Whats Going on in Ipswich Yard?

[TheEdge]

As per title.

Over the last few months NR has pulled up all the sidings at the very north end of Ipswich yard alongside East Suffolk Junction. I'd assumed it was just some project to sell off all the scrap metal in the track.

I've noticed however that they now seem to be laying new track through the third arch of the bridge, just to the north of East Suffolk junction along with a set of points that look like they are going to join or cross the East Suffolk Line. Next point, the new track is noticeably lower that the existing East Suffolk Line, too low to be joining but its only a couple of feet lower so no way is it going under the existing line.

So yeah, anyone know whats going on there?

 

[306024]

Remodelling the yard to take more of the longest freightliners. Should just be a bit more flexible to operate, that's all.

Even though GBRf like using the new chord, for various operating reasons Freightliner will need Ipswich Yard for the foreseeable.

 

[GB]

As 306024 says, they are remodelling that part of the yard to accommodate 30 wagon length trains on reception 2 and 3, however in doing so they will lose flexibility as the Norwich end connection will be onto the East Suffolk Line in the Hadleigh Road area.

This means trains from Peterborough will only be able use the goods line and reception 1 to run round to get to Felixstowe and vice versa with reception 2 and 3 being "London facing" only....obviously the chord was put in to minimise run round moves.

I did see the early plans of the proposed works that included adding a 4th reception line and completely replacing London Rd bridge, but as the bridge replacement is not happening I don't know the fate of the 4th reception line.

Edit, Extract from the plan added...

 

[edwin_m]

There's an article in May's Modern Railways on this.

 

[Class 170101]

One here also from Rail Engineer
http://www.therailengineer.com/2014/05/01/ipswich-chord-freight/

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

The new line under the small arch is lower because the that arch is considerably lower than the main arch...
We are all wondering at work just how the hell it is going to work!

 

[Freightmaster]

Even though GBRf like using the new chord, for various operating reasons Freightliner will need Ipswich Yard for the foreseeable.

From what I have heard, even though Freightliner have had
several years notice that the chord was going to be built to
plan new traincrew diagrams, they have refused point blank
to do so... :roll:


So rather than having drivers work through from Felixstowe to
Peterborough (or March/Ely if hours are an issue) via the chord,
they insist on using their old traincrew diagrams which involve
changing drivers at Ipswich, even though that isn't physically
possible when using the chord!!


I think this is shocking, and if I were Network Rail, I would think
twice before agreeing to any more expensive new chords if FOCs
are going to refuse to use them because they can't be bothered
to change their traincrew diagrams!!


MARK

 

[edwin_m]

If they used the Chord, would Freightliner be able to get from Crewe to Felixstowe and back within one driver shift?

 

[GB]

It is possible to take one up, lodge, and then bring one back the following. Taking one up and back in the same shift would be a tall order. Best bet productivity and cost wise is to take one up, relief enroute (eg Peterborough) and then bring one back. Network Rail don't like crew reliefs on the main lines.

In any case, once the yard is remodelled, Freightliner will have little choice but to use the chord.

 

[edwin_m]

Supplementary - can they get from Crewe to Ipswich and back within a shift?

If so it might explain why they prefer to change locos and crews there, with Crewe and Ipswich drivers doing one long distance out and back per shift and other Ipswich drivers doing several runs per day on the shuttle to Felixstowe. Plus they presumably they have a signing on point in Ipswich that would have to move to Felixstowe.

On the other hand I think GBRf have a base in Peterborough so drivers based there doing out-and-back to both Felixstowe and places to the north and west would make more sense for them.

 

[Freightmaster]

If they used the Chord, would Freightliner be able to get from Crewe to Felixstowe and back within one driver shift?

They wouldn't even be able to get one way, I imagine!

But I'm not sure why you keep mentioning Crewe??

Most trains to/from Crewe are electric-hauled, so cannot
run via Peterborough - using the chord or otherwise!


The only Freightliner trains which can potentially use the chord
for the foreseeable future are those to and from Leeds, Doncaster
and Wilton, which already run via Ely and Peterborough.



