Current freight operation with Class 92 in S E England

[Fat Controller]

There has been some recent discussion, following the announcement of the Accurascale model, of what trains are hauled by Class 92s in the 'Garden of England'. Rather than clog up the topic concerning the model, I've started a new one, based on 'informed observation'.

There is currently only one flow that uses HS1; the Transfesa swap-bodies. These have to go that way, as part of the train carries 'Hi-Cube' boxes, which would be too high for the conventional route. Whilst these trains were once exclusively for Ford, I believe they now carry loads for third-parties, detached at Barking/Ripple Lane. The train normally runs as two portions from Dolland's Moor onward.

Two other services have run. One was the DBC service to Germany, thence China, and the other was a Barking- Dourges service, worked by GBRf. This service used articulated 2x 40' flats, not passed to run via normal UK routes. Neither seems to be running at present.

Flows via the conventional routes include:-

Daily workings: -

Mineral water from various locations to Daventry, loaded in Cargowaggon (now TOUAX) twin vans. These trains run on behalf of Nestle, who own several sources.

Steel slab from Scunthorpe to Ebange (near Luxembourg) for rolling into rail for use in France and elsewhere. This is carried on twin bogie container flats, owned by TOUAX, on specially built 'H' shaped containers, which are semi-permanently attached to the wagons. These workings sometimes convey a few Cargowaggon flats with LWR, or even 60' lengths, from Ebange.

The 'aluminium train' between Widnes and Neuss (Germany), composed of a mix of Cargowaggon sliding-roof vans and bogie flats bearing 'Land-Rover' containers. This carries ingots of recycled aluminium, and baled scrap, outbound, returning with coil, much of which is used by Jaguar-Land Rover.

Less-frequent workings:- 

There are two flows that run on a weekly or fortnightly basis:-

China-clay slurry from Antwerp docks to Irvine. This uses the 'silver-bullet' tanks

Silica from Savoie to Cadoxton (Barry Docks). Once carried in NACCO Polybulks, in more recent times it has been loaded in 20' bulk containers. I haven't seen this working for a while, but this might be because I've managed to miss it.

New Rolling-Stock deliveries

Over the last few years, there have sometimes been multiple daily workings of new stock, both passenger and freight. These have been run by both DBC and GBRf, and by the Railway Development Group. The return workings of brake-force and translator wagons could easily be mistaken for a conventional mixed freight.

Loco Workings

DBC's pool of locos (5?) are fairly tightly diagrammed, with two pairs working overnight freights through the tunnel, then working the Transfesa via HS1 Other DBC workings use Class 66s along the conventional route.

GBRf's locos have no diagrammed HS1 workings; their 92s use the conventional routes at present, though most of their drivers are passed over HS1 Apart from the normal-liveried ones, some 'Caledonian Sleeper' ones have appeared at Dolland's Moor.

Hope the above is of interest.

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hi Brian,

 

Thanks for starting this topic.   Very helpful.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[TangerineWizards]

There is mention in the Accurscale topic of a 'beer train'. Does anyone have any further information on that?

[Fat Controller]

That was the one with the 'Unit 45' containers, which I think may have been a Daventry to somewhere in Italy working. Don't think it's run for a while; I certainly haven't seen it on my graphs.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Don't forget this thread...

 

 

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

Have the 92s ever got to Fareham way?

 

The next layout will be based on there and I was wandering if I could get away with getting an Accurascale one!

 

Simon

[eastwestdivide]

Looking at Realtimetrains, the Dollands Moor - Barking working has been departing about 0530, making it photographable on HS1 in daylight in high summer for the intrepid/insomniac/dedicated [delete as appropriate].

I was sort-of-tempted last summer when I was staying with family, but my comfy bed won the day.

[Zomboid]

1 hour ago, St. Simon said:

Hi,

 

Have the 92s ever got to Fareham way?

 

The next layout will be based on there and I was wandering if I could get away with getting an Accurascale one!

 

Simon

Not under their own power. They have the same current draw as a 373, and the Fareham area lines electrification is only a small step up from a damp bit of string. Run a 92 that way and the ECR would be busy closing breakers in its wake, assuming nothing melted.

