Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[AndrewE]

The train came from Antwerp. The contents didn't.

see post#1075.

 

[NI 271]

Ah, I did not know that Class 70s are used on this flow. I think I read somewhere that they have a maximum continuous tractive effort about 60% more than a 66, i.e. over 400kN. As you say, that should be enough to get 1400t up the Darwen bank at a reasonable speed, railhead conditions permitting.

They've been pulling it for around five years now (since the 60s were sadly moved on), with occasional substitutions. There's a lot to dislike about 70s, but they've plenty of grunt.

 

[stantheman]

What’s happened to the Settle and Carlisle gypsum trains ?

 

[marty56110]

It’s still running, just not as much.
Booked to run Tuesday and Wednesday from Tees Dock (so Wednesday and Thursday arrival) into Newbiggin next week.

 

[Rail Ranger]

I've read that the Newbiggin gypsum traffic is finishing altogether. They are going to mine more gypsum on site, which is more environmentally friendly.

 

[furnessvale]

I've read that the Newbiggin gypsum traffic is finishing altogether. They are going to mine more gypsum on site, which is more environmentally friendly.

Begs the question as to why they haven't done this before. It can only be that a previously available cheap source of imports has dried up.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Begs the question as to why they haven't done this before. It can only be that a previously available cheap source of imports has dried up.

I thought that they had been taking gypsum from coal fired power station flue gas scrubbing. Obviously that had dried up and imports were essentially a stop-gap. I can’t imagine that they could ramp up mining at the flick of a switch.

 

[furnessvale]

I thought that they had been taking gypsum from coal fired power station flue gas scrubbing. Obviously that had dried up and imports were essentially a stop-gap. I can’t imagine that they could ramp up mining at the flick of a switch.

Good point, but to me it still shows a lack of joined up thinking. Surely the knowledge that domestic FGD gypsum was to disappear was telegraphed well in advance, enabling quarrying to restart when needed.

 

[D6130]

Good point, but to me it still shows a lack of joined up thinking. Surely the knowledge that domestic FGD gypsum was to disappear was telegraphed well in advance, enabling quarrying to restart when needed.

The earlier extraction of gypsum in the area was done by deep mining, not by quarrying. That's what caused the Settle & Carlisle line to subside....necessitating a 30 mph speed restriction for many years.

 

[guard1]

Can anybody give any information regarding job prospects for qualified (pax) drivers in the freight sector? Browsing the FOC websites I get the feeling like the jobs are drying up. No vacancies for DRS. Freightliner have pulled a load of jobs practically overnight a few weeks/months ago. DB cargo have a general vacancy but they seem to have no interest (from my own and others experience of applying). Even GBRf seem to be only taking on drivers who are specifically freight qualified (in the last 6 weeks or so) unless you live close to Crewe or Carlisle. Is something going on in freight that is affecting vacancies?

 

[66701GBRF]

New Intermodal Flow:
4M22 Felixstowe - Trafford Park

Realtime Trains | 4M22 1036 Felixstowe North Gbrf to Trafford Pk Euro Tml Gbrf | 14/09/2023

Real-time train running information for 4M22 1036 departure from Felixstowe North Gbrf to Trafford Pk Euro Tml Gbrf on 14/09/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Penciled in for starting sometime on October.

 

[Western 52]

BBC story saying there's an announcement tomorrow regarding the future of the Tata steel plant at Port Talbot. Electric arc furnaces to replace blast furnaces with possible substantial job losses. Presumably quite an impact on rail freight to and from this works.

Port Talbot: Steelworkers frightened by Tata job loss reports

Steelworkers say they have been kept in the dark amid reports of 3,000 job losses.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sorry I don't know how to do a quote as well as the link.

 

[ExRes]

DCR route learning this week for Cliffe Brett Marine to Woking and Hellifield / Ribblehead VQ, not sure if this is for new work or a change of FOC

 

[ayubdaud]

New Intermodal Flow:
4M22 Felixstowe - Trafford Park

Realtime Trains | 4M22 1036 Felixstowe North Gbrf to Trafford Pk Euro Tml Gbrf | 14/09/2023

Real-time train running information for 4M22 1036 departure from Felixstowe North Gbrf to Trafford Pk Euro Tml Gbrf on 14/09/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Penciled in for starting sometime on October.

Interesting, I feel like that one has been sat in the WTT for a while.

 

[BRX]

This morning, a steel train of some kind is running from Llanwern to Dollands Moor, to go onwards through the channel tunnel. By my observation this seems to run something like once every few months. So it only just counts as a "flow". Does anyone know what it's carrying and to where?

 

[littledude]

This morning, a steel train of some kind is running from Llanwern to Dollands Moor, to go onwards through the channel tunnel. By my observation this seems to run something like once every few months. So it only just counts as a "flow". Does anyone know what it's carrying and to where?

The regular flow of steel slab from Port Talbot to Ijmuiden (NL), and the rolling mill in northern France that I can’t recall the name of, ceased a number of years ago. There have been a couple of very sporadic trains of export steel in recent years (you could probably count them on one hand) but the more recent use of the path has been by empty wagons heading to Hazebrouck wagon works in northern France for maintenance. I suspect this train is the latter, empties heading for maintenance.

Cheers

 

[BRX]

The regular flow of steel slab from Port Talbot to Ijmuiden (NL), and the rolling mill in northern France that I can’t recall the name of, ceased a number of years ago. There have been a couple of very sporadic trains of export steel in recent years (you could probably count them on one hand) but the more recent use of the path has been by empty wagons heading to Hazebrouck wagon works in northern France for maintenance. I suspect this train is the latter, empties heading for maintenance.

