Rail Freight Flows and News UK

[littledude]

It’s a deep sea container train, almost certainly not going through the tunnel. I suspect it’ll get no further than Wembley and actually be destined for a container terminal in the Midlands; probably Northampton Gateway

 

[Class15]

It’s a deep sea container train, almost certainly not going through the tunnel. I suspect it’ll get no further than Wembley and actually be destined for a container terminal in the Midlands; probably Northampton Gateway

Umm, are you sure? It’s heading down the West London line now!

 

[littledude]

Umm, are you sure? It’s heading down the West London line now!

Has it been seen since leaving Wembley to confirm that it’s still the same consist?

 

[Class15]

Has it been seen since leaving Wembley to confirm that it’s still the same consist?

Yes still same consist, seen at West Brompton. Fully loaded container wagons. 92015 also tagging along.

 

[BRX]

It made it to Dollands Moor. I wonder if 92015 will take it through the tunnel?

It's all rather mysterious.

 

[Freightmaster]

It made it to Dollands Moor. I wonder if 92015 will take it through the tunnel?

It's all rather mysterious.

Not going through the tunnel - runs up to Northampton Gateway on Monday:

Realtime Trains | 4Z60 0809 Dollands Moor Sdgs to Northampton Gateway Dbc | 07/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 4Z60 0809 departure from Dollands Moor Sdgs to Northampton Gateway Dbc on 07/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

For info, the train normally recesses at Didcot over the weekend; no idea why DB thought that
Dollands Moor would be a convenient alternative?!



MARK

 

[BRX]

Not going through the tunnel - runs up to Northampton Gateway on Monday:

Realtime Trains | 4Z60 0809 Dollands Moor Sdgs to Northampton Gateway Dbc | 07/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 4Z60 0809 departure from Dollands Moor Sdgs to Northampton Gateway Dbc on 07/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

For info, the train normally recesses at Didcot over the weekend; no idea why DB thought that
Dollands Moor would be a convenient alternative?!



MARK

Ah! I did wonder if it was something like that but also thought Dollands Moor is an odd place to put it! Have they run out of space at Wembley or something? Or (optimistic speculation) could they be taking an opportunity to prove the routes/timings for future container traffic to/from DM?

 

[furnessvale]

Ah! I did wonder if it was something like that but also thought Dollands Moor is an odd place to put it! Have they run out of space at Wembley or something? Or (optimistic speculation) could they be taking an opportunity to prove the routes/timings for future container traffic to/from DM?

I would imagine security at Dollands Moor is in a different league to most other potential storage spaces in the UK.

That begs the question, what is that train carrying?

 

[zwk500]

I would imagine security at Dollands Moor is in a different league to most other potential storage spaces in the UK.

That begs the question, what is that train carrying?

Isn't Wembley designated as a customs inspection point for channel tunnel freight so it would habe security comparable to Dollands Moor?

 

[furnessvale]

Isn't Wembley designated as a customs inspection point for channel tunnel freight so it would habe security comparable to Dollands Moor?

I wouldn't be sure about that, thinking more about illegal entry to the UK rather than customs.

 

[Rhinojerry]

6E43 Colas Ribble to Milford West booked at 0653 this morning,and cancelled later.Is this done to protect a potential resumption of the Bitumen traffic ?.
The inbound paths still appear on RTT.Thanks.

 

[geordieblue]

As noted a few posts back there is an intention to run a trial steel service from Seaforth-Wolverhampton and paths are now in for this on Monday/Tuesday this week (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R03792/2025-07-07/detailed). I don’t know if this is a replacement for one of the current flows to Wolves steel terminal or in addition.

An MoD train ran to Glen Douglas last week for the first time in a while - there seems to have been a general pickup in MoD traffic recently.

I have also read that intermodal services are due to restart at Barking. No idea as to their origin.

 

[Class15]

I have also read that intermodal services are due to restart at Barking. No idea as to their origin.

