Collapse of the bulk load freight business ?

[Greybeard33]

The Mid-Cheshire line currently sees several workings a week from Arpley to Doncaster Europort, which appear to originate from Portbury Automotive Terminal. I saw one (671Y) this morning for the first time. It consisted of four wheel, long wheelbase flat wagons carrying imported light van/pickup chassis with cab but no bodywork, hauled by a 66 in EWS livery.

Anyone know if this is a long term flow or fairly recent?

 

[Freightmaster]

The Mid-Cheshire line currently sees several workings a week from Arpley to Doncaster Europort, which appear to originate from Portbury Automotive Terminal. I saw one (671Y) this morning for the first time. It consisted of four wheel, long wheelbase flat wagons carrying imported light van/pickup chassis with cab but no bodywork, hauled by a 66 in EWS livery.

Anyone know if this is a long term flow or fairly recent?

It's been running two/three times a week for several years now.

MARK

 

[FordFocus]

I know Ford import cars and light goods vehicles through Southampton but not sure what is imported through Portbury?

 

[Greybeard33]

It's been running two/three times a week for several years now.

MARK

Thanks!

I know Ford import cars and light goods vehicles through Southampton but not sure what is imported through Portbury?

The ones I saw were Citroens, but I think Portbury handles huge numbers of road vehicle imports and exports from a variety of manufacturers. If you drive past on the M5 you can see the vast storage compounds full of parked vehicles.

 

[Radedamer]

Portbury handles many different makes. There is a foot and cycle path (okay, I guess that's a bridlepath) running along the perimeter fence from which you can see a huge stock, from memory (last time I was there was a month ago but I wasn't paying attention to the yards) I think I've seen Toyota, Vauxhall, Chevrolet and Ford. I don't this list is either extensive or accurate!

 

[RichmondCommu]

Well, the rail route from Liverpool to Drax is longer than the coal train routes from the east coast ports. And biomass is less energy dense, and bulkier, than coal, so more trains are needed to generate the same amount of electricity. How is that not new business won by the railway?

Whilst I concur that transporting biomass generates more traffic (and therefore more revenue) for the FOC's, the point you make regarding the longer rail route doesn't make sense. I can't see why there would be greater profit margins on a route from Liverpool to Drax compared to Immingham to Drax. In fact I wonder whether the profit margins will be lower given how hard a class 66 will have to work to drag the biomass over the Pennines compared to the landscape in North Lincolnshire. In the time it takes to run from Merseyside to Drax you could surely run more trains from Immingham so nothing is gained by running across the Pennines.
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I am not suggesting you personally are doing this, but it seems a little unfair in one thread to simultaneously claim the reduction in coal carryings as a "loss" in traffic, but not allow the (partial) replacement biomass as a "gain".

Incidentally, other bulk traffics recently announced include three flows by DBS, two of which have substantial "new to rail" elements.

I don't think fairness or indeed unfairness is a factor, this is after all just a forum. The problem is the losses are out weighing the gains at the moment although I concur that the recent successes that DBS has had in the construction sector is indeed good news.

I would be interested to know which FOC has the contract to shift limestone from Helwith Bridge on the S & C. When I last looked (back in the summer) construction on the siding linking the S & C to the quarry was well under way.

 

[Legzr1]

I would be interested to know which FOC has the contract to shift limestone from Helwith Bridge on the S & C. When I last looked (back in the summer) construction on the siding linking the S & C to the quarry was well under way.

Dry Rigg service being operated by GBRf.