'China freight train' in first trip to Barking

[trainmania100]

China has launched a direct rail freight service to London, as part of its drive to develop trade and investment ties with Europe.

China Railway already runs services between China and other European cities, including Madrid and Hamburg.

The train will take about two weeks to cover the 12,000 mile journey and is carrying a cargo of clothes, bags and other household items.

It has the advantage of being cheaper than air freight and faster than sea.

The proliferation of routes linking China and Europe is part of a about strategy launched in 2013 aimed at boosting infrastructure links with Europe along the former Silk Road trading routes.

London will become the 15th European city to join what the Chinese government calls the New Silk Route.

The service will pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany Belgium and France before arriving at Barking Rail Freight Terminal in East London, which is directly connected to the High Speed 1 rail line to the European mainland.

Because of the different railway gauges involved, a single train cannot travel the whole route and the containers need to be reloaded at various points.

The Chinese government is keen to boost its economy in the face of slowing export and economic growth.

Quoted from BBC News and can be viewed, with images, at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38497997

Probably wont be any different to what is happening at the moment, probably goes to dollands moor then up to barking from there with intermodal containers but might be of interest to some

 

[GB]

If the train has to stop at various places to have its cargo loaded to another rake of wagons its not really what I'd call "direct".

 

[jamesontheroad]

If the train has to stop at various places to have its cargo loaded to another rake of wagons its not really what I'd call "direct".

 

[brad465]

Do you think there will be a mass railway upgrade across Europe if this "takes off"? I imagine while it would be needed chances are all countries on route would have to agree to large investment that they probably won't, unless China takes the big step of paying for it all :roll:

 

[fredk]

Needs triple headed 37s, there will be no need to change the loco en route

 

[rebmcr]

Needs triple headed 37s, there will be no need to change the loco en route

Which subclass of Class 37 has variable-gauge bogies?

 

[WatcherZero]

What got me was that in the last four years 1300 trains had travelled from China to Europe but only 500 the other way. The story of the man smuggling wheelbarrows comes to mind

 

[fredk]

Which subclass of Class 37 has variable-gauge bogies?

Not a problem, they'll just need a few months at Vivarail and they'll be good to go

 

[Oxfordblues]

This must be the longest-distance train ever to operate in the entire history of British railways, even if it's only strictly from the break-of-gauge station at the Belarus/Poland frontier (Brest, I think)

 

[gysev]

This must be the longest-distance train ever to operate in the entire history of British railways, even if it's only strictly from the break-of-gauge station at the Belarus/Poland frontier (Brest, I think)

In fact, the containers will be transloaded again at Duisburg. Brest - Duisburg is on PKP wagons, Duisburg - Barking on DB wagons.

 

[furnessvale]

In fact, the containers will be transloaded again at Duisburg. Brest - Duisburg is on PKP wagons, Duisburg - Barking on DB wagons.

That's good news. It opens up the possibility of using UK gauge wagons and getting much greater penetration around GB than just Barking.

 

[Oxfordblues]

Once the service is established I anticipate moves to introduce new wagons with bogie-changing capability as per the Paris-Moscow sleeper, or even Talgo-style variable-gauge axles. That would speed-up transit by at least a couple of days. (Older readers may recall the Transfesa vans that brought fresh produce from broad-gauge Spain to the UK)

 

[SPADTrap]

Glad this wasn't an idea thought up here, they'd have it DOO without a PNB all the way on a 6 mile long schedule card!

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Which subclass of Class 37 has variable-gauge bogies?

The ones with the axles replaced with springs!

 

[stut]

Not a problem, they'll just need a few months at Vivarail and they'll be good to go

I heard Vivarail are already converting A-stock into sleeper carriages to go on the back...

 

[edwin_m]

Once the service is established I anticipate moves to introduce new wagons with bogie-changing capability as per the Paris-Moscow sleeper, or even Talgo-style variable-gauge axles. That would speed-up transit by at least a couple of days. (Older readers may recall the Transfesa vans that brought fresh produce from broad-gauge Spain to the UK)

Is lifting the wagons to swap the bogies actually going to be quicker than lifting the containers onto another train of appropriate gauge wagons?

