Freightliner’s New Livery
.As I passed through Ipswich yesterday, I took these images of Freightliner’s locomotives in their new livery.
Note.
- Freightliner’s new depot on the town side of the Great Eastern Main Line appears to be fully open.
- Freightliner’s Class 90 locomotives, which they received from Greater Anglia now seem to be in the new livery.
- Freightliner’s Class 08 shunter is also shown in the new livery.
It also looked like up to four Class 90 locomotives were parked by Ipswich station.
This Google Map shows the tracks at the Western end of Ipswich station.
Note.
- The Greater Anglia Class 755 train in Platform 1 of Ipswich station.
- The two Freightliner Class 90 locomotives in the old green livery in the locomotive parking.
- I wonder, if freight trains are now changing to electric haulage after being hauled out of Felixstowe into Ipswich Yard, before continuing their onward journey.
Yesterday, by the use of Real Time Trains, I found these trains changed to electric haulage at Ipswich.
- 0250 – 436K – Felixstowe North to Garston – Changed back to diesel at Crewe.
- 0912 – 496K – Felixstowe North to Trafford Park – Changed back to diesel at Crewe.
- 0932 – 497K – Felixstowe North to Ditton
- 1113 – 412L – Felixstowe North to Trafford Park
- 2046 – 410M – Felixstowe North to Trafford Park
- 2152 – 412M – Felixstowe North to Garston – Changed back to diesel at Crewe.
These are my thoughts.
Changing Locomotives At Ipswich
It seems to take about 25 minutes to change a locomotive from diesel to electric.
At Ipswich, this seems to fairly easy.
- The freight train from Felixstowe stops in Ipswich Yard to the West of the station.
- The diesel locomotive is detached and probably moved to the yard to the South of the station.
- The electric locomotive is moved from by the station and attached to the train.
- The train goes on its way using electric traction.
All locomotive movements don’t seem to be too challenging.
Could More Electric Services Be Run?
I found these paths yesterday, where services left Felixstowe and went South to London.
- Coatbridge – 1
- Ditton – 2
- East Midlands Gateway – 1
- Garston – 2
- Hams Hall – 2
- Lawley Street – 3
- Trafford Park – 5
- Wentloog – 3
This is a total of nineteen trains and currently only six are electrified between Ipswich and London.
Would Bi-Mode Locomotives Be More Efficient?
In GB Railfreight Plans Order For Future-Proofed Bi-Mode Locomotives, I wrote about how GB Railfreight were planning to acquire a fleet of bi-mode locomotives.
In the related post, I said this.
I feel that, as the locomotive must fit current routes and schedules, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the following specification.
- UK loading gauge.
- Co-Co
- Class 90 locomotive power and operating speed on electricity of 3.7 MW and 110 mph.
- Class 66 locomotive power and operating speed on diesel of 2.5 MW and 75 mph.
- Ability to change between electric and diesel power at speed.
- Ability to haul a heavy freight train out of Felixstowe.
- Ability to haul passenger trains.
Stadler will have one eye on the fact, that if they get this design right, this order for up to fifty locomotives could be just the start.
These locomotives would be ideal for Felixstowe to Ditton, Garston and Trafford Park.
- They would eliminate changing locomotives on these routes.
- They would reduce carbon emissions and fuel usage.
- They would be able to run at at least 100 mph on the Great Eastern and West Coast Main Lines.
They might also open up other partially electrified routes from Felixstowe via London.
Felixstowe And Wentloog
Wentloog freight terminal in South Wales.
In Movable Overhead Electrification To Decarbonise Freight, I used the Ipswich and Wentloog route to show how a long route could be decarbonised by the use of moveable electrification.
Conclusion
It looks like a philosophy is emerging to decarbonise a large proportion of freight services out of the Port of Felixstowe.
Movable Overhead Electrification To Decarbonise Freight
The title of this post is the same as that as this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the first paragraph.
The use of a moveable overhead conductor rail to eliminate the need to use diesel locomotives at freight terminals where traditional fixed electrification equipment would obstruct loading and unloading is being demonstrated in the UK, and a trial in India is planned.
The Railway Gazette article also has two pictures, which show the overhead conductor rail in two positions.
Ipswich And Wentloog
In A Class 93 Locomotive Hauling A Train Between The Port Of Felixstowe And Wentloog, I wrote about running freight trains between Felixstowe and Wentloog using a Class 93 locomotive.
Currently, there appear to be three services a day each way between Felixstowe and Wentloog.
- They are diesel hauled.
- The Class 66 locomotive can’t travel faster than 75 mph.
- The route between Ipswich and Wentloog is fully-electrified.
- Other services that go from Felixstowe to the rest of the UK via London, are sometimes hauled by a Class 90 locomotive from Ipswich.
- Class 90 electric locomotives can haul trains at up to 110 mph.
This Google Map shows the layout of Wentloog freight terminal.
Fitting a moveable overhead conductor rail at Wentloog would surely allow carbon-cutting Class 90 locomotives to haul a train, between Ipswich and Wentloog.
How many other freight terminals can be electrified by installing a moveable overhead conductor rail?
A Very Long Freight Train At Camden Road Station
I took these pictures as a very long freight train passed through Camden Road station.
Note.
- I estimate the train had 45 positions for containers.
- Fourteen or fifteen were not filled.
- I suspect the train started in Wentloog in South Wales and was going to the Port of Felixstowe.
- That route is fully electrified from Wentloog to Ipswich.
- The journey took over eight hours.
This could be a route, where an innovative Class 93 locomotive could be able to handle the freight train all the way across England and half of Wales.
- Most of the way, the locomotive would be using the electrification.
- The short distance at Wentloog and the fifteen miles at Felixstowe would be handled by the onboard diesel engine and the substantial battery.
These will be world-class zero-carbon freight trains, just by changing the motive power.
A Class 93 Locomotive Hauling A Train Between The Port Of Felixstowe And Wentloog
I am looking at this trip in detail, to see how a Class 93 locomotive could change this journey.
Where Is Wentloog?
Wentloog is a Rail Freight Interchange, run by Freightliner, a few miles to the East of Cardiff.
This Google Map shows the interchange.
Note the electrified Great Western Main Line between London and Cardiff giving rail access to freight trains.
Sections Of The Route
The route can be divided into these sections.
- Port of Felixstowe and Trimley – 2.3 miles – 7 minutes – 19.7 mph – Not Electrified
- Trimley and Ipswich – 14 miles – 60 minutes -14 mph – Not Electrified
- Ipswich and Stratford – 64.6 miles – 77 minutes – 50.3 mph – Electrified
- Stratford and Acton Wells Junction – 12.5 miles – 72 minutes – 10.4 mph – Electrified
- Acton Wells Junction and Acton Main Line – 0.7 miles – 3 minutes -14 mph – Possibly Electrified
- Acton Main Line and Wentloog – 134.3 miles – 249 minutes -32.4 mph – Electrified
Note.
- Nearly, all the route is electrified.
- I am not sure if between Acton Wells Junction and Acton Main Line is electrified.
The journey takes nearly eight hours.
These are my thoughts on how the various sections would be handled.