Can anyone identify this freight train at Reading?

[bavvo]

Anyone able to identify this freight service?
I saw this tonight passing through Reading Station, at around 18:30. It Paused at the platform to allow the stopping train to Paddington to leave, then followed it east. They appeared to be articulated in sets of 5, and with flexible baffles between the wagons that seemed to allow them to act as one long (100M+) internal space. I couldn't see any markings or any obvious doors on the sides. Was it some kind of car transporter, like Motorail, but for the motor industry? It all looked quite impressive.

Curiously, it was impressively quiet as it moved off, apart from one set, that made a tremendous crashing noise as it passed. In need of maintenance I assume...?

 

[Ash Bridge]

They are car transporter wagons, and they are articulated within each set, but afraid I can't help with the service.

 

[asylumxl]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/RDG/2015/03/05/1830?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

If you know what platform and time it actually left you can probably figure it out from here.

 

[alastair]

Anyone able to identify this freight service?
I saw this tonight passing through Reading Station, at around 18:30. It Paused at the platform to allow the stopping train to Paddington to leave, then followed it east. They appeared to be articulated in sets of 5, and with flexible baffles between the wagons that seemed to allow them to act as one long (100M+) internal space. I couldn't see any markings or any obvious doors on the sides. Was it some kind of car transporter, like Motorail, but for the motor industry? It all looked quite impressive.

Curiously, it was impressively quiet as it moved off, apart from one set, that made a tremendous crashing noise as it passed. In need of maintenance I assume...?

View attachment 21418

I have seen that train at Reading before,it does look unusual with the lack of markings.

It could be this one:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H12358/2015/03/05/advanced

Minis for export maybe?

 

[bavvo]

Ah, thanks for that. I guess it was from Cowley, so the BMW/Mini factory.

 

[Freightmaster]

Anyone able to identify this freight service?

As per the above replies, it's a regular (usually four days a week)
service conveying Minis from the factory at Cowley, Oxford for
export through the dock at Purfleet, East London.

A second daily train runs from Cowley to Southampton Eastern Docks,
using the same type of wagons, which are WIA articulated car carriers;
in addition to the two flows from Oxford, the WIAs are also used on a
daily train conveying Jaguar cars from Castle Bromwich to Southampton,
seen here returning empty through Eastleigh:

MARK

 

[Ash Bridge]

Ah, thanks for that. I guess it was from Cowley, so the BMW/Mini factory.

Just to add a little more detail, they are known as WIA wagons, built in France in the early 90s for BR Railfreight Distribution, and also in use in other European countries.

Edit: More knowledgeable advice above!

 

[bavvo]

So final question, how are they loaded, from the ends or from the sides?

 

[Ash Bridge]

So final question, how are they loaded, from the ends or from the sides?

They are end loaded.

 

[bavvo]

They are end loaded.

Thanks all for the info.

Surprised they are that old, they look in good shape for their age.

 

[DarloRich]

Curiously, it was impressively quiet as it moved off, apart from one set, that made a tremendous crashing noise as it passed. In need of maintenance I assume...?

I assume that will be a wheel flat - a terrible loud banging noise?

 

[alexl92]

What hauls this flow usually?

 

[DarloRich]

what hauls this flow usually?

a dbs 66

 

[bavvo]

I assume that will be a wheel flat - a terrible loud banging noise?

Pretty much - like a square wheel! It was really strange when the rest glided past in near silence.

 

[fgwrich]

Mark, Just out of curiosity which way is the Castle Bromwich service going at the moment - with the Chiltern Mainline out of action until next Monday when it should return to it's usual booked route?

I hope, with the upturn of car manufacturing in this country again DBS feel the need to bring the stored WIA sets back out into traffic again sometime in the future - Those Micheldever stored sets are looking rather sorry for themselves. Incidentally, although the main loading route into these is through the ends and with Ramps, I believe the body does lift up as well from pictures I've seen of them in Liverpool. Rather impressive vehicles for something so mundane.

