DB Freight train Köln - Manchester.

[Domagoj Vu]

Good evening, i'm doing research along with my elve (which sadly dosen't know english language, so i have do for him instead) with the freight train from the title, i found this videoclip from Gremberg containing Sfhimmns steel coil wagons, possibly from Talbot Port from Tata, FS Habfis and Cargowaggon / GE Rail Capital Services Habfis H2 wagons.

Can anyone confirm destination of these 'UK profile' wagons where they went in continental Europe and to who, especially in Germany? I'm more interesed on Cargowaggon's Habfis H2 wagons.

The Linke Hofmann Busch VTG / TIPHOOK Habfis ferry wagons have been used by Procter & Gamble in Crailsheim to Manchester, sadly they are gone on road by 2001 or 2002, by DB's MORA C program caused by former controversial DB CEO Hartmut Mehdorn, and i believe this with MORA C is gone on road in 2008.

I know Ford and Volkswagen used (IVA) Cargowaggon Hbfis wagons, i dont know Fords whwere they went, but i know Volkswagen used them from Birch Coppice - Cologne ( i have no clue where this VW plant is however).

I'm looking also image of this train between 1999 to 2008, train number is also welcome for this research.

Thank you and good night.

 

[Domagoj Vu]

Anyone?
Also i apologies for miss title, i should say Wembley since my guess it ends his destionation there.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Hello,

to begin, I have this list of "ferry van" wagon types in use in the UK in 2008, with UK and European codes (and length):

IVA 80 2398 xxxx 15.2m Hbfins
IWA 80 2693 0xxx 22.2m Habfis F3
IWA 80 2797 xxxx 21.7m Habfis 2
IWA 80 2798 xxxx 21.7m Habfis 2
IWA 80 4741 xxxx 20.8m Sfins 2
IWB 80 2797 0xxx 20.06m Habfis F2
IWB 80 2797 1xxx 20.06m Habfis F2
IWB 80 2797 5xxx 21.7m Habfis 2
IWB 80 2797 6xxx 21.7m Habfis 2
IZA 80 2829 xxxx 27m Hfirrs 4
IZA 80 2929 xxxx 27m Hfirrs 3

And some info on the Touax website: http://www.touaxrail.com/type/sliding-wall-wagons

---

For the Habfis F2 / H2 (?) wagons I have this list of wagons that were used on the Gremberg to Wembley train. I think the Gremberg traffic finished at the end of 2008 or in 2009.

P-0169 FX ASSIGNED TO 89730 RETRN-DB XFW 0051 IWB
GE/RAILON GERMANY--UK VARI'S.013 02372374

WGN NUMBER COMDTY L TYP CONSIGNEE ORIGIN DESTINATION DATE
8027970007 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027970148 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 04/06
8027970163 E IWB ALSTOM UK 87-FONTINETT - 21/12
8027970197 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027970254 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027970270 E IWB DB.CARGO 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-PLATTLING 04/04
8027970288 E IWB DB.CARGO 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-GREMBERG 29/04
8027970296 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 04/06
8027970338 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027970445 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027970502 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 04/10
8027970551 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-AVNMTHMCGCOR 80-GREMBERG 28/12
8027970577 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027970692 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 17/06
8027970726 E IWB RAILION 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-GREMBERG 30/05
8027970841 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-AVNMTHMCGCOR 80-15008 17/12
8027970882 E IWB DBCARG 70-AVNMTHMCGCOR 80-GREMBERG 19/12
8027970890 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 04/06
8027970932 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 04/06
8027970940 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971013 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-AVNMTHMCGCOR 80-15008 17/12
8027971039 E IWB DBCARGO 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 05/06
8027971047 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 14/06
8027971070 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 04/06
8027971096 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 17/06
8027971104 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971153 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 04/06
8027971187 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971286 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971302 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971427 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-AVNMTHMCGCOR 80-15008 13/12
8027971435 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-AVNMTHMCGCOR 80-15008 13/12
8027971443 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971492 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 27/11
8027971500 E IWB DB.CARGO 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-GREMBERG 28/03
8027971567 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-AVNMTHMCGCOR 80-15008 13/12
8027971591 E IWB PLI.MD 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-PLATTLING 01/05
8027971724 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971815 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 31/05
8027971831 E IWB PLI.MD 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-PLATTLING 01/05
8027971898 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027971914 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 10/05
8027971930 E IWB RAILION 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-GREMBERG 30/05
8027971948 E IWB DBCARGO 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 11/06
8027971955 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12
8027972003 E IWB RAILION 70-DOLLANDSMOOR 80-GREMBERG 30/05
8027972029 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 10/05
8027972045 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-GREMBERG 31/05
8027972060 E IWB CONTGREMB 70-DAVENTY MALC 80-15008 06/12

TOTAL 49

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The destination for the wagons in Germany - I think these wagons (above) were mainly used to transport paper from UPM paper mills to the UK. Two of the paper mills in Germany were at Plattling and Schwedt (see links below):

https://www.upmpaper.com/knowledge-...cess-with-employee-representatives-concluded/
https://www.upmpaper.com/knowledge-...-schwedt-mill-to-leipa-georg-leinfelder-gmbh/

In the UK this paper traffic was delivered mainly to Daventry, but also to Avonmouth, Ripple Lane (near Barking, East London) and Ely.

