Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[ExRes]

.......

 

[BRX]

Perhaps this trial is a last ditch attempt to encourage EU goods traffic back onto the "land bridge"?

why actually would we want to do that? Lorries going by sea direct from the continent to Ireland seems a more sensible solution all round. Removes a load of damaging traffic from UK roads.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

why actually would we want to do that? Lorries going by sea direct from the continent to Ireland seems a more sensible solution all round. Removes a load of damaging traffic from UK roads.

Ships burn bunker fuel, dirtiest of the lot. One ferry carries many lorries but emits worse pollutants. I guess someone somewhere can do the calculations of Calais - Dover - Holyhead - Dublin versus Calais - Dublin direct.

 

[BRX]

Ships burn bunker fuel, dirtiest of the lot. One ferry carries many lorries but emits worse pollutants. I guess someone somewhere can do the calculations of Calais - Dover - Holyhead - Dublin versus Calais - Dublin direct.

It's a much more efficient mode of transport though, so they burn significantly less fuel per weight per mile, even if it might be dirtier.

 

[HSTEd]

Ships burn bunker fuel, dirtiest of the lot. One ferry carries many lorries but emits worse pollutants. I guess someone somewhere can do the calculations of Calais - Dover - Holyhead - Dublin versus Calais - Dublin direct.

On a France-Ireland voyage most of the pollution will be dumped far further from land than the short sea ferry routes, so they are less of a concern.

 

[furnessvale]

Ships burn bunker fuel, dirtiest of the lot. One ferry carries many lorries but emits worse pollutants. I guess someone somewhere can do the calculations of Calais - Dover - Holyhead - Dublin versus Calais - Dublin direct.

Those calculations were done a long time ago, which is why Irish hauliers prefer the UK landbridge. I have seen reports that they view the new arrangements as strictly temporary, being far too expensive to be a permanent solution.

 

[squizzler]

why actually would we want to do that? Lorries going by sea direct from the continent to Ireland seems a more sensible solution all round. Removes a load of damaging traffic from UK roads.

I agree, but for the communities that host the ports, the reduction of traffic reduces their level of economic activity. But the greater part may simply be feared loss of status no longer the place through which trade happens. Its a bit like how the managers of Heathrow lobbied for the third runway by playing on fears of lot of status as Europe's number one entrepôt for air traffic. Pragmatically, why would we want our skies darkened by planes carrying people whose journeys either begin or end in London any more than out roads smashed up by foreign lorries?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Ships burn bunker fuel, dirtiest of the lot. One ferry carries many lorries but emits worse pollutants. I guess someone somewhere can do the calculations of Calais - Dover - Holyhead - Dublin versus Calais - Dublin direct.

Noting that all ports 'in the English Channel' (as far west as the tips of Cornwall and Brittany) have been in an Emission Control Area (ECA) since 2015 can you flesh that out a bit, please? The limits on sulphur are reduced from 3.5% m/m (mass by mass) to 0.1%. So this covers all ferries to places like Cherbourg and St Malo.

On the other hand the Irish Sea is outside the ECA, so ferries on routes to Fishguard, Holyhead, Liverpool, Heysham, Cairnryan, etc. can continue to use the dirtiest fuel from which the pollution then gets blown over GB by the prevailing westerly winds. Far worse emissions from the shorter sailings!

Getting the 'Irish' trucks off the GB land bridge really does seem like a win-win for the environment.

 

[AndrewE]

Noting that all ports 'in the English Channel' (as far west as the tips of Cornwall and Brittany) have been in an Emission Control Area (ECA) since 2015 can you flesh that out a bit, please? The limits on sulphur are reduced from 3.5% m/m (mass by mass) to 0.1%. So this covers all ferries to places like Cherbourg and St Malo.

On the other hand the Irish Sea is outside the ECA, so ferries on routes to Fishguard, Holyhead, Liverpool, Heysham, Cairnryan, etc. can continue to use the dirtiest fuel from which the pollution then gets blown over GB by the prevailing westerly winds. Far worse emissions from the shorter sailings!

Getting the 'Irish' trucks off the GB land bridge really does seem like a win-win for the environment.