 

[Freightmaster]

Mark, Just out of curiosity which way is the Castle Bromwich service going at the moment

The loaded (overnight) train runs via Birmingham New Street,
Soho/Perry Barr, Aston and Stechford to Birmingham International
then down the WCML to London and on to Basingstoke via Staines
and Woking, although engineering work this week has seen it further
diverted via Slough and Reading.

The return empties run via Woking, Staines and the WCML up
to Nuneaton, then across to Castle Bromwich via Water Orton.


MARK

 

[swt_passenger]

Ah, thanks for that. I guess it was from Cowley, so the BMW/Mini factory.

You'd never see one in Reading station normally though, they'd always use the west curve whatever the origin on the way to Southampton.

It's the Harbury landslip which has meant the Castle Bromwich trains are on diversion until next week, as Mark (Freightmaster) has already pointed out, but the Cowley trains still shouldn't need to pass through Reading.

 

[Deepgreen]

As per the above replies, it's a regular (usually four days a week)
service conveying Minis from the factory at Cowley, Oxford for
export through the dock at Purfleet, East London.

A second daily train runs from Cowley to Southampton Eastern Docks,
using the same type of wagons, which are WIA articulated car carriers;
in addition to the two flows from Oxford, the WIAs are also used on a
daily train conveying Jaguar cars from Castle Bromwich to Southampton,
seen here returning empty through Eastleigh:

MARK

They certainly present what must be the sleekest type of train in Britain (in terms of smooth sides and absence of any apparent markings or logos).

 

[jimm]

Mark, Just out of curiosity which way is the Castle Bromwich service going at the moment - with the Chiltern Mainline out of action until next Monday when it should return to it's usual booked route?

I hope, with the upturn of car manufacturing in this country again DBS feel the need to bring the stored WIA sets back out into traffic again sometime in the future - Those Micheldever stored sets are looking rather sorry for themselves. Incidentally, although the main loading route into these is through the ends and with Ramps, I believe the body does lift up as well from pictures I've seen of them in Liverpool. Rather impressive vehicles for something so mundane.

The bodywork lifts up in order to allow cars to be driven on and off the top deck, not for side loading. This picture shows the arrangement and the two decks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/86734924@N03/8653133926/in/photolist-ebDzff-ebxWmX

 

[fgwrich]

The bodywork lifts up in order to allow cars to be driven on and off the top deck, not for side loading. This picture shows the arrangement and the two decks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/86734924@N03/8653133926/in/photolist-ebDzff-ebxWmX

Ah, so they are Double Decked. Thanks, I had a feeling that they were but not having seen that picture in a while meant I couldn't confirm.

 

[Freightmaster]

...but the Cowley trains still shouldn't need to pass through Reading.

The Southampton train doesn't, but the train which was queried by the
OP in the first post of this topic was the Cowley to Purfleet service,
which always runs via Reading.

So just to clarify, there are three separate flows using these wagons:

1. Cowley to Southampton Eastern Docks

2. Cowley to Purfleet

3. Castle Bromwich to Southampton Eastern Docks


MARK

 

[swt_passenger]

The Southampton train doesn't, but the train which was queried by the
OP in the first post of this topic was the Cowley to Purfleet service,
which always runs via Reading.

So just to clarify, there are three separate flows using these wagons:

1. Cowley to Southampton Eastern Docks

2. Cowley to Purfleet

3. Castle Bromwich to Southampton Eastern Docks


MARK

Ah, thanks. Cowley to Purfleet had not been on my radar...

 

[gage75]

Looks like a rail wyrm ??????

 

[Topgun333]

How many minis can you get in a WIA train...?

 

[BantamMenace]

What wagons are used for the halewood Range Rover traffic?

 

[jimm]

What wagons are used for the halewood Range Rover traffic?

These, which are owned by STVA, a subsidiary of SNCF

https://www.flickr.com/photos/64461488@N04/12366446025/