Amazon to use rail?

[Merle Haggard]

It doesn’t. However it is a parallel proceess, with similar approvals. Planning consent is approved, and separately (but concurrently) powers of compulsory purchase are granted.

Right, thanks. Presumably, once planning permission has been obtained there can be no objection to compulsory purchase.

Bit ironic that having spent most of my working life mostly in rail freight marketing/business management I get evicted from my workshop/storage retirement hobby by a new rail freight terminal. Karma .

 

[sbf kent]

I suspect Amazon have a different sense of scale here. I have spoken with the Amazon sustainability and logistics team and they are seeking European wide solutions, Rail will only play a role if it is integrated into their Europe wide network. For trucks they are looking at liquid hydrogen, which if it is produced from renewable sources will more than match the UK rail carbon mix (electricity being 50 per cent gas). If the UK can integrate rail into Amazon Europe fine - if not - they stick to trucks.

 

[sh24]

I suspect Amazon have a different sense of scale here. I have spoken with the Amazon sustainability and logistics team and they are seeking European wide solutions, Rail will only play a role if it is integrated into their Europe wide network. For trucks they are looking at liquid hydrogen, which if it is produced from renewable sources will more than match the UK rail carbon mix (electricity being 50 per cent gas). If the UK can integrate rail into Amazon Europe fine - if not - they stick to trucks.

There is very little volume moved between Europe and UK by Amazon. From a physical logistics perspective they are 2 separate networks.

 

[Bald Rick]

which if it is produced from renewable sources will more than match the UK rail carbon mix (electricity being 50 per cent gas).

Not in this country it isn’t! About a quarter.

 

[Trainbike46]

Not in this country it isn’t! About a quarter.

And will be even less by the time a hydrogen HGV is actually in service at Amazon

 

[Masbroughlad]

Is there scope for something between trainload and wagonload services again?

Amazon, Evri, DPD, Royal Mail, DHL etc, supermarkets and big retailers?

Problem is the disjointed railway these days. Passengers, parcels and goods are all very separate. A full circle to parcel drop offs at stations (a la Red Star) would need station/parcels staff. And, I guess, passenger trains carrying parcels/joined to make mixed traffic trains.

When you look at the bigger picture, the cuts and destaffing only moved costs to different modes, not remove them.

Maybe a new model will evolve?

 

[Meerkat]

There are a few websites to claim to list the location of all UK Amazon Fulfilment centres, not really sure what they could mean by pick-up from local statins close to Amazon facilities.

I’m guessing that when they say stations they really mean existing container terminals, and their idea of ‘close’ might be rather larger than ‘next door’

 

[Topological]

Amazon's new warehouse distribution centre in Poole is adjacent to the railway (Holes Bay, just west of former junction with line to Broadstone ). The rail line is electrified.

Fairly sure the Swansea Distribution centre has a rail line running past back of it too (but not electrified)

Not sure how close other centres are to rail lines

Not sure of the practicalities of a cart unloading platform (either on running line or loop, depending on train frequency) and conveyors running into the adjacent warehouse.

Not that many trains going into Swansea Burrows at the moment. Would probably be able to have a platform on the running line for all the difference it would make.

I still think the line should be part of a Swansea metro tram/train, but the likelihood of such is so low that it needs no consideration.

Wires needed on the main line before batteries would be reliable I suspect.