Fastline - Future haulage ?

[greysleuth]

The latest info on next Class 66 deliveries I can find is.

"GB's five, 728 - 732 will be on the next ship - as should be as being the first of the outstanding orders. They should be accompanied by 595 - 597. Departure from Halifax should be around 6/7th March.

Sources now saying that numbers beyond 599 will be 955 - 959. That suggests that F/L will be not ordering any more GMs having committed themselves to GE from next year. There is a real problem in finding numbers in the 66xxx range that are not already taken up by SWT EMUs - what a nonsense!

No sign of the Fastline order and yet, found this,


http://fastline-group.com/news

£40 million E.ON contract for Fastline Ltd

Fastline Limited has secured a five-year contract to haul coal for E.ON UK plc, the UK’s largest integrated power and Gas Company. The contract will commence in April 2008 and has an expected value of £40 million over the five-year period with the potential for extensions of up to a further five years.

So what are they going to use on the E.On contract. I doubt 3 x Class 56 is going to be sufficient traction? It appears they are going to be short of some haulage capacity come April, I fear. Unless someone else has a lot of spare capacity. How long should it take to get the type onto their safety case and complete the training?
I cant see how Fastline can complete their contractual obligations without more locos. Even if they drop the container runs 3 class 56s are not going to be enough. I doubt they could get sufficient 56s restored in time even if they could source them. Advenza 57s how busy are they? DRS Class 57s, DRS Class 66s or Cotswold Class 47s in pairs or DRS Class 47s in pairs. Or even EWS Class 67s. What do Hanson have in mind for their growing fleet of refurbished Class 56s. I think I read that Fastline wanted 5 Class 66s for the job four in traffic and one cover/training/repair/service, that would fit as they have ordered 4 rakes of wagons and three spares, so they are looking at an intensive operation. Five type 5s is minimum required I think, or equivalent.

Your comments and observations much appreciated.
Be lucky
David

 

[Julian G]

My predictions are that Fastline might use:
-Hanson 56s
-Their own 56s [doubtful!]
-or borrow DRS 66s

 

[37402]

Fastline have taken over the Victa Westlink 66 order, so they'll be here! In the meantime, who knows...

I do have it from someone who should know, Fastline regard 56s as unsuitable for coal flows. Although in Belmont Yard today, the sight of 56303, a NP blue coal hopper and a couple of EWS HTA's was rather hellfire!

 

[37412]

Although in Belmont Yard today, the sight of 56303, a NP blue coal hopper and a couple of EWS HTA's was rather hellfire!

Struggling to pull them was it, I know you said the driver was playing to the crowd, are you sure, or was he just trying to move the train????

hock: 8)

 

[greysleuth]

From the Fastline website

CURRENT VACANCIES

Fastline Freight has gone from strength to strength adding additional services to meet increased customer demand and has recently secured a major contract, worth in the region of £40m, to haul coal for E.ON UK, the UK’s largest integrated power and gas company.

The five-year contract will see us add the first order of five new Class 66s to our fleet, to haul coal from various UK ports and mines to E.ON’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire and Ironbridge in Shropshire, power stations.

FREIGHT TRAIN DRIVERS Circa £37,000 + Overtime + Full benefits package
Rugby Doncaster Crewe Nottingham

No starting date shown though.
Be lucky
David

 

[matt]

Fastline regard 56s as unsuitable for coal flows.

Wasn't that what the class 56s were designed for?

 

[greysleuth]

Originally Posted by 37402
Fastline regard 56s as unsuitable for coal flows.

Originally posted by MATT
Wasn't that what the class 56s were designed for?

They were but coal flows are faster ( to fit in with other traffic ) now there are less multiple lines than there were, no nice long goods loops for example, and a good bit heavier too !!
I think the traffic has out grown them.
Be lucky
David

 

[Kneedown]

They were but coal flows are faster ( to fit in with other traffic ) now there are less multiple lines than there were, no nice long goods loops for example, and a good bit heavier too !!
I think the traffic has out grown them.
Be lucky
David

I'm not sure of the weight of the coal trains that run around today, but when i used to work them we had 42 HAA's with total train weights in excess of 2000 ton's and 56's were more than up to the job. More so than 58's!

 

[37402]

Wasn't that what the class 56s were designed for?

Yes. But...

Look around. What are the other operators using now? 66s and high capacity H*A (H/T/Y/X) wagons. It's impossible to match the competiton with bits of old kit - and coal is one of the most competitive markets out there.

 

[class 313]

 

[87015]

wnxx forums suggests a Trafford Pk-Grain liners to join the Donny/Birch Coppice one, superb if true! Another piece of quality on the WCML much appreciated...

 

[Julian G]

wnxx forums suggests a Trafford Pk-Grain liners to join the Donny/Birch Coppice one, superb if true! Another piece of quality on the WCML much appreciated...

Too true, it is rather good to see more 56 action, although lets hope 56311 (56057 ) will be used a lot and not break down!

 

[37412]

I Hate all Type 5's

(and I ain't joking)

 

[37402]

I Hate all Type 5's

(and I ain't joking)

Yet you rate a bus on rails. Where's the logic...? hock:

 

[37412]

Yet you rate a bus on rails. Where's the logic...? hock:

In the quality bolted track thrash

In the same way could you explain how 60's are so Hellfire? All I ever get is 'well they are about the oldest thing about now!' I always thought 142's were quite old these days? If these 56's and 58's were so good then they would still be being used by the likes of the Red team today, but they ain't! 37's still are even if they are just used for the odd freight of Warrington and charters, but they are still in use!