Highland Spring siding Blackford

furnessvale · 16 Aug 2017

Is anyone able to give a progress (if any) report on this new siding?

RailUK Forums

najaB · 16 Aug 2017

furnessvale said:
Is anyone able to give a progress (if any) report on this new siding?

Last time I passed that way was in April and there wasn't any visible sign of any work going on.

mcmad · 16 Aug 2017

Was up there at the weekend and nothing appears to have changed. Is it definitely happening, I know there was the trial but not seen anything concrete to say that it was to be developed permanently particularly given the awkward operating layout.

furnessvale · 16 Aug 2017

mcmad said:
Was up there at the weekend and nothing appears to have changed. Is it definitely happening, I know there was the trial but not seen anything concrete to say that it was to be developed permanently particularly given the awkward operating layout.

Full plans were prepared and planning permission was obtained after a huge struggle.

Mind you, this was in conjunction with an expansion of the factory side of things. It wouldn't surprise me if the railway is quietly dropped now they have built their bigger factory.

Ah well. The good residents of Blackford, who objected to the sidings, can look forward to many more 44tonnes HGVs passing right through the centre of the village!

47271 · 16 Aug 2017

I pass Blackford several times a week and I think that I would've noticed if any work was getting done. I reckon it's a goner.

I wonder if the people campaigning against the siding were the same ones demanding reinstatement of the station a few years back?

mcmad · 17 Aug 2017

furnessvale said:
Full plans were prepared and planning permission was obtained after a huge struggle.

Mind you, this was in conjunction with an expansion of the factory side of things. It wouldn't surprise me if the railway is quietly dropped now they have built their bigger factory.

Ah well. The good residents of Blackford, who objected to the sidings, can look forward to many more 44tonnes HGVs passing right through the centre of the village!

I've looked through the planning application for the expansion of the factory and can't see any reference or mention of a rail loading facility in there?

furnessvale · 19 Aug 2017

47271 said:
I pass Blackford several times a week and I think that I would've noticed if any work was getting done. I reckon it's a goner.

Discussion on Scotrail forum indicates that work is to start next year so perhaps there is still hope.

Why oh why do rail schemes take so long?

furnessvale · 27 Nov 2018

Updated planning permission passed on 28th September with work starting this year to be completed by end 2019.

InOban · 2 Dec 2018

Scotrail have just forwarded a tweet showing work on the site.

och aye · 22 Nov 2019

According to this article it will be ready by 2021.

https://www.scotsman.com/business/h...est-in-rail-freight-john-yellowlees-1-5049205

During design development, Network Rail discussed any future-proofing requirements in the Blackford area, such as proposed electrification of the main line between Dunblane and Perth and Scottish Governments plans for improved passenger services, and agreed a new south-facing connection to enter and leave the facility for which planning permission was granted in 2018.

Highland Spring Group has sensitively designed the facility to minimise the noise and visual impact on the community and the business is committed to being a good neighbour.

Each train will be equivalent in size to 22 HGVs. Two daily train paths on Monday to Friday and a weekly Saturday train path have been secured.

A fully electric rubber-tyre crane will lift and position containers on the train, and Highland Spring is exploring opportunities to bring raw materials to site by rail which will further reduce their carbon footprint.

Rail freight reduces CO2 emissions by up to 76 per cent compared to road and if the main line between Dunblane and Perth is electrified in future, there is an opportunity to consider the use of electric freight locomotives with a diesel engine for shunting in the yard.

Luddon Construction will soon begin construction of the new freight facility, the first in Scotland for more than 10 years. Construction is expected to take 12-14 months with the facility being operational in early 2021. Highland Spring Group highlighted that excellent collaborative working relationships have been key to the progress and success of the project to date.

Sox · 22 Nov 2019

As far as I tell, Highland’s facility seems to entail the recommissioning an existing siding facility:

https://www.tgp.uk.com/case_studies/375/#jp-carousel-3090

TGP were commissioned by Highland Spring to undertake a landscape appraisal with supporting visualisations as part of a planning application for a new rail freight facility at Blackford in Perth and Kinross. The project proposal was to redevelop and extend an existing railway siding to accommodate a rail freight facility, which included a moveable crane gantry with new rail and road infrastructure. TGP worked in collaboration with Keppie (Planning and Development) and the scope of work included the recommendation of appropriate landscape mitigation measures as part of the proposal. The landscape mitigation proposals were aimed at sensitively integrating the proposed development into the existing landscape context.

