Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[CalderTrains]

Colas Timber service from Hellifield is back today, so it seems like it might be running a little more frequently now, as nothing happened for a few months earlier this year.
6Z33 Chirk to Hellifield

Realtime Trains | 6Z33 0245 Chirk Kronospan Colas Rail to Hellifield Goods Loops | 14/08/2023

Real-time train running information for 6Z33 0245 departure from Chirk Kronospan Colas Rail to Hellifield Goods Loops on 14/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

6Z34 hellifield to Chirk

Realtime Trains | 6Z34 1200 Hellifield Goods Loops to Chirk Kronospan Colas Rail | 14/08/2023

Real-time train running information for 6Z34 1200 departure from Hellifield Goods Loops to Chirk Kronospan Colas Rail on 14/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Rail Ranger]

Loaded train ran via Bolton, Man Vic, Stockport and Altrincham for some reason. Also the Carlisle to Chirk ran via a run round at Crewe Gresty Green. Do we know why neither train ran direct from Warrington to Chester?

 

[Alarmkid23]

Will freight trains be cancelled in and out of due to Engineering works between Saxmundham and Ipswich starting 15th till 25th of august? and if they are what line would be used as a diversion route?

 

[Chingy]

Will freight trains be cancelled in and out of due to Engineering works between Saxmundham and Ipswich starting 15th till 25th of august? and if they are what line would be used as a diversion route?

Not sure there’s much, if any freight, that goes up the Saxmundham line anyway. The Felixstowe branch is unaffected if that’s what you’re thinking.

 

[Welshguy1048]

Evening

A friend who is a driver for GBRF hss told me that the Tuebrook to Penmaenmawr Quarry stone trains will be restarting again soon - after a problem at Tuebrook.

Does anyone know if there is a date for it to restart please?

Thanks

Dave

 

[Freightmaster]

The first ever mail train from Daventry ran this afternoon:

Realtime Trains | 1S05 1534 Daventry Int Rft Recep Rfd to Shieldmuir Mail Terminal | 15/08/2023

Real-time train running information for 1S05 1534 departure from Daventry Int Rft Recep Rfd to Shieldmuir Mail Terminal on 15/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

 

[Oxfordblues]

Is this the first real parcels train for 20 years (since the demise of Rail Express Systems)?

 

[Class15]

Is this the first real parcels train for 20 years (since the demise of Rail Express Systems)?

No - parcels have been running up the WCML and ECML using 325s for most of that time.

 

[Freightmaster]

Is this the first real parcels train for 20 years (since the demise of Rail Express Systems)?

Don't forget Varamis, who also run an Anglo-Scottish train from the Midlands:

Varamis Rail Given Operators Licence from ORR

It doesn’t appear to have run at all this past week .Has it ceased altogether? One of their services had a SPAD at Mossend on Monday so perhaps they’re a driver short at the moment?

www.railforums.co.uk

MARK

 

[BRX]

The other day, passing through Harwich International, I noticed a couple of container trains sitting in the sidings, each with a GBRf 66 at the head.

Does this mean that some intermodal traffic leaves Harwich by rail? I couldn't spot anywhere obvious where it could be transferred onto rail wagons. Were these trains perhaps just being stored in those sidings temporarily for some reason?

 

[Freightmaster]

The other day, passing through Harwich International, I noticed a couple of container trains sitting in the sidings, each with a GBRf 66 at the head....

...Were these trains perhaps just being stored in those sidings temporarily for some reason?

Correct - GB use Parkeston yard (and Colchester) to stable trains over the weekend as they don't
have access to Ipswich yard, which is a Freightliner facility.



MARK

 

[BRX]

Correct - GB use Parkeston yard (and Colchester) to stable trains over the weekend as they don't
have access to Ipswich yard, which is a Freightliner facility.



MARK

Ah, thanks.

 

[JD2168]

I saw the following this afternoon/early evening:
GBRf Class 66 stood in Doncaster Station around platform 4 with a number of carriages in poor condition behind it at around 4:50pm.
GBR f Class 66 towing a number of freight containers behind it at around 5:20pm.

 

[dk1]

Will freight trains be cancelled in and out of due to Engineering works between Saxmundham and Ipswich starting 15th till 25th of august? and if they are what line would be used as a diversion route?

No booked freight on that route.

Good to see Lowestoft is now served again with up to twice weekly freight departures to March carrying what I think is dredged stone shipped into the port from Norway.

 

[66701GBRF]

Correct - GB use Parkeston yard (and Colchester) to stable trains over the weekend as they don't
have access to Ipswich yard, which is a Freightliner facility.



MARK

Unless things have changed it's only what was the upper yard and associated sidings where the VMF is located that is wholly Frieghtliner. The Goods, Field and Reception 1-3 are still Network Rail. But yes, due to sheer amount of trains over the weekend there is no room at the Inn.

 

[WessexEclectic]

The first ever mail train from Daventry ran this afternoon:

Realtime Trains | 1S05 1534 Daventry Int Rft Recep Rfd to Shieldmuir Mail Terminal | 15/08/2023

Real-time train running information for 1S05 1534 departure from Daventry Int Rft Recep Rfd to Shieldmuir Mail Terminal on 15/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

archive

Anyone have gen on the formation? Any pics?

TIA

 

[Class15]

archive

Anyone have gen on the formation? Any pics?

TIA

325006 + 325008

 

[Freightmaster]

archive

Anyone have gen on the formation? Any pics?

TIA

Can't see anything on Flickr, but I saw it pass 'Freightmaster HQ' and it was a pair of class 325s.




MARK

 

[AndrewE]

No booked freight on that route.

