Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[66701GBRF]

The headcode might have been misquoted to me and it might not have been today. But I have seen a picture and definitely looks worse for wear, all I can tell is it is definitely a Freightliner Intermodal and under OLE somewhere.

 

[JKF]

There’s a gbrf light loco working into Portbury tomorrow afternoon:

Realtime Trains | 0B92 1400 Cardiff Tidal Tc Gbrf to Portbury Auto Terminal Gbf | 11/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 0B92 1400 departure from Cardiff Tidal Tc Gbrf to Portbury Auto Terminal Gbf on 11/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Suspect it might be coming out with the loaded KEAs on this working:

Realtime Trains | 6B92 1649 Portbury Auto Terminal Gbf to Margam Tc Gbrf | 11/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 6B92 1649 departure from Portbury Auto Terminal Gbf to Margam Tc Gbrf on 11/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Rather inconsiderately they’ve timed the return working to pass along the gorge when I have a longstanding doctor’s appointment so won’t be able to get a look at it, not that there will be much in the way of daylight at 17:15.

 

[LibertyLane]

"I'm just here for the slabs." Happy to have found this forum and thread while searching for info on the GBRf Portbury to Margam slabs. 66787 just been added to 0B92 from Cardiff according to Railcam, so looking good for later this afternoon. The mystery surrounding the build to this seems to have been shared, with lots of great posts and similar questions I've had over the past few months. Would be great to see some shots of loading at Portbury.

 

[JKF]

Regarding Portbury steels, the GBRF loaded slabs (as 6B92) left a bit late, which meant I did get to see it, but not much other than a couple of moving lights and the thump of a wheel flat from the other side of the gorge at night! Will be interesting to see when the next might run as I believe this might have been some sort of pilot, and whether the DB services continue as well.

Welcome @LibertyLane, I’ve watched many trains from the ‘blackbridge’ which your username suggests you might be familiar with.

 

[Adrian Barr]

6B92 from Portbury shows empty wagons in TOPS, so the KEAs might have just been there for familiarisation / loading test before the service starts properly. Can't see any DB schedules to Portbury for next week so maybe that's when GBRF take over.

 

[Trainman40083]

I think there has been mention recently of the Trafford Park to Tees Intermodal... Noticed it coming through Derby. Is it routed Crewe, Stafford, Lichfield, Derby for a specific reason or to allow Trans Pennine upgrades?

 

[LibertyLane]

Thanks @JKF, there's plenty of handy vantage points around here. Good info from @Adrian Barr. Definitely empties and a flat tonight. Interested to see what these look like loaded.

 

[JKF]

6B92 from Portbury shows empty wagons in TOPS, so the KEAs might have just been there for familiarisation / loading test before the service starts properly. Can't see any DB schedules to Portbury for next week so maybe that's when GBRF take over.

The DB schedules don’t often appear on RTT until the weekend before, so I wouldn’t read too much into that. They do vary a bit with timings, and sometimes run twice daily. They’ve always been STP workings whereas GBRF have regular timetabled paths on the system even if not used yet. There’s still also old paths for intermodal and aggregate trains although these are never used (think the last ‘plonkliner’ was Dec 2023).

 

[Freightmaster]

I think there has been mention recently of the Trafford Park to Tees Intermodal... Noticed it coming through Derby. Is it routed Crewe, Stafford, Lichfield, Derby for a specific reason or to allow Trans Pennine upgrades?

The eastbound train is being diverted that way this week due to overnight engineering work
(the westbound train is still running via Diggle).



MARK

 

[Trainman40083]

The eastbound train is being diverted that way this week due to overnight engineering work
(the westbound train is still running via Diggle).



MARK

Thanks for that

 

[Adrian Barr]

The DB schedules don’t often appear on RTT until the weekend before, so I wouldn’t read too much into that. They do vary a bit with timings, and sometimes run twice daily.

Good point... looks like these Portbury slab trains are being planned from week to week until GBRF have enough cut-down KEA wagons available. I don't think any more have moved to South Wales apart from those initial nine.

Should be DB running 6Z55 empties / 6Z53 loads (SX) again next week, also look out for schedules for a train on Sunday (16th) that might be running.

 

[Sun Chariot]

...until GBRF have enough cut-down KEA wagons available.

