Abstract: The present invention relates to an equipment envelope (10) for a hopper wagon. The equipment envelope comprises a housing (11) that is configured to define an enclosed cavity storage space (12) in a bulk commodities storage chamber of a hopper wagon body, in which hopper wagon control means and/or other component parts of the hopper wagon (30) can be housed for use. The equipment envelope may be configured to be arranged in the chamber such that it is located above a hopper wagon bogie (40), preferably adjacent a closable outlet. The equipment envelope may comprise a first end wall (111) that is configured to extend at a predetermined incline angle ? towards the outlet. Depending on the configuration of the hopper wagon, the equipment housing may be configured to be located adjacent a further or alternative closable outlet. The equipment envelope may comprise a second end wall (112) that is configured to extend at a predetermined incline angle ? towards the further outlet.

Abstract: A solebar for a railway vehicle has an elongate body that comprises a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first leg and second are configured to meet at a vertex and have an obtuse angle ? therebetween such that the solebar has an obtuse L-shaped cross-sectional profile. The solebar is mounted as an underframe side member in a railway vehicle such that the first leg extends in a downwardly direction towards a floor supporting the railway vehicle and clears a lower sector of a loading gauge, and the second leg inclines upwardly in a direction away from railway vehicle and clears an upper sector of the loading gauge. The second leg is configured to support an upper sidewall of a body of the railway vehicle such that the upper sidewall clears the upper sector of the loading gauge.

Abstract: A baffle comprising a panel body that is mountable on a wall of a hopper adjacent to an edge of an outlet of a hopper and is arrangeable in a projecting position, to project in a generally downwardly direction beyond the edge of the outlet so as to restrict the spread of bulk commodities past the panel body as the bulk commodities discharge through the outlet. The panel body is arrangeable in the projected position to project in a generally downwardly direction beyond the edge of the outlet and between a gap space defined by the edge of the outlet and an outlet cover arranged in an open position. The baffle may comprise rotatable mounting means for rotatably mounting the panel body on the wall of the hopper such that the panel body is movable between the projected position and a retracted position, where the panel body is arranged so as to provide a minimal or no barrier effect. The baffle may comprise drive means to drive the panel body between the projected position and the extended position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a covering system for covering an inlet formed in a hopper wagon body of a hopper wagon, whereby the covering system comprises a cover that is configured to close the inlet when it is arranged in a closed position and open the inlet when it arranged in an open position and hinge means that is configured to mount the cover on the hopper wagon body such that the cover is hinged to an outer portion the hopper wagon body, adjacent the inlet and the cover is rotatable in a substantially vertical plane between the closed position and the open position. The hinge means may be configured to mount the cover in spaced relation above the inlet such that there is a gap space between the cover and the inlet when the cover is arranged in at least the closed position. The gap space may be formed between a hinged edge region of the cover and an adjacent edge of the inlet. The cover may comprise a single leaf door. The cover may comprise a double leaf door.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inlet closure system for covering an inlet formed in an upper region of a container body The container body may a storage region of a hopper, a hopper vehicle such as a hopper railway wagon or other storage devices. The inlet closure system comprises at least one closure member arranged substantially above the inlet and moveable between a first closed configuration in which the inlet is substantially closed and a second fully open configuration in which the inlet is substantially open, and at least one actuator mounted on an end wall of the container body for moving the closure member. The actuator remains below an upper edge of the end wall when the closure member is in the second fully open configuration. The actuator is arranged in use to act upon the at least one closure member via a linkage, which linkage is arranged for pivotal motion relative to the end wall about a point substantially midway between the side walls. The linkage may comprise a first link and a second link.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solebar for a railway vehicle having an elongate body that comprises a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first leg and second are configured to meet at a vertex and have an obtuse angle ? therebetween such that the solebar has an obtuse L-shaped cross-sectional profile. The solebar may be configured to be mounted as an underframe side member in a railway vehicle such that the first leg extends in a downwardly direction towards a floor supporting the railway vehicle and clears a lower sector loading gauge and the second leg inclines upwardly in a direction away from the railway vehicle and clears an upper sector loading gauge. The second leg may be configured to support an upper sidewall of the railway vehicle body such that the upper sidewall clears the upper sector of the loading gauge. The first leg may be configured to support a lower sidewall of the railway vehicle body such that the lower sidewall clears the lower sector of the loading gauge.