Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[Malaxa]

Article on the Aberystwyth timber train...

Surprise timber trial takes 800 tonnes off Mid-Wales roads

It has been a while since the seaside university town of Aberystwyth in Mid-Wales has seen a regular freight service. That may be about to change. A surprise timber train departed on Saturday evening from make-shift facilities adjacent to the town’s modest passenger terminal. Do you want to read...

www.railfreight.com

Does anyone know anything about the occasional, recent Bow to Wellingborough GBRf-hauled flow? It's labelled as "domestic and industrial waste" but it looks more like white stone - a product which tends to go into London rather than come out of it....

Realtime Trains | 6V96 2226 Bow Depot Gbrf to Wellingborough Up Tc Gbrf | 03/05/2022

Real-time train running information for 6V96 2226 departure from Bow Depot Gbrf to Wellingborough Up Tc Gbrf on 03/05/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Generally, only spoil seems to be taken out of Bow as per excellent post above by Adrian Barr.

 

[BRX]

Article on the Aberystwyth timber train...

Quite a decent length of train by the look of it.

 

[Freightmaster]

Does anyone know anything about the occasional, recent Bow to Wellingborough GBRf-hauled flow? It's labelled as "domestic and industrial waste" but it looks more like white stone - a product which tends to go into London rather than come out of it....

Damaged/crushed concrete for recycling.




MARK

 

[Malaxa]

Damaged/crushed concrete for recycling.




MARK

Brilliant. Thanks, Mark.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Word of mouth today that from Sunday GBRF are taking over the steel that runs through Shrewsbury because DB-Cargo can't cope. Is their any truth about this please?

 

[Broken70]

Might be the wrong place to ask, however does anyone know what workings Colas will be taking over out of the Lindsey and Humber Oil Refinaries? I thought it was just the Jarrow work however Colas had route learning paths into Kingsbury earlier this week. TIA

 

[Freightmaster]

Might be the wrong place to ask, however does anyone know what workings Colas will be taking over out of the Lindsey and Humber Oil Refinaries? I thought it was just the Jarrow work however Colas had route learning paths into Kingsbury earlier this week. TIA

All traffic from Lindsey (services from Humber are a separate contract), but I understand that there may be a period
where DB are 'sub contracted' to provide locos and drivers, so not a lot may change at first...




MARK

 

[Broken70]

All traffic from Lindsey (services from Humber are a separate contract), but I understand that there may be a period
where DB are 'sub contracted' to provide locos and drivers, so not a lot may change at first...




MARK

Thank you for the reply.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Word of mouth today that from Sunday GBRF are taking over the steel that runs through Shrewsbury because DB-Cargo can't cope. Is their any truth about this please?

As you're probably aware if you've been watching the trains, GBRF did take over the running of the steel trains to Shotton as predicted. Unlike the previous arrangement with Freightliner on this flow a while back (to help with a driver shortage), I understand the reason GBRF have taken over the Shotton flow is to do with a requirement of the Tata Group to have more than one supplier on this type of contract. It's fairly common for major users of railfreight (e.g. Tarmac, Cemex, Network Rail) to divide up work between two or more hauliers on separate contracts.

All traffic from Lindsey (services from Humber are a separate contract), but I understand that there may be a period
where DB are 'sub contracted' to provide locos and drivers, so not a lot may change at first...

Interesting to see that Colas have immediately started using Class 70s on the Lindsey "Prax" contract, since Sunday. Many of the tank wagons used are still EWS prefixed and DB-owned.

The first train was the 6M57 Kingsbury tanks on Sunday with 70807 (none of the pics linked in this post are mine) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/robmcrorie/52191535600/
70805 worked to Jarrow overnight and should return this afternoon.
70814 is on the way to Kingsbury with this morning's 6M57.

********************

Another Colas move that was rather unexpected (at least to me) was the first despatch of concrete sleepers from Halling. I didn't even know there was a concrete sleeper plant being built there...
The sleepers were loaded to 18 of the new Wascosa FEAs fitted with flat decks (using the familiar engineers' fishkind "salmon").
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136510631@N08/52181997766/
Some of these sleepers have been used in engineering works at Severn Tunnel Junction over the weekend, which I think might be the first use of these new "modular" FEAs on an engineering worksite.

