Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[66701GBRF]

I am hearing rumours that the STVA (Ford) traffic is soon to be back with GBRf.

27th February is takeover date. Now called Groupe CAT vice STVA.

 

[Freightmaster]

Thanks for the info Mark. Is it a one-off flow for now?

I've heard that it's planned to be up to three trains a week, depending on demand.





MARK

 

[pharrc20]

Ok cheers Mark something to look out for.

 

[Oxfordblues]

I noticed a couple of Land Recovery wagon-unloading grabs at Hinksey Sidings today, on the site of the former "virtual quarry". I guess that deliveries of aggregates might start soon, possibly as part of the local flood mitigation project. There's a GBRf schedule in from/to Cliffe Hill/Stud Farm I see.

 

[furnessvale]

I've heard that it's planned to be up to three trains a week, depending on demand.





MARK

Interesting. I have noticed quite a number of Hurt's own 4 axle rigid tippers, normally used for spoil, loading new stone out of the Peak District heading north on the A6. Be good to see that on rail.

 

[Geeves]

Does anyone have information on which trains are using the old Leyland sidings (at Leyland). I am assuming aggregates from the Peak district from description of the trains route, but may well be wrong

 

[Freightmaster]

Does anyone have information on which trains are using the old Leyland sidings (at Leyland). I am assuming aggregates from the Peak district from description of the trains route, but may well be wrong

Correct - limestone from Tunstead quarry.





MARK

 

[AJP62]

Just seen a GBRF 66 heading south through Macclesfield on about 16 loaded Land Recovery box bogies - any ideas if this is a regular working.

Unusual to see freight here.

In the middle of delayed Avantis so following one will be slow!

 

[JKF]

Just seen a GBRF 66 heading south through Macclesfield on about 16 loaded Land Recovery box bogies - any ideas if this is a regular working.

Unusual to see freight here.

In the middle of delayed Avantis so following one will be slow!

Guess it will be this one?

Realtime Trains | 6Z21 0605 Redcar Mineral Term Gbrf to Pinnox Branch Esso Sidings | 11/01/2023

Real-time train running information for 6Z21 0605 departure from Redcar Mineral Term Gbrf to Pinnox Branch Esso Sidings on 11/01/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

That‘s an STP working so possibly a one-off or pilot.

ETA: it’s running every day this week.

 

[AJP62]

Guess it will be this one?

Realtime Trains | 6Z21 0605 Redcar Mineral Term Gbrf to Pinnox Branch Esso Sidings | 11/01/2023

Real-time train running information for 6Z21 0605 departure from Redcar Mineral Term Gbrf to Pinnox Branch Esso Sidings on 11/01/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

That‘s an STP working so possibly a one-off or pilot.

ETA: it’s running every day this week.

Interesting - thank you

 

[Oxfordblues]

I noticed a couple of Land Recovery wagon-unloading grabs at Hinksey Sidings today, on the site of the former "virtual quarry". I guess that deliveries of aggregates might start soon, possibly as part of the local flood mitigation project. There's a GBRf schedule in from/to Cliffe Hill/Stud Farm I see.

The first load of ballast from Cliffe Hill/stud Farm arrived at Hinksey Sidings yesterday, so it's not rock for the nearby flood defence scheme as I speculated. The virtual quarry was closed some years ago and the ballast mountain cleared away, with Bescot, Eastleigh and Westbury being deemed sufficient to maintain supply. Now it appears to have a new lease of life, possibly to support Bicester-Bletchley tracklaying.

 

[Freightmaster]

The first load of ballast from Cliffe Hill/stud Farm arrived at Hinksey Sidings yesterday, so it's not rock for the nearby flood defence scheme as I speculated. The virtual quarry was closed some years ago and the ballast mountain cleared away, with Bescot, Eastleigh and Westbury being deemed sufficient to maintain supply. Now it appears to have a new lease of life, possibly to support Bicester-Bletchley tracklaying.

A similar thing happened last year, with dozens of trains running from Ravenstruther to (the long closed) Thornton yard in Fife,
to create a ballast stockpile for rebuilding the Levenmouth line.




MARK

 

[L+Y]

Does anybody know what happened to the proposed Heinz workings on the Southport line?

 

[ExRes]

Does anybody know what happened to the proposed Heinz workings on the Southport line?

I've heard that it's on hold due to a lack of Class 57s

 

[Geeves]

Thank for the last question answer Mr Freightmaster, another question . Trains seem to be running from what was BS Redcar to the Land Recovery sidings (Esso) at Stoke on Trent. We were trying to work out what exactly it is as the trains seem to be carrying ballast or is it the remains of the foundations of the steel plant?

