Freightliner calls on Government to set ambitious rail freight target

[hwl]

Thanks, a most interesting and useful post! On the specific point above, it would be interesting to see Southampton's rail share before and after the recent (2021ish?) upgrades for handling 775m lengths.

In general Southampton has been losing market share to Felixstowe over the last few years so it is possible to over read proportion of road /rail at the moment.
Oxford (when is it going to finish???) is really needed to help Southampton with more paths /day.
Class 70s are the only loco that can handle 775m out of Southampton at the moment.

 

[Trainman40083]

In general Southampton has been losing market share to Felixstowe over the last few years so it is possible to over read proportion of road /rail at the moment.
Oxford (when is it going to finish???) is really needed to help Southampton with more paths /day.
Class 70s are the only loco that can handle 775m out of Southampton at the moment.

I had visions when Oxford was finished of Southampton FLTs using East West to Bletchley to access WCML, creating maybe more capacity over time

 

[hwl]

Interesting you mention 20 to 25 extra trains a day. Elsewhere Doncaster iPort is going to double. So, 20 to 25 trains a day, replicated by other terminals, sure adds up to a lot more trains.

IPort is interesting /unique at the moment in actually successfully targeting shortish distance port to rail terminal traffic and especially reducing the the HGV driver headcount requirement but it is a lot of North Sea containers rather than deep sea.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Apr 2024 ==

I had visions when Oxford was finished of Southampton FLTs using East West to Bletchley to access WCML, creating maybe more capacity over time

Don't give EWR or NR heartattacks! but it does nicely address Southampton to Daventry/Northampton Gateway routing.

 

[The Planner]

I had visions when Oxford was finished of Southampton FLTs using East West to Bletchley to access WCML, creating maybe more capacity over time

No capacity to cross the job at Oxford, pretty similar at Bletchley. Fill your boots inbetween though...

 

[43096]

Class 70s are the only loco that can handle 775m out of Southampton at the moment.

So more 75mph heavy haul traction is needed. Given the snail’s pace of electrification (where Class 99 would provide the answer under the wires), will someone be brave enough to re-engineer Class 60 bodyshells for this? CAT C175-16 (as per Class 68) and new AC traction package would provide the necessary grunt.

 

[Trainman40083]

IPort is interesting /unique at the moment in actually successfully targeting shortish distance port to rail terminal traffic and especially reducing the the HGV driver headcount requirement but it is a lot of North Sea containers rather than deep sea.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Apr 2024 ==


Don't give EWR or NR heartattacks! but it does nicely address Southampton to Daventry/Northampton Gateway routing.

I assume Southampton to Daventry area run via West London now, else round through Birmingham. I guess a real game changer could be the planned gauge enhancements to enable W12 containers through Kent to Wembley.... All those European containers that currently go by road/Chunnel or ship .

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Apr 2024 ==

No capacity to cross the job at Oxford, pretty similar at Bletchley. Fill your boots inbetween though...

Cross the job at Bletchley? Surely they come over the flyover. I guess Oxford needs a flyover then.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Apr 2024 ==

I assume Southampton to Daventry area run via West London now, else round through Birmingham. I guess a real game changer could be the planned gauge enhancements to enable W12 containers through Kent to Wembley.... All those European containers that currently go by road/Chunnel or ship .

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Apr 2024 ==


Cross the job at Bletchley? Surely they come over the flyover. I guess Oxford needs a flyover then.

Could always throw in East Midlands Gateway, maybe the others planned in the area, and Hinckley.

 

[The Planner]

Cross the job at Bletchley? Surely they come over the flyover. I guess Oxford needs a flyover then.

Still have to fit them on the slows at Bletchley. Will be 10tph there once E-W starts.

 

[Trainman40083]

Still have to fit them on the slows at Bletchley. Will be 10tph there once E-W starts.

Ouch. Need a bigger railway

 

[The Planner]

Ouch. Need a bigger railway

It was called HS2.

 

[Trainman40083]

It was called HS2.

And so it will be. The need for it won't go away.

 

[Class 170101]

Class 70s are the only loco that can handle 775m out of Southampton at the moment.

Except I thought the Class 70s were busy hauling Mendips stone traffic from the Westbury area to various sites upto Acton (and maybe beyond)?

 

[Chingy]

Except I thought the Class 70s were busy hauling Mendips stone traffic from the Westbury area to various sites upto Acton (and maybe beyond)?

Aside from a trial run a few years back, the class 70 loco has never worked any of the Mendip traffic. Drivers there don’t even sign the loco.

 

[littledude]

IPort is interesting /unique at the moment in actually successfully targeting shortish distance port to rail terminal traffic and especially reducing the the HGV driver headcount requirement but it is a lot of North Sea containers rather than deep sea.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Apr 2024 ==


Don't give EWR or NR heartattacks! but it does nicely address Southampton to Daventry/Northampton Gateway routing.

There are no ‘local’ port to terminal trains into iPort. The trial from Immingham was a resounding failure, and all current traffic (other than Stobart to Mossend and Tesco to Tees) is deep sea traffic from Felixstowe, Southampton and London Gateway

 

[87015]

Still have to fit them on the slows at Bletchley. Will be 10tph there once E-W starts.

Given the absolute terrible “connections” between semi-fasts and slows of the LNR timetable for journeys through the Keynes, following each other with almost intentionally broken journey opportunities, what’s the showstopper to gaps?

 

[GardenRail]

IPort is interesting /unique at the moment in actually successfully targeting shortish distance port to rail terminal traffic and especially reducing the the HGV driver headcount requirement but it is a lot of North Sea containers rather than deep sea.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Apr 2024 ==

That reminds me, what on earth happened to the trains to and from Immingham to iPort?

 

[littledude]

That reminds me, what on earth happened to the trains to and from Immingham to iPort?

They struggled to attract custom, which isn’t surprising for a journey which can be done by road in under an hour