract underscores the ability of specialized UK rail engineering firms to secure high-value orders from EU-based operators. According to W.H. Davis, the selection was based on its “proven UK rail engineering capability and delivery assurance.”