[Simon Lee]

6 hours ago, TangerineWizards said:

There is mention in the Accurscale topic of a 'beer train'. Does anyone have any further information on that?

 

Was used to import Peroni several years ago. The launch was used to emphasise the green credentials of rail transport.

[SWT442]

There's a guy on Flickr (NIGHTSHIFTWORKER) who's worth a look, has pictures of some of the HS1 workings mentioned above. Looks like he's a driver, as there's also shots from within Dollands Moor, Frethun and Wembley.

 

A link to the Class 92 album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/35502189@N03/sets/72157673241564512/with/27809493546/

 

Andy.

 

[St. Simon]

13 hours ago, Zomboid said:

Not under their own power. They have the same current draw as a 373, and the Fareham area lines electrification is only a small step up from a damp bit of string. Run a 92 that way and the ECR would be busy closing breakers in its wake, assuming nothing melted.

 

Cool, that's saved me some money!

 

Simon

[Zomboid]

Electrically speaking they're limited to the routes that Eurostars took on DC. Tonbridge - Redhill was built to cope with them, but Redhill - Clapham wasn't upgraded until the mk1 replacement project - which didn't consider 92 operations over that stretch, and I've no idea if they've been cleared to run that way. There's possibly enough electricity now (off peak/ over night), but I doubt anyone has needed to ask the question. Signalling/ EMC could kill any such idea, too.

 

If you want a might-have-been near Fareham, there was briefly a proposal to look at using them to Southampton on the container trains, but the Bournemouth electrification wouldn't have been able to cope with that as well as the 450/444s without significantly more reinforcement than was needed for just the desiros - plus running those trains via Woking & Staines to the WLL would probably have been difficult to path.

[159220]

This thread is brilliant! I think I have come across photos on Flickr on every flow you mention and maybe before dinner tonight I shall list. 

 

From compiling information on WNXX. The current DB active fleet is: 92011, 92015, 92019, 92036, 92041, 92042

 

Can I add some more detail from a RDG report, found here: https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/files/Publications/2018-08_international_rail_freight_brexit.pdf 

 

I'll paraphrase:

 

 

Quote

Dagenham to Valencia (ES)

 

›  This flow is an integral part of the Ford Motor Company inter-works movement of car assembly components, linking manufacturing plants in the UK and the rest of Europe with its vehicle assembly plant in Valencia. The predominant export traffic is engines manufactured in Dagenham and gear boxes and transmissions in S.Wales. The traffic is mainly conveyed in curtain-sided swap bodies. The cargo is shipped by Transfesa who contract with the Railway Undertakings (RUs) involved to operate the service. Some non-Ford traffic is conveyed on the service

›  These services are routed via High Speed 1 (HS1), enabling larger intermodal load units (ILU) to be conveyed on the train. Due to trailing weight restrictions on HS1, the train which has arrived in the UK is operated in 2 portions on HS1, with the train dividing at Dollands Moor.

 

France (various locations) to Daventry

 

› Daventry is the UK distribution centre for Danone water, which is conveyed in conventional wagons on block trains from a nodal yard in France, where wagons of individual product lines are assembled into block trains. The wagons are unloaded in a warehouse on the DIRFT site. After unloading the trains return empty to France. The service is contracted directly to Euro Cargo Rail (a DB Cargo company based in France). Haulage in the Channel Tunnel and in the UK is by DB Cargo.

 

Scunthorpe to Hayange (FR)

 

› This is an interworks movement on behalf of British Steel (formerly Corus), transporting semi-finished steel slabs to the rolling mill at Hayange, where the slabs are rolled into rail of varying lengths. The train is directly contracted by British Steel to DB Cargo. The slabs are loaded on adapted open intermodal wagons which return empty as a block train to Scunthorpe.

 

Neuss (DE) to Daventry and Ditton

 

› This is a flow of semi-finished aluminium and finished body pressings for the automotive industry, loaded in a mix of conventional vans (rolls) and swap bodies (pressings). The loaded and wagons conveying the swap bodies are detached at Daventry, wagons conveying empty swap bodies are then attached to the train which continues and terminates at Ditton.

