Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[Ploughman]

A possible bit of good news, from Laisterdyke Scrap Yard in Bradford. Apparently the owners have asked for the sidings to be reactivated for use from November-ish, according to track workers there today checking what needs to be done.

What route would it be using from Laisterdyke?
Via Leeds or relay the link to Bowling Tunnel.
Avoids any problems with the 1 in 50 gradients.

 

[S101]

What route would it be using from Laisterdyke?
Via Leeds or relay the link to Bowling Tunnel.
Avoids any problems with the 1 in 50 gradients.

I pesume it will be the same sort of idea that it was back in 2017, propel in, load up (quite short trains because of siding length) and run-round length at Interchange) then drive out to Bradford, run-round and on it's way either Calder Valley, or towards the L&Y depending on destination. The signalling does not allow for propelling movement out onto the UP and then towards Leeds. Whatever happens, it needs a run round at Bradford.

 

[Adrian Barr]

It’s interesting to see the swapping of some scrap flows between DBC and GBRf, with DBC also having taken over from GBRF some of the workings into EMR at Liverpool docks. Is this just due to them competing for flows and gaining or losing contracts? Or is there an element of coordination between the two companies, so each can use their resources more efficiently (I’ve no idea if such a thing is even possible)?

It's traffic changing hands when contracts are won or lost (quite often you see press releases coming out saying haulier X has won a contract with company Y for Z years, or has renewed a contract). In this case it's a bit of a scrap swap like you say, with DB picking up flows to Liverpool and GBRF taking over 7Steel traffic to Cardiff Tidal. GBRF already have the contract for shunting at Tidal (plus already work into there with scrap traffic from Beeston - previously Burton - for the Ward terminal at Cardiff Docks).

I don't think there's usually much direct co-operation between companies in terms of hauling each other's flows, although there are some cases where more than one haulier is involved with the same flow (for example GBRF and DB from Portbury to Margam, and DB and Freightliner from Tunstead to Washwood Heath). In those cases if one haulier can't resource a requested train, the other might be able to. This also applies with engineering trains, where there are contracts in place between Network Rail and several different hauliers, but there might be some juggling of services between hauliers depending on resource availability (such as the number of traincrew that sign an unusual route).

Co-operation directly between hauliers can take the form of loco hires (short or long term) and sometimes hire of traincrew to cover gaps at short notice. Another example is DB maintaining the GBRF 60s at Toton (and also hauling them between Doncaster and Toton for exams or repairs). A few years ago DB sub-contracted a few of their flows to DCR (I assume due to crew availability) - resulting in pairs of 56s being seen operating out of Peak Forest, to Attercliffe for example, but I don't think that kind of sub-contracting of the entire haulage element happens very often.

What route would it be using from Laisterdyke?

Last time the Laisterdyke scrap train ran, I think it was split into two portions at Neville Hill. The loaded working ran round at Bradford Interchange and the gradients (and possibly the siding lengths too) meant the train was fairly short. Judging from the most recent photos, the last working was in 2017 (I believe the scrap was destined for Liverpool).

66185 with 9 wagons being loaded in the terminal in April 2017:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewshenton/34237797461/ (Photo: Andrew Shenton)

View of 66194 showing the connection to the main line (due to the layout, the train will have to follow the unit and head towards Bradford Interchange):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewshenton/27790038086/ (Photo: Andrew Shenton)

66185 in Bradford Interchange
https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewshenton/34237795721/ (Photo: Andrew Shenton)

 

[JKF]

A possible bit of good news, from Laisterdyke Scrap Yard in Bradford. Apparently the owners have asked for the sidings to be reactivated for use from November-ish, according to track workers there today checking what needs to be done.

When was the last one? The Bradford bypass line is long gone so it’ll have to trundle out through Armley, something I could have looked out for if I still lived there!

 

[S101]

When was the last one? The Bradford bypass line is long gone so it’ll have to trundle out through Armley, something I could have looked out for if I still lived there!

2017 I think....

 

[DBS92042]

Deferring from a post by Bristol Ports on Tiktok, the Whatley to Avonmouth (6B51/6C79) aggregate flow has now finished (with, I think, the last train running on 9th/10th September 2026 behind 66610)

 

[distinctratio]

Anyone have an idea as to why why DB have increased the number of light loco runs between Dollands Moor and Ripple Lane this week? Usually there's only one run a week or sometimes fortnightly on a Friday under headcode 0L22 to and 0O20 back, for route retention I believe. But since Monday it's run every morning, 0Z20 to and 0Z23 return.

I know Barking Eurohub is set for redevelopment, but that seems like quite some time away for training runs to begin.

is there a new flow starting?