Gospel Oak to Kensal Green Jn may have to become ‘congested infrastructure’ at this rate!

 

[Chris125]

For info, the train normally recesses at Didcot over the weekend; no idea why DB thought that
Dollands Moor would be a convenient alternative?!



MARK

There's a comment on youtube mentioning a trial run of 92+66 haulage on HS1, seems outlandish but so does diverting a container train through Didcot via Dollands Moor....

 

[Class15]

There's a comment on youtube mentioning a trial run of 92+66 haulage on HS1, seems outlandish but so does diverting a container train through Didcot via Dollands Moor....

Yeah I saw that comment too, interesting that they sent a deep sea container train from Southampton to Northampton down to Dollands Moor to do those trials…

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jul 2025 ==

It appears to have been these paths:

6Z12 Dollands Moor to Singlewell: https://railcam.uk/rcdata/RCData2_detail.php?r=S&tid=896Z121804


6Z15 Singlewell to Dollands Moor: https://railcam.uk/rcdata/RCData2_detail.php?r=S&tid=896Z151105

 

[BRX]

There's a comment on youtube mentioning a trial run of 92+66 haulage on HS1, seems outlandish but so does diverting a container train through Didcot via Dollands Moor....

I'm very curious what this is all about. Is it to do with a potential return of freight over HS1? When it was running previously (with the continental gauge Transfesa container service) they were splitting trains into two portions (a 92 at the head of each) in order to move them between Dollands Moor and Barking. As I understood it, this was to do with the quite severe gradients that exist on HS1. So are they trying to work out if trains can be run in one portion with a 92+66 combo?

 

[zwk500]

I'm very curious what this is all about. Is it to do with a potential return of freight over HS1? When it was running previously (with the continental gauge Transfesa container service) they were splitting trains into two portions (a 92 at the head of each) in order to move them between Dollands Moor and Barking. As I understood it, this was to do with the quite severe gradients that exist on HS1. So are they trying to work out if trains can be run in one portion with a 92+66 combo?

Possibly - or maybe trying to simplify operations at Barking so that the 92 simply cuts off and the 66 can lead it forward? The 92 will be needed to lead the train on HS1 for TVM signalling, but can a 92 work in multi with a 66?

 

[littledude]

Possibly - or maybe trying to simplify operations at Barking so that the 92 simply cuts off and the 66 can lead it forward? The 92 will be needed to lead the train on HS1 for TVM signalling, but can a 92 work in multi with a 66?

A 92 definitely can’t work in multi with a 66. Was the train top and tail? One of the reasons for weight restrictions on HS1 is due to coupler strain. Having a loco powering from the rear (with a second driver, like the HOBC uses) would surely reduce these coupler forces into acceptable ranges. I suspect a 92 is more than capable of hauling a heavier train

 

[DBS92042]

A 92 definitely can’t work in multi with a 66. Was the train top and tail? One of the reasons for weight restrictions on HS1 is due to coupler strain. Having a loco powering from the rear (with a second driver, like the HOBC uses) would surely reduce these coupler forces into acceptable ranges. I suspect a 92 is more than capable of hauling a heavier train

66131, 66186 and 92015 were all reported on 6Z12/15 but in what order and which ones powering at any one point, I'm not sure

 

[Rhinojerry]

As noted a few posts back there is an intention to run a trial steel service from Seaforth-Wolverhampton and paths are now in for this on Monday/Tuesday this week (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R03792/2025-07-07/detailed). I don’t know if this is a replacement for one of the current flows to Wolves steel terminal or in addition.

An MoD train ran to Glen Douglas last week for the first time in a while - there seems to have been a general pickup in MoD traffic recently.

I have also read that intermodal services are due to restart at Barking. No idea as to their origin.

66737 on its way to Kineton now from Glen Douglas,saw it on Ribblehead railcam earlier.

