Freight, departmentals and specials in Sussex

[phil_sutters]

Newhaven now, in the summer of 2020, has two sets of sidings for aggregates traffic. The first set is north of Newhaven Town Station and serves Days Aggregates depot, which handles several grades of quarried aggregates. The sidings are also the loading point for flyash from the domestic waste incinerator.

There is now a second set to the east of the former Newhaven Marine station. The tracks follow the line through the station and then swing east in the direction taken by the East Beach Tramway. This is the loading point for sea-dredged shingle aggregate.

Sussex seems to have less freight mileage than most counties, so I thought it might be good to bring together what does exist. 

I have yet to get down to the new Newhaven East Quay sidings when there is loading going on. There is a video showing the first train arriving and being loaded. You have to scroll down to First service commences to find the link to the video. https://rail-record.co.uk/newhaven-marine-development/  The final photo shows the new bridge, which gives improved access to the East Quay. Previously this was via a level crossing. The Port Authority is planning to expand the port facilities in that area and may develop additional freight flows.

The Port Access Bridge has been added to show that the development is planned to be more than a couple of sidings. It is a road bridge that spans the Seaford branch and the tidal creek which leads to Tidemills, which used to have its own station.

The dredged shingle is transferred from the dredger to the loading area on a conveyor belt type of transporter. It is loaded on to the wagons by bucket loaders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by phil_sutters

[SED Freightman]

Thanks for posting photos of the developments at Newhaven, it is a rare thing indeed to see freight returning to a location that is somewhat off the beaten track and with hopefully long term traffic flows at that.  Last traffic from the former North Quay Sdgs was the Hall Aggregates / RMC sea-dredged aggregate to Tolworth & Crawley New Yard, the wagons off which eventually moved to Peak Forest after a long period of quietly rusting at Newhaven.  Last use of the East Quay Sdgs would I guess have been for the ad-hoc container traffic that passed during industrial disputes at Southampton many years ago, although I have a vague feeling they may have been used for a trial flow in EWS days, fertiliser ex Great Yarmouth perhaps ? During the mid 1990's the East Quay and former ballast tip area were looked at as a possible rail served terminal for Gefco (Peugeot & Citroen imports), but in the end they settled on Sheerness and direct movement via the Tunnel.  With regards to the new Day Aggregates Terminal I'm surprised to see that they have not been required to fence the terminal from the adjacent electrified running lines, the former Hall Aggregate loading area having been fully fenced and gated.

[Nearholmer]

Interesting, and based on your first three photos I note that Newhaven seems now to be in Spain.

 

Mountfield mines are in also in East Sussex, I'm pretty sure; much/any rail traffic there these days?

[phil_sutters]

40 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Interesting, and based on your first three photos I note that Newhaven seems now to be in Spain.

 

Mountfield mines are in also in East Sussex, I'm pretty sure; much/any rail traffic there these days?

One sprig of pine foliage doesn't a Spanish scenario make. Newhaven's Ouse hasn't quite got the same ring as Seville's Guadalquivir.

 

I am not aware of Mountfield or its mines.

At one point there was talk of an east west route for freight, from the channel tunnel, using a doubled Ashford to Hastings line and restoring the Eastbourne cutoff. I am not sure that a solution to getting across Brighton was even mooted. I don't think that the coastal fringe has enough population density to warrant such a scheme.

[Nearholmer]

Mountfield Mines https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/5733117108

 

The Guadalqivir isn’t my favourite river, because we went exploring the edges of it out in the countryside and I nearly stood on a whopping great brown snake that was in among a load of tall bamboo-like plants. Whether the snake was dangerous, I didn’t wait to find out!

 

 

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

Interesting, and based on your first three photos I note that Newhaven seems now to be in Spain.

 

Mountfield mines are in also in East Sussex, I'm pretty sure; much/any rail traffic there these days?

Incoming gypsum from either domestic sources or imported via Southampton.

