Loco depots are they in the right place ?

[high camera]

just a thought and interested in peoples views.

Taking modern freight flows where would the optimum locations for loco traction depots be ?

For example is Toton relevant now coal has all but gone ?

 

[Neo9320]

Considering it’s usage and plans for HS2 I’d say Toton is relevant

 

[Dr Hoo]

There are relatively few freight locomotive 'depots' any more. Quite a lot of freight traction receives light inspection and fueling at 'outstabling' points, sometimes on customer premises, so the need for formal depots is even smaller than it used to be. This is quite apart from the whole 'fewer-but-longer trains' trend. Modern traction tends to be rather more reliable than the ex-BR fleet that often seemed to have around 30% of a pool sitting round in some sort of 'failed' status, waiting to be patched up at a traditional depot.

Various post-privatisation facilities, such as for GBRf at Doncaster and Freightliner at Ipswich seem to be well located in relation to current principal traffic flows.

 

[rower40]

If there's one thing that privatisation has done...
With private companies running the freight fleets, additional light-loco and empty-train miles show up on the bottom line as increased track access charges, and fuel. So it's been in freight operators' interests to re-site their depots. Leeds Midland Road (Freightliner) springs to mind - opened in 2003 according to Wikipedia.

Conversely, if a depot occupies prime building land, then there's an incentive to sell up and relocate somewhere cheaper. There's not much trace of Finsbury Park or Stratford depots any more.

 

[172007]

Gbrf often have their loco's refuelled at Smallheath aggregate yard whilst their train is being discharged. Far more efficient than the old days of a path and back to say Saltley.

 

[306024]

There are relatively few freight locomotive 'depots' any more. Quite a lot of freight traction receives light inspection and fueling at 'outstabling' points, sometimes on customer premises, so the need for formal depots is even smaller than it used to be. This is quite apart from the whole 'fewer-but-longer trains' trend. Modern traction tends to be rather more reliable than the ex-BR fleet that often seemed to have around 30% of a pool sitting round in some sort of 'failed' status, waiting to be patched up at a traditional depot.

Various post-privatisation facilities, such as for GBRf at Doncaster and Freightliner at Ipswich seem to be well located in relation to current principal traffic flows.

You’ll be pleased to know Hoo Jn seemed quite busy when I passed last week

Work at Ipswich on the new inspection and fuelling facilities on the up side is progressing. Freightliner must be happy with Ipswich as a location otherwise they wouldn’t spend the money. Also relocating all the drivers to Felixstowe wouldn’t be cheap even if that was ever considered.

 

[eastdyke]

You’ll be pleased to know Hoo Jn seemed quite busy when I passed last week

Work at Ipswich on the new inspection and fuelling facilities on the up side is progressing. Freightliner must be happy with Ipswich as a location otherwise they wouldn’t spend the money. Also relocating all the drivers to Felixstowe wouldn’t be cheap even if that was ever considered.

That is good to know, hope to get around to see for myself in the next few weeks. Any news on the future of the old down side site? Further thoughts of Ipswich P5/6?
Cheers!

 

[trainmania100]

I think we need a DBC cargo closer to Brighton.
Flows from Newhaven are steadily increasing , I've even seen a few STP paths from Newhaven marine to Newhaven towne yard via reversal at Lewes.
Maybe Acton and hither green aren't that all far to come, but when you've got wtt paths from Newhaven to Crawley, and the possibility of more than 2 trains a day out of Newhaven marine it would be nice to see some sort of depot here

 

[zwk500]

I think we need a DBC cargo closer to Brighton.
Flows from Newhaven are steadily increasing , I've even seen a few STP paths from Newhaven marine to Newhaven towne yard via reversal at Lewes.
Maybe Acton and hither green aren't that all far to come, but when you've got wtt paths from Newhaven to Crawley, and the possibility of more than 2 trains a day out of Newhaven marine it would be nice to see some sort of depot here

The obvious place to put one is Three Bridges, but tbh as all the Sussex freight flows are to Acton anyway it's probably not worth the cost of running another depot given the number of total freight paths is fairly restricted on the BML.

 

[306024]

That is good to know, hope to get around to see for myself in the next few weeks. Any news on the future of the old down side site? Further thoughts of Ipswich P5/6?
Cheers!

As far as I know thinking is all that is happening with additional platforms at Ipswich. Was there the other evening when there were 5 trains for 4 platforms, so both InterCity services had to use platform 3, delaying the up service. This is caused by class 755s which can’t share platform 1 like previous stock used to. So who would pay? No one seems prepared to pay for the overhead wire in platform 1 to be extended a bit to keep passengers dry, so two new platforms seems optimistic for now.