The UK’s express logistics market by rail may be on the brink of a significant expansion. Varamis Rail, a relatively new player in the industry, has rapidly increased its operations. The company recently acquired its fourth train within just over a year of operation. Industry insiders are questioning whether the market for high-speed rail logistics […]
Author: Simon Walton
GB Railfreight launches East Coast intermodal service
Britain’s East Coast Main Line is best known for its express passenger services and as the route of the Flying Scotsman. It’s also a critical freight corridor. From this week, there’s a new service sharing those tracks. It may not be quite as prestigious as the famous express, but the destination is the birthplace of […]
Rail transformation at the port of Southampton moves to final stages
The Port of Southampton Solent Rail Terminal is undergoing a significant upgrade as part of a joint investment between rail terminal operators Solent Stevedores and Associated British Ports (ABP). Once the project is complete, deep sea shipping lines will have access to an 18-acre facility that will link the existing intermodal rail transport site with […]
Old locomotives out and a new managing director in for DRS
UK freight operator Direct Rail Services has announced it is retiring its fleet of class 37 diesel locomotives. The elderly units, approaching 60 years in service, are being replaced by brand-new diesels and bi-modes. The company says it marks the end of an era for the rail industry. The decision comes as part of DRS’s […]
Cowley branch is another project for Oxford
A little-used freight line in suburban Oxford is a step closer to being resurrected as a mixed-traffic route. The Cowley branch, which serves the car manufacturing plant of the same name, has seen the local authority, Oxford City Council, award an Infrastructure Place Study contract to Birmingham headquartered SLC Rail. The Cowley branch line was […]
Cowley branch is another project for Oxford
A little-used freight line in suburban Oxford is a step closer to being resurrected as a mixed-traffic route. The Cowley branch, which serves the car manufacturing plant of the same name, has seen the local authority, Oxford City Council, award an Infrastructure Place Study contract to Birmingham headquartered SLC Rail. The Cowley branch line was […]
Freight constrained by HS2 cutback, say industry chiefs
Tim Shoveller, chief executive of Freightliner, has issued a warning. He says HS2 will add to congestion, and not solve it. The cutback version of the high-speed rail network will actually add traffic to the West Coast Main Line. That railway is already the busiest mixed-traffic route in Europe. The abandonment of the Birmingham and […]
Freight paths are the key to faster London to Edinburgh services
Preserving access for freight is vital to a plan to speed up passenger services on the East Coast Main Line. The government-backed train operating company LNER wants to cut around thirty minutes off the journey, reducing the capital’s connection to a few minutes more than four hours. However, route availability between London and Edinburgh is […]
Hope Valley Bamford loop passes with flying colours
The Hope Valley upgrade in the north of England is improving the railway between Manchester and Sheffield. The project is being promoted as a provision for more reliable and faster passenger journeys. However, the route is also vital to freight operations. It generates multiple flows from industrial plants and aggregates quarries. The latest part of […]