 

Padua (IT) to Tilbury

 

› A new flow of traffic handled by GBRf on behalf of Asahi UK . This intermodal train operates on a weekly basis.

 

Antwerp (BE) to Irvine

 

› A weekly train of china clay slurry moved in tank wagons from the Imerys plant in Antwerp to Caledonian Paper in Irvine operated by GBRf.

 

Duisburg (DE) to London Gateway

 

› A weekly train of general intermodal traffic operated on behalf of CMA CGM (including intermodal units from China transferred at Duisburg)

 

EDIT 17/02. Now appears both the Padau and Duisburg flows have ended, due to low uptake/reliability of service. 

 

On 14/02/2019 at 16:13, Fat Controller said:

That was the one with the 'Unit 45' containers, which I think may have been a Daventry to somewhere in Italy working. Don't think it's run for a while; I certainly haven't seen it on my graphs.

 

On 14/02/2019 at 16:08, TangerineWizards said:

There is mention in the Accurscale topic of a 'beer train'. Does anyone have any further information on that?

 

Sorry the Beer Train I alluded too, is the Asahi UK train, weekly from Padua in North East Italy. It was part of Asahi expanding into the UK market, but seems to have not continued. EDIT 17/02. It was a trial and did not continue. 

 

You'll see Unit 45, 45ft containers often on the CMA-CGM/Transfesa London Gateway to Dollands Moor with GBRf 66 traction. EDIT 17/02. It was a trial and did not continue. 

 

There was a previous 'Beer Train' it would seem, around 2014-16 operated by DB using Unit 45 containers which contained Peroni Beer and Tomatoes. 

 

The non-Ford load in the Valencia - Dagenham flow, within the 'Mega-Combi' 3m containers OR CAI High-Cube 45 ft containers often holds fruit and veg for UK supermarkets - so DB tell me. Taken off at Ripple Lane/Barking. 

 

Seen at the back of 92011, so I am reliably informed: (isn't Night Shift Workers photos just brilliant!)

 

 

This from the Transfesa site: 

 

Edited February 17, 2019 by 159220

[SED Freightman]

20 hours ago, 159220 said:

 

Sorry the Beer Train I alluded too, is the Asahi UK train, weekly from Padua in North East Italy. It was part of Asahi expanding into the UK market, but seems to have not continued. 

 

This may be due to Asahi Europe recently buying the brewing interests of Fuller, Smith & Turner Ltd as they will presumably be looking to brew at Chiswick rather than import.

Edited February 16, 2019 by SED Freightman
corrected spelling

[TangerineWizards]

Thanks very much for posting this and to those who answered my question.

[rodent279]

So does this constitute a full picture of rail freight using the channel tunnel, or is that for a separate thread?

I'm very interested in how much rail freight there is through the tunnel, and the origins and destinations.

[Fat Controller]

5 hours ago, rodent279 said:

So does this constitute a full picture of rail freight using the channel tunnel, or is that for a separate thread?

I'm very interested in how much rail freight there is through the tunnel, and the origins and destinations.

It's all I'm aware of at the moment ; however, there are flows that don't receive masses of publicity that sometimes occur, such as the long-welded rail from Scunthorpe to Germany, and various flows between mainland Europe and South Wales for Tata. It would be very nice to see a revival of the Italian container traffic. I remember, in the first couple of years of the tunnels's existence, there being 10 or more trains in each direction every day; some destinations even had relief trains to accommodate the traffic.

[rodent279]

34 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

It's all I'm aware of at the moment ; however, there are flows that don't receive masses of publicity that sometimes occur, such as the long-welded rail from Scunthorpe to Germany, and various flows between mainland Europe and South Wales for Tata. It would be very nice to see a revival of the Italian container traffic. I remember, in the first couple of years of the tunnels's existence, there being 10 or more trains in each direction every day; some destinations even had relief trains to accommodate the traffic.

Doesn't seem a lot really, the tunnel seems under used for freight. I don't think it's going to get more anytime soon either.

