Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[Sun Chariot]

That's my 21 year old son's bedroom!

The abiding memory was the "sweaty cheese smell"

 

[D6130]

We used to go to the avoiding line in the early 80s on our spotting trips to Doncaster, usually about 6 to 10 workings over about 6 hours, well worth it for us Manchester lads as it was 31/37s. The abiding memory was the "sweaty cheese smell" which when I get a whiff takes me right back to that location, the same with the brewery smell at Haymarket. Happy times.

Are sure that wasn't the sewage works in the case of Doncaster?

 

[Gaz67]

Always thought it was agricultural, could of been the sewage works I suppose, it was very pungent. Another memory of those trips was travelling on the xc dmus over the Hope valley, we were only after locos so never gave them a 2nd glance.

 

[D6130]

Borderline O/T....but does anyone know why 56 098 was conveyed DIT behind 60 026 on 6E17, 12 32 Liverpool Biomass Terminal-Drax AES yesterday?

 

[Adrian Barr]

Borderline O/T....but does anyone know why 56 098 was conveyed DIT behind 60 026 on 6E17, 12 32 Liverpool Biomass Terminal-Drax AES yesterday?

That question helps explain what I was looking at in the distance from the bridge overlooking Down Decoy earlier today...

The biomass set off Saturday's 6E17 stabled overnight at Drax and then formed 6D99 09:29 (Sun) Drax - Doncaster Down Decoy, followed by 6M51 12:03 (Sun) to Liverpool Bulk Terminal. These appear to be regular moves and are probably intended as a way of swapping out locos. Both 60026 and 56098 were left at Down Decoy (I could see a blue 60 and a large logo 56 in the distance in the south loop at the far end of the mail terminal) and 66765 with 66725 replaced them on the biomass set to work it forward as 6M51. I think the 56 is out of service for repairs, and I believe the GBRF 60s are maintained at Toton, usually arriving on the regular 0M22 / 0E23 DB loco movements from Doncaster to Toton and back.

They were stood next to 69008 (with its distinctive "whisker" stripes on the end, or whatever they are called). BR blue 69007 was also trundling about and 69006 was stabled on the "back road." 66739 + 66737 arrived from Roberts Road and stabled in the bay at the mail terminal with 66762, 66560 was departing on the transfer line after arriving in Up Decoy with 6Y31 from York, and 66732 was stabled in Down Decoy sidings. There was another 66 on the far end of a Cemex set (probably 66795) which had arrived from Stourton on Saturday - that set will probably head back to Peak tomorrow. Not a bad selection of locos around, considering I was just talking a random walk over the bridge and back to get some exercise and enjoy a bit of sunshine!

it looks like another 60 appeared later - 60021 brought 2 biomass wagons down from Tyne Dock to Down Decoy (heading somewhere for repairs) as a 6D63 before returning north to Tyne Dock as 0N64. I think that's another booked loco swap out move on a Sunday if required; there are WTT paths for 0D63 southbound and 0N64 back north.

 

[Class15]

Sone highly interesting freights on the Gospel Oak - Willesden section of the NLL today. A problem near Camden Jn is causing all freights booked via Primrose Hill eastbound to go via Hampstead Heath. Does anyone know when these diversions are finishing?

(Picture shows Freightliner Class 90s passing West Hampstead on 4L97 Trafford Park - Felixstowe)

 

[billh]

Sone highly interesting freights on the Gospel Oak - Willesden section of the NLL today. A problem near Camden Jn is causing all freights booked via Primrose Hill eastbound to go via Hampstead Heath. Does anyone know when these diversions are finishing?

(Picture shows Freightliner Class 90s passing West Hampstead on 4L97 Trafford Park - Felixstowe)

Spotted an interesting combination in Manchester on Tuesday. I think it was 4L90 Trafford Park to Felixstowe , headed by a 66 but with 2x 90s dead in tow. I don't often see these trains so was the loco combination something unusual and if so , for what reason?

 

[Class15]

Spotted an interesting combination in Manchester on Tuesday. I think it was 4L90 Trafford Park to Felixstowe , headed by a 66 but with 2x 90s dead in tow. I don't often see these trains so was the loco combination something unusual and if so , for what reason?

