geordieblue
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There’s an STP in from Lindsey Refinery to Jarrow next Monday (9 March), flows out of Lindsey restarting?
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Rail Freight Flows and News UK
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DBS92042
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There's some DB aggregate moves from Machen Quarry to Appleford (via Westbury) scheduled over at least the next two days. Are these just one off moves or will it become fairly regularly over the coming weeks?
geordieblue
Member
Also spotted there was a Masborough-Tees and return last week, and paths are now in for this on a more regular basis - is this just wagons going for repair or something more interesting?
Freightmaster
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That was a rake of intermodal flats, which is being used on an 'ad hoc' (previously daily)
Felixstowe to Rotherham service and stabled at Tees when not needed.
MARK
Adrian Barr
Member
Tilbury Riverside station became the site of "Tilbury IRFT" (International Rail Freight Terminal) which was operated by Victa Rail. Regular traffic included containers from Barry Dock on wagonload "Enterprise" services via Ripple Lane. Stora Enso also used the terminal to load imported paper - there was a service to Avonmouth which featured pairs of 67s as the regular traction at one stage.
I think the last traffic to use this location was the tinplate vans from Trostre - these switched to using Maritime's "Railport" on the dock adjacent to London Container Terminal (part of Tilbury Docks adjacent to the quayside, a.k.a. Northfleet Hope, not to be confused with London Gateway at Thameshaven, or the former Tilbury RCT Freightliner terminal which was closer to the main line).
See this post for more detail about the current Tilbury terminals - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/rail-freight-flows-and-news-uk.195217/post-7610664
Tilbury IRFT closed several years ago, and you can get an idea of where the trackbed and site of Tilbury Riverside station are by looking at "Ferry Road" on google maps down to the "London International Cruise Terminal" - google maps helpfully marks "Site of Tilbury Riverside station" in the middle of a car park.
Tilbury West Junction, which gave access to Tilbury Riverside and later Tilbury IRFT (when it was renamed Tilbury Railport junction) is also the junction which now gives access to Tilbury 2. Instead of swinging right into the docks, it follows the main line for some distance before turning south into the new Tilbury 2 terminal. Tilbury 2 is built on the site of the former Tilbury Power station, and Tilbury 3 is planned to use land to the east of Tilbury 2. The BBC news article mentioned a potential new rail terminal at Tilbury 3, which I assume would use the existing rail connection onto the main line.
This route learning video into Tilbury 2 gives an idea of the geography - after leaving the main line the Tilbury 2 branch swings left where the former line into Tilbury Riverside (and later Tilbury IRFT) would have curved around to the right:
Drivers Eye View (Route learning aid) : Tilbury 2 Terminal | Channel: Drivers Eye Videos
I'm expecting it to become a regular runner as part of the HS2 "campaign" of various aggregate services - it's planned to run next week in any case.
HST125Scorton
Member
Does anyone know why the SO 4M30 1100 Grangemouth Flt to Daventry Int Rft Recep Fl Intermodal has gone to a 0M30 1250 Mossend Up Yard to Daventry Int Rft Recep Fl? Normally it's 2x90s and 10 IKA Twins. Last handful of Saturdays have seen it only been the 2x90s which seems a waste to run it from Mossend through to Daventry? During the week both 4M30/4S47(8) usually run with 2x90s and anything between 16-20 IKA Twins which could be upto 770mtr in length.
Adrian Barr
Member
Rail flows on IGA wagons
Looking into the export rail flows a bit more, I think this new contract for rails to Turkey (for Ankara - Izmir) was previously reported in November last year:
And this link specifically mentions 36,000 tons of 60E2 rail in 36 metre lengths for Ankara - Izmir:
https://www.globalrailwayreview.com...-production-for-turkiye-high-speed-rail-deal/
The flow of export rails on IGAs from Scunthorpe to Goole appears to have ceased in early September, with the last working on 05/09/25.