 

[Chris125]

A 92 definitely can’t work in multi with a 66. Was the train top and tail? One of the reasons for weight restrictions on HS1 is due to coupler strain. Having a loco powering from the rear (with a second driver, like the HOBC uses) would surely reduce these coupler forces into acceptable ranges. I suspect a 92 is more than capable of hauling a heavier train

Weren't the coupler force calculations changed recently, after research found they were excessively conservative?

 

[WessexEclectic]

Weren't the coupler force calculations changed recently, after research found they were excessively conservative?

:face_with_monacle:

 

[AndrewE]

:face_with_monacle:

no stove-pipe hat? Or figure reclining on a House of Commons bench?

 

[HST125Scorton]

Yesterday's (07/07) 6M10 Wolverhampton to Seaforth was worked by 66099 & 19 Empty BYAs.

 

[Chris125]

:face_with_monacle:

Report T1256 ‘Guidance on limits of freight train trailing length as governed by coupler strength’ didn't get much attention for some reason and I've forgotten where I read the specific details, but it did seem to find some useful extra train weights.

Read our news story on 'More Freight can go by Rail'

An RSSB research project means freight train operators in Great Britain can safely haul more goods wagons per train than current practices allow, improving their environmental impact and financial efficiency.

www.rssb.co.uk

The research has enabled existing couplers, which connect freight wagons, to safely connect more load. The evidence means a 34.5 tonne coupler rating can increase 16% to 40 tonne, and some 56 tonne rated couplers increasing 13% to a new 63 tonne rating. Crucially the uprated values can be applied to wagons in use today without the need to upgrade or undertake a detailed engineering assessment.

As a result of the research, more than 12,000 rail freight wagons, over 50% of Britain’s fleet, will receive an increase in traction rating (the amount of weight it is able to safely haul).

 

[WessexEclectic]

no stove-pipe hat? Or figure reclining on a House of Commons bench?

Ha!

Report T1256 ‘Guidance on limits of freight train trailing length as governed by coupler strength’ didn't get much attention for some reason and I've forgotten where I read the specific details, but it did seem to find some useful extra train weights.

Thanks!

*URL link to press release & report not showing for me, so re-posted HERE.

 

[Class15]

Afternoon all, does anyone know what 4F42 Crewe to Ditton and 4K54 Ditton to Crewe paths were for today? Do they join/split from a London Gateway service that goes somewhere else after Crewe?

 

[BRX]

Report T1256 ‘Guidance on limits of freight train trailing length as governed by coupler strength’ didn't get much attention for some reason and I've forgotten where I read the specific details, but it did seem to find some useful extra train weights.

Read our news story on 'More Freight can go by Rail'

An RSSB research project means freight train operators in Great Britain can safely haul more goods wagons per train than current practices allow, improving their environmental impact and financial efficiency.

www.rssb.co.uk

I guess we don't know if these changes would have an impact as far as HS1 is concerned? But in 2022 the Dollands Moor - Ripple lane freights were still operating as half-portions as far as I know, which suggests that they didn't.

 

[littledude]

I guess we don't know if these changes would have an impact as far as HS1 is concerned? But in 2022 the Dollands Moor - Ripple lane freights were still operating as half-portions as far as I know, which suggests that they didn't.

The wagons were French and Spanish, did they maybe make a difference in the ability to operate the couplings at higher ratings?

 

[Class 170101]

A 92 definitely can’t work in multi with a 66. Was the train top and tail? One of the reasons for weight restrictions on HS1 is due to coupler strain. Having a loco powering from the rear (with a second driver, like the HOBC uses) would surely reduce these coupler forces into acceptable ranges. I suspect a 92 is more than capable of hauling a heavier train

The route that 4Z60 took would have been diesel hauled. No third rail or wires between Basingstoke and Reading West nor between Acton West and Acton Wells Jn on Acton Bank. This last bit is being wired at the moment though, see separate thread.

Also Northampton Gateway isn't wired as far as I know.