EastWest
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Has rail traffic from Penyfford cement works finished now? The trains to Avonmouth don’t seem to have run for several weeks.
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Rail Freight Flows and News UK
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Freightmaster
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The exchange siding at Penyffordd are being expanded/fettled, hence the lack of traffic.
The Avonmouth trains which would normally run from Penyffordd are being loaded
at Ketton instead at the moment; in fact there is one running today:
Realtime Trains | 6V45 1210 Ketton Ward Sdg Gbrf to Avonmouth Hanson Sdg Gbrf | 14/06/2026
Real-time train running information for 6V45 1210 departure from Ketton Ward Sdg Gbrf to Avonmouth Hanson Sdg Gbrf on 14/06/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
MARK
HST125Scorton
Member
I think it's just down to being the time of year when demand for electricity is fairly low,
so Drax can get sufficient biomass from it's 'preferred' sources of Liverpool and Immingham.
There is still the odd train, like this one last Friday:
Realtime Trains | 6H12 0624 Tyne Coal Terminal Gbrf to Drax Aes (Gbrf) | 12/06/2026
Real-time train running information for 6H12 0624 departure from Tyne Coal Terminal Gbrf to Drax Aes (Gbrf) on 12/06/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
...and Tyne Dock is still supplying several trains day of biomass to Lynemouth power station.
Thanks for this info much appreciated. Hoping some will pass The Sidings this week.
Penyffordd trains temporarily stopped in January (and switched to Ketton) due to equipment failure at the site, although if anyone can confirm there's been trackwork taking place, it'd be interesting to see.
HST125Scorton
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Has the GBRf 4E04 Mossend Pd Sirling to Doncaster Iport Vv as 4S04 intermodal come to a end? Last info I know it ran last in Feb on the 14th then nothing since.
Freightmaster
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Stopped running last December, I'm afraid.
HST125Scorton
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Ah that's a shame, thanks for the info though
S101
Member
Good news from CF BOOTH of Rotherham, the new owner seems very rail focused so there might be some exciting developments in the future. The branch is currently signed out of use due to condition of track though, so lets wait and see, but positive so far. I thought it would just end up being another rail facility that was lost forever more.
www.linkedin.com
Big news for Ron Hull Group! As you may have heard, we’ve recently acquired the former CF Booth scrapyard site in Rotherham. It’s a 35 acre site with a main line rail connection, which opens… | Ron Hull Group
Big news for Ron Hull Group! As you may have heard, we’ve recently acquired the former CF Booth scrapyard site in Rotherham. It’s a 35 acre site with a main line rail connection, which opens up some great opportunities for how we move material around the country more efficiently (and more...
www.linkedin.com
Festiniog24
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BRX
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It's an unlikely looking consist for an international working! It is good that it's not going in lorries.
It looks like the return path will be overnight too -
Realtime Trains | 6O18 2218 Hessle Va Ttuk Hub to Dollands Moor Sdgs | 16/06/2026
Real-time train running information for 6O18 2218 departure from Hessle Va Ttuk Hub to Dollands Moor Sdgs on 16/06/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Adrian Barr
Member
Thanks for the photo. Consist was 3 IWAs plus six IGAs. I think those must be the non-standard long sleepers (bearers) visible in some of the wagons in your photo - at first glance it resembles a log train!
Found this snippet about the logistics hub for "Voestalpine Turnout Technology UK Ltd" in the former yard at Hull - https://pbhrail.com/pbh-rails-role-in-delivering-a-new-rail-logistics-hub-in-hull/
(Google map view of location was linked in post #2534)
I assume the location will work in a similar way to Beeston, with S&C layouts being assembled there.
I think the first planned southbound run of the 6O18 empties is next Monday (22nd) - the schedule for that day shows a 20:30 departure which might just about allow for photography at this time of year.
geordieblue
Member
Few interesting bits and pieces from the north east in the last week or two.
Firstly: a loaded aggregate train ran from Bardon Hill to Sunderland Docks last week (and is scheduled to do the same tomorrow). I don't know the last time there were aggregate trains into Sunderland but fingers crossed this becomes regular.
There's also an unusual move in for tomorrow - from Wellingborough to Scunthorpe Anchor, and then up to Tees Dock on Thursday. It's down as 'Metals' on RTT - scrap metal move, metals for export, or something else?
And as a final point I've noticed that a new set of daily paths has appeared to 'Phillips Loop' from Horton-in-Ribblesdale Quarry - see here for example. Phillips Loop itself appears to be somewhere on the Seal Sands branch - this would be the first regular traffic on the line since the end of the Preston bitumen tanks, if it materialises.
Firstly: a loaded aggregate train ran from Bardon Hill to Sunderland Docks last week (and is scheduled to do the same tomorrow). I don't know the last time there were aggregate trains into Sunderland but fingers crossed this becomes regular.
There's also an unusual move in for tomorrow - from Wellingborough to Scunthorpe Anchor, and then up to Tees Dock on Thursday. It's down as 'Metals' on RTT - scrap metal move, metals for export, or something else?
And as a final point I've noticed that a new set of daily paths has appeared to 'Phillips Loop' from Horton-in-Ribblesdale Quarry - see here for example. Phillips Loop itself appears to be somewhere on the Seal Sands branch - this would be the first regular traffic on the line since the end of the Preston bitumen tanks, if it materialises.
Adrian Barr
Member
Appears to be a flow of scrap metal from Scunthorpe to Tees Dock. 6Z26 00:02 Scunthorpe to Tees Dock ran on Thu 18th and Sat 20th, and there's a 6Z26 23:03 from Scunthorpe tonight.