Is it just my ageing eyes, or did anyone else (mis)read that as "cut-down  IKEA wagons"!
I had an image of flat pack rolling stock.

 

[popsider]

I see earlier today GBRF ran a 4Z50 Doncaster-Fiddlers Ferry PS which must be the first train in the power station for over 3 years.

 

[Trainman40083]

I see earlier today GBRF ran a 4Z50 Doncaster-Fiddlers Ferry PS which must be the first train in the power station for over 3 years.

66707 it would seem. Loco left 25 minutes later, going back to Doncaster...Is something being parked up there?

 

[popsider]

66707 it would seem. Loco left 25 minutes later, going back to Doncaster...Is something being parked up there?

I know there was talk about taking waste materials away by rail,so maybe that's what's happening.

 

[Gaz67]

I know there was talk about taking waste materials away by rail,so maybe that's what's happening.

Empty coal hoppers for storage , bit of an odd location.

 

[Adrian Barr]

I see earlier today GBRF ran a 4Z50 Doncaster-Fiddlers Ferry PS which must be the first train in the power station for over 3 years.

Is something being parked up there?

Empty coal hoppers for storage , bit of an odd location.

It was a mixed bag of 23 hoppers. 14 of them were IIA coal hoppers (original 61ft length) which were used on Ratcliffe coal workings until Jan 2024 (see post #32 in the wagon discussion thread). In summer last year that set was used on stone workings from Arcow, before ending up stored at Hexthorpe Yard (Doncaster) in August until the move of some of the wagons to Fiddlers Ferry yesterday.

There were also 5 HHAs (50ft aggregate hoppers converted from coal hoppers) which GBRF had been using out of Peak Forest to cover for Cemex wagons damaged in the Audenshaw derailment. Finally, there were 4 HYAs (another type of 50ft aggregate hopper converted from coal hoppers) which were working out of Rylstone until a couple of weeks ago.

A snap of the 4Z50 working (not sure where it was taken) which ran via Wakefield Kirkgate, Huddersfield, Guide Bridge, Stockport, Northwich, Hartford Jn, Latchford (run round):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/182994465@N08/54326764471/ (Photo: Kev Murphy)

I found a "development framework" for the Fiddlers Ferry site, it's a large PDF talking about redevelopment of the site, but the only real nod towards rail freight is this vague statement about retaining the sidings:

"Existing rail sidings infrastructure: retained to safeguard rail connection and for future potential connection to employment area."

https://fiddlersferry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Fiddlers-Ferry-Development-Framework-Full-Document.pdf

General website about "Fiddler's Ferry Regeneration": https://fiddlersferry.com/

 

[HST125Scorton]

This week I noticed two STP paths for Weaste outside of Eccles. None of them actually ran in the end but it seemed to be loaded going in and back out empty. I'm presuming stuff was needed for cement? Can't actually remember the last time a working was down the branch apart from that Colas Training Job a whole while back.
6J50 0216 Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste & 6H51 1454 Weaste to Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) - STP schedule - MSSuX - 11/02/2025 to 14/02/2025.

 

[Wandering pete]

The last freight ran 16.2.21 when 70801 headed the Oxwellmains-Weaste cement tanks..prior to that the previous freights were back in 2016 when there was a problem on the Ship Canal preventing the usual boats coming over from Ireland.These workings were from Northfleet...July 2016.A railtour came down the branch 5.3.22 top and tailed by class 60 /66 and there was the light engine class 56090 8.8.24.

 

[Rhinojerry]

The last freight ran 16.2.21 when 70801 headed the Oxwellmains-Weaste cement tanks..prior to that the previous freights were back in 2016 when there was a problem on the Ship Canal preventing the usual boats coming over from Ireland.These workings were from Northfleet...July 2016.A railtour came down the branch 5.3.22 top and tailed by class 60 /66 and there was the light engine class 56090 8.8.24.

MV Swami is a fairly regular visitor to Weaste/Salford ? from Ireland.Cement is the load some of us think.
Manchester ship canal on Facebook a good source of info etc.

 

[HST125Scorton]

Another two paths for one day only Friday 21st February 2025 has appeared on RTT, as 6J50 0325 Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste & 6H51 1454 Weaste to Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh). Would this run this time? Who knows?
Also many thanks for the fbook page Manchester Ship Canal plenty of information on there kept me busy.