Hi there, this is quite regular if Freightliner need to rebalance their locos. However, what you saw is quite odd as usually the pair of 90s haul the 66 Dead In Tow apart from one time where I saw a 66 leading.

 

[billh]

Thanks for that info. Just seemed a bit odd to use diesel under the wires with two probably sound electrics shut down.

 

[Bob figgis]

Always thought it was agricultural, could of been the sewage works I suppose, it was very pungent. Another memory of those trips was travelling on the xc dmus over the Hope valley, we were only after locos so never gave them a 2nd glance.

Was a definite pungent smell from my working days in Doncaster. It’s still there today but the smell has long gone. I was always lead to believe they Boiled animal carcasses to make glue ?

Prosper De Mulder Group - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Express380]

Apologies if this has been asked already but does anyone what days the Local Cornish clay flows runs these days they seem rather sporadic and just wandered if there is a set plan to when and where they run to e.g. Goonbarrow Rocks or Treviscoe (Parkandillack) any help much appreciated.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Apologies if this has been asked already but does anyone what days the Local Cornish clay flows runs these days they seem rather sporadic and just wandered if there is a set plan to when and where they run to e.g. Goonbarrow Rocks or Treviscoe (Parkandillack) any help much appreciated.

The clay trains have been a bit unpredictable over Christmas / New Year, and the workings have changed slightly since the CDA wagons were withdrawn, as the same wagons are now used on trains to both Fowey and Cliffe Vale.

This is roughly what happens now:

The Goonbarrow to Fowey workings (6G09 out, 6G05 return) are most likely to run on Mon/Tue/Wed (as required). Potentially these could run from Treviscoe instead (used to be roughly once a week from Treviscoe to Fowey) but I'm not sure this has happened recently.

The weekly train to Cliffe Vale is usually loaded in two portions (at Treviscoe and Par Harbour), one on Wednesday and the other on Thursday. Could be Par Harbour on Wednesday and Treviscoe on Thursday or vice versa (running as 6B00 in the morning from St Blazey). The portion loaded on Wednesday is forwarded to Exeter Riverside (due to the weight of the combined train being too much over the Devon banks) as 6C53, returning light engine to St Blazey. The Thursday loading is booked to run as 6M53 to Cliffe Vale (picking up the Wednesday portion at Exeter) but quite often uses the 6C10 path as far as Exeter, giving an earlier arrival there. If there isn't a full train required at Cliffe Vale, the 6C53 on Wednesday might not be needed.

Return from Cliffe Vale is on Friday afternoon as 6V73 to Exeter, continuing to St Blazey as 6V74 on Saturday morning (6V74 sometimes runs early) and going forward to Goonbarrow early on Monday morning to resume the Fowey workings.

The usual caveats about freight trains being early / late / cancelled or changed at short notice apply.

I like this December shot of 6V74: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineside_vigil/53405431988/

 

[Express380]

The clay trains have been a bit unpredictable over Christmas / New Year, and the workings have changed slightly since the CDA wagons were withdrawn, as the same wagons are now used on trains to both Fowey and Cliffe Vale.

This is roughly what happens now:

The Goonbarrow to Fowey workings (6G09 out, 6G05 return) are most likely to run on Mon/Tue/Wed (as required). Potentially these could run from Treviscoe instead (used to be roughly once a week from Treviscoe to Fowey) but I'm not sure this has happened recently.

The weekly train to Cliffe Vale is usually loaded in two portions (at Treviscoe and Par Harbour), one on Wednesday and the other on Thursday. Could be Par Harbour on Wednesday and Treviscoe on Thursday or vice versa (running as 6B00 in the morning from St Blazey). The portion loaded on Wednesday is forwarded to Exeter Riverside (due to the weight of the combined train being too much over the Devon banks) as 6C53, returning light engine to St Blazey. The Thursday loading is booked to run as 6M53 to Cliffe Vale (picking up the Wednesday portion at Exeter) but quite often uses the 6C10 path as far as Exeter, giving an earlier arrival there. If there isn't a full train required at Cliffe Vale, the 6C53 on Wednesday might not be needed.

