Cars Under The Channel

[ChiefPlanner]

Back in the day - as manager for automotive (BR) we did a lot through Queenborough - so good to see it may come back.

 

[swj99]

I blame the people who buy them. If it wasn't for that, there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.

 

[455driver]

I blame the people who buy them. If it wasn't for that, there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.

What? :-?

 

[3141]

There’s been a problem for the best part of century and maybe longer: other forms of transport can be cheaper than rail. I’m thinking of the impact of lorries after the First World War, as a result of large numbers of vehicles being released by the military and the large number of mechanics trained in the services who knew how to maintain and drive them. The subject of this thread includes transport by ship rather than by train, but the issue is the same – people and companies sending goods will generally use the cheapest method. For the most part they are not going to say “Ah, there is a Channel Tunnel, we could send our cars (or whatever) through that at a higher cost.” If they did do that, customers and others would grumble about the resulting higher price that they had to pay to buy the cars.

I recall being at a meeting some years ago between SWT and NR and local stakeholders. Some large industrial activity was planned to take place near a rail line, which would produce a lot of lorry movements. “Why don’t you send this material by rail?” someone asked the NR representatives. But it wasn’t up to NR – it was a matter for the organisation carrying out the activity. To use rail would have required a freight company with suitable rolling stock to be prepared to do it at a better price. Just because rail links exist does not make them the preferred method of transporting freight.

A government could put in place procedures that would require rail to be used wherever possible, or whatever transport method had the lowest carbon footprint, or the one that would lead to the smallest number of vehicle movements and mileage, or any other criteria that were thought desirable. Some of them would lead to delays, or higher costs, or job losses at existing facilities (as suggested here in the case of Sheerness). In some circumstances such consequences might seem acceptable, and in others they would not, even if there was a social priority to get freight off the roads, or to reduce carbon emissions as much as possible, or whatever it might be..

I’d expect that forward-looking companies do investigate whether using different modes might be to their advantage, and some of the rail freight companies will always be on the look-out for new opportunities. That may lead to a greater willingness to take up rail-based options. But they will only be taken up if they offer economic benefits.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I blame the people who buy them. If it wasn't for that, there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.

What!? That's the kind of nonsense that UKIP would come out with! Our 'pool car' is a Peugeot 207 and it's a lovely car and very cheap to insure for young drivers.

 

[swj99]

What!? That's the kind of nonsense that UKIP would come out with! Our 'pool car' is a Peugeot 207 and it's a lovely car and very cheap to ensure for young drivers.

Yes, but it's French. :roll:

 

[Ash Bridge]

Yes, but it's French. :roll:

Is there any such thing as a pure French, German,British etc car these days? Not exact details but certain eg. Citroen models have aFord Diesel engine installed that is built in Britain or BMWs and Mercedes with window glass manufactured in France or UK. I have a Ford Mondeo with alloy wheel centre caps made by VW/Audi but manufactured in Spain, and so it goes...

 

[muddythefish]

G'day everyone.

I've recently read that Peugeot cars are transported by train through France to Calais before being loaded on to a ship and transported to Sheerness!! Why oh why are these cars not being transported under the Channel and then along HS1? Assuming that these trains ran through the night they would be in Sheerness within a couple of hours. Surely there can be no excuses; its an established flow running daily and we have spare class 92's to haul the train.

Your thoughts on this (and any possible explanations) would be very welcome!

Kind regards,

Richmond Commuter!

There used to be a direct service of new Peugeot cars from France to the Eurohub at Corby. I used to see it going through Bedford every day about 2pm.

I don't know why this service no longer runs.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Yes, but it's French. :roll:

So what, it's a good car and it's cheap to service / insure. The fact that its made by a French owned company is irrelevant.

 

[russellg]

Yesterday Peel Ports - owners of Sheerness Docks - announced plans to 'create a new rail link between Liverpool and Sheerness' in order to increase the movement of cars and vans by rail. Details are promised next week. I do not imagine this means new rail infrastructure, except perhaps a new car transporter terminal at Queenborough, just south of Sheerness. Perhaps there might also be developments at Liverpool too.

I suppose the thinking is that ships full of Peugot-Citroen cars arrive at Sheerness and then sail away empty. Why not fill them with Land Rovers and Fords exported from the UK, transported to Sheerness by rail?

Incidentally, Thamesteel at Sheerness has been closed for several years. There is talk of re-opening the rolling mill, but no suggestion of manufacturing steel again. The rail link across the main road from the steel works yard to the docks still exists, but is long disused. The last time I saw it in operation was about ten years ago when a DBS 08 shunted loaded car transporters across.

Fergus

How many vehicles do Ford manufacture in the UK? The answer is none. The last complete vehicles made by them were Transit vans in Southampton. That factory was replaced by one in Turkey which was funded (partly) by a grant from the EU. Great, isn't it?

 

[Ash Bridge]

How many vehicles do Ford manufacture in the UK? The answer is none. The last complete vehicles made by them were Transit vans in Southampton. That factory was replaced by one in Turkey which was funded (partly) by a grant from the EU. Great, isn't it?

Indeed, And Turkey Isn't even in the European Union!