Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[JKF]

one booked in Thursday

Realtime Trains | Departures from Portbury Auto Terminal Gbf all day on 20/01/2022

Train information at Portbury Auto Terminal Gbf all day on 20/01/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I think the paths have remained on the system since services stopped in September, so wouldn’t be certain that will run, but I’ll be watching keenly. The ship heading to Glensanda is actually returning to Southampton now so probably a red herring.

 

[Donny_m]

I think the paths have remained on the system since services stopped in September, so wouldn’t be certain that will run, but I’ll be watching keenly. The ship heading to Glensanda is actually returning to Southampton now so probably a red herring.

Full squadron of orange coats faffing about at the level crossing in Ashton gate.

 

[valentaman]

new toyota car flow ex toton has launched today https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H29001/2022-01-19/detailed

66183 6X11 Toton North Yard to Dollands Moor at Langham Jn Toyota cars on Groupe Cat STVA Car wagons 19-01-2022

Explore Iain Wright - A Rutland Photographer's 27515 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[Freightmaster]

I think the paths have remained on the system since services stopped in September, so wouldn’t be certain that will run, but I’ll be watching keenly.

Those Thursday empties from Colnbrook actually run to Avonmouth, rather than Portbury:

Realtime Trains | 4B77 1045 Colnbrook Lafarge Gbrf to Avonmouth West Wharf Gbrf | 20/01/2022

Real-time train running information for 4B77 1045 departure from Colnbrook Lafarge Gbrf to Avonmouth West Wharf Gbrf on 20/01/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

So near yet so far, etc!




MARK

 

[Oxfordblues]

new toyota car flow ex toton has launched today https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H29001/2022-01-19/detailed

66183 6X11 Toton North Yard to Dollands Moor at Langham Jn Toyota cars on Groupe Cat STVA Car wagons 19-01-2022

Explore Iain Wright - A Rutland Photographer's 27515 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Thank you for the link. This is excellent news. Great to see a proper freight train on the Bedford-Bletchley line today. It is I believe a final vindication of the efforts by my colleagues at Railfreight Distribution in the 1990s who were trying to establish an East Midlands railhead for Channel Tunnel automotive traffic. The big challenge might be security at Frethun when the train returns and migrants try to board, so I'm surprised they're not using fully-enclosed WIAs.

 

[furnessvale]

Thank you for the link. This is excellent news. Great to see a proper freight train on the Bedford-Bletchley line today. It is I believe a final vindication of the efforts by my colleagues at Railfreight Distribution in the 1990s who were trying to establish an East Midlands railhead for Channel Tunnel automotive traffic. The big challenge might be security at Frethun when the train returns and migrants try to board, so I'm surprised they're not using fully-enclosed WIAs.

Although a WIA is fully enclosed, is it not possible to climb up under the bellows between units and enter the vehicle? If that was the case, any entrants would then be unseen from outside.

Also, haven't they now got some posh scanner at frethun now that the train passes through?

 

[Meerkat]

The big challenge might be security at Frethun when the train returns and migrants try to board, so I'm surprised they're not using fully-enclosed WIAs.

Easy to get on but hard to hide on and easy for the dogs to have a sniff around. In fact a simple IR camera would be very hard to hide from wouldnt it?

 

[BRX]

Here they are passing through south london.

 

[furnessvale]

Here they are passing through south london.

Thanks for that. Presumably the short rake is only for this trial run. I would expect atleast twice that length on the service trains.

 

[BRX]

Thanks for that. Presumably the short rake is only for this trial run. I would expect atleast twice that length on the service trains.

Yes, I was thinking the same.

Also, haven't they now got some posh scanner at frethun now that the train passes through?

I believe they have. I wonder if this is a service that has been enabled by this.

 

[3973EXL]

The big challenge might be security at Frethun when the train returns and migrants try to board, so I'm surprised they're not using fully-enclosed WIAs.

WIAs are good for Security and Protection of the load.