Return from Cliffe Vale is on Friday afternoon as 6V73 to Exeter, continuing to St Blazey as 6V74 on Saturday morning (6V74 sometimes runs early) and going forward to Goonbarrow early on Monday morning to resume the Fowey workings.

The usual caveats about freight trains being early / late / cancelled or changed at short notice apply.

I like this December shot of 6V74: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineside_vigil/53405431988/

Extremely helpful thank you very much

 

[Welshguy1048]

Morning

Just spotted these new paths for 15th January.

Does anyone know how many times a week this will run - once it starts properly please?

Realtime Trains | 4M59 0733 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf | 15/01/2024

Real-time train running information for 4M59 0733 departure from Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf on 15/01/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 6A59 1954 Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf to Wembley Receptions 1-7 | 15/01/2024

Real-time train running information for 6A59 1954 departure from Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf to Wembley Receptions 1-7 on 15/01/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Thank you

Dave

 

[Gaz67]

Morning

Just spotted these new paths for 15th January.

Does anyone know how many times a week this will run - once it starts properly please?

Realtime Trains | 4M59 0733 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf | 15/01/2024

Real-time train running information for 4M59 0733 departure from Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf on 15/01/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 6A59 1954 Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf to Wembley Receptions 1-7 | 15/01/2024

Real-time train running information for 6A59 1954 departure from Llandudno Jn Tc Gbrf to Wembley Receptions 1-7 on 15/01/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Thank you

Dave

Thats a teasing headcode, is Highlander currently in service?

 

[Adrian Barr]

Just spotted these new paths for 15th January.

Does anyone know how many times a week this will run - once it starts properly please?

Appears to forms these trains on 16th Jan (6V89 04:56 Wembley to Thorney Mill and 6O25 13:25 Thorney Mill to Tonbridge Yard)

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R06016/2024-01-16/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R06015/2024-01-16/detailed

I assume it's the slate waste traffic, which was running to Walsall last time I checked a few months back. I don't know anything about the contract or intended frequency, it might possibly be a one-off delivery or trial.

 

[Welshguy1048]

Appears to forms these trains on 16th Jan (6V89 04:56 Wembley to Thorney Mill and 6O25 13:25 Thorney Mill to Tonbridge Yard)

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R06016/2024-01-16/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R06015/2024-01-16/detailed

I assume it's the slate waste traffic, which was running to Walsall last time I checked a few months back. I don't know anything about the contract or intended frequency, it might possibly be a one-off delivery or trial.

Thanks Adrian

Dave

 

[JD2168]

I saw a couple this morning whilst on a journey from Sheffield to Birmingham.

A Class 66 with tanker type trucks waiting at Dore Station presumably in a Southbound direction at around 9:10am.

A Class 66 with a number of containers waiting southbound outside Derby around 9:30am.

There was a Freightliner Class 70 with a number of containers looking to use a not via Birmingham route.

 

[Adrian Barr]

A Class 66 with tanker type trucks waiting at Dore Station presumably in a Southbound direction at around 9:10am.

Assuming you were on 1V48, 08:56 off Sheffield, that must have been 6M41 (06:30 Scunthorpe - Earles Sidings) with 66025 in Heeley Loop, waiting a path onto the Hope Valley. Those wagons would have been the big maroon HTA hoppers with coal from Immingham HIT (Humber Import terminal) to the cement works at Hope.

A Class 66 with a number of containers waiting southbound outside Derby around 9:30am.

GBRF 4L98 Rotherham Masborough to London Gateway (66789) was looped in the Burton area for half an hour waiting its path forward. I think its usual route would be via Mexborough, Lincoln and Peterborough but there are schedules on several Saturday's at the beginning of the year sending it via Toton, Burton, Hams Hall (run round) then via Nuneaton and Rugby.