When we went to Cornwall (Falmouth) a couple of years ago one of the local maritime employers was a ship which delivered low-sulphur fuel to ships going up the Channel. Apparently the big ships roamed the world on bunker fuel but were forced to take on a cleaner fuel to burn in the ECA.
I wouldn't criticise this in any way: cleaner air within the broader European perimeter and a few jobs created in a disadvantaged bit of the UK. Win-win... what's not to like?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Noting that all ports 'in the English Channel' (as far west as the tips of Cornwall and Brittany) have been in an Emission Control Area (ECA) since 2015 can you flesh that out a bit, please? The limits on sulphur are reduced from 3.5% m/m (mass by mass) to 0.1%. So this covers all ferries to places like Cherbourg and St Malo.

On the other hand the Irish Sea is outside the ECA, so ferries on routes to Fishguard, Holyhead, Liverpool, Heysham, Cairnryan, etc. can continue to use the dirtiest fuel from which the pollution then gets blown over GB by the prevailing westerly winds. Far worse emissions from the shorter sailings!

Getting the 'Irish' trucks off the GB land bridge really does seem like a win-win for the environment.

No, I can't flesh it out. Far beyond my knowledge. That's why I suggest someone somewhere (ie those with the knowledge, or who've read a suitable article in the press) may be able to point us in the right direction.

Hauliers will have done their sums based on their own costs, factoring in unpredictable port delays caused by the new brexit paperwork etc. But it is unlikely that they will have regard to external costs caused by their choice, be that emissions, accidents or wear and tear to roads.

Ferry companies have identified a new business opportunity and responded to it, aware of the regulatory environment in which they operate. But again unlikely to have factored in their external costs.

 

[Oxfordblues]

Spotted on today's 4O69 13:15 Birch Coppice GBRf - Southampton Western Docks: two 45-foot containers, ie non-UIC and therefore unsuitable for shipment. This is the first time in 30 years that I've seen non-shipment containers on a train to Southampton Docks. Can anyone enlighten me as to the nature of this new flow?

 

[furnessvale]

Spotted on today's 4O69 13:15 Birch Coppice GBRf - Southampton Western Docks: two 45-foot containers, ie non-UIC and therefore unsuitable for shipment. This is the first time in 30 years that I've seen non-shipment containers on a train to Southampton Docks. Can anyone enlighten me as to the nature of this new flow?

Possibly a new trial or contract with a short sea shipper, who do use 45ft boxes.

 

[BRX]

It would be interesting if it's something in conjunction with a short sea shipper because as far as I know those kind of operations aren't usually considered viable for onward rail transport.

 

[furnessvale]

It would be interesting if it's something in conjunction with a short sea shipper because as far as I know those kind of operations aren't usually considered viable for onward rail transport.

The various Teesside trains seem to carry many 45ft boxes.

 

[ExRes]

This morning has seen the first run for DC Rail WTT service 0223 6V21 Willesden DCR Sdgs to Westbury Down TC, it is then booked to return loaded at 1723, the services are shown as MSSuX to 14th May

 

[DBS92042]

Another new daily intermodal train started running today - London Gateway to East Midlands Gateway,
operated by DBC:

https://twitter.com/DBCargoUK/status/1318546648759492612

MARK

Does anyone know what happened to this working? It run most weeks in the last few months of 2020 and then seemed to disappear. Was it just a trial working that didn't prove successful or is it just not needed to run at the moment?

Many thanks for any help

 

[mwmbwls]

Southampton Line Closures Leaflet (networkrail.co.uk)

Following the completion of the infrastructure works in February - have intermodal freights in and out of Southampton now been lengthened from 530 to 775 metres. Has demand expanded to fill the space or is that a work in progress?

 

[atillathehunn]

Is there any update on the cement trial that ran to Weaste? All paths appear to have disappeared, and Weaste is no longer a searchable location on RTT (it was last I checked a few weeks ago).

 

[Rail Ranger]

Is there any update on the cement trial that ran to Weaste? All paths appear to have disappeared, and Weaste is no longer a searchable location on RTT (it was last I checked a few weeks ago).

Cement has started coming into Weaste by ship from Ireland again.

 

[atillathehunn]

Cement has started coming into Weaste by ship from Ireland again.