But, they have limitations. The wagon has to be within the Loading Gauge with the hood down.

Cars over the years have become higher, and wider at that height. Not only do you need room to load/unloaded with the hood up, but, enough clearance with it down to prevent damage to the cars.

Looking at the video, I have my doubts the WIA would be suitable for this traffic. The Train is running as 6X11, (conveys Out of Gauge Traffic).

 

[Oxfordblues]

Although a WIA is fully enclosed, is it not possible to climb up under the bellows between units and enter the vehicle? If that was the case, any entrants would then be unseen from outside.

Also, haven't they now got some posh scanner at frethun now that the train passes through?

Thank you furnessvale. I stand corrected on the security issue. Let's hope there are no problems.

 

[muddythefish]

Good to see the Toyota traffic starting running and another flow down the MML. Years ago I used to see the Gefco Peugeot car train going north through Bedford every day on its way to Corby. Why did it stop and is there any chance of the traffic returning?

 

[Amlag]

Timber by rail trial today Weds 19/1/22

For EuroForest worked by Colas from Hackney yard N.Abbot to Abergavenny for the privately owned Pontrilas Sawmills.
Let's hope this becomes a regular flow by rail and removes long distance large hazardous timber lorries from roads incl the M5/M4 Motorways

 

[3973EXL]

Good to see the Toyota traffic starting running and another flow down the MML. Years ago I used to see the Gefco Peugeot car train going north through Bedford every day on its way to Corby. Why did it stop and is there any chance of the traffic returning?

It may (if my memory is correct) have been a reduction in volume resulted in imports being concentrated on the established sea route to Sheerness and road distribution.

We did do trials from Sheerness Docks to Corby including WIAs.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Timber by rail trial today Weds 19/1/22

For EuroForest worked by Colas from Hackney yard N.Abbot to Abergavenny for the privately owned Pontrilas Sawmills.
Let's hope this becomes a regular flow by rail and removes long distance large hazardous timber lorries from roads incl the M5/M4 Motorways

Can you flesh out what you mean by "large hazardous timber lorries" on motorways? I thought that motorways were generally suited to large lorries.

Here in the Peak District I am well aware of the issues of large (stone/cement) lorries on relatively poor, narrow, steep, winding, etc. roads, hence it is great to see the steadily increasing use of rail for construction materials. But I am not clear what the issue is with the timber flow. Is this the traditional relatively short and round logs type of timber or are we talking about massive tree trunks as 'exceptional loads' with trombone trailers, escorts and so on?

 

[Amlag]

Can you flesh out what you mean by "large hazardous timber lorries" on motorways? I thought that motorways were generally suited to large lorries.

Here in the Peak District I am well aware of the issues of large (stone/cement) lorries on relatively poor, narrow, steep, winding, etc. roads, hence it is great to see the steadily increasing use of rail for construction materials. But I am not clear what the issue is with the timber flow. Is this the traditional relatively short and round logs type of timber or are we talking about massive tree trunks as 'exceptional loads' with trombone trailers, escorts and so on?

The very nature of round timber being restrained by stanchions has on occasions led to failure of a stanchion/s with resultant injuries and even fatalities to other road users through timber falling off and /or lorries turning over. Timber loaded on rail wagons is always also secured with ratchet straps and rail wagons do not experience the stress of going round very sharp bends at speed as is sometimes the case with timber lorries; just follow one and also witness the pressure put on the vehicle's springs to see what I mean.

 

[Dr Hoo]

The very nature of round timber being restrained by stanchions has on occasions led to failure of a stanchion/s with resultant injuries and even fatalities to other road users through timber falling off and /or lorries turning over. Timber loaded on rail wagons is always also secured with ratchet straps and rail wagons do not experience the stress of going round very sharp bends at speed as is sometimes the case with timber lorries; just follow one and also witness the pressure put on the vehicle's springs to see what I mean.

Thank you. I hadn't realised that timber lorries were allowed to travel at high speeds relying on the stanchions only. I had assumed that ratchet straps or similar would have been required as on rail.

I also hadn't really connected very sharp bends with motorways but I suppose that some slip roads and intersection might include this sort of feature in relative terms.

I am also inferring that this flow is indeed 'small/round' timber rather than 'exceptional load' stuff.

 

[trainmania100]

One of the Mendip trains had a 66 mid consist today in some form of trial to reduce the shunting and time required at Acton / Wembley before going to merehead/Whatley.

 

[Pinus contorta]

Thank you. I hadn't realised that timber lorries were allowed to travel at high speeds relying on the stanchions only. I had assumed that ratchet straps or similar would have been required as on rail.

I also hadn't really connected very sharp bends with motorways but I suppose that some slip roads and intersection might include this sort of feature in relative terms.

I am also inferring that this flow is indeed 'small/round' timber rather than 'exceptional load' stuff.

There is a code of practice that timber hauliers should adhere to. This includes strapping the load in between the bolsters. The number of straps per bunk depends in part upon the length of the timber being transported.

 

[Nottingham59]

One of the Mendip trains had a 66 mid consist today in some form of trial

Would that 66 have been powered, like they sometimes have in America, or merely unbraked under tow?

 

[BRX]

It was dead in tow.

I didn't entirely understand the logic - is it that you drag an unpowered loco to the mendips and back, to save a bit of time taking it out of the consist when you join two portions together in london?

As well as the extra fuel needed, doesn't it also take a loco out of action for some time period where you could be using it for something else?

 

[furnessvale]

It was dead in tow.

I didn't entirely understand the logic - is it that you drag an unpowered loco to the mendips and back, to save a bit of time taking it out of the consist when you join two portions together in london?

As well as the extra fuel needed, doesn't it also take a loco out of action for some time period where you could be using it for something else?

Both locos would presumably be required back in the Mendips to bring the LOADED wagons back to London.

 

[BRX]

Both locos would presumably be required back in the Mendips to bring the LOADED wagons back to London.

I thought that they brought it all back in one go with one loco as what they call the "jumbo" trains.

 

[furnessvale]

I thought that they brought it all back in one go with one loco as what they call the "jumbo" trains.

Maybe the return working is TWO jumbo trains, making a jumbo, jumbo train! Only joking!

Are all the loaded trains jumbo? I thought some were a more conventional size.

 

[trainmania100]

It was dead in tow.

I didn't entirely understand the logic - is it that you drag an unpowered loco to the mendips and back, to save a bit of time taking it out of the consist when you join two portions together in london?

As well as the extra fuel needed, doesn't it also take a loco out of action for some time period where you could be using it for something else?

Read somewhere it helps take strain off the couplers and with an air reservoir in the middle helps take brakes off quicker.

Immediately I thought it was for some sort of coupling conversion last minute attempt with a problematic wagon.

Re loco out of action there's a TMD at Whatley so could be going for maintenance or something.

 

[Charlie Smythe]

Does anyone know if the timber trains out of Hackney Yard are now a permenent fixture or if they were just a one off/trial run? I assume that all went okay and that, if it was indeed a trial run, those involved were happy.

 

[Freightmaster]

DB cargo 66205 did a couple of route learning trips to Portbury yesterday, does anyone know if this is related to future freight work?

Export steel from Llanwern, which starts next week:

6Z72 - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/R32305/2022-01-24/detailed





MARK

 

[JKF]

Export steel from Llanwern, which starts next week:

6Z72 - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/R32305/2022-01-24/detailed





MARK

Thanks for this.

Running today, reported as 66136 + 9 BYA wagons + 13 BAA wagons.

 

[Freightmaster]

Thanks for this.

Running today, reported as 66136 + 9 BYA wagons + 13 BAA wagons.

Just for clarification, although the train started from Llanwern, the steel itself originated from
Port Talbot steelworks (Llanwern has not made steel slab for 20 years or so!)



MARK