DB's 4E08 (03:19 London Gateway - Wakefield Europort) was also diverted, via Rugby, Coventry, Bescot, Sutton Park, Burton, Toton, Chesterfield, Barrow Hill and Doncaster. Friday night's 4L88 (22:18 Leeds Freightliner - London Gateway) and GBRF 4L39 (23:04 Wakefield Euro - Tilbury) went the same way via Toton. Toton isn't the first place you think of as a hub of container activity, but since this became the W10 cleared route (Stenson - Sheet Stores - Toton - Chesterfield) for north east / south west container traffic there's not been much routed through Derby (which is still W8).

There was a Freightliner Class 70 with a number of containers looking to use a not via Birmingham route.

The 70 was probably 70017 on 4O90 Leeds - Southampton diverging from your route at Landor Street junction, heading towards the Camp Hill line and the curve at Bordesley Junction.

*****

On a different topic, there was another of the occasional 6X28 Scunthorpe - Dollands Moor workings on Friday evening (17:10 from Scunthorpe), delivering rail on IGA wagons to Belgium.
https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/news/uk-news/british-steel-international-campaign-10752326

In the other direction, a month ago on 14th December there was a 6X03 02:49 Dollands Moor - Eastleigh delivering rail (also on IGAs) which I understand had come from the Hayange plant in France.

=============================================================
Added 17th Jan:

The Llandudno Junction train, mentioned in posts 1214 and 1216 above, ran with 66734 and 22 JNA bogie box wagons. Out-and-back workings were:

4M04 00:55 Tonbridge - Wembley (empty) 15/01
4M59 07:33 Wembley - Llandudno Jn (empty) 15/01
6A59 19:54 Llandudno Jn - Wembley (loaded) 15/01
6V89 04:56 Wembley - Thorney Mill (loaded) 16/01
6O25 13:25 Thorney Mill - Tonbridge (empty) 16/01

I found this photo on flickr of 4M59 passing Chester: https://www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwpeakdaleworkscom/53466712745/

This webpage has some more details about the Llandudno Jn terminal, with a YouTube video by Breedon showing footage from the terminal itself:
https://www.stonespecialist.com/new...sh-slate-re-opens-llandudno-junction-railhead

Apparently Breedon (who own the rail-linked Dowlow quarry among other operations) bought Welsh Slate, and the material comes from Penrhyn Quarry, near Bangor. Their website shows the uses of slate waste as aggregate, for example as Type 1 sub-base in road construction:
https://www.welshslate.com/aggregates-and-minerals/construction-aggregates/

I remember seeing footage and discussion of the first train a while back (which went to Luton) and then the regular flow during 2023 was to Walsall, via Bescot. Other destinations might have been served but I wasn't watching the traffic too closely.

As previously mentioned in this thread, The Thorney Mill terminal is the focus of the Ashville Aggregates YouTube series. I haven't seen many of the latest videos, but the episodes I've watched frequently show trains being shunted into the terminal and offloaded. The series gives a good insight into the operation of an aggregates terminal and the construction industry in general. The latest video (Episode 169 posted Sunday 14 Jan) begins on Christmas Day, so assuming they have a regular upload schedule, the slate waste train might appear in Episode 172 on 4th Feb. It's quite likely it was conveying Type 1 sub-base, as that fits in with the typical range of materials stocked in the aggregate bays seen on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/@thisisashville/videos

 

[Malaxa]

Tbf a yard being empty could indicate traffic was flowing freely, as roads are being kept.clear.

The whole place [Ripple Container base] looks abandoned [current status as of Jan 19]. The area around the scrap sidings have been cleared and there is no further Immingham movement. DB Soil removal traffic [not Biffa] has also ceased.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

The whole place [Ripple Container base] looks abandoned [current status as of Jan 19]. The area around the scrap sidings have been cleared and there is no further Immingham movement. DB Soil removal traffic [not Biffa] has also ceased.

Not sure how that’s a “current status” when it’s 5 years ago.

 

[Malaxa]

Not sure how that’s a “current status” when it’s 5 years ago.

January 19 2024.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Port Talbot coal and coke:

Although coal mining at Cwmbargoed ceased at the end of November, trains continued to run into January to clear coal stocks. The most recent departure of 6C83 was on 19th January, which may well be the final train. Replacing this traffic, a flow of coke from Immingham Bulk Terminal to Port Talbot started on 19th January, running as 6V66. Another coke flow has started running from Cardiff Docks to Port Talbot today (25th January) as 6Z36, both services hauled by DB using HTA hoppers.