That's unfortunate.

 

[stj]

Ships burn bunker fuel, dirtiest of the lot. One ferry carries many lorries but emits worse pollutants. I guess someone somewhere can do the calculations of Calais - Dover - Holyhead - Dublin versus Calais - Dublin direct.

The fewer HGVs on UK roads the better.The Welsh ports are not served all the way by motorways either

 

[ExRes]

Another wagon conversion contract for WH Davis, 46 HHA coal hoppers to be rebuilt as mega boxes for Beacon Rail, the bogies, wheelsets and brakes will be overhauled by Yellow Rail of Derby

 

[ABB125]

When was the last time a train ran from Moreton-on-Lugg in Herefordshire? There was one today, which is the first I've ever come across.

Here's a picture of it:

 

[Chingy]

When was the last time a train ran from Moreton-on-Lugg in Herefordshire? There was one today, which is the first I've ever come across.

Here's a picture of it:
View attachment 92294

Assuming you are referring to the stone sidings, Freightliner have been operating out of there, regularly, for a good couple of years now, with traffic to Hayes and Radlett

 

[ABB125]

Assuming you are referring to the stone sidings, Freightliner have been operating out of there, regularly, for a good couple of years now, with traffic to Hayes and Radlett

Thanks. Having taken another look, it appears that the trains which come past me (from Toton) go to a slightly differently-named location on RealTime Trains, hence me not finding anything else running! This is the train that (is supposed to) come past me, but I've never known it to run. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H07790/2021-03-09/detailed
Even today's working wasn't this path, it was an STP to Washwood Heath.

 

[Wandering pete]

That's unfortunate.

..but from 1st April..assuming its not an April Fool...the Oxwellmains-Weaste is shown on RTT as a ThO running overnight and into Weaste 07.38 .This seems to be through to December although no return working is shown yet.

 

[swt_passenger]

Southampton Line Closures Leaflet (networkrail.co.uk)

Following the completion of the infrastructure works in February - have intermodal freights in and out of Southampton now been lengthened from 530 to 775 metres. Has demand expanded to fill the space or is that a work in progress?

AIUI 775m trains were already running to/from Southampton Maritime, the main Freightliner terminal. They still have to be split anyway, because the container handling area is only half that length, and as far as I can see the latest track changes are to do with making more track and siding space available for sorting trains out on arrival or departure.

There have also been changes made to the signalling of the Western Docks access, I think that also allows for longer trains in that part of the docks.

 

[hwl]

AIUI 775m trains were already running to/from Southampton Maritime, the main Freightliner terminal. They still have to be split anyway, because the container handling area is only half that length, and as far as I can see the latest track changes are to do with making more track and siding space available for sorting trains out on arrival or departure.

There have also been changes made to the signalling of the Western Docks access, I think that also allows for longer trains in that part of the docks.

Also high line speed on the points so long freight trains don't block conflicting moves for as long as they might have otherwise.

 

[swt_passenger]

Also high line speed on the points so long freight trains don't block conflicting moves for as long as they might have otherwise.

Yes, I was wondering what arriving trains normally do. Do they run past the terminal off the continuation of the down fast, now known as the “Redbridge Goods” line? That would seem to be the fastest inbound route.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Does anyone know what happened to this working? It run most weeks in the last few months of 2020 and then seemed to disappear. Was it just a trial working that didn't prove successful or is it just not needed to run at the moment?

Many thanks for any help

I think the London Gateway - East Midlands Gateway intermodal service was started to provide additional capacity in the run up to Christmas, which is one of the busiest times of the year for container traffic. There was also the situation with additional imports due to pre-Brexit stockpiling and so on.

Looking at DB's twitter today, an additional Felixstowe - East Midlands Gateway service has started running:

Maritime Transport announces latest rail service at East Midlands Gateway

uk.dbcargo.com

Outward working: 10:59 East Midlands Gateway - Felixstowe

Realtime Trains - 409T 1059 East Mids Gateway Tml Dbc to Felixstowe North Dbc

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Return working: 01:11 Felixstowe - East Mids Gateway

Realtime Trains - 447U 0111 Felixstowe North Dbc to East Mids Gateway Tml Dbc

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk