New North Wales freight services.

[RicWales]

Work is nearly completed replacing track and cutting down of vegetation in Llandudno Junction sidings. Does anyone know when the slate waste from Bethesda is due to start with GBRf. I believe ballast trains are to restart from Penmaenmawr, any dates...? Any other developments coming to Junction...?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Work is nearly completed replacing track and cutting down of vegetation in Llandudno Junction sidings. Does anyone know when the slate waste from Bethesda is due to start with GBRf. I believe ballast trains are to restart from Penmaenmawr, any dates...? Any other developments coming to Junction...?

The Penmaenmawr site has already run a trial train to Liverpool:
Penmaenmawr quarry rail terminal reopens | Rail Business UK | Railway Gazette International

The quarrying company has spent £300 000 refurbishing the facility, including upgrades to the railhead conveyor which was last used in 2012. The first trial service was operated by GB Railfreight and transported stone to the Tuebrook depot near Liverpool to test the equipment and uncover any operational issues within the quarry and at the railhead.
Hanson now aims to load one train per week with aggregates for delivery in northwest England, with the volumes being dependent on its destination and the capacity of the network.

Presumably HS2 (Lichfield-Crewe-Manchester) could provide a major source of traffic, when construction starts.
But the Peak District quarries will want some of the action too.

 

[furnessvale]

Presumably HS2 (Lichfield-Crewe-Manchester) could provide a major source of traffic, when construction starts.
But the Peak District quarries will want some of the action too.

The Peak District quarries serve a different market with high quality limestone for the chemical and construction industries. Penmaenmawr is granite better suited for ballast so both sets of quarries will see some of the action.

 

[Oxfordblues]

I keep in touch by reading the North Wales Coast Railway Notice Board, published every Monday night around 23:00. This week's issue includes photos of the new sidings at Llandudno Junction: North Wales Coast Railway Notice Board 17 January 2022 (nwrail.org.uk)

 

[Brush 4]

Meldon Quarry may if it is true that it's reopening.

 

[Oxfordblues]

I undertand that the missing pointwork has now been installed, so we should expect the new slate waste flow to Hope to start fairly soon.

Meanwhile, over at Aberystwyth, I see there's a 19:56 departure tonight conveying round timber to Kronospan at Chirk, no doubt hauled by a yellow Class 37. Either a new flow or a trial run.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Meanwhile, over at Aberystwyth, I see there's a 19:56 departure tonight conveying round timber to Kronospan at Chirk, no doubt hauled by a yellow Class 37. Either a new flow or a trial run.

Which has to run on to Chester in order to come back to Chirk on the Up line to reverse into Kronospan...

 

[wobman]

Which has to run on to Chester in order to come back to Chirk on the Up line to reverse into Kronospan...

Could it not go via Crewe to Chester then to Chirk to propell into the kronospan works

 

[Pinus contorta]

Quite a lot of forested area in the Cambrian hills nearby. Is it long term plan to remove traffic from the A470 A483 through Snowdonia National Park?

 

[snowball]

Meanwhile, over at Aberystwyth, I see there's a 19:56 departure tonight conveying round timber to Kronospan at Chirk, no doubt hauled by a yellow Class 37. Either a new flow or a trial run.

Press release

Welsh timber returns to the railway for carbon-cutting test run

For the first time since 2005, a freight train carrying Welsh timber left Aberystwyth as part of a trial that could see regular freight traffic return to the Cambrian line.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

For the first time since 2005, a freight train carrying Welsh timber left Aberystwyth as part of a trial that could see regular freight traffic return to the Cambrian line.

The successful trial, aimed at exploring the feasibility of transporting timber by rail to reduce carbon emissions, opens up the possibility of removing hundreds of large lorries from the rural roads of mid Wales.

The timber, which came from the forests of Ceredigion and Powys, was loaded onto a Colas Rail freight service at Aberystwyth on Friday 29 April, ready to be transported to the Kronospan manufacturing plant in Chirk, north Wales. Kronospan makes and distributes timber products such as wood panelling for furniture and flooring and plays an important role in the timber supply chain.

Ten wagons of unfinished timber left Aberystwyth on Friday, pulled by a pair of Class 37 locomotives owned by Network Rail, thanks to a partnership with the freight operator Colas Rail. The Class 37s were handpicked for the job in order to haul the 700-tonne load over the steep gradients of parts of the line, which skirts the edge of the Snowdonia mountain range.

Transporting this much timber by rail removed upwards of 16 lorries from the roads, helping to reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion. It’s estimated that a quarter of a tonne of carbon dioxide was saved by using the railway for this purpose, which equates to 30,411 charges of your smart phone or the carbon emissions per passenger taking a one-way flight from Amsterdam to Rome.

 

[30907]

Could it not go via Crewe to Chester then to Chirk to propell into the kronospan works

Yes, but it's slightly further so would add to fuel costs.

 

[krus_aragon]

I caught the sight of a granite train loading at Penmaenmawr on Friday morning (the second I've seen in recent months).

 

[StuartH]

The work at Glan Conwy for the slate waste looks largely complete, including the pointwork at the west of the station. There's even some slate waste to practice with!

 

[wobman]

Is track work finished now so the freight can run out of the sidings ?
It's great to see more freight on the N Wales coast

 

[StuartH]

Seems to be. There's pointwork further west too. Rubbish pic sorry.