Photohunter71 · 22 Nov 2019

That is most definitely a move in the right direction!

furnessvale · 22 Nov 2019

Sox said:
As far as I tell, Highland’s facility seems to entail the recommissioning an existing siding facility:

https://www.tgp.uk.com/case_studies/375/#jp-carousel-3090

Whilst the site has an old out of use siding, I think this scheme is rather more than a simple recommissioning. There appears to be run round facilities, container handling and storage pads on site.

61653 HTAFC · 22 Nov 2019

I note the following paragraph quoted in post #10:

"A fully electric rubber-tyre crane will lift and position containers on the train, and Highland Spring is exploring opportunities to bring raw materials to site by rail which will further reduce their carbon footprint."

The part I've bolded intrigues me: what raw materials (apart from bottles) would a spring water company need?! o_O

najaB · 22 Nov 2019

61653 HTAFC said:
The part I've bolded intrigues me: what raw materials (apart from bottles) would a spring water company need?!

It will be bottles and packaging materials on an ongoing basis, but I think they're referring to the materials needed during construction.

kylemore · 22 Nov 2019

The best part of 5 YEARS to organise a siding!

najaB · 22 Nov 2019

kylemore said:
The best part of 5 YEARS to organise a siding!

It's not just a siding, it's a freight depot (even though it's dedicated to a single user).

kylemore · 22 Nov 2019

Ok a bit of hard standing, maybe even a transit shed - but still - 5 YEARS!

What hope is there in Scotland for a meaningful expansion of rail freight at this woeful rate of progress?

furnessvale · 22 Nov 2019

kylemore said:
Ok a bit of hard standing, maybe even a transit shed - but still - 5 YEARS!

What hope is there in Scotland for a meaningful expansion of rail freight at this woeful rate of progress?

Not only for Scotland but the whole UK.

How many years have the proposed railfreight depots at Four Ashes (Wolverhampton) and St Albans been held up by objection after objection? Every MP wants more freight on rail.......as long as the depot is in someone else's constituency.

InOban · 22 Nov 2019

kylemore said:
Ok a bit of hard standing, maybe even a transit shed - but still - 5 YEARS!

What hope is there in Scotland for a meaningful expansion of rail freight at this woeful rate of progress?

The works by network rail were completed in a blockade some time ago (? early this year). Any delay now is down to Highland Spring.

najaB · 22 Nov 2019

kylemore said:
What hope is there in Scotland for a meaningful expansion of rail freight at this woeful rate of progress?

Blame (or thank) the planning system for a large part of that delay.

furnessvale · 22 Nov 2019

InOban said:
The works by network rail were completed in a blockade some time ago (? early this year). Any delay now is down to Highland Spring.

I believe thay have only recently been awarded the grant aid that was part of the deal.

If Scottish grant aid is anything like the now defunct section 8 aid in England, any start of work before the award meant that the grant was forfeited.

kylemore · 22 Nov 2019

Well whoever is to blame, and I'm sure you're right, the end result is that there's little chance of rail freight ever expanding in Scotland unless there's a revolution in thinking in the rail industry backed up by government commitment to smooth the path of development.

furnessvale · 22 Nov 2019

kylemore said:
Well whoever is to blame, and I'm sure you're right, the end result is that there's little chance of rail freight ever expanding in Scotland unless there's a revolution in thinking in the rail industry backed up by government commitment to smooth the path of development.

Don't worry, renationalising will make things run like silk!

Carntyne · 23 Nov 2019

kylemore said:
Well whoever is to blame, and I'm sure you're right, the end result is that there's little chance of rail freight ever expanding in Scotland unless there's a revolution in thinking in the rail industry backed up by government commitment to smooth the path of development.

The rail industry has already done its bit. It's over to Highland Spring now.

dk1 · 23 Nov 2019

Carntyne said:
The rail industry has already done its bit. It's over to Highland Spring now.

Im sure it will be worth the wait. Always good to see freight moving over to rail.

Cowley · 24 Jul 2022

Thread reopened for @najaB to provide an update.

najaB · 24 Jul 2022

Carntyne said:
The rail industry has already done its bit. It's over to Highland Spring now.

And Highland Spring has, delivered. Well, will deliver:

Railsigns · 24 Jul 2022

A matter of signalling interest is that the colour light signal at the exit from the yard is normally extinguished to prevent sighting problems. A plunger has to be operated to illuminate the main aspect before a train leaves the yard.

Class 170101 · 26 Jul 2022

Doesn't seem efficient if only three containers at a time will operate.

Highland Spring siding Blackford

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