Can't find much information about the Halling sleeper plant online, but it looks like the area of the old Halling cement works sidings has been used to build a plant next to an existing "Cemex Floors" facility (which make things like concrete stairs). Can't resist a flashback to 1988 and a Class 73 shunting Rugby Cement wagons at this location - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/11090409103

Case story – CEMEX Rochester, UK​

For nearly 20 years, SKAKO partnered CEMEX in the successful supply of concrete sleepers for Network Rail (owners of Britain’s railway network) at their Washwood Heath site in Birmingham, England. The development of the HS2 project meant that the factory had to be closed down and relocated (the factory site was on the planned route for the new railway line). Therefore CEMEX had to find an alternative site for the production of concrete sleepers. An existing site was established but required a major overhaul of the batching plant in order to maintain previous levels of concrete output to satisfy Network Rail’s specific requirements.

************

Another bit of news - DB are starting up a new intermodal flow from the "Tilbury 2" terminal at Tilbury Docks to Trafford Park, running in a lunchtime path from Tilbury. First train should be departing today.

For anyone not aware, "Tilbury 2" port development opened in January, and uses the connection to the main line which formerly served Tilbury Riverside and later Tilbury "IRFT" (International Rail Freight Terminal; it was used as a Stora paper terminal amongst other things). General plan of the site here, can't find anything more up to date - https://tilbury2.co.uk/the-application/proposed-arrangement-tilbury2/

The container terminal at Tilbury 2 should not be confused with the old Freightliner Tilbury RCT (Rail Container terminal), or the "London Container Terminal" (previously the old "Northfleet Hope" terminal, down the branch on the other side of the docks).

Tilbury 2 also has an aggregate loading facility. A seemingly unlikely departure last week was a rake of loaded Freightliner HHAs on a Tilbury to Norwich Trowse service, via Stratford, Brimsdown and Ely. It returned empty via Ely again and used the Seven Sisters - South Tottenham chord to access the line to Barking and Tilbury. A similar working was pictured in May; the caption to this photo of empties from Trowse says the train arrived in the morning from Tilbury - https://www.flickr.com/photos/132139568@N08/52087359905/

 

[Malaxa]

Another bit of news - DB are starting up a new intermodal flow from the "Tilbury 2" terminal at Tilbury Docks to Trafford Park, running in a lunchtime path from Tilbury. First train should be departing today.

It's unusual for container trains from Tilbury/Gateway for the North-West to be routed round the North London Line, especially since the working to the new port terminal arrives via the Gospel Oak-Barking Line.
If this is regular, it will be the only DB hauled [mainly 45'] container working on the North London.

 

[Freightmaster]

If this is regular, it will be the only DB hauled [mainly 45'] container working on the North London.

While that is indeed the case for the western section of the NLL through Camden Road,
there is a daily DB intermodal service from London Gateway to Wakefield and return
which is routed via the North London Line between Canonbury and Stratford.





MARK

 

[Malaxa]

While that is indeed the case for the western section of the NLL through Camden Road,
there is a daily DB intermodal service from London Gateway to Wakefield and return
which is routed via the North London Line between Canonbury and Stratford.

MARK

Thanks, Mark, I'd forgotten about that one. I should have added "daytime" ... the Wakefield DB is more of a nocturnal service along the Canonbury - Stratford section, not at all photogenic!

 

[Signal_Box]

Word of mouth today that from Sunday GBRF are taking over the steel that runs through Shrewsbury because DB-Cargo can't cope. Is their any truth about this please?

Tata have a requirement to not have all their eggs in one basket, hence GB now operate a handful of former DB turns.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Tata have a requirement to not have all their eggs in one basket, hence GB now operate a handful of former DB turns.

Ah right ok.

As you're probably aware if you've been watching the trains, GBRF did take over the running of the steel trains to Shotton as predicted. Unlike the previous arrangement with Freightliner on this flow a while back (to help with a driver shortage), I understand the reason GBRF have taken over the Shotton flow is to do with a requirement of the Tata Group to have more than one supplier on this type of contract. It's fairly common for major users of railfreight (e.g. Tarmac, Cemex, Network Rail) to divide up work between two or more hauliers on separate contracts.


Interesting to see that Colas have immediately started using Class 70s on the Lindsey "Prax" contract, since Sunday. Many of the tank wagons used are still EWS prefixed and DB-owned.

The first train was the 6M57 Kingsbury tanks on Sunday with 70807 (none of the pics linked in this post are mine) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/robmcrorie/52191535600/
70805 worked to Jarrow overnight and should return this afternoon.
70814 is on the way to Kingsbury with this morning's 6M57.

********************

Another Colas move that was rather unexpected (at least to me) was the first despatch of concrete sleepers from Halling. I didn't even know there was a concrete sleeper plant being built there...
The sleepers were loaded to 18 of the new Wascosa FEAs fitted with flat decks (using the familiar engineers' fishkind "salmon").
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136510631@N08/52181997766/
Some of these sleepers have been used in engineering works at Severn Tunnel Junction over the weekend, which I think might be the first use of these new "modular" FEAs on an engineering worksite.

Can't find much information about the Halling sleeper plant online, but it looks like the area of the old Halling cement works sidings has been used to build a plant next to an existing "Cemex Floors" facility (which make things like concrete stairs). Can't resist a flashback to 1988 and a Class 73 shunting Rugby Cement wagons at this location - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/11090409103



************

Another bit of news - DB are starting up a new intermodal flow from the "Tilbury 2" terminal at Tilbury Docks to Trafford Park, running in a lunchtime path from Tilbury. First train should be departing today.

For anyone not aware, "Tilbury 2" port development opened in January, and uses the connection to the main line which formerly served Tilbury Riverside and later Tilbury "IRFT" (International Rail Freight Terminal; it was used as a Stora paper terminal amongst other things). General plan of the site here, can't find anything more up to date - https://tilbury2.co.uk/the-application/proposed-arrangement-tilbury2/

The container terminal at Tilbury 2 should not be confused with the old Freightliner Tilbury RCT (Rail Container terminal), or the "London Container Terminal" (previously the old "Northfleet Hope" terminal, down the branch on the other side of the docks).

Tilbury 2 also has an aggregate loading facility. A seemingly unlikely departure last week was a rake of loaded Freightliner HHAs on a Tilbury to Norwich Trowse service, via Stratford, Brimsdown and Ely. It returned empty via Ely again and used the Seven Sisters - South Tottenham chord to access the line to Barking and Tilbury. A similar working was pictured in May; the caption to this photo of empties from Trowse says the train arrived in the morning from Tilbury - https://www.flickr.com/photos/132139568@N08/52087359905/

Interesting thank you.

 

[JKF]

Looks like crew training runs on the Portbury branch next week, so perhaps some traffic is restarting there shortly. In the last couple of years there’s been a summer of stone traffic (brought down by coastal shipping from Scotland, but now appears to run from Avonmouth) and a few weeks of steel export traffic late last year as a one-off contract. Curious what is coming.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Portbury Dock Stop Board all day on 12/07/2022

Train information at Portbury Dock Stop Board all day on 12/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Peter0124]

Just wondering and feel free to move this post to another thread if off topic but in the event of Scottish Independence will the new Coatbridge-Crewe/Tilbury services be scrapped? Will a yes to independence have effect on the cross border freight services? I hope the services don't go.

 

[furnessvale]

Just wondering and feel free to move this post to another thread if off topic but in the event of Scottish Independence will the new Coatbridge-Crewe/Tilbury services be scrapped? Will a yes to independence have effect on the cross border freight services? I hope the services don't go.

That is some way off.

Firstly, Scotland has to vote for independence. Then the two countries have to decide what border and customs arrangements suit them both.

Who knows, they could decide on anything from seamless to severe checks.

Having said that, even severe checks are not necessarily bad for rail. Queues of HGVs at Gretna, each with a driver in the cab waiting to cross the border could be worse for road than a train, left at the border by one driver, to be collected by a driver from the other country once it has cleared customs.