[SED Freightman]

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

Interesting, and based on your first three photos I note that Newhaven seems now to be in Spain.

 

Mountfield mines are in also in East Sussex, I'm pretty sure; much/any rail traffic there these days?

As mentioned by the Fat Controller, all rail traffic is now inbound, Mountfield Mine has closed and Brightling Mine (connected to Mountfield by conveyor) produces very little. There is a Spanish connection however as a lot of rock gypsum railed from Southampton was shipped from Spain.

[phil_sutters]

Having been tipped off by my friend George, that a train of empties was heading for Newhaven East Quay aggregates sidings, I extended my essential shopping trip to Lidl's with a walk down to the sidings, where I caught EWS 66083 shunting its train into the sidings. I am told that it will stay there until late this evening, when the shingle has been shovelled into its wagons. The ship to shore conveyor can be seen crossing the scene at high level in photos 4 & 5.

Not the most exciting bunch of snaps, but they do record the new sidings being used.

 

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by phil_sutters
Additional info & spelling mistake on photos

[Grizz]

According to railrecord this is the return working this evening. 
 

 

Locos through Lewes today were 66165 Acton T.C. to Day Aggregates and return, 73107 & 73213 RHTT and return and 66083 Acton T.C. to Newhaven Marine Agg Terminal then return trip but to Neaseden.
 

Never thought that we would see so much activity in East Sussex. There has always been a reasonable amount into West Sussex but up until the set up the ash trains, day aggregates and now the marine terminal, all we had for scheduled freight in East Sussex was Mountfield. Happy Days. 

[Grizz]

Just copped the UP Newhaven Day Aggregates to Acton T.C. 7V00 -with Genesee and Wyoming style Freightliner (FLHH) 66413 (Lest We Forget) heading up Hamsey Bank. The most notable part of this working was a single Yeoman liveried O&K JHA at the rear of the otherwise standard JNA box wagon train. It even had Yeoman still written on the side of it. 
 
I believe that this is the first time that such a wagon has made it down as far South as Newhaven via Lewes. It may have been being tripped as a failure back to Acton, not sure where from. Maybe they were just short of wagons but I doubt it somehow. 

 

 

[divibandit]

Hi everyone,

I've just found this great thread, curiously whilst trying to find another on Prototype Question forum! The one I was looking  for was about cement works traffic at Southerham.

Steve

[dseagull]

Couple of ropey snaps (mobile dangled through the fence) of a pair of GBRF 73's at Eastbourne, 26th March. Departmental rather than freight, but still, not the most common visitors to Eastbourne these days. I think they started from and returned to Tonbridge, taking in a very circuitous route. 

 

There is an 'as required' service from Horsham Yard-Horsham Yard which takes in nearly everywhere with a rail connection in Sussex timetabled most days. Every morning since I started working in Eastbourne again (1st March) I have diligently checked Realtimetrains, and haven't managed to find it running yet however!

 

[njee20]

It’s just an MPV. It runs most days in autumn obviously, but much less the rest of the year.

 

I caught a GBRF 66 on a ballast train at Billingshurst a few months ago (mainly JNAs, with some MOAs and MXAs for good luck), seemed to be a spate of weekends where the loco was coming up from Eastleigh and heading back with some empty wagons.  

[Steadfast]

On 30/04/2021 at 14:09, Grizz said:

Just copped the UP Newhaven Day Aggregates to Acton T.C. 7V00 -with Genesee and Wyoming style Freightliner (FLHH) 66413 (Lest We Forget) heading up Hamsey Bank. The most notable part of this working was a single Yeoman liveried O&K JHA at the rear of the otherwise standard JNA box wagon train. It even had Yeoman still written on the side of it. 
 
I believe that this is the first time that such a wagon has made it down as far South as Newhaven via Lewes. It may have been being tripped as a failure back to Acton, not sure where from. Maybe they were just short of wagons but I doubt it somehow. 