Not sure how that’s a “current status” when it’s 5 years ago.

Barking / Ripple Lane changes

I thought it might be of interest to take a general overview of Barking / Ripple Lane operations, recent changes and flows/trials that have run over the past few years:

Freightliner ceased operations at Ripple Lane in 2007, but the terminal survived, being taken over by Russells and from 2015 by DB (as Barking Intermodal Terminal). Until recently it was being used for Transfesa container traffic to and from Spain via HS1. The two early morning intermodal arrivals via HS1 (6L25 / 6L27) would usually have traffic for both Fords at Dagenham and the Barking terminal, tripped across from Ripple Lane Exchange Sidings by a 66 as 7X24. The return evening 6O20 / 6O28 departures to Dollands Moor would include traffic tripped across from Barking as 7X25. The X headcodes were for the huge 10 foot 6 inch "mega-combi" containers, well out of gauge once off HS1.

The terminal in action during 2022: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sludgeulper/52553753333/

And a video from 2021:
Video: DB Cargo UK's Barking Intermodal Terminal | Channel: DB Cargo UK

I don't think any containers have been loaded at Barking Intermodal Terminal since the first week of December - some of the Barking traffic is now being loaded at Dagenham instead, along with the usual Ford automotive component traffic.

I can't remember if it was mentioned in this thread, but there was a one-off trial in June last year of lorry trailers on pocket wagons from Cologne to Barking via HS1:
https://www.railjournal.com/freight/london-cologne-intermodal-service-to-launch-in-september/
https://www.railfreight.com/railfre...service-suspended-shortly-after-inauguration/
These were the type of "pocket" wagon used: https://gueterwagenkatalog.dbcargo....gory/T3000e-Sdggmrss-T3000es-Sdggmrs--9121260

Another unusual working, in April last year, was the Ukraine aid train (I think it ran via HS1 with the containers being transhipped from the UK wagons in Berlin):
https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/news/uk-news/UK-Rail-for-Ukraine-7579734
https://www.dbcargo.com/rail-de-en/...er-launch-of-rail-aid-link-to-ukraine-7331014

Before they switched to Tilbury, the DRS Daventry - Purfleet trains used to call at Barking to load/unload containers. Not sure exactly when that stopped, but this is an interesting shot from 2018:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/35502189@N03/42977842330/

And I can't imagine the "China Train" from 2017 (which used the adjacent "Eurohub" sidings) has much chance of being revived, given its route through Russia and Belarus!
https://www.modernrailways.com/article/first-freight-train-china-reaches-uk

Another unusual trial at Barking Eurohub was a delivery of Vauxhall cars from Ellesmere Port in 2016, which were transhipped onto German wagons for movement through the tunnel. There's a link to a video of this train in this 2021 post about Ellesmere Port freight: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ellesmere-port-docks-lines-sidings.213237/post-5041554
At the time, there was a proposal to turn the "Eurohub" site into a car import/export hub, but instead it became a spoil terminal for FCC. The spoil traffic later transferred across to the adjacent "H Group" sidings (where trains for the Cemex terminal in the old "Stora" sidings run round), with the Eurohub becoming a scrap metal terminal for Ward Recycling:
https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/news/uk-news/DB-Cargo-UK-welcomes-Ward-to-Barking-6375140

The area around the scrap sidings have been cleared and there is no further Immingham movement.

The last Immingham scrap train for Ward Recycling (from the Barking Eurohub sidings) ran at the end of August. There were 6 scrap trains after that, which ran from Barking to Cardiff Docks (not for the Celsa steelworks, but for export through the Ward terminal in the docks), but the last of those ran on 5th October.
A 2022 scene with loaded MBA wagons in the scrap sidings, with Transfesa wagons visible in the Intermodal terminal (I think I'm linking your own photos here!):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sludgeulper/52257146055/

DB Soil removal traffic [not Biffa] has also ceased.