A week later on 12/09/25, deliveries of rails commenced to Tees Dock, also on IGAs. These have been fairly regular since then, usually running as 6X12 in the early hours of the morning. Possibly the switch from Goole to Tees Dock reflects the end of one contract and the start of another (after the previous contract announced in 2024 for Adana to Gaziantep) or might be unrelated, but either way I suspect the rails for the new contract are the ones already being shipped through Tees Dock.
As an example, 6X12 01:26 Scunthorpe Trent Yard to Tees Dock ran on Thursday (5th March) with 66103 and 22 IGAs. The empties returned next day (Friday 6th) as a 6Z12 14:35 Tees Dock - Scunthorpe Trent Yard behind 66150.
Also on Friday night, 6X28 20:11 Scunthorpe - Dollands Moor ran with 66128 and 21 IGAs taking rails through the tunnel to Muizen (Belgium) for Infrabel.
And this morning 6X03 06:21 Dollands Moor - Eastleigh ran with 66066 and 18 IGAs with imported rail from Voestalpine, which I assume comes from their plant in Austria: https://www.voestalpine.com/railway-systems/en/products/track-systems/rails/rail-production/
The other main use of IGAs conveying rail has for a long time been the 6X01 Scunthorpe - Eastleigh service, conveying 108m lengths for welding at Eastleigh into 216m CWR.
Here 66791 passes Whitacre Junction with 5 IGAs on 6X01 on 9th September: https://www.flickr.com/photos/warspite14/54789941112/ (Photo: Roger Cutts)
These service run with "X" headcodes due to a restriction on the minimum radius of curve they can navigate:
YEAs seem to be increasingly common on 6X01 instead of IGAs, as seen here with 66719 on March 5th, with 2 sets of 5 YEAs each conveying 108m rails.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/22fshark/55129479422/ (Photo: Mark Birkin)
I think these YEAs are from the previous generation of rail discharge trains (the ones that drop rail lineside), with the modern version using JZA wagons and not needing to run with X headcodes.
The YEAs used on 6X01 are referred to as "stock rail carriers" and were also used for movements of imported rail from Marchwood to Eastleigh (don't think those have run since last summer).
The IGA wagons used in the UK come in three main variants -
IGA-D are 72 feet long, 75 mph empty (804647xxxx)
IGA-Q are 72 feet long, 60 mph empty (8047360xxx)
IGA-E are 78 feet long, 60 mph empty (8047361xxx)
British Steel also use IGAs for movements of regular steel bloom and slab (e.g. to Lackenby), such as this nice shot of IGAs conveying steel slab to Sunderland Docks in 2023:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/northbritonrailways/52834514003/ (Photo: Michael's North Briton Railways)
I think this Sunderland flow still runs occasionally, serving a plate mill in Gateshead, presumably this one:
I've seen drone shots of Scunthorpe steelworks where the red attachments from the IGAs (used to hold the rail) appear to have been temporarily removed, which makes me think they are not a permanent attachment to the wagon (IGAs were historically used as general purpose flats on ferry traffic, conveying things like scaffolding boards).
There are piles of the red things in this photo, with plenty of IGAs visible near the rail loading bay:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/152150614@N05/51245079478/in/album-72157719403583923/
Same view from slightly further back showing more of the track layout:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/152150614@N05/51244867041/in/album-72157719403583923/
Both shots are from this Flickr album by Martyn Jones, with panoramic views Scunthorpe steelworks revealing just how big it is:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/152150614@N05/albums/72157719403583923/
Interesting shot of IGAs being shunted at Scunthorpe in 2023:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dc-7c/52927208093/ (Photo: MikeG)
Back on the ground, a view of the rail loading bay in Scunthorpe steelworks, with a rail discharge train (RDT) inside:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robmcrorie/32682461734/ (photo: robmcrorie)
The steel trains run for a few weeks when a new shipment of steel comes in, it’s quite normal to have gaps of a few weeks between these blocks - last year for example there was a three week gap from 29th July to 18th August, and a much longer gap from 2nd September (when the last DB working ran) and 20th October.
