Electric Freight Gospel Oak to Barking line

[Class15]

Hi all,

I am currently writing an article about rail freight in the UK, and I’m making reference to the Gospel Oak to Barking electrification which has been very poorly used by freight since it was finished. Am I correct that electric freight has consisted of the following:

Current:
DRS 88-hauled Tesco train Daventry to Tilbury (4L48/4M77)

Former:
DRS 88-hauled car train Dagenham to Garston (6X43) - return working 6L48 went via Camden (ended and transferred to GBRf Jan 2023)
DRS 88-hauled ‘refrigerator’ Tesco train Coatbridge to Tilbury (4L10/4S10) (ended late 2022?)
Fliner 90-hauled intermodal Felixstowe to Ditton (4M88) (ended March 2025)
DBC 90-hauled car train Dagenham to Mossend (6L35/6X77) (ended 2019?)
Did any Freightliner Tilbury-WCML liners take the GOBLIN, or had they already transferred to London Gateway by the completion of wiring?

Future:
I suspect 99s but can anyone confirm/deny this?
4M88 is widely expected to return in the next few months as Felixstowe recovers.

Many thanks for any help filling in the blanks!

 

[littledude]

From the plans I’ve seen, 99s will definitely be regulars over the GOBLIN…

 

[Class15]

From the plans I’ve seen, 99s will definitely be regulars over the GOBLIN…

That’s very interesting, I’ll include that. Good to hear!

 

[Jr_Vandalas]

just saw that 4M88 was already put up, apologies.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 May 2025 ==

I was also told that there was a plan to move the Felixstowe liners via the route 4M88 takes nowadays to relieve the NLL, no idea if it’s true but if it is it would be interesting to see what would’ve come from that.

 

[Class15]

just saw that 4M88 was already put up, apologies.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 May 2025 ==

I was also told that there was a plan to move the Felixstowe liners via the route 4M88 takes nowadays to relieve the NLL, no idea if it’s true but if it is it would be interesting to see what would’ve come from that.

No problem at all. Yes, I heard that plan too, I don’t know exactly why it didn’t happen as it seems a more sensible route.

 

[66701GBRF]

What route does/did 4M88 take?

 

[Jr_Vandalas]

What route does/did 4M88 take?

At Stratford, it goes via temple mills instead of joining the north London line before joining the GOBLIN at South Tottenham, it’s fully electrified which allows for electric locomotives to run the route aswell.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 May 2025 ==

I don’t know exactly why it didn’t happen as it seems a more sensible route.

If I remember it’s because of a bridge somewhere on the GOBLIN that doesn’t allow for the extra traffic, but I could be wrong.

 

[66701GBRF]

Ah yes now I remember, thanks.

 

[Class 170101]

There is also an electric freight restriction on this route, I believe its one train per direction at any one time

 

[Class15]

There is also an electric freight restriction on this route, I believe its one train per direction at any one time

Ah that’s interesting. Thank you!

 

[childwallblues]

From the plans I’ve seen, 99s will definitely be regulars over the GOBLIN…

I should imagine that the Dagenham to Garston cars which is under the wires for its whole distance will be one if not the first to use Class 99 haulage.

 

[Class15]

I should imagine that the Dagenham to Garston cars which is under the wires for its whole distance will be one if not the first to use Class 99 haulage.

Yes! I expect so too! And maybe the Mossend ones as well!

 

[Class 170101]

Class 99s are bi-modes aren't they? Surely it would be better for Class 92s to be on pure electric flows (do GBRF have any other pur electric locos?) so that Class 99s can be used on routes that need both forms of power, diesel and electric.

 

[Class15]

Class 99s are bi-modes aren't they? Surely it would be better for Class 92s to be on pure electric flows (do GBRF have any other pur electric locos?) so that Class 99s can be used on routes that need both forms of power, diesel and electric.

92s cause signalling interface issues on the North London line (at least last time they did!)

Plus they are used on the sleeper!