A shorthaul intermodal connection in Scotland might soon be reality
A trial has been held of a sub-fifty mile (80km) intermodal haul in Central Scotland. The revival could connect an intermodal terminal in Paisley, to the west of Glasgow, with the rail freight terminal at...Read more
‘Brakes, brakes, brakes’ the takeaway from Liverpool Street incident report
The UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch has released its findings after an investigation of a runaway train incident at Liverpool Street Station in London. The non-fatal accident happened in October 2022. It involved a freight...Read more
Scottish rail freight champion but money too tight to mention
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport at the Scottish Government, has spent a week in consultation with the rail freight industry. The minister’s multiple appearances included addressing assemblies in Glasgow at a rail industry seminar...Read more
Prospects for expanding the DP World Modal Shift Programme
Rail freight has been increasing its share at the Port of Southampton. The runaway success of the DP World Modal Shift Programme could claim to be largely responsible. The company has been applauded by the...Read more
HS2 quantity at Quainton: 646 freight trains move a million tonnes
HS2, Britain’s high-speed rail project, is buried in statistics. However, there is one statistic that burrows its way out from all the others. 646 freight trains have delivered one million tonnes of construction materials to...Read more
Varamis rolls into Liverpool Street
The UK express logistics boom continues. Independent carrier Varamis Rail has unveiled its fifth train, only weeks after adding a fourth electric multiple unit to its uniform fleet of repurposed passenger trains. Varamis Rail currently...Read more
Scottish meeting has politics on the agenda for Rail Freight Group
This week, the rail freight industry in Scotland has the opportunity to air their views in the presence of the senior minister from the Scottish Government. The Rail Freight Group Scottish Conference will be addressed...Read more
Westminster venue for Freight Parliamentary Reception
Tuesday, 5 March, is the date for the annual Rail Partners Freight Parliamentary Reception. Any event on the Terrace Pavilion at the House of Commons in London has its own attraction. However, this year’s reception...Read more
Logistics UK say rail reform bill starts a whole system approach
Last week’s introduction of the UK government’s Draft Rail Reform Bill could be the catalyst for a whole system approach. That’s the view of Logistics UK, the industry-wide business group representing members from rail, road,...Read more
Judge puts St Albans freight terminal back in doubt
Plans for a strategically important rail freight terminal attached to an extensive logistics park near St Albans are in flux once again. A UK judge has ruled that a challenge to the sale of land...Read more
Great British Railways prepares for freight growth target
The UK Government freight growth target, aimed at almost doubling overall volume by 2050, will help unlock demand to move more goods by rail. That’s the view of the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT),...Read more
UK Draft Rail Reform Bill published to mixed reaction
The 32-page draft Rail Reform Bill very much escaped, rather than launched, on Tuesday, 20 February. On what editors would call “a busy news day”, the procedural legislative launch of a pre-legislative document was somewhat...Read more
Bradshaw Address: UK modal shift port incentives should be extended, says Rail Minister
There is a pioneering scheme at the Port of Southampton, encouraging intermodal logistics customers to switch their loads from road to rail. That scheme should be rolled out across the UK. Rail minister Huw Merriman...Read more
Rail beats uLEZ for London’s express logistics
It’s rare for rail freight to make the mainstream pages of the newspapers, at least for the right reasons. However, the hot topic of express logistics has captured the imagination of the British press, with...Read more
Manifesto for Rail to be keynote at George Bradshaw Address
Prioritise getting freight off roads and onto rail is the unsurprising manifesto pledge from Rail Partners, the influential policy and lobby group, representing operators in the freight and passenger sectors in the UK rail industry....Read more
Europe’s most remote railway viaduct about to undergo major upgrade
A temporary closure of Scotland’s West Highland Line will enable essential upgrades to an iconic bridge. Network Rail, the infrastructure management agency for Great Britain, has announced that the West Highland Line will be closed...Read more
South of England site signals its final nuclear shipment
Direct Rail Services (DRS), the rail freight arm of Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS), has completed a significant task in the transportation of radioactive materials. The very last flasks of radioactive waste from the Winfrith treated...Read more
Britain demonstrates affordable DAC alternative system
A British alternative has been demonstrated to the EU proposed Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC) programme. An examination has been backed by an industry-recognised safety body. The work has been carried out by a nationwide consultancy,...Read more
Intercity Railfreight on board with eight operators
Utilising spare capacity on scheduled passenger services is the business model of Intercity Railfreight. How the company utilises that space, to the benefit of their partners, their customers and their fifteen-year-old company, is to carry...Read more