 

 

If the location doesn't normally see hoppers and it was only one in the set, it was probably being used as a converted between the buckeye fitted inner wagons and screw coupler fitted loco. You occasionally see a box on a set of hoppers for the same reason. It'll be a last resort if no suitable boxes were available, as it'll mean the customer misses out on one wagon's worth of product.

Apart from those that have had graffiti painted out and are plain silver or black, all the O&K hoppers retain Yeoman branding.

 

Jo

[Grizz]

Cooksbridge 26th May 2020 - 17:21 - 6O43??? ACTON T.M. to NEWHAVEN MARINE AG TML, with 66105.

 

This was the one of the first few times DB ran a full rake of these JNA(GERS), with some sporting the small Touax logos. 
 

 

 

 

[Doc Ball]

Hi. Newbie here.

 

just moved to Lewes to be pleasantly surprised at the occasional freight train passing through. Seems an erratic timetable - can anyone help with the amount and any times of traffic please?

[beast66606]

3 minutes ago, Doc Ball said:

Hi. Newbie here.

 

just moved to Lewes to be pleasantly surprised at the occasional freight train passing through. Seems an erratic timetable - can anyone help with the amount and any times of traffic please?

 

 

Use realtimetrains to find out the info you need

 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:LWS/2021-07-09/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

[Doc Ball]

Thank you kindly.

 

Impressive amount of traffic. I’ll post as and when I see.

[rob D2]

11 hours ago, Doc Ball said:

Thank you kindly.

 

Impressive amount of traffic. I’ll post as and when I see.

Bear in mind the ones with a (Q) at the end are , runs as required , so may not be running at all 

[Grizz]

Not freight but Kettle Tour due through Lewes today in Down direction. Southend East to Eastbourne, running as 1Z43, but all may not be well with it. 
Top and Tail  61306 B1 and 47772…looking on Sussex Trains live map it’s been waiting on Pigs Hill waiting to go into platform 17 at Clapham Jcn for a considerable time. Water tender non attendance may have been the problem, anyway it’s been along time. 
 

It was due through Lewes Platform 1 at 12:05….not anymore though. 
 

Screen shot of Sussextrains.co.uk at 11:43

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2021 by Grizz

[Nearholmer]

I was on a train from Brighton to Bedford that passed it at East Croydon c1230, but I didn’t see the loco up-front because of a bridge, which was a bit annoying!

 

 

Edited July 10, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Grizz]

1 minute ago, Nearholmer said:

I was on a train from Brighton to Bedford that passed it at East Croydon, but I didn’t see the loco up-front because of a bridge, which was a bit annoying!

That’s happened to me before……and it is so irritating.

It finally made up some time but ended up 76 minutes late at EBN. Not sure why these tours to EBN are always sent via GTW on the outward and via TON on the return? So few tours run on the UP via LWS over the years….

[Doc Ball]

Move in on the Wednesday, miss a steamer on the Saturday…

 

I stood by the tunnel in the rain waiting but couldn’t hang around.

 

Great site that link. Seen a couple of 66s and can hear louder engines sometimes I think.

[Oldddudders]

17 hours ago, Grizz said:

Not sure why these tours to EBN are always sent via GTW on the outward and via TON on the return? So few tours run on the UP via LWS over the years….

I suspect it's about pathing issues on the Brighton Main Line, where one exists on the down  but not so easily on the up. While I imagine since HS1 pathing via Tonbridge has never been so easy -  the days of No 1 Boat Train Route are long gone. 

[phil-b259]

On 11/07/2021 at 08:29, Oldddudders said:

I suspect it's about pathing issues on the Brighton Main Line, where one exists on the down  but not so easily on the up. While I imagine since HS1 pathing via Tonbridge has never been so easy -  the days of No 1 Boat Train Route are long gone. 

 

Its also about getting the steam loco turned*!

 

To do that you would have to either go back to Brighton and its probably considerably easier to take the train forward to Hastings from a pathing point of view.

 

*Unless you want the steam loco to be towed all the way back to London on the back of the train.