Best Freight Operator

[Aictos]

Exactly as the title says BUT for Freight Operators only!

 

[GB]

Depends what you mean by "best". I don't suppose the majority of forum members would have any experience personally dealing with the FOCs.

 

[Aictos]

Depends what you mean by "best". I don't suppose the majority of forum members would have any experience personally dealing with the FOCs.

Yes but there must be one which although I doubt many of us have dealings with actually like them.

You don't need to have dealings with them to like them, I don't have dealings with Pacers yet detest them.

 

[MCR247]

Wouldn't GBRF and Eurotunnel be the same?

 

[9K43]

Frieghtliner for stealing all the traffic from EWS, and the fools at EWS said that this company was not a worry to them.
Said by the Engineering Director 2001.
I rest my case.

 

[The Planner]

None of them because they all chuck their toys out the pram more than the passenger tocs do.

 

[GB]

When you get shafted as much as the FOCs do its pretty understandable.

 

[6S83]

When you get shafted as much as the FOCs do its pretty understandable.

Indeed, if the FOCs recieved a fraction of the subsidy that TOCs get then they'd be able to take more freight off the roads and stop laying staff off.
Also if some of the NR budget was spent on improving freight lines, lengthening loops and run rounds and putting in sidings, rather than wasting billions knocking 5 seconds off the journey time on 'Sir Richard's railway' then all freight companies could improve service to their customers, run longer trains and become more competitive against road haulage.

 

[GearJammer]

As much as i like GBRf and Freightliner im gonna go for Mendip rail!

 

[Turbostar]

Wouldn't GBRF and Eurotunnel be the same?

That's what I thought, didn't Eurotunnel buy out GBRf?

 

[37401]

When you get shafted as much as the FOCs do its pretty understandable.

We'll have none of that on this forum mister

 

[33056]

Who operates the Mendip Rail trains then?

I used to work for an FOC and have no regrets about leaving but don't hold anything against them. At the end of the day I like to see all railfreight doing well, whoever the operator.

 

[Aictos]

Who operates the Mendip Rail trains then?

Mendip Rail Ltd is an independent freight operating railway company in Great Britain. It is composed of the rail-operation divisions of Aggregate Industries (formerly Foster Yeoman) and Hanson Aggregates (previously ARC).

The company operates aggregates trains from the Quarries of the Mendip Hills in South-West England to London and South-East England. The Foster Yeoman quarries are at Torr Works and Dulcote Quarry, while Hanson has plants at Batts Combe Quarry and Whatley Quarry.

The company operates four Class 59/0 diesel locomotives owned by Aggregate Industries and four Class 59/1 locomotives owned by Hanson Aggregates.

Mendip Rail owns Merehead Traction Maintenance Depot (Merehead TMD) where the above eight rail locomotives are allocated. They can also be seen at Hither Green TMD where they receive heavy maintenance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendip_Rail

 

[Legzr1]

Frieghtliner for stealing all the traffic from EWS, and the fools at EWS said that this company was not a worry to them.
Said by the Engineering Director 2001.
I rest my case.

You could easily blame EWS for that - mis-management at all levels,total disregard for staff at the front line,an arrogance that 'because we're the biggest we have nothing to fear' and,guess what? - with the change to DBS nothing has changed.

Actually, it's getting worse.

I speak from [bitter] experience.

 

[SouthEastern-465]

Went for Colas Rail myself.

Although I have had no dealing with Colas as there a FOC I have always liked them.

 

[9K43]

You could easily blame EWS for that - mis-management at all levels,total disregard for staff at the front line,an arrogance that 'because we're the biggest we have nothing to fear' and,guess what? - with the change to DBS nothing has changed.

Actually, it's getting worse.

I speak from [bitter] experience.

I'm glad someone agrees with me. EWS/DB started well, then we got an Eskimo as the boss and things took a big turn for the worst.
Bully boy tactics by managers that had no idea what a shunt pole was used for.
Experts on Balast trains, cos she told me she had been on once.
In the past I have worked over 35 BT's on a Sunday for many years, and that counts for nowt.
Anyway the man with the Skidoo is back chasing Polar Bears where he belongs.
Now its managed by Storm Troopers so nowt ever changes.

 

[PR1Berske]

Indeed, if the FOCs recieved a fraction of the subsidy that TOCs get then they'd be able to take more freight off the roads and stop laying staff off.
Also if some of the NR budget was spent on improving freight lines, lengthening loops and run rounds and putting in sidings, rather than wasting billions knocking 5 seconds off the journey time on 'Sir Richard's railway' then all freight companies could improve service to their customers, run longer trains and become more competitive against road haulage.

^^^This, in spades

 

[33056]

Apologies for the late reply, but with reference to Mendip Rail they might be an FOC in their own right but their trains are still manned by DBS. I was going to point this out at the time but needed to check with one of my contacts that this was still the case as I havn't been directly involved with these trains for some years now.

AFAIK the final planning is also done through DBS though Mendip Rail specify what and when they want to run (as with any other customer)

 

[Toots]

Indeed, if the FOCs recieved a fraction of the subsidy that TOCs get then they'd be able to take more freight off the roads and stop laying staff off.
Also if some of the NR budget was spent on improving freight lines, lengthening loops and run rounds and putting in sidings, rather than wasting billions knocking 5 seconds off the journey time on 'Sir Richard's railway' then all freight companies could improve service to their customers, run longer trains and become more competitive against road haulage.

The FOC's don't recieve any subsidy at all.There was the Freight Facilities Grant but that has been extended to other modes of transport and certainly isn't a direct subsidy.The reason Virgin often appear to get NWR to get work done on the lines that they use is that they contribute heavily to the funding of that work.I think that there should be a subsidy to reintroduce wagonload and low volume traffic similar to the old Enterprise workings,the cost would be offset to the DOT by taking lorries off the roads making savings in the cost of wear and tear and mitigate the need for road widening and new roads etc.