Good to see Lowestoft is now served again with up to twice weekly freight departures to March carrying what I think is dredged stone shipped into the port from Norway.

Where does it go from in Lowestoft? I have looked on Google Earth and can't see a rail-connected wharf. Maybe a line has been reinstated to reconnect the rails visible on the harbourside east of Peterson quay?

 

[CalderTrains]

Google Earth

earth.google.com

Could that be the location?

Where does it go from in Lowestoft? I have looked on Google Earth and can't see a rail-connected wharf. Maybe a line has been reinstated to reconnect the rails visible on the harbourside east of Peterson quay?

Presumably trucks dump it in the space to the side of the track? I do not know the area well but this is a guess.

 

[dk1]

Where does it go from in Lowestoft? I have looked on Google Earth and can't see a rail-connected wharf. Maybe a line has been reinstated to reconnect the rails visible on the harbourside east of Peterson quay?

When the line was resignalled in 2018/19 a freight loading loop & tamper siding were installed on the old goods yard site & connected at the reopened Coke Ovens Junc. Lorries shuttle the stone from the nearby quayside at Lowestoft port.

 

[AndrewE]

Thanks. Pity there has to be a lorry shuttle involved.

 

[BRX]

Interesting though, that despite being a relatively short journey between Lowestoft & March, and despite the need for double (triple?) handling at the lowestoft end, the economics apparently still stack up for rail.

 

[dk1]

Interesting though, that despite being a relatively short journey between Lowestoft & March, and despite the need for double (triple?) handling at the lowestoft end, the economics apparently still stack up for rail.

When it originally started (& abruptly ended) last year it went to Alsager.

After unloading on the quayside it only takes maybe one lorry to shuttle it round the corner. As the train only runs a couple of times a week there’s plenty of time to stack it up ready for the next run.

 

[AndrewE]

After unloading on the quayside it only takes maybe one lorry to shuttle it round the corner. As the train only runs a couple of times a week there’s plenty of time to stack it up ready for the next run.

but that's still another man involved, probably on a continuous basis, which undermines rail's efficiency. I suppose if it's going to a virtual quarry for ballast then NR can call the shots and just take it on the chin (to mix metaphors.) Better than the adverse publicity which could arise from thousands of lorry movements for rail infrastructure traffic I suppose.

 

[dk1]

but that's still another man involved, probably on a continuous basis, which undermines rail's efficiency. I suppose if it's going to a virtual quarry for ballast then NR can call the shots and just take it on the chin (to mix metaphors.) Better than the adverse publicity which could arise from thousands of lorry movements for rail infrastructure traffic I suppose.

There were 5 lorries queuing up at Norwich Goods Yard yesterday and another on the weigh bridge shortly after the morning aggregate train arrived from Toton.

 

[WessexEclectic]

Can't see anything on Flickr, but I saw it pass 'Freightmaster HQ' and it was a pair of class 325s.

Ta. Any reason why it's timed as a loco with 325 tonnes trailing? Apart from the obvious....

 

[Adrian Barr]

Any reason why it's timed as a loco with 325 tonnes trailing? Apart from the obvious....

It's a quirk of the TOPS system and freight trains vs passenger trains - multiple unit schedules are designed to be used by passenger operators using a different computer system (GENIUS or whatever it's current incarnation is).

This is a picture of a trial train in the parcels platform at Daventry which ran a week or so before the service started up (scroll down the article a bit) - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-66069338

You may notice the lack of wires... the 325s are apparently hauled from the reception sidings down the branch by the resident shunter, so arguably it's kind of loco-hauled although not on NR metals. I assume the loco used is this one pictured shunting the DC420 warehouse, perhaps someone can confirm the current shunter(s) in use at Daventry - https://www.flickr.com/photos/steam60163/51493178666/

1S05 pictured passing Warrington on Tuesday - https://www.flickr.com/photos/121541544@N07/53123430900/in/photolist-2oWktdq

This 2022 drone footage starts by looking towards the new Royal Mail facility and gives an idea of the distance from the reception sidings (about 2 miles I believe). It also gives a good view of the Russells terminal (with the overhead gantries) next to the Sainsburys warehouse (neither of these videos or pictures are mine by the way):

YouTube: Daventry Rail Freight Terminal 2022 | Anything Transport

On YouTube there's also a cab view down the branch as far as the Russells terminal (admittedly in the dark but the junctions are lit up). Timestamps: departs from reception sidings 6:45, passes the entrance to the Stobarts / Tesco container terminal 10:55, passes the junction for the DC420 warehouse 15:45, enters Russells / Sainsburys container terminal 21:00 then returns light engine to the Malcolms container terminal next to the reception sidings. If it had continued down the branch past the Sainsburys terminal, it would have crossed the bridge visible in the drone footage and ended up at the Royal Mail facility.

YouTube: Daventry | The Prop

 

[Gaz67]

Loaded train ran via Bolton, Man Vic, Stockport and Altrincham for some reason. Also the Carlisle to Chirk ran via a run round at Crewe Gresty Green. Do we know why neither train ran direct from Warrington to Chester?

Called in hellifield today, another load of logs ready by looks of it, the loading siding is accessed through the disused west coast railways open shed, interesting shunting move. I would also be interested to know why after hitting the wcml south of Preston it then deviated around Manchester and then Skelton jct to chester.

 

[furnessvale]

Called in hellifield today, another load of logs ready by looks of it, the loading siding is accessed through the disused west coast railways open shed, interesting shunting move. I would also be interested to know why after hitting the wcml south of Preston it then deviated around Manchester and then Skelton jct to chester.

Two things spring to mind.

1. Available paths WCML.

2. Gradient from Blackburn to Sough tunnel rendering a direct run impossibe (and available paths).