Photos of the ferry wagons in the UK (there is some information in the comments):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/142020444@N04/50819761528/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/d1021/50678620436/

Ford used the IVA / Hbfins wagons for component traffic between Bridgend and Dagenham, seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/138724433@N06/33858939088/
The Ford traffic stopped in 2020 when the factory for engines at Bridgend closed. These wagons also occasionally went to Europe for repairs (revision) on the Gremberg train.

There are also some lists of ferry wagons / cargowaggons used in 2008 here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/81408-vga-and-cargowaggons/

And some information on the IZA / Hfirrs wagons here: https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/pg/162/KMRC-Wagon---IZA-Cargowaggon

I'm looking also image of this train between 1999 to 2008, train number is also welcome for this research.

Some photos of the Wembley / Gremberg trains in Europe: https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=wembley+gremberg

The trains numbers in the photo captions are 44482 (from Gremberg) and 46401 (to Gremberg)

I hope that helps, it is an interesting topic!

 

[Domagoj Vu]

Thank you, Adrian! Interesing topic, i believe the tanks are been also on this train, but they already have been forbidden to pass Channel Tunnel or ferry one year earlier by DB's CEO Mehdorn as far i've heard.
Thats how many grain wagons, tanks and other type of wagons are ended on continental Europe then.

 

[Adrian Barr]

There were some VTG tanks transporting Chlorodifluoromethane (non-flammable gas) through the tunnel until December 2009 - I think the Wembley to Gremberg service must have stopped at the end of 2009.
I added a comment to a picture of them here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60771112@N07/38195933386/

I know Ford and Volkswagen used (IVA) Cargowaggon Hbfis wagons, i dont know Fords whwere they went, but i know Volkswagen used them from Birch Coppice - Cologne ( i have no clue where this VW plant is however).

I found some information on the Birch Coppice traffic from a DB Cargo newsletter. It says most of the wagons with VW car parts came from "The Original Parts Center (OTC) in Baunatal near Kassel"

The original is in German here: https://www.dbcargo.com/resource/bl...be8c6617484ac2f3f/freightnews_200602-data.pdf

Using google translate to English:

Since 2002, the rail subsidiary Schenker Automotive RailNet GmbH has been organizing the rail transport of original parts for Volkswagen AG to its distribution center in Birch Coppice, near Birmingham, England. With an information platform developed by the Customer Service Center, everyone involved in the transport now receives timely information about the transport status of the freight wagons used.
VW sells around 45 million cars a year across Europe. The car manufacturer uses around 70 percent of the rail transport to ensure that its international distribution centers are supplied with original parts. The Original Parts Center (OTC) in Baunatal near Kassel takes care of supplies to VW's international regional warehouses. With a building area of 340,000 square meters, it is the largest of its kind in Europe and is optimally designed for rail transport. For example, all warehouses can be easily reached by rail via the local rail connection.
A large proportion of the freight wagons destined for the English distribution center start at the OTC in Baunatal. The remaining wagons come from other Volkswagen locations or directly from the suppliers. “We transport all original parts – from the windshield to the alternator – with eight to ten freight wagons a day from a total of 15 German VW shipping stations to Birch Coppice, that is 1,600 wagons a year," says Michael Gaschütz, the responsible Key Account Manager at Schenker Automotive RailNet, describing the quantities transported. The wagons are initially bundled in the Gremberg marshalling yard. From there, two block trains travel daily through Belgium and France according to the international timetable. At Calais, they go through the 50-kilometer-long Channel Tunnel to to Wembley in England. There the trains are dismantled again and the original parts are transported in single wagons to the distribution center in Birch Coppice. Five railways are involved in the international rail transport: the VW factory railway in Baunatal, Railion Deutschland AG, the Belgian SNCB, the French SNCF and the English EWS (English, Welsh & Scottish Railway). "The cooperation between the railways is absolutely smooth, which is why the total transit time is only four days," says Martin Blitz from Product Management at Schenker Automotive RailNet. He has been in charge of VW transport from the very beginning. "The quick transport time was an important criterion for VW to choose rail," adds Blitz.

In this picture at Birch Coppice (in 2005) they are using Hbfins (IVA) and Hfirrs 4 (IZA) wagons on this traffic: https://www.theironroad.net/DieselE...7/Class-37-English-Welsh-Scottish/i-WVBKLK3/A