 

[Oxfordblues]

The first train ran today, but not with pulverised slate for Hope Cement. The load appeared to be slate chippings, destined Wellingborough: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R01945/2022-08-03/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[Dr Hoo]

The planning permission for the rail discharge facilities at Hope (in the Peak District National Park) has taken a long time to obtain.

I am not even clear whether it has been finally granted yet.

(I wasn't aware of any rail flows of stone from the Derbyshire quarries towards North Wales. Where is it going?)

 

[furnessvale]

The planning permission for the rail discharge facilities at Hope (in the Peak District National Park) has taken a long time to obtain.

I am not even clear whether it has been finally granted yet.

(I wasn't aware of any rail flows of stone from the Derbyshire quarries towards North Wales. Where is it going?)

There are no backflows all the way, but a load to the Warrington area is a most welcome bonus to the haulier.

 

[StuartH]

The first train ran today, but not with pulverised slate for Hope Cement. The load appeared to be slate chippings, destined Wellingborough: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R01945/2022-08-03/detailed#allox_id=0

Nice video of the first run.

 

[childwallblues]

Good to see more freight on the Coast.

 

[chiltern trev]

The work at Glan Conwy for the slate waste looks largely complete, including the pointwork at the west of the station. There's even some slate waste to practice with!

Not Glan Conwy. Is Tre Marl Industrial Estate, Llandudno Junction east of the station. There are lots of car dealerships, a Booker, etc.

 

[krus_aragon]

Not Glan Conwy. Is Tre Marl Industrial Estate, Llandudno Junction east of the station. There are lots of car dealerships, a Booker, etc.

Glan Conwy is the railway name for those sidings, I believe.

 

[chiltern trev]

Glan Conwy is the railway name for those sidings, I believe.

Ok but it is not near Glan Conwy station and not in the village of Glan Conwy.

 

[Freightmaster]

Ok but it is not near Glan Conwy station and not in the village of Glan Conwy.

Just wait until you find out about 'Daventry' railfreight hub!




MARK

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Just wait until you find out about 'Daventry' railfreight hub!




MARK

Yes, why was it called Daventry etc? Long Buckby is much nearer.

 

[krus_aragon]

Ok but it is not near Glan Conwy station and not in the village of Glan Conwy.

it may not be in the village of Llansanffraid Glan Conwy itself, but until the A55 works in the area it was literally on the Glan (riverside) of the river Conwy.

 

[snowball]

Network Rail press release

Welsh slate on the move as a second revenue-generating freight route opens up in North Wales

Welsh slate aggregate is being transported to Luton via rail freight for the first time ever, thanks to a joint initiative between Network Rail, construction materials company Breedon, and the Welsh Government.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Welsh slate aggregate is being transported to Luton via rail freight for the first time ever, thanks to a joint initiative between Network Rail, construction materials company Breedon, and the Welsh Government.

The Llandudno Junction freight yard, which hadn’t been used for several years, was brought back to life following extensive work at the site. Vegetation removal, track repairs and refurbishment of the points – which allow trains to swap between tracks – have enabled trains to enter and leave the yard.

The first freight train to leave Llandudno Junction freight yard departed in July, carrying 22 wagons filled with slate aggregate from local quarries for the journey to Luton in south-east England. Each freight train removes approximately 76 lorries from the roads, reducing carbon emissions and congestions while making the air we breathe cleaner.

The Welsh Government has provided match funding to Breedon Group for the enhancements at Llandudno Junction freight sidings via the Freight Facilities Grant scheme. The scheme is available to encourage modal shift where there are environmental benefits from removing HGVs from roads across Wales – up to 250,000 tonnes of slate waste aggregates is expected to be moved by rail each year from the site

Jess Lippett, senior regional freight manager at Network Rail said: “Rail freight is a vital part of our infrastructure, providing a fast, green, safe and efficient way of transporting goods.

“We’ve worked closely with our partners at Breedon and in Welsh Government to get Llandudno Junction open for business, ensuring that we can carry slate aggregates by rail and therefore reducing the number of lorries on the road and cutting carbon emissions.

“The recent slate loading represents the second revenue-earning freight flow to commence on the North Wales coast-line in recent months - showing how we can work together to have a positive impact on the environment and the economy.”

Andy Roberts, General Manager at Breedon’s Welsh Slate Business said “Breedon are delighted to have worked with Welsh Government to develop a high quality freight facility in North Wales. This will allow slate aggregate to be delivered across the UK in a sustainable manner and remove truck movements from the A55.”

John Smith, chief executive officer at GB Railfreight said: “We’re delighted to be transporting Welsh slate from Llandudno.

"It is encouraging to see the Government and the private sector come together to enable a service that will transport key construction materials, create employment opportunities and drive local growth.

“This new service will demonstrate the commercial, environmental and safety benefits of transporting goods by rail freight.”

 

[Penmorfa]

Today there was a first train from Penmaenmawr to Leeds Hunslet Tilcon. This ran in the path of the regular working to Edge Hill Liverpool. 6D90 operated by 66726.

 

[krus_aragon]

Today there was a first train from Penmaenmawr to Leeds Hunslet Tilcon. This ran in the path of the regular working to Edge Hill Liverpool. 6D90 operated by 66726.

Thanks for that: I'd seen it at Pen as I drove past, but assumed it was one of the regulars.