The last spoil train loaded in the "H Group" sidings adjacent to the Eurohub ran at the end of November. The FCC spoil traffic (a daily train to Peterborough and another to Tinsley) continues from the other three London terminals. The combination of origins and destinations can vary, but a typical pattern recently has been Neasden to Peterborough, Bow to Tinsley and a new Cricklewood - Burton flow (all via Acton).

There were also some Bow to Appleford spoil trains last year. More unusually, there were a handful of spoil trains loaded at the old Westbury Cement Works sidings in October / November, which were also sent to Appleford. These sidings are generally used to recess or run round Freightliner Mendip services. One of the spoil workings is seen in the sidings at Westbury: https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/53306392502/

Overall, it looks like there has been a general halt to DB Operations at the Barking scrap / spoil / intermodal terminals, with the scrap lost to rail and the other traffic transferring to nearby terminals (spoil to Bow, containers to Dagenham). Regular DB-hauled stone trains from Peak Forest to the Cemex terminal behind the old "Stora" warehouse still run, along with occasional GBRF spoil trains from the nearby Renwick Road Biffa terminal to Roxby.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

What’s happening with the flow from Penmaenmawr Quarry to Tuebrook? Doesn’t seem to run much at all.

 

[Freightmaster]

What’s happening with the flow from Penmaenmawr Quarry to Tuebrook? Doesn’t seem to run much at all.

Switched back to running from Shap/Ribblehead, I'm afraid.




MARK

 

[BRX]

Port Talbot coal and coke:

Although coal mining at Cwmbargoed ceased at the end of November, trains continued to run into January to clear coal stocks. The most recent departure of 6C83 was on 19th January, which may well be the final train. Replacing this traffic, a flow of coke from Immingham Bulk Terminal to Port Talbot started on 19th January, running as 6V66. Another coke flow has started running from Cardiff Docks to Port Talbot today (25th January) as 6Z36, both services hauled by DB using HTA hoppers.



Barking / Ripple Lane changes

I thought it might be of interest to take a general overview of Barking / Ripple Lane operations, recent changes and flows/trials that have run over the past few years:

Freightliner ceased operations at Ripple Lane in 2007, but the terminal survived, being taken over by Russells and from 2015 by DB (as Barking Intermodal Terminal). Until recently it was being used for Transfesa container traffic to and from Spain via HS1. The two early morning intermodal arrivals via HS1 (6L25 / 6L27) would usually have traffic for both Fords at Dagenham and the Barking terminal, tripped across from Ripple Lane Exchange Sidings by a 66 as 7X24. The return evening 6O20 / 6O28 departures to Dollands Moor would include traffic tripped across from Barking as 7X25. The X headcodes were for the huge 10 foot 6 inch "mega-combi" containers, well out of gauge once off HS1.

The terminal in action during 2022: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sludgeulper/52553753333/

And a video from 2021:
Video: DB Cargo UK's Barking Intermodal Terminal | Channel: DB Cargo UK

I don't think any containers have been loaded at Barking Intermodal Terminal since the first week of December - some of the Barking traffic is now being loaded at Dagenham instead, along with the usual Ford automotive component traffic.

I can't remember if it was mentioned in this thread, but there was a one-off trial in June last year of lorry trailers on pocket wagons from Cologne to Barking via HS1:
https://www.railjournal.com/freight/london-cologne-intermodal-service-to-launch-in-september/
https://www.railfreight.com/railfre...service-suspended-shortly-after-inauguration/
These were the type of "pocket" wagon used: https://gueterwagenkatalog.dbcargo....gory/T3000e-Sdggmrss-T3000es-Sdggmrs--9121260

Another unusual working, in April last year, was the Ukraine aid train (I think it ran via HS1 with the containers being transhipped from the UK wagons in Berlin):
https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/news/uk-news/UK-Rail-for-Ukraine-7579734
https://www.dbcargo.com/rail-de-en/...er-launch-of-rail-aid-link-to-ukraine-7331014

Before they switched to Tilbury, the DRS Daventry - Purfleet trains used to call at Barking to load/unload containers. Not sure exactly when that stopped, but this is an interesting shot from 2018:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/35502189@N03/42977842330/