I think the move from Wellingborough was probably after cleaning out or maintenance on the wagons - it's using the JNA set off the Roxby spoil workings. This ran from Roxby to Wellingborough as 4Z24 on Mon 15th.
4Z24 seen here behind 66747 last week: https://www.flickr.com/photos/163522285@N08/55336150737/ (Photo: Peter Eaton)
Rail Ranger
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The new Energy from Waste plant at Lostock, Northwich is looking to use rail to take out 165,000 tonnes of ash per year from the site. This would use some of the infrastructure previously used for the limestone traffic from Tunstead to Lostock Works: https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk...=f9a2c12aaef6179bbcfc3782f5050d74&date=250626
Trainman40083
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Shame no 25s or 40s are still around to move it.
D6130
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.
....or ex-LMS vacuum-braked bogie hopper wagons!
Oxfordblues
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I'm intrigued by a new schedule for GBRf from Portbury Auto Terminal to Northampton Gateway via Winslow: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H01420/2026-06-25/detailed
I can see no balancing return working. GBRf have presumably bid for this on a speculative basis as there might one day be a need for it, but the GWR main line via Swindon is already near-capacity. Do FOCs actually pay Network Rail for unused paths?
I can see no balancing return working. GBRf have presumably bid for this on a speculative basis as there might one day be a need for it, but the GWR main line via Swindon is already near-capacity. Do FOCs actually pay Network Rail for unused paths?
Intercity_225
Member
Today's 4L08 Doncaster - London Gateway seems to be diverting via Ely today. Does anyone know why? Thanks
Class15
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This is a question for one of the TOPS requests threads, as it doesn’t talk about any actual freight flows, merely the short-notice diversion of one service.
Looks like it’s going down the ECML to me as booked, going to follow 9J63 1953 Horsham out of Peterborough
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Intercity_225
Member
Interesting, since last time I checked it was sat in Platform 5 at Peterborough, which can't access the Up London lines.
Class15
Established Member
They can, by first going onto the (bidirectional) down fast and then onto the up at Fletton.
Intercity_225
Member
That shunt signal is LOS (meaning Limit of Shunt for those unaware, meaning no routes can be set from it)
Freightmaster
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According to the raw Train Describer data, it actually left the yard and used platform one to access the Up Slow
to Fletton Junction, where it waited approximately 20 minutes for a southbound path.
edit: looking further back in the data, I can see that it did indeed initially arrive into platform 5
at 17.58, from where it reversed and went into the yard from the south, so there presumably
must have been an issue (points failure?) with accessing the yard from the north.
MARK
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Wavertreelad
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This has just appeared on social media, perhaps ahead of the launch of the Class 99 on services to Scotland from Felixstowe and London Gateway Port at least, not sure the strictly speaking Liverpool can be included as I don't think it operates six days a week.
MSC continue to operate feeder ship connections from Grangemouth and Greenock with the later served on the same service from Antwerp and Le Havre as Liverpool. This makes the inclusion of the later interesting given that Southampton is not shown, despite MSC operating into the port with it's feeder service and slot exchange on direct calls by it's partner lines ONE, Yang Ming and HMM to/from Asia in an agreement that lasts until February 2030. This might suggest MSC expects to expand it's Asia Europe service through Liverpool in the longer term, rather than the Solent port.
MSC continue to operate feeder ship connections from Grangemouth and Greenock with the later served on the same service from Antwerp and Le Havre as Liverpool. This makes the inclusion of the later interesting given that Southampton is not shown, despite MSC operating into the port with it's feeder service and slot exchange on direct calls by it's partner lines ONE, Yang Ming and HMM to/from Asia in an agreement that lasts until February 2030. This might suggest MSC expects to expand it's Asia Europe service through Liverpool in the longer term, rather than the Solent port.
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Class15
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Freightliner operate the London Gateway/Felixstowe to Coatbridge services.
Wavertreelad
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Yes, I had forgotten that from days in shipping booking boxes on the services. Once they got Coatbridge it was not unknown for them to fail on the final delivery to Glasgow with no explanation.
However, interesting to note on the map that the route is shown via Hams Hall to Mossend, not Coatbridge, which is suggests this will be GBRf operated. I assume the concept would be to operate an existing GBRf train from each port with the Scottish bound boxes on one end and the Hams Hall and/or another destination on the other. The trains could then be split and combined at Hams Hall for the trip to Scotland allowing MSC to only to have to use Freightliner when their own capacity is reached because of course Freightliner now owned by their rival CMA CGM. MSC first published this concept back in 2022 https://www.msc.com/en/newsroom/new...-connecting-scotland-with-global-trade-routes however since then they have split from Maersk and the structure of MSC services to the UK have changed and most Asia Europe and Indian Subcontient which is the main volumes call first at Felixstowe and those calling at London Gateway on these services are primarily to load exports or empties. MSC operate a fair number of smaller trades into London Gateway Port mainly in the North /South Trades but I doubt would never match the volumes from Felixstowe so combining them with the Felixstowe volumes would make sense and would also provide a means of laden and empty boxes to London Gateway.
What is interesting is that the original press release only mentioned Felixstowe and London Gateway, so the addition of Liverpool and omission of Southampton may be to MSC future plans.
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Oxfordblues
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4S57 Hams Hall to Mossend is an ideal candidate for Class 99-haulage. Diesel to Walsall, then pan-up all the way to Mossend!
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Dunno if it's still in the timetable but there was a 4S94 that already reserved the path for this.
Freightmaster
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