 

[racyrich]

Just lay 4' 8" rails on the 5' gauge container flats and make it a roll on/roll off train.
And have rails on the 4' 8" container flats too and roll on the empties to take back!


I'll get my coat . . .

 

[Panupreset]

Two week journey. Only 2 days to get to the channel tunnel, but then another 12 days stuck behind a stopping service from Folkestone.

 

[Chris125]

It's been filmed passing Ashford, credit to HSTHoward for this:

[youtube]oxTMey1FivQ[/youtube]

 

[ac6000cw]

Is lifting the wagons to swap the bogies actually going to be quicker than lifting the containers onto another train of appropriate gauge wagons?

I very much doubt it - one of the main reasons for using containers is the ease and speed they can be swapped between 'transporters'.

Another factor in through running is the wagon coupler differences between countries - China uses AAR automatic centre couplers, Russian uses SA3 automatic centre couplers, us Europeans use antiquated side-buffers and screw-couplings (hangs head in shame)...

 

[mildertduck]

Any idea what this would appear as on RealTimeTrains? Can't find it anywhere...

 

[najaB]

Any idea what this would appear as on RealTimeTrains? Can't find it anywhere...

Based on the video description I'm guessing it was this: 672B 2104 Dollands Moor Sdgs to Ripple Lane Exch Sdgs

 

[ac6000cw]

Do you think there will be a mass railway upgrade across Europe if this "takes off"? I imagine while it would be needed chances are all countries on route would have to agree to large investment that they probably won't, unless China takes the big step of paying for it all :roll:

This is about offering a faster (but more expensive) than sea, slower (but cheaper) than air, container shipping alternative for time-sensitive freight. The vast bulk of inter-continental containers will continue to go by sea, which is almost always the cheapest way of moving freight. Two mile long trains of double-stacked containers is probably next cheapest...

 

[HSTEd]

Talgo style gauge changing axles would be interesting, then you could run a block train from China all the way to Barking without unloading anything or even changing the formation. Would need a LOT of signalling equipment for every system it is going to pass through though.

The alternative is a high performance TGV La Poste esque train - after all if you can use high speed lines there is more likely to be a standard gauge route continuously between Europe and China relatively soon.

 

[Sunbird24]

Looking at this http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...k-rail-freight-service-arrives-in-london.html I am curious how a 92 got there without any power source- was it perhaps propelled there by something at the back just for publicity?

 

[rebmcr]

Talgo style gauge changing axles would be interesting, then you could run a block train from China all the way to Barking without unloading anything or even changing the formation. Would need a LOT of signalling equipment for every system it is going to pass through though.

This but with loco changes would be the 'sweet spot'.

It's possible, however, that it would still be held up in goods sidings for some time awaiting paperwork and/or paths, regardless of track compatibility.

 

[najaB]

...I am curious how a 92 got there without any power source- was it perhaps propelled there by something at the back just for publicity?

Is there no third-rail at Barking?

 

[Sunbird24]

Is there no third-rail at Barking?

I don't see any in the pictures and I am not aware of any north of the Thames other than LUL lines.
Also curious to know the routing from HS1 to Barking.

 

[GB]

I don't see any in the pictures and I am not aware of any north of the Thames other than LUL lines.
Also curious to know the routing from HS1 to Barking.

There is no third rail at ripple lane.

Theres 2 connections off HS1. One is near the ford plant that connects to the conventional line called the exhange sidings. The other is about 1/2 mile furthe down that connects to the same exchange sidings. From there you have to shunt over the Up main to get into ripple lane or its surrounding sidings.

 

[furnessvale]

It's been filmed passing Ashford, credit to HSTHoward for this:

I only counted 20 containers. Presumably a portion off the normal Duisburg train accompanied by a lot of publicity.