Cheers

Thanks, that make sense.

That regular flow that ceased a while back (2015ish?) I think I remember reading somewhere, had re-started again some time at the beginning of Covid, and/or at some point I think was just running as far as Kent and being transferred to lorries, but then I lost track what happened after that.

 

[markymark2000]

Freightliner have today announced that they are starting 25 new weekly services.

https://www.freightliner.co.uk/news/freightliner-announces-25-additional-weekly-services/

FREIGHTLINER ANNOUNCES 25 ADDITIONAL WEEKLY SERVICES INCLUDING TWO NEW KEY ROUTES WHICH PUSH THE BOUNDARIES FOR RAIL FREIGHT.​

Freightliner, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W), has announced the launch of 25 additional rail services which includes two new key routes covering Felixstowe to Daventry and Southampton to Cardiff.
Starting 2nd October, Freightliner will introduce a new route from Felixstowe to Daventry, which traditionally is a competitive short-haul route for freight logistics. This first rail freight service connecting the port of Felixstowe with Daventry, pushes the boundaries of rail freight offering significant carbon savings to the traditional road haulage solution.

A new route from Southampton to Cardiff will also be introduced on 2nd October, enabling customers to take advantage of DP World’s new modal shift programme.
Other services launching on 2nd October include; Grangemouth to Daventry, Southampton to Leeds, Felixstowe to Manchester, Manchester to Birmingham, Birmingham to London Gateway and Birmingham to Felixstowe.

Chris Lawrenson - Freightliner, Managing Director - Intermodal Logistics

"We are constantly looking at new innovative ways to offer our customer more carbon efficient services. For every Intermodal train introduced up to 52 HGVs are removed from our congested roads and up to 76% carbon emissions are saved. This new service to rail freight will not only support the modal shift but help to reduce the congestion we all experience along the main A14 road-link between Felixstowe to Daventry."

Tim Shoveller - Freightliner, CEO, UK/Europe

"We have added these new services with both service delivery and efficiency in mind – we are committed to pushing the boundaries of rail freight by offering simplified and streamlined solutions for our customers which support that all important modal shift to rail."

 

[D6130]

Presumably the Southampton-Cardiff (Wentloog) service will run via the Reading West Curve?

 

[Chingy]

Presumably the Southampton-Cardiff (Wentloog) service will run via the Reading West Curve?

The current Wentloog/Southampton services either run that way or via Westbury & Salisbury.

 

[D6130]

Ah

The current Wentloog/Southampton services either run that way or via Westbury & Salisbury.

Interesting....I didn't realise that the Westbury route was cleared for big containers.

 

[Freightmaster]

Ah
Interesting....I didn't realise that the Westbury route was cleared for big containers.

Freightliner 66570 4O71 300323

Freightliner 66570 heads through Heywood village with 4O71, the 16:28 from Wentloog Container Terminal to Southampton Maritime Container Terminal. Heywood - between Trowbridge and Westbury. 30-03-2023

www.flickr.com

MARK

 

[Class15]

Ah
Interesting....I didn't realise that the Westbury route was cleared for big containers.

Don’t the wentloog trains use a special kind of container as the GWML isn’t cleared?

 

[furnessvale]

Freightliner 66570 4O71 300323

Freightliner 66570 heads through Heywood village with 4O71, the 16:28 from Wentloog Container Terminal to Southampton Maritime Container Terminal. Heywood - between Trowbridge and Westbury. 30-03-2023

www.flickr.com

MARK

Serious question. Are any of the boxes in that photo 9'6" high. The leading box appears quite low against the loco cab, and all/most seem to be 20ft long which have a tendency to be 8'6" high.

Maybe FLL have enough business on that route to make a whole train of low boxes?

 

[class 9]

Serious question. Are any of the boxes in that photo 9'6" high. The leading box appears quite low against the loco cab, and all/most seem to be 20ft long which have a tendency to be 8'6" high.

Maybe FLL have enough business on that route to make a whole train of low boxes?

Yes they all look like 8ft6 boxes, 9ft6 boxes have a yellow/black strip on each top corner (which the 1st box doesn't have) also its conveying a fair few tanktainers which as far as I know are all 8ft6 boxes.

 

[Steveswan10]

Just a quick question, why did the twice daily Cardiff-Coatbridge liner stop running? Lack of customers? Or the marches route isnt cleared for the bigger containers unless using the low wagons (due to Dinmore tunnel and I assume the short tunnels at Ludlow and Pontrillas) or a combination of both?? There was also a path appeared for a year or two from Liverpool to Bristol but dont think that ever actually ran

 

[ActonChris]

4E26 Dollands Moor - Scunthorpe runs on Monday as part of DB's British Steel contract, which runs approx every 5/6 weeks.

 

[BRX]

4E26 Dollands Moor - Scunthorpe runs on Monday as part of DB's British Steel contract, which runs approx every 5/6 weeks.

Which contract is this - is this to do with export of rails?

 

[66701GBRF]

Serious question. Are any of the boxes in that photo 9'6" high. The leading box appears quite low against the loco cab, and all/most seem to be 20ft long which have a tendency to be 8'6" high.

Maybe FLL have enough business on that route to make a whole train of low boxes?

Even against perspective it does look like a relatively short train for an intermodal.

 

[JD2168]

I saw an unidentified Freighliner Class 70 going southbound through Sheffield Station at around 11:20am towing a number of tanker trailers.