[phil-b259]

On 15/02/2019 at 11:33, Zomboid said:

Electrically speaking they're limited to the routes that Eurostars took on DC. Tonbridge - Redhill was built to cope with them, but Redhill - Clapham wasn't upgraded until the mk1 replacement project - which didn't consider 92 operations over that stretch, and I've no idea if they've been cleared to run that way. There's possibly enough electricity now (off peak/ over night), but I doubt anyone has needed to ask the question. Signalling/ EMC could kill any such idea, too.

 

If you want a might-have-been near Fareham, there was briefly a proposal to look at using them to Southampton on the container trains, but the Bournemouth electrification wouldn't have been able to cope with that as well as the 450/444s without significantly more reinforcement than was needed for just the desiros - plus running those trains via Woking & Staines to the WLL would probably have been difficult to path.

 

Its not power that is an issue on the Redhill to Clapham section - its the use of late 1970s vintage Reed audio frequency track circuit equipment on these lines (as installed for the early 1980s BML modernisation) - which is the same bit of kit that also bars the 1990s NSE built Networkers* and resulted in a large number of "no networker" signs in the split between the central and eastern division at Bermondsey

 

The Electrostars (and Desiros etc) have a much more refined traction package which although still employing AC traction motors, results in far less interference being fed into the rails and thus reducing the chances of a Reed track circuit to falsely show clear when it is actually occupied will not occur.
 

While there is a programme currently underway to eliminate Reed track circuits from the BML (which is being done with the aim of making the infrastructure more reliable and allow remote condition monitoring to be applied) that could in time see the route passed for the 92s, given the low level of cross channel freight at present there would be no need to go to all the bother of actually getting the 92s approved for what is simply a 'diversionary route' used if the Maidstone line is shut for maintenance.

 

As with other 'slam door' operated Southern region routes, the BML power supply has had to be enhanced to cope with the much grater draw of modern units (with all their air con and on board computers, accessible toilets, etc) so outside of peak hours their is probably enough 'juice' to supply a 92 loco on the BML

 

* Prior to the introduction of the 373s, 92s, and the Networkers, British Rail had to undertake extensive resignalling work on the lines said classes would be used on to remove stuff like Reed track circuits due to the extremely noisy (electrically speaking) emissions from the early AC traction motor driven motive power.

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, rodent279 said:

Doesn't seem a lot really, the tunnel seems under used for freight. I don't think it's going to get more anytime soon either.

I'd be the last to disagree with you; it was so busy in those early days, with the Italian services I mentioned, two Ford trains every day, six days a week, three mixed 'conventional ' freights a day, a couple of car trains...A lot of the traffic has definitely gone for good, such as the 'Rover' train, and the wagonload services (there would be no wagonload services for them to connect with in either France or Germany)

[woodenhead]

So wagonload traffic in France and Germany is no more as well?

 

 

[Fat Controller]

13 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

So wagonload traffic in France and Germany is no more as well?

 

 

There is some wagonload traffic in Northern France, but it's operated by a subsidiary of SNCB! Not sure what the current state of German freight is. From what I've read about the passenger services, then I wouldn't be surprised if it was pretty dire. 

You can see mixed freights around France, but they're either destined for other countries, or are composed of several sections for different customers aggregated together for the trunk haul. This link may be of interest:- https://lapassiondutrain.blogspot.com/

The site founder is based in Hazebrouck, and there are usually lots of photos of freight, including workings to and from the Tunnel.

  

[woodenhead]

Sounds like Europe is adopting the same sorts of flows did that existed at the end of Speedlink in the UK - less than trainload but more than wagonload.

 

it shows the grad wasn’t greener in Europe, it just took time to catch up with the UK.

[159220]

I have been intensively researching the class 92 (thank you to Fat Controller, Timbon and contacts in GBRf/DBC), and now have a definitive 'current' aka Era 11 class 92 flows: 

 

Current Channel Tunnel Flows

 

DB Cargo UK (6 flows)

 

Valencia to Dagenham (Spain) via HS1 (Dollands Moor to Ripple Lane/Barking)

 

Operated by Transfesa for Ford, inter-works movement of car assembly components (the predominant export is engines manufactured in Dagenham and gear boxes and transmissions in S.Wales).

