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...Read more
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...Read more
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...Read more
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...Read more
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...Read more
Britain’s rail freight in the eye of two winter storms
All rail traffic in the UK and Ireland has been significantly disrupted by a vast Atlantic storm that blew in on Sunday and persisted for much of Monday. That’s the good news. The bad news...Read more
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,...Read more
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...Read more
The keys to longer, more precise payload calculations
Rail Freight UKIn the face of an ever more competitive market, it’s nothing short of a bid to revolutionise rail freight by unlocking unrealised efficiency and sustainability in British operations. The independent Rail Safety and Standards Board...Read more
Tri-mode traction is a freight reality for UK Rail Operations Group
Rail Operations Group has unveiled their groundbreaking tri-mode Class 93 locomotive. It’s a significant milestone for the UK rail industry. The specialist carrier, also known as Rail Operations UK Limited, has taken delivery of its...Read more
HS2 materials by rail target reached and doubled says Minister Merriman
Huw Merriman, the UK minister for rail, whose portfolio also oversees the HS2 high-speed rail project, says construction is on target in one important metric. The HS2 materials by rail strategy remains at the heart...Read more
Scotland’s Levenmouth Rail Link opening signals new traffic potential
Scotland’s newest railway has taken a significant step towards completion. Trains have been given the green light to use the brand-new Levenmouth Rail Link. The national infrastructure agency, Network Rail, commissioned the signalling system on...Read more
British legislation railblocks international rail freight market
Whatever ambitions are harboured by the sector, the UK’s eagerness for international rail freight faces formidable challenges. Tapping into the export and import market is a hurdle race, with the bar seemingly rising higher at...Read more
Freight figures highly in UK Network Rail plans for Lincolnshire
Network Rail has published a long-term strategic advice study for the Lincolnshire area. The study focuses on the region’s main line, which parallels the busy East Coast Main Line. The route is of particular significance...Read more
iPort Rail under new management and set for expansion in 2024
iPort Rail, the multimodal freight terminal at the iPort logistics development in Doncaster, in the north of England. The terminal is set for a significant expansion in 2024. Verdion, the UK subsidiary of Medlog, a...Read more
Manchester needs more rail freight to move construction materials
A new report sets out the economic and environmental case for more rail freight into Greater Manchester. The metropolitan area around Manchester is experiencing a significant construction boom, and the vital part played by rail...Read more
Transpennine Route Upgrade proceeds apace
It has been the familiar limbo between Christmas and New Year. Yet, even as the festive season unfolded, Network Rail’s Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) project carried on regardless. The project extends well beyond the early...Read more
UK Rail Minister thanks the freight sector for a year of outstanding work
Huw Merriman, the rail minister in the United Kingdom, chose to thank the industry with his address to members and guests at the December meeting of the Rail Freight Group. The UK representative body was...Read more
UK Government rail freight plan questioned over limited ambition
The UK Government has kept a promise to deliver a Rail Freight Growth Target by Christmas. It has set what it calls an ambitious target to grow rail freight by at least 75 per cent...Read more