MARK

 

[edwin_m]

They wouldn't even be able to get one way, I imagine!

But I'm not sure why you keep mentioning Crewe??

Most trains to/from Crewe are electric-hauled, so cannot
run via Peterborough - using the chord or otherwise!


The only Freightliner trains which can potentially use the chord
for the foreseeable future are those to and from Leeds, Doncaster
and Wilton, which already run via Ely and Peterborough.



MARK

I was mentioning Crewe because it is Freightliner's main operating base and because when I was involved in early stages of F2N some years ago the out-and-back was important to them and by implication they weren't too worried about changing to diesel haulage. This situation may of course have changed in the meantime.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The only Freightliner trains which can potentially use the chord for the foreseeable future are those to and from Leeds, Doncaster and Wilton, which already run via Ely and Peterborough.

I thought the whole point of the chord was to reroute Felixstowe-Nuneaton trains via Peterborough/Leicester and off the GEML/NLL?
Does it need the Soham redoubling first, or some changes in the Leicester area, to make it work?

 

[Class 170101]

There is something a bit closer to Ipswich that needs looking at. Dualling of the track where possible between Westerfield and Felixstowe. You will be lucky to get many more trains to / from Felixstowe at the moment due to the constraints of the single line (in parts) between Westerfield and Felixstowe.

 

[GB]

I thought the whole point of the chord was to reroute Felixstowe-Nuneaton trains via Peterborough/Leicester and off the GEML/NLL?

That was how it was peddled in the media, but I think those that work in the industry...particularly those that work in that sector, knew full well that many freight trains will still continue to go via the GEML.

 

[Freightmaster]

I thought the whole point of the chord was to reroute Felixstowe-Nuneaton trains via Peterborough/Leicester and off the GEML/NLL?

As GB points out above, that was only ever an urban myth!

With so many Freightliner services currently 86/90-hauled
between Crewe and Ipswich, rerouting trains via Ely would
require up to a dozen extra diesel locos, which simply do not
exist, especially since Freightliner got cold feet and cancelled
their next batches of class 70s.

Does it need the Soham redoubling first, or some changes in the Leicester area, to make it work?

All of the above, and the long, absolute block sections between
Leicester and Peterborough and between Peterborough and Ely
must also be hugely restrictive, I would have thought?


The best that could happen is some/all of the Lawley Street services
are rerouted that way in 2015/2016, or whenever Freightliner finally
get round to rewriting their Ipswich traincrew diagrams! :roll:


MARK

 

[TheEdge]

Well thanks for the info. Must say from what I've seen I don't see how it'll work but I'm sure it will, somehow...

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

To get the new link from the East Suffolk to the Yard they have lowered the UP line under the main arch to the same level as the new track under the single arch. You don't really notice it on the train but when you look out the back/side you can see the difference in levels!

 

[Tomnick]

All of the above, and the long, absolute block sections between Leicester and Peterborough and between Peterborough and Ely
must also be hugely restrictive, I would have thought?

I doubt there'd be a capacity problem between Leicester and Peterborough - the longest sections, time-wise, are probably Uffington - Ketton and Ketton - Manton on the Down, both at 6 or 7 minutes. There's still plenty of spare paths through most of the day, especially for class 4 trains if they're timed so that they can be kept running rather than being recessed anywhere along the line.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Freightliner are waiting till they can get more trains up the ECML and they are going to open up a staffing point at Peterborough. My understanding is that this is now in motion and will come online soon therefore they will start using to chord soon too.

And yes i imagine Network Rail are a bit peeved. But the FOCs just take a while to come round.

 

[Bald Rick]

As GB points out above, that was only ever an urban myth!

All of the above, and the long, absolute block sections between
Leicester and Peterborough and between Peterborough and Ely
must also be hugely restrictive, I would have thought?

MARK

Peterboro' - Ely certainly, Leicester area certainly. Also the level crossings are a problem, as anyone who uses Kings Dyke and Ely LXs will testify. Pretty sure the locals don't want another couple of 4-5 min closures every hour as half a mile of train trundles across.