And I can't imagine the "China Train" from 2017 (which used the adjacent "Eurohub" sidings) has much chance of being revived, given its route through Russia and Belarus!
https://www.modernrailways.com/article/first-freight-train-china-reaches-uk

Another unusual trial at Barking Eurohub was a delivery of Vauxhall cars from Ellesmere Port in 2016, which were transhipped onto German wagons for movement through the tunnel. There's a link to a video of this train in this 2021 post about Ellesmere Port freight: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ellesmere-port-docks-lines-sidings.213237/post-5041554
At the time, there was a proposal to turn the "Eurohub" site into a car import/export hub, but instead it became a spoil terminal for FCC. The spoil traffic later transferred across to the adjacent "H Group" sidings (where trains for the Cemex terminal in the old "Stora" sidings run round), with the Eurohub becoming a scrap metal terminal for Ward Recycling:
https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/news/uk-news/DB-Cargo-UK-welcomes-Ward-to-Barking-6375140



The last Immingham scrap train for Ward Recycling (from the Barking Eurohub sidings) ran at the end of August. There were 6 scrap trains after that, which ran from Barking to Cardiff Docks (not for the Celsa steelworks, but for export through the Ward terminal in the docks), but the last of those ran on 5th October.
A 2022 scene with loaded MBA wagons in the scrap sidings, with Transfesa wagons visible in the Intermodal terminal (I think I'm linking your own photos here!):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sludgeulper/52257146055/



The last spoil train loaded in the "H Group" sidings adjacent to the Eurohub ran at the end of November. The FCC spoil traffic (a daily train to Peterborough and another to Tinsley) continues from the other three London terminals. The combination of origins and destinations can vary, but a typical pattern recently has been Neasden to Peterborough, Bow to Tinsley and a new Cricklewood - Burton flow (all via Acton).

There were also some Bow to Appleford spoil trains last year. More unusually, there were a handful of spoil trains loaded at the old Westbury Cement Works sidings in October / November, which were also sent to Appleford. These sidings are generally used to recess or run round Freightliner Mendip services. One of the spoil workings is seen in the sidings at Westbury: https://www.flickr.com/photos/153712773@N08/53306392502/

Overall, it looks like there has been a general halt to DB Operations at the Barking scrap / spoil / intermodal terminals, with the scrap lost to rail and the other traffic transferring to nearby terminals (spoil to Bow, containers to Dagenham). Regular DB-hauled stone trains from Peak Forest to the Cemex terminal behind the old "Stora" warehouse still run, along with occasional GBRF spoil trains from the nearby Renwick Road Biffa terminal to Roxby.

Thanks for these excellent summary posts that you write - much appreciated.

Are the transfesa services not currently operating then? If they stop then I wonder if it could mean the ford traffic from Dagenham would revert to the "classic" route (through south london) to Dollands Moor. Am I right to think that's what uses the wagons branded as "channel tunnel express" (or used to) which are normal UK loading gauge.

 

[Gaz67]

A trip north from hellifield this morning produced trains and locos in arcow and ribblehead (gbrf), and surprisingly a maritime blue DB 66 at Kirkby thore on a nice mixed rake of mea,s, surprised because it was shown as cancelled on rtt this morning.

 

[D6130]

and surprisingly a maritime blue DB 66 at Kirkby thore on a nice mixed rake of mea,s, surprised because it was shown as cancelled on rtt this morning.

Maybe it had been there since yesterday and had been stranded by the flooding near Appleby?

 

[Gaz67]

Maybe it had been there since yesterday and had been stranded by the flooding near Appleby?

That must be it, it's took its usual path south, a smokey 56105/049 headed that way on the logs , 096 (I think) spare at new yard.

That must be it, it's took its usual path south, a smokey 56105/049 headed that way on the logs , 096 (I think) spare at new yard.

Mea,s still at Kirkby thore, 66 went light to Tees .

 

[littledude]

AFAIK the coke trains from Immingham and Cardiff to Port Talbot are only temporary, to cover for unloading issues from ships at Port Talbot… Port

As ever, thank you for your fantastic summary of more railfreight traffic. Not many of us out there are interested in the nuances of the industry.