They haven’t run any Saturday trains for quite a while (which used to involve a light loco move to East Depot after empties were delivered & a return to collect on the following Monday), and occasionally skip a day during the week too.
DB cargo would quite often run two trains per day when they had the work, and there was quite an overlap with the GBRF workings, the line seemed busy for the first half of last year.
TSGN Spotter
Member
Any update on the Gbrf loosing Middleton towers traffic rumor?
Rumor mill says Middleton Towers is closing in April this year.
Intercity_225
Member
I've heard from Anglia Gen on Facebook that it's only the GBRF flows that are ending, DCR flows (and possibly FL) will be continuing as usual. Of course, just rumours.
Hum,interesting. I understand that Goole switched sand supplies due to inferior product from Middleton Towers, wet or not dry enough sand been quoted. Can't remember who or where I read it though.
Some Heavy Haul paths in tomorrow to Ellesmere Port Manisty Wharf which hasn't seen revenue earning freight since about 2016 https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...26-03-14/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
Anybody have an idea what this is about? Possible trial stone train?
Anybody have an idea what this is about? Possible trial stone train?
Oxfordblues
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Class 4 (75mph) so not cement from Hope.
I've since learnt that this is flyash from Fiddlers Ferry power station for Earles sidings. Reason not being loaded at Fiddlers is because the signalling is currently / sidings are currently out of use so it is being trucked from the power station to Ellesmere Port.
ExRes
Established Member
DCR have, reportedly, ceased working into Tytherington for HS2 aggregates, as of next week 6M29 will be operating daily between Penmaenmawr Quarry and Quainton Railhead alongside the current 6A25
Looking at the route of this, it's booked straight onto the Independants at Crewe via the 'Up & Down Chester Indepdndant' If this runs regularly (and the signallers actually send it via the chord) it'll the first regular freight to use the chord since the 2024 resignalling if i'm not mistaken!
geordieblue
Member
There seems to have been an increase in defence traffic - there were two trains into Longtown last week and one this morning (now en route to Kineton). There’s also a second diagram running too (Kineton-Marchwood this morning). Maybe not ‘good’ news… but good to see some extra traffic
Penmorfa
Member
So that's why we have had no slate chippings traffic from Llandudno Jct this year.
Rhinojerry
Member
Video on you tube showing Class 66 and many wagons arriving and backing in to be loaded loaded yesterday.
DBS92042
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Does anyone have any more information on the new Ketton to Avonmouth flow that started last week? Has this replaced the Penyffordd flow or is it just a short-term working?
furnessvale
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All three cement works delivering to Avonmouth belong to Heidelberg so any permutation would seem to be possible.
Funnily enough I saw a GBRF van parked up in a lay-by on the A30 on Monday afternoon in Cornwall. I did wonder what it was doing there!
geordieblue
Member
Considering that a load of money is being spent on upgrading the Penyffordd crossover, it would be a bit wasteful if traffic from there was ending…
Freightmaster
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As far as I know, the current hiatus is due to maintenance work at Penyffordd
and trains should restart in due course...
MARK
DBS92042
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I see, thanks for the help everyone. I'll make the most of the long PCA rakes while they're down Bristol way then!
ExRes
Established Member
After a couple of false starts the maiden 6O11 service ran this morning, 56103 working solo with a reported 10 JNAs
Adrian Barr
Member
Looks like that Jarrow working didn't run, but 66850 has been in and out of Lindsey several times this week on light engine moves to Kingsbury and back, presumably route learning, which suggests traffic may be restarting from Lindsey. Last I heard, there was little prospect of the refinery itself reopening, but Phillips 66 (owner of neighbouring Humber Refinery) had bought it with plans to use some of the infrastructure such as storage tanks... so perhaps the rail loading facilities too? https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2d7xn7ed66o
The runs with 66850 were so that Colas could keep the paths.