Freight trains in the south west?

[isdoo]

Hi,

I need to photograph a freight train (ideally in the south west) of at least 20 of the same wagons ideally with the same logo on each!

Not asking for much

Any suggestions on where to locate such a beast.

Thanks for any suggestions....

 

[zwk500]

Best bet might well be somewhere near Westbury, for the Jumbo stone trains from the Mendip quarries. Other than that maybe the power station traffic between Liverpool and Drax, as they have nicely painted up wagons but not sure they're 20 wagons long.

 

[isdoo]

Best bet might well be somewhere near Westbury, for the Jumbo stone trains from the Mendip quarries.

Thanks. Any idea where these run to?

 

[zwk500]

Thanks. Any idea where these run to?

The proper Jumbos will usually run to Acton Yard then split. They've been trialling having locos in the middle of the train recently, to speed up the shunting at Acton. I'm afraid I don't know the eventual destinations, although you could try looking through the Freight Flows thread.

 

[Nottingham59]

There are lots of trainspotters who post on Flickr and places like that. I would have a look to see if you could find the sort of images you're looking for on there, and then see where those were taken. That would give you both a freight flow and a vantage point. Others on here might well be able to help find suitable examples.

EDIT: e.g. https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=freight train mendips

 

[zwk500]

For an example of a possible schedule: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H25678/2022-08-01/detailed

From what I can see at Westbury on WTT, trains from Merehead and Watley Quarries can run to pretty much anywhere.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Hi,

I need to photograph a freight train (ideally in the south west) of at least 20 of the same wagons ideally with the same logo on each!

Not asking for much

Any suggestions on where to locate such a beast.

Thanks for any suggestions....

Your biggest challenge will be finding a train of ‘clean’ wagons that aren’t mostly marred by graffiti, sadly.

 

[ExRes]

The 'cleanest' sets of wagons around are possibly the DCR blue JNAs, about the only picky point is that some may have the 'Cappagh' logo and some may not, in the south west the only 'regular' run currently is Willesden/Machen Quarry/Oxford Banbury Road Sidings

 

[AndrewE]

Your biggest challenge will be finding a train of ‘clean’ wagons that aren’t mostly marred by graffiti, sadly.

The 'cleanest' sets of wagons around are possibly the DCR blue JNAs, about the only picky point is that some may have the 'Cappagh' logo and some may not, in the south west the only 'regular' run currently is Willesden/Machen Quarry/Oxford Banbury Road Sidings

whereas the Drax biomass trains are pristine... of have been whenever I have seen them, about monthly at Edge Hill.

 

[swt_passenger]

Other than that maybe the power station traffic between Liverpool and Drax, as they have nicely painted up wagons but not sure they're 20 wagons long.

They’re not very near the south west either, are they?

 

[Chingy]

One of your best bets is to get the Merehead/Whatley to Theale workings. They're normally 20+ Hanson hoppers, all the same. These usually use the Westbury avoiders though, so either Pewsey/Bedwyn or a bridge around the Fairwood Jnc area will be best.

The Jumbo's, whilst they easily have 20+ wagons, they're not all the same. These can be 18 hoppers and 18 boxes for example, plus they may not all be logo's, at least not clearly.

Other options are the GBRf stone working from Ferme Park to Avonmouth. Not sure on the exact number of wagons, but GBRf usually have more modern, cleaner wagons, easily logo'd. Or perhaps the Theale to Milford Haven tanks, although admittedly, these aren't always logo'd.

 

[AndrewE]

They’re not very near the south west either, are they?

They only said "ideally." They might enjoy a trip to my favourite city...

 

[isdoo]

Thanks all!

I will keep looking and trying to find out where the busiest locations are.

Where do the drax trains run?

I do travel occasionally further north

 

[zwk500]

Thanks all!

I will keep looking and trying to find out where the busiest locations are.

Where do the drax trains run?

I do travel occasionally further north

From Liverpool across the transpennine routes, not sure of the exact routings.

 

[Irascible]

They’re not very near the south west either, are they?

Nor is Westbury :P

Is anything running to Fowey docks at the moment?

 

[becky_rtw]

Lots of freight trains that run through Patchway / Filton Abbey Wood / Lawrence Hill to skirt around the edge of Bristol. Always seem to see 2-3 when waiting for one of the few passengers trains around that area.

Patchway has an overhead Bridge and is well sighted, but does have electric overheads if this will spoil your shot.

 

[Undaunted]

Two of the photographs on pages 66/67 of the August edition of Modern Railways appear to have the right combinations of train and location.

 

[D6975]

Thanks all!

I will keep looking and trying to find out where the busiest locations are.

Where do the drax trains run?

I do travel occasionally further north

Drax biomass trains run via Rochdale, Hebden Bridge, Healey Mills, Knottingley.
West of Rochdale they can run via Victoria and Newton le Willows or via Stockport, Northwich, Acton Bridge and Earlestown.

 

[isdoo]

Patchway

Thanks. I will have a look there.

 

[Nottingham59]

I will have a look there

You might want to have a look at Realtime Trains, in detailed mode.

Here for instance is a freightliner train that went through Patchway this afternoon: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H28734/2022-08-03/detailed

And this is a list of all freigth train paths timetabled through Patchway tomorrow:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Patchway all day on 04/08/2022

Train information at Patchway all day on 04/08/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Note that many (most) of the freight paths will not actually be used on any one day. And freight trains often run well before or well after their timetabled path.

 

[eldomtom2]

I need to photograph a freight train (ideally in the south west) of at least 20 of the same wagons ideally with the same logo on each!

Slightly odd request - any particular reason why you want this or is just aesthetic preference?

 

[isdoo]

And this is a list of all freigth train paths timetabled through Patchway tomorrow:

Thanks.

I found this page

Patchway - TrackIT!

I assume it is the same data?


Everyone here is so helpful. Thanks!

 

[Chingy]

Patchway is a bit busier than usual for freight currently due to the Lydney freight traffic being diverted that way.

 

[Future]

Hi,

I need to photograph a freight train (ideally in the south west) of at least 20 of the same wagons ideally with the same logo on each!

Not asking for much

Any suggestions on where to locate such a beast.

Thanks for any suggestions....

There’s a once-weekly flow on either Wednesdays or Thursdays from St Blazey in Cornwall to Exeter Riverside NY with JIA wagons, all with Nacco branding. Trouble is length can carry depending on the amount of china clay required to be taken on the train

 

[isdoo]

There’s a once-weekly flow on either Wednesdays or Thursdays from St Blazey in Cornwall to Exeter Riverside NY with JIA wagons, all with Nacco branding. Trouble is length can carry depending on the amount of china clay required to be taken on the train

Looks like it might be running currently with 1,000 tons - no idea what that equates to.

 

[Future]

Looks like it might be running currently with 1,000 tons - no idea what that equates to.

Usually somewhere between 10 and 20 wagons from my experience. Unfortunately they are almost all graffitied as they are often left sitting around at Exeter Riverside for several weeks