Hypothetical services after future modal shift to rail

[Class15]

Why would you remove passenger trains over the Felixstowe branch to make way for freight, when a lot of the freight traffic to Felixstowe isn’t running?

If demand to Felixstowe picks up again, then maybe.

 

[Bald Rick]

Why would you remove passenger trains over the Felixstowe branch to make way for freight, when a lot of the freight traffic to Felixstowe isn’t running?

If demand to Felixstowe picks up again, then maybe.

It might not all be running right now, following the shipping line changes, but you can be sure the branch will be full again in short order

 

[eldomtom2]

Personally I would strongly oppose any curtailment of services on the Felixstowe branch. If you insist passenger trains can't block freight traffic pretty soon you end up with no passenger trains at all - see the US.

 

[Brubulus]

There's a peak extra on the Felixstowe Branch. Alongside being a very inefficient use of resources, that likely blocks an additional freight train since by the time that freight train reaches Ely or London, it's no longer the peak, though it does likely carry more people than the equivalent number of vehicles in a freight train due to being a peak service.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Personally I would strongly oppose any curtailment of services on the Felixstowe branch. If you insist passenger trains can't block freight traffic pretty soon you end up with no passenger trains at all - see the US.

Well, this is the sort of thing that will have to be addressed if the Government’s target of 75% rail freight growth by 2050 is to have any meaning. Not just on the Felixstowe branch.

HS2 might deal with the WCML (South) but there are plenty of other congested areas (even if not formally designated yet).

As we have seen in the Hope Valley, upgrading largely for more/longer freight trains requires serious investment.

 

[Technologist]

Well, this is the sort of thing that will have to be addressed if the Government’s target of 75% rail freight growth by 2050 is to have any meaning. Not just on the Felixstowe branch.

HS2 might deal with the WCML (South) but there are plenty of other congested areas (even if not formally designated yet).

As we have seen in the Hope Valley, upgrading largely for more/longer freight trains requires serious investment.

That is the sort of target that breeds idiotic solutions, why 75%? This is one of those areas where a "market solution" is needed even if the government puts their fingers on the scale by helping develop specific technologies.

Again I suspect such a target will have been done on the basis of outdated assumptions about road freight electrification, there won't be a meaningful number of diesel power trucks on the road in 2050 as they generally only last about 10 years for a highly used tractor unt.