 

[Freightmaster]

Another two paths for one day only Friday 21st February 2025 has appeared on RTT, as 6J50 0325 Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste & 6H51 1454 Weaste to Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh). Would this run this time? Who knows?

It ran!

Realtime Trains | 6J50 0325 Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste | 21/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 6J50 0325 departure from Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste on 21/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

 

[Wandering pete]

It ran!

Realtime Trains | 6J50 0325 Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste | 21/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 6J50 0325 departure from Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste on 21/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

It ran!

Realtime Trains | 6J50 0325 Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste | 21/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 6J50 0325 departure from Tunstead Sdgs (Fhh) to Weaste on 21/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Feb 2025 ==

Apologies.previous post shows today's arrival at Weaste with the backdrop of the Imperial War Museum quite appropriately 66623 Lest We Forget has brought 16 JGA's up from Tunstead

 

[5562]

Provides a great viewpoint. Well worth a visit.

 

[Rail Ranger]

It was a mixed bag of 23 hoppers. 14 of them were IIA coal hoppers (original 61ft length) which were used on Ratcliffe coal workings until Jan 2024 (see post #32 in the wagon discussion thread). In summer last year that set was used on stone workings from Arcow, before ending up stored at Hexthorpe Yard (Doncaster) in August until the move of some of the wagons to Fiddlers Ferry yesterday.

There were also 5 HHAs (50ft aggregate hoppers converted from coal hoppers) which GBRF had been using out of Peak Forest to cover for Cemex wagons damaged in the Audenshaw derailment. Finally, there were 4 HYAs (another type of 50ft aggregate hopper converted from coal hoppers) which were working out of Rylstone until a couple of weeks ago.

A snap of the 4Z50 working (not sure where it was taken) which ran via Wakefield Kirkgate, Huddersfield, Guide Bridge, Stockport, Northwich, Hartford Jn, Latchford (run round):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/182994465@N08/54326764471/ (Photo: Kev Murphy)

I found a "development framework" for the Fiddlers Ferry site, it's a large PDF talking about redevelopment of the site, but the only real nod towards rail freight is this vague statement about retaining the sidings:



General website about "Fiddler's Ferry Regeneration": https://fiddlersferry.com/

The photo is at Navigation Road station.

 

[j37401]

Interesting more wagons being taken to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station site. x10 JRA wagons hauled by 66186 yesterday apparently for storage / maintenace for Touax https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R56267/2025-02-24/detailed

 

[atillathehunn]

Interesting more wagons being taken to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station site. x10 JRA wagons hauled by 66186 yesterday apparently for storage / maintenace for Touax https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R56267/2025-02-24/detailed

I am sure I am missing something, but it appears to do an unnecessary trip up and down the line from Latchford to Ditton? It does not appear to involve a triangle junction or anything to turn the rake round.

 

[j37401]

I am sure I am missing something, but it appears to do an unnecessary trip up and down the line from Latchford to Ditton? It does not appear to involve a triangle junction or anything to turn the rake round.

I think there was a scheduling error. The train ran round at Ditton Rec sidings and backed the wagons into the power station which must have been the easiest way to do it.

 

[atillathehunn]

I think there was a scheduling error. The train ran round at Ditton Rec sidings and backed the wagons into the power station which must have been the easiest way to do it.

Sure, that makes sense, I don't know what track is left in the Fiddler's Ferry compound so be able to get the loco off easily makes sense.

It was the double Latchford that did not quite make sense.

 

[Sun Chariot]

ROG's 37510 on Tuesday morning rescued a stalled GBRf 66-hauled freight at Mitre Bridge (west London).
Wonderful trackside photo taken by loco crew and posted on LinkedIn here:

When another operators freight service became stalled in the Mitre Bridge… | Iain Fitzpatrick MSc, BEng(Hons), ACSM, HND, DipCSM | 13 comments

When another operators freight service became stalled in the Mitre Bridge area of London this morning, Rail Operations Group (ROG) was on hand to provide immediate assistance to clear the running lines & minimise disruption to the morning commute for thousands of people. Delivered in a timely...

www.linkedin.com

Did any forum reader see the ensemble?