Two trains a day on HS1 in each direction.

Uses Transfesa 122 Lfgss & 139 Laagrss flatbeds with curtain-sided swap bogies.

Some non-Ford traffic is conveyed in 45 ft high-cube containers on 122 flatbeds.

See:

 

France (various locations) to Daventry DRIFT

 

Operated by Euro Cargo Rail for Danone water

Uses Touax IZA ‘Cargowaggon’ twin vans

Hauled onward from Dollands Moor by DBC 66s.

See:

 

Scunthorpe to Hayange (France)

 

Operated by DB Cargo for British Steel, transporting steel slabs for rolling into rail.

Currently supply Italian Railways with 86,000 tons of high speed, high heat rail.

Uses DB/Railfreight FIA twin flats with special H shaped container bases for slab.

Hauled onward from Dollands Moor by DBC 66s.

See:

 

Scunthorpe to Germany (various locations)

 

Operated by DB for British Steel, transporting 120m and occasional 60m long welded rail

Use Touax IGA flats.

Hauled onward from Dollands Moor by DBC 66s.

Note during May 2018 GBRf trialed a similar train. Flickr comments about GBRf winning this flow are incorrect.

See:

 

Neuss (Germany) to Daventry and Ditton

 

Operated by DB for Jaguar-Land Rover, transporting semi-finished aluminium (vans) and finished body pressings (swap body). Returns with recycled aluminium, and baled scrap.

Uses Touax IWA 'sliding wall' ferry van and DB/Railfreight FIA twin flats with 'Land Rover' & ‘Novelis’ swap bodies.

Hauled onward from Dollands Moor by DBC 66s.

See:

 

Spot Hire

 

Up to daily flows bringing new stock through the tunnel on behalf of ROG, RailAdventures and various ROSCOs.

Uses Brake Force wagons (container or cargo wagons) and a translator (with MU coupling).

 

GBRf (2 flows)

 

Antwerp (BE) to Irvine

 

Operated by GBRf for Imerys once a week, transports china clay slurry from Antwerp to Caledonian Paper in Irvine.

Uses NACCO/VTG ICA 'silver bullet' tanks

Hauled onward from Dollands Moor by GBRf 66/92s.

See:

 

Spot Hire

 

Up to daily flows bringing new stock through the tunnel and occasionally onward transport to Wembley on behalf of ROG, RailAdventures and various ROSCOs.

Uses Brake Force wagons (container or cargo wagons) and a translator (with MU coupling).

See:

 

Note - 

Duisburg (Germany) to London Gateway

Padua (Italy) to Tilbury

CANCELLED

 

Current UK Flows

 

DB Cargo UK

 

No UK flows operated by 92s. Restricted to Channel Tunnel and HS1.

 

GBRf - Caledonian Sleeper (requires seven 92s per night upon Mk5 rollout)

 

1S25, 5S95/1S26, 1M11/5M16, 1M16, 5C11/1C11/1B26/5B26

5S96/5M11 (EUSTON ECS)

5M11/5S26 (GLASGOW ECS)

Uses Mk5 coaches (from May 2019)

 

GBRf - UK freight

 

6L48/6X41 Dagenham Dock Reception to Garston Car Terminal

Operated by STVA for Ford

Uses various double and single deck STVA IPA car carrier wagons

See:

 

If you are interested in what are Accurascale's class 92s are doing now, see:

 

Edited February 17, 2019 by 159220

[The Stationmaster]

18 hours ago, woodenhead said:

So wagonload traffic in France and Germany is no more as well?

 

 

That has long, and increasingly, been the case.  All small stations seem to have lost their freight facilities a good while back although a lot of private siding traffic has survived.  The same is true of Belgium where it is over 20 years since SNCB reduced their freight marshalling to only two yards to serve the entire country and I suspect - if they still exist - that neither will be at all busy with wagonload traffic (there will inevitably always be two yards of some sort due to political considerations - logically they only need one, if that many).