Class 70s

[Aictos]

With the class having done route learning in the Doncaster area earlier this month, how long before they appear on the southern part of the ECML ie the area under Peterborough and Kings Cross PSBs control or even in the area under Cambridge PSB?

Or will they be destined never to make a appearance?

 

[matt]

With the class having done route learning in the Doncaster area earlier this month, how long before they appear on the southern part of the ECML ie the area under Peterborough and Kings Cross PSBs control or even in the area under Cambridge PSB?

Or will they be destined never to make a appearance?

Does Freightliner have any workings in these areas?

 

[westcoaster]

Does Freightliner have any workings in these areas?

Iirc some of the felixstow -midlands services go via Peterborough/ ely to cut out London during the peaks to make more paths available.

http://colrailspics.fotopic.net/p67747456.html shows one such working

 

[GB]

I'd say that as more come over you will eventually see them on other routes. As it stands for the time being though, only one is allocated to intermodal and that is busy with the 30 wagon 4L69/4M93 services.

 

[jopsuk]

There's a FL crew cabin on platform 3 at Peterborough isn't there?

 

[FLHH East Anglia]

Yep,its HeavyHaul but do some work for Intermodal.

 

[87019Chris]

70007 should be working out of southampton so there are no workings on east coast intermodal services along with 70001 on service as above

 

[D6975]

A new chord is being put in at Ipswich so that liners don't have to run round to head towards Ely.
Once the new chord is put in, sending other FL services out of Felixstowe via Ely and Peterborough rather than via London becomes more attractive, so an increase could be on the cards.
Unless the cuts have changed things of course....

 

[GB]

The last I heard, the chord has been put back to 2013/14

 

[jopsuk]

Might it be brought forward again now the A14 upgrade has been shafted? Something needs done to get the bloody lorries off that road! Cambridge to Huntigdon they are apparently 1/4of the vehicles on the road but are involved in 1/3 of the accidents.

Ideally (hah) the line would get wired up- would be good for the freight as well as for passengers. But that's unlikely to happen anytime soon.

 

[swt_passenger]

The last I heard, the chord has been put back to 2013/14

That's definitely when NR's August press release said it would complete, but I don't think it's actually a delay, was there ever an earlier confirmed date? Back in March 09 NR were mentioning the proposed Bacon Factory curve, and that its TWA Order was yet to be applied for.

IPSWICH-RAIL-UPGRADE-EXPANDED-FOLLOWING-HUGE-PUBLIC-SUPPORT

 

[GB]

I seem to recall hearing or reading somewhere the chord opening was supposed to be done before the Olympics started. Not sure if it was just hear say, rumours of just a pipe dream.

Saying that, Ipswich yard was ment to be remodelled so perhaps the 2012 time frame was for that?

In all honesty I'm not quite sure how much of a benifit this chord will bring. OK so it will negate the need for run round moves but the trains often wait in the yard for a suitable path either down the branch or down the main.

 

[swt_passenger]

I seem to recall hearing or reading somewhere the chord opening was supposed to be done before the Olympics started. Not sure if it was just hear say, rumours of just a pipe dream.

I think it is mainly down to wishful thinking by the Olympics people, wanting to minimise freight through Stratford. I think what probably happened is people presumed that the whole freight corridor gauge clearance project from Felixstowe to Nuneaton is one job to be finished soon, and the curve isn't really required for the main aim, it's a further project added on afterwards to increase line capacity in the Ipswich area.