Interesting times!

 

[Freightmaster]

Thank for the last question answer Mr Freightmaster, another question . Trains seem to be running from what was BS Redcar to the Land Recovery sidings (Esso) at Stoke on Trent. We were trying to work out what exactly it is as the trains seem to be carrying ballast or is it the remains of the foundations of the steel plant?

Ballast from Glensanda Quarry (Scotland).

Longport has also been taking fresh ballast from a second Scottish source this week:

Dark skies over Lancashire

Running 105 mins early here, 56078 passing Brock with 6M38, the 10.09 Ravenstruther - Longport on Thurs 12th January 2023. Cheers for the tones and wave from the driver.

www.flickr.com

(not my photo!)




MARK

 

[tomm]

What was 6V75 0931 Dee Marsh Recp. Sdgs to Margam T.C. please

 

[FrodshamJnct]

What was 6V75 0931 Dee Marsh Recp. Sdgs to Margam T.C. please

66759

 

[Freightmaster]

What was 6V75 0931 Dee Marsh Recp. Sdgs to Margam T.C. please

An empty steel train!

Seriously, ignoring that issue that this should have been posted in one of the two dedicated 'TOPS requests' threads
rather than this one, GBRf locos are shown on RTT these days:

Realtime Trains | 6V75 0931 Dee Marsh Recp. Sdgs to Margam T.C. | 13/01/2023

Real-time train running information for 6V75 0931 departure from Dee Marsh Recp. Sdgs to Margam T.C. on 13/01/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

 

[CalderTrains]

Afternoon,
I don't know if this has been asked before, but are there any plans for the Railhead at Shipley Crossley Evans Scrap Metal place? I went past not too long ago and saw an old shunting loco there, which reminded me of when 56s used to run out of there for DCR about 7 years ago?
All help appreciated
Thanks

 

[Oxfordblues]

A new flow today from Rylstone to Leyland via Blea Moor (reverse), Springs Branch (reverse) and Farington Junction (propel): https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R03396/2023-01-19/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[Freightmaster]

A new flow today from Rylstone to Leyland via Blea Moor (reverse), Springs Branch (reverse) and Farington Junction (propel): https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R03396/2023-01-19/detailed#allox_id=0

Ran yesterday too - and the Tunstead train is running this evening, too!




MARK

 

[wallan]

Ran yesterday too - and the Tunstead train is running this evening, too!




MARK

Is it not possible to " Run Round " in Hellifield

 

[Donny_m]

What’s this about, isn’t a usual move.

Realtime Trains | 6Z68 1148 Avonmouth Hanson Agg. (Fh) to Bristol Freightliner Trml | 21/01/2023

Real-time train running information for 6Z68 1148 departure from Avonmouth Hanson Agg. (Fh) to Bristol Freightliner Trml on 21/01/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Still there today.

 

[JKF]

What’s this about, isn’t a usual move.

Realtime Trains | 6Z68 1148 Avonmouth Hanson Agg. (Fh) to Bristol Freightliner Trml | 21/01/2023

Real-time train running information for 6Z68 1148 departure from Avonmouth Hanson Agg. (Fh) to Bristol Freightliner Trml on 21/01/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Still there today.

These was also a one-off service from Southampton to the Freightliner depot on RTT for Saturday morning which was cancelled, and this service seemed to appear instead. I believe they sometimes use the sidings for storing wagons as was done a couple of weeks ago, possibly related to the rail strikes, so this could be something similar.

The Saturday morning plonkliner service to Portbury (from either London Gateway or Southampton) didn’t run this weekend, and had been quite disrupted by strike action in recent weeks. It doesn’t run every week though. I did originally wonder if the Southampton train terminating at the freightliner depot was a truncated version of this service.

 

[pharrc20]

Hi, any ideas what happened to 6H66 Leyland B Leyland to Tunstead Sidings empties this morning? I saw the 6N42 loaded train passing through Northwich last night then running some 30 odd minutes late but further up the train was held at Springs Branch Jn and eventually arrived at Leyland 236 minutes late. 6H66 was cancelled at the request of the operator FL according to RTT. So, where did the empties go today? Thanks Paul

 

[furnessvale]

Hi, any ideas what happened to 6H66 Leyland B Leyland to Tunstead Sidings empties this morning? I saw the 6N42 loaded train passing through Northwich last night then running some 30 odd minutes late but further up the train was held at Springs Branch Jn and eventually arrived at Leyland 236 minutes late. 6H66 was cancelled at the request of the operator FL according to RTT. So, where did the empties go today? Thanks Paul

So late they probably stopped in the sidings and will come out tomorrow morning on the next outbound path.

 

[pharrc20]

So late they probably stopped in the sidings and will come out tomorrow morning on the next outbound path.

Yes it ran this morning in todays 4H66 path, though I didn't go out for it. Cheers Paul

 

[Pinus contorta]

Is it not possible to " Run Round " in Hellifield

I am no expert but apparently the current signalling set up doesn't allow passenger trains to run Clitheroe- Hellifield- Skipton and vice versa. So maybe there's currently no way of 'protecting' or signalling a run round at Hellifield. There's some cripple sidings and goods loops still there at Hellifield but I don't know what's still operational . The passenger train from Preston on a Sunday has to travel to Settle Junction to work back again doesn't it?

 

[Adrian Barr]

HS2 spoil trains have started running from Willesden to Cliffe (in addition to the existing Barrington trains). I'm not sure when the first one ran; they've been running since at least mid-January with GBRF haulage.
The loads run as 6O39 21:33 Willesden - Cliffe, returning as 6M39 04:07 Cliffe - Willesden, on the usual cross-London route via Kensington Olympia, Wandsworth Road, Nunhead, Lewisham and Sidcup.
Cliffe is not far from Hoo Junction, on the Grain branch, and it's usual role is to despatch sea-dredged aggregates.

There's a video on the HS2 channel which shows Willesden Hub and the spoil handling operations there:

HS2’s enormous spoil conveyor begins operation in West London​

(For a video showing longer cuts of train movements at Willesden without the frantic editing, the New Civil Engineer YouTube channel uploaded a video titled "HS2 Logistics Hub - Willesden Junction" last year).

I don't think the track layout has been altered much at Willesden since the removal of the container cranes; the main change seems to be the embedding of the tracks within concrete in the spoil loading area.

***

Also on the Grain branch, HS2 concrete segment trains are now running from Grain to West Ruislip, as mentioned in this thread - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/hs2-freight-west-ruislip.242816/
These are using FBA (formerly British Gypsum KFA) and FEA intermodal flats fitted with modules that allow segments to be be loaded in a similar fashion to the Tallington - Grain service that finished last year.
Incidentally, 12 of the FCA wagons previously used on the Tallington service were moved empty from Tallington to Scunthorpe as 6E21 early on 4th February, hauled by 66117.

Loaded segment trains ran from Grain to West Ruislip on 26th, 28th Jan and 4th Feb, with the empties returning to Grain on 28th Jan, 3rd February and 6th Feb (66301 has just departed the siding at West Ruislip).
Empties run as 6O82 08:12 West Ruislip - Grain (via Neasden Jn, Kew East, Clapham Jn, Wandsworth Road, Nunhead, Lewisham, Barnehurst, Dartford)
The loaded train runs as 6M82 19:29 Grain - West Ruislip (via Sidcup, Lewisham, Wandsworth Road, Kensington Olympia, Acton Main Line, Greenford)

I've not seen a photo of the loaded train (which obviously runs in darkness at the moment) but here is a photo of the empties hauled by 66726 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/locohunter/52662638687

***

A while back there was a post about a trial movement into the Highland Spring terminal at Blackford. This service has been up and running since 30th January, when a light engine arrived to work 4D01 to Mossend.

For the rest of the week (including Saturday) there was a 4L00 05:06 Mossend - Blackford and 4D01 11:51 Blackford - Mossend return (4D00 13:49 on Saturday).
It appears that the IKA "megafret" intermodal wagons continue their journey south to Daventry as part of the following morning's 4M27 Mossend Daventry, returning on 4S45 18:26 Daventry - Mossend (and then back to Blackford). This makes sense, as the products can enter the distribution chain through the massive warehouses at Daventry, which already receive Evian and Volvic water from France.
4L00 has run to Blackford again this morning, hauled by 68009.

Here is a photo of DRS 66431 leaving Blackford with 4D01 on 3rd February - https://www.flickr.com/photos/141939835@N04/52671045266

***

Finally, I'm surprised to see that spoil workings have resumed to Appleford this week. The FCC spoil trains from Cricklewood / Neasden / Bow and Barking (Ripple Lane H Group sidings) have been running exclusively to Peterborough and Tinsley for a while now, but this morning there was a 6V95 05:39 Acton - Appleford hauled by 66099 with loaded wagons ex Cricklewood. The lunchtime 6L02 Appleford - Bow and 6V95 23:15 return should be running all week.