Japanese High speed fish train - could such a thing work in the UK?

[Adlington]

An argument for HS3 to Grimsby?

East Japan Railway is testing the use of high speed passenger trains to move fresh fish from Sendai to Tokyo.

The three-day trial began on August 26, with fish caught off the coast near Ishinomaki early in the morning being transported aboard Yamabiko 136, which departed from Sendai at 10.41 and arrived in Tokyo at 12.48. The fish were destined for customers in central Tokyo, including restaurants in the shopping complex within Tokyo station.

This is not the first case of foodstuffs being transported by the high speed rail network, as fresh fish, fruit and vegetables have been moved on Joetsu Shinkansen trains between Niigata and Tokyo since January 17.

Source

 

[Iskra]

An argument for HS3 to Grimsby?

Source

Seafood used to travel from Cornwall on HST's until relatively recently (do they still do this on the new trains?) and I believe Lobsters (or similar) may have journeyed on Caledonian Sleeper trains too?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Well Japanese trains always stop in the right plaice

***grabs his coat***

 

[David Goddard]

Ah, the Flying Kipper!

 

[hexagon789]

An argument for HS3 to Grimsby?

Source

The Caledonian Sleeper used to (may still - I forget) convey fish in a special cupboard in the guard's van iirc

 

[popeter45]

The Caledonian Sleeper used to (may still - I forget) convey fish in a special cupboard in the guard's van iirc

i believe it still does as i dont think you can bring bikes on the Fort William section as the bike area is used for the seafood

 

[hexagon789]

i believe it still does as i dont think you can bring bikes on the Fort William section as the bike area is used for the seafood

I can never remember if it still does with the Mk5 stock but that would seem a good reason for the bikes thing (if not perhaps ideal).

 

[Belperpete]

Porto had a special tram for carrying fish.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Sendai (Shiogama in particluar) is known for its fish market and tuna sales - it's a bit more expensive than a bit of cod landed at Grimsby. The world record set last year was £8,500 per kg for bluefin tuna, though prices of £3,000 to £4,000 per kg are more normal.

 

[adamedwards]

Get the fish ashore at London Gateway and then the planned Orion 769s to Liverpool St. I'm sure it would work Grimsby to London via Lincoln if paths can be found?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Noting that this story is actually about a small amount of fish traffic being placed on board an ordinary service passenger train this wasn't really about a 'high speed fish train'.

On the other hand the North Eastern Railway's 1904 North Tyneside electrification included two electric parcels vans that actually had a 'chilled' section for fish traffic from Tynemouth to Newcastle as well as a larger 'ambient' section for other parcels traffic. These usually ran attached to timetabled stopping passenger trains.

In 1908 an extra electric parcel van was built with a much larger chilled section, thus primarily for the growing fish traffic. Although capable of towing additional un-powered vehicles it was designed for working fast 'fish specials' solo as needed.

So, as with the North East arguably having given the world its first mixed traffic railway (from Stockton to Darlington), it also gave the world its first high-speed (electric) fish train. Hence the OP's question is superfluous. The answer is that we had it all along. One of the original 1904 chilled/ambient electric parcels vans is preserved on the North Tyneside Steam Railway.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Noting that this story is actually about a small amount of fish traffic being placed on board an ordinary service passenger train this wasn't really about a 'high speed fish train'.

On the other hand the North Eastern Railway's 1904 North Tyneside electrification included two electric parcels vans that actually had a 'chilled' section for fish traffic from Tynemouth to Newcastle as well as a larger 'ambient' section for other parcels traffic. These usually ran attached to timetabled stopping passenger trains.

In 1908 an extra electric parcel van was built with a much larger chilled section, thus primarily for the growing fish traffic. Although capable of towing additional un-powered vehicles it was designed for working fast 'fish specials' solo as needed.

So, as with the North East arguably having given the world its first mixed traffic railway (from Stockton to Darlington), it also gave the world its first high-speed (electric) fish train. Hence the OP's question is superfluous. The answer is that we had it all along. One of the original 1904 chilled/ambient electric parcels vans is preserved on the North Tyneside Steam Railway.

The Mallaig Extension was built for the herring fishery, a whole line built for getting fish to London.

 

[Ianno87]

Noting that this story is actually about a small amount of fish traffic being placed on board an ordinary service passenger train this wasn't really about a 'high speed fish train'.
.

Can be summarised as "a train that happens to be running for other reasons anyway has a van drop some stuff onto it that is collected by a different van at the other end at basically zero cost to the operation of the train"

 

[DerekC]

I think this thread is a bit of a red herring, personally.

 

[Tio Terry]

There used to be "Fast" (it's a relative term) fully fitted freights from Lowestoft to London in steam hauled days to carry the fish from the, Railway owned, Docks to Billingsgate.

 

[Karl]

The world record set last year was £8,500 per kg for bluefin tuna, though prices of £3,000 to £4,000 per kg are more normal.

Unbelievable!!! Why is it so expensive? (I think I should dust off my fishing tackle and get myself to the Bluefin's grounds!)

 

[edwin_m]

I think this thread is a bit of a red herring, personally.

If they try to squeeze too many in, have they turned into sardines by the time they arrive?

 

[CBlue]

If they try to squeeze too many in, have they turned into sardines by the time they arrive?

You ask me, the idea should be canned!

It's a load of cobbler anyway

 

[Geoff DC]

Get the fish ashore at London Gateway and then the planned Orion 769s to Liverpool St. I'm sure it would work Grimsby to London via Lincoln if paths can be found?

No rush from Grimsby it's not a fresh fish port (all the fish is frozen) but from fresh fish ports it makes good sense, especially with Brexit about to cut us off from our export markets.

Now we just need to educate the Ingerlish on how to cook & eat the fish we catch in our Home Waters