Please note, I am talking purely about transport, not the economic well being of the two countries as a whole.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[route101]

I was thinking about freight I see that goes from Southampton up to Basingstoke but does any freight route between Basingstoke and London area or from Southampton east towards Havant/Brighton?

 

[wallan]

GBRF Is shown as having a 2150 Tunstead Sidings - Bedworth Puma ( Disused Oil Depd ) , Due 0658
Return working is due to depart at 1130

 

[Chingy]

There is a small amount of freight that continues from Basingstoke to Woking and around to the Feltham line, such as the GBRF gypsum train, Hoo Junction engineers services and aggregate traffic to Woking stone sidings from Merehead.

Very little freight goes east of Southampton towards Portsmouth and Brighton. There is a Chichester stone train from Merehead that runs once a week if you're lucky. Similar to Fareham stone sidings. That's about it though.

 

[wallan]

Possibly in conection with The Battery Production Plant that is to be build in the area

The service has started this week , one train a day untill Sept then increasing to Two trains a day until March 2023

 

[Adrian Barr]

GBRF Is shown as having a 2150 Tunstead Sidings - Bedworth Puma ( Disused Oil Depd ) , Due 0658
Return working is due to depart at 1130

The routing is interesting, out via Leicester and Nuneaton, run round in the loop at Whitacre and then back through Nuneaton to Bedworth. Return working runs round at Coventry Yard, back north through Nuneaton, run round at Hams Hall and then via Derby back to Tunstead. It doesn't look like this Bedworth service has run yet, but I assume it's connected with the "West Midlands Gigafactory" being built not far away - https://ukgigafactory.com/news

New one due to start , Shap - North Blyth

Possibly in conection with The Battery Production Plant that is to be build in the area

The service has started this week , one train a day untill Sept then increasing to Two trains a day until March 2023

That's good news, more about it here with a picture of the loading at Shap - https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2022/07/14/gigaplant-means-yet-more-traffic-for-north-blyth/

GBRF have been running trains of aggregate every day this week from Shap Summit across the Tyne Valley line to the former coal loading point at Blyth Battleship Wharf - https://www.flickr.com/photos/billwelsh/52198482600/

I was just finding out about this north east "gigafactory" being built on the site of Blyth Power Station - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-56711116

66798 brought an empty set of MJAs from Thrislington to Shap Summit on 4th July (via the Norton West Jn to East Jn curve, Durham Coast and Tyne Valley) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/thornabydemon/52196432836/

It worked the first loaded service the same day - https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/52198279983/

The set of MJA boxes used had previously spent a fair amount of time stabled empty at Thrislington (see this post from last year - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/thrislington.220155/#post-5232701).

 

[wallan]

The routing is interesting, out via Leicester and Nuneaton, run round in the loop at Whitacre and then back through Nuneaton to Bedworth. Return working runs round at Coventry Yard, back north through Nuneaton, run round at Hams Hall and then via Derby back to Tunstead. It doesn't look like this Bedworth service has run yet, but I assume it's connected with the "West Midlands Gigafactory" being built not far away - https://ukgigafactory.com/news





That's good news, more about it here with a picture of the loading at Shap - https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2022/07/14/gigaplant-means-yet-more-traffic-for-north-blyth/

GBRF have been running trains of aggregate every day this week from Shap Summit across the Tyne Valley line to the former coal loading point at Blyth Battleship Wharf - https://www.flickr.com/photos/billwelsh/52198482600/

I was just finding out about this north east "gigafactory" being built on the site of Blyth Power Station - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-56711116

66798 brought an empty set of MJAs from Thrislington to Shap Summit on 4th July (via the Norton West Jn to East Jn curve, Durham Coast and Tyne Valley) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/thornabydemon/52196432836/

It worked the first loaded service the same day - https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/52198279983/

The set of MJA boxes used had previously spent a fair amount of time stabled empty at Thrislington (see this post from last year - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/thrislington.220155/#post-5232701).

Thanks for the above , the Construction of HS2 ( On the outskirts of Coventry & Keilworth ) is also going to requier a lot of Stone

 

[Adrian Barr]

The new stone flow from Shap Summit to Blyth made me realize that all three Shap terminals are currently in use. This is a quick overview of current and former traffic:

Shap Summit (Breedon - Shap Blue Quarry) has the new stone flow to Blyth.
This granite quarry is mostly known for supplying Carlisle Yard with ballast, until the source of stone was switched to Mountsorrel and more recently Ravenstruther.

66433 with loaded sidetippers being passed by a Pendolino - https://www.flickr.com/photos/rf100/12507253554/
Looking in the other direction, 66019 with MLA "Red Snappers" in 2011 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/6333185960/

Shap Harrisons Sdgs (Hanson - Shap Beck Quarry) is a limestone quarry, with GBRF despatching trainloads to Tuebrook and Ashton-in-Makerfield.
2022 Drone shot - https://www.flickr.com/photos/philmetcalfe/52163813429/

Until the closure of the blast furnaces at Redcar, this location was best known for despatching limetone to Redcar Mineral Terminal, for use in the blast furnaces (it was tripped to Hardendale and joined with lime traffic from Hardendale to Lackenby, to form a combined train to Teesside.)

60083 loading PGAs for Redcar in 2005 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/49039717993/

Hardendale (TATA Steel UK Ltd - Shapfell Lime) receives trainloads of limestone in box wagons from Tunstead (Freightliner), and despatches lime (burnt lime / quicklime) in covered containers on FCA flats to Port Talbot steelworks (DB Cargo).

66024 with 6V71 to Margam - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/5079396628/
There are various other shots of Hardendale sidings grouped here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/hardendalequarry

There is no actual quarrying at Hardendale currently, but limestone from both Tunstead and the nearby Shap Beck quarry is processed in the kilns to produce lime for the Tata steelworks at Port Talbot. This lime is used in the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking process - in contrast, an actual blast furnace uses limestone. This explains why Shap Harrisons (Shap Beck Quarry) sent limestone to Redcar, while Hardendale sent lime to Lackenby for the BOS plant there. To confuse this further, the wagons loaded at Shap Harrisons used to be tripped into Hardendale to form a combined train to Teesside, while the kilns at Hardendale were using limestone which had come from Shap Beck quarry in the first place (presumably by road, I don't think they emptied any of the wagons at Hardendale which had tripped across from Shap Harrisons).

This blog post explains the activities at Hardendale very well, with unusual photos taken around the site -

Limestone: the Tata Shapfell kilns

The Tata Shapfell limekilns The motorway sweeps down past the smooth rounded ‘sleeping elephants’ of the Howgill fells, down into the valley by Tebay, and then up again onto the moorland heights of…

solwayshorewalker.co.uk

The railway is a siding from the nearby West Coast mainline – one of the sleek passenger trains speeds by during our tour – and wagons bring limestone to the kilns and take lime away. From here at ground-level we watch a large yellow lorry tipping out its load of limestone, which is rapidly bull-dozed to the edge of a waiting pile, from which it will be conveyed to a crusher, and eventually loaded into a hopper that will take it to the top of a kiln. There is limestone of a pinkish shade, which comes from Hanson’s quarry just 5 miles to the North; and there is whiter stone which is brought by rail from a Tarmac quarry at Buxton, Derbyshire. At one time the stone would have been dug out here, at Shapfell/Hardendale, but local ‘good’ stone, the best for quicklime and steel-making, has been exhausted, and the land is being restored.

 

[MDB1images]

The new stone flow from Shap Summit to Blyth made me realize that all three Shap terminals are currently in use. This is a quick overview of current and former traffic:

Shap Summit (Breedon - Shap Blue Quarry) has the new stone flow to Blyth.
This granite quarry is mostly known for supplying Carlisle Yard with ballast, until the source of stone was switched to Mountsorrel and more recently Ravenstruther.

66433 with loaded sidetippers being passed by a Pendolino - https://www.flickr.com/photos/rf100/12507253554/
Looking in the other direction, 66019 with MLA "Red Snappers" in 2011 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/6333185960/

Shap Harrisons Sdgs (Hanson - Shap Beck Quarry) is a limestone quarry, with GBRF despatching trainloads to Tuebrook and Ashton-in-Makerfield.
2022 Drone shot - https://www.flickr.com/photos/philmetcalfe/52163813429/

Until the closure of the blast furnaces at Redcar, this location was best known for despatching limetone to Redcar Mineral Terminal, for use in the blast furnaces (it was tripped to Hardendale and joined with lime traffic from Hardendale to Lackenby, to form a combined train to Teesside.)

60083 loading PGAs for Redcar in 2005 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/49039717993/

Hardendale (TATA Steel UK Ltd - Shapfell Lime) receives trainloads of limestone in box wagons from Tunstead (Freightliner), and despatches lime (burnt lime / quicklime) in covered containers on FCA flats to Port Talbot steelworks (DB Cargo).

66024 with 6V71 to Margam - https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/5079396628/
There are various other shots of Hardendale sidings grouped here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/hardendalequarry

There is no actual quarrying at Hardendale currently, but limestone from both Tunstead and the nearby Shap Beck quarry is processed in the kilns to produce lime for the Tata steelworks at Port Talbot. This lime is used in the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking process - in contrast, an actual blast furnace uses limestone. This explains why Shap Harrisons (Shap Beck Quarry) sent limestone to Redcar, while Hardendale sent lime to Lackenby for the BOS plant there. To confuse this further, the wagons loaded at Shap Harrisons used to be tripped into Hardendale to form a combined train to Teesside, while the kilns at Hardendale were using limestone which had come from Shap Beck quarry in the first place (presumably by road, I don't think they emptied any of the wagons at Hardendale which had tripped across from Shap Harrisons).

This blog post explains the activities at Hardendale very well, with unusual photos taken around the site -

Limestone: the Tata Shapfell kilns

The Tata Shapfell limekilns The motorway sweeps down past the smooth rounded ‘sleeping elephants’ of the Howgill fells, down into the valley by Tebay, and then up again onto the moorland heights of…

solwayshorewalker.co.uk

Go past them daily and never knew what each plant actually did!
Thanks for the informative post.

 

[Malaxa]

Tilbury 2 also has an aggregate loading facility. A seemingly unlikely departure last week was a rake of loaded Freightliner HHAs on a Tilbury to Norwich Trowse service, via Stratford, Brimsdown and Ely. It returned empty via Ely again and used the Seven Sisters - South Tottenham chord to access the line to Barking and Tilbury. A similar working was pictured in May; the caption to this photo of empties from Trowse says the train arrived in the morning from Tilbury - https://www.flickr.com/photos/132139568@N08/52087359905/

Today, when much freight is disrupted, an aggregate load from Tilbury2 headed off to the Tarmac plant at Hothfield, near Charing, Kent. Another destination to add to Kennett and Trowse receiving traffic from this new facility.

 

[stantheman]

Reports of 66304 on first Mossend to Blackford Perthshire today with just 4 containers ...presume. trial

 

[Peter0124]

Is this the first time in a while that 4S57 Hams Hall to Mossend has run? How often will it run per week?

Realtime Trains | 4S57 1058 Hams Hall Gbrf to Mossend Euroterminal Gbrf | 20/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 4S57 1058 departure from Hams Hall Gbrf to Mossend Euroterminal Gbrf on 20/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Freightmaster]

Is this the first time in a while that 4S57 Hams Hall to Mossend has run? How often will it run per week?

Realtime Trains | 4S57 1058 Hams Hall Gbrf to Mossend Euroterminal Gbrf | 20/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 4S57 1058 departure from Hams Hall Gbrf to Mossend Euroterminal Gbrf on 20/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Daily.

It should have started running on Monday, but was postponed for 48 hours due to the heat;
and then today's train got stuck behind a failed DRS intermodal between Stafford and Crewe,
so it hasn't got off to a particularly auspicious start!




MARK

 

[bnsf734]

I took a drive to the Puma Oil terminal in Bedworth this week for a look. I couldn't see any sign of any aggregate unloading facilities, indeed the oil unloading facilities are still there alongside the track so it would be impossible to unload anything in the sidings until these are removed.

Most of the site is now a pallet storage yard (Junction 4 Pallets) and there is no road access without going through the pallet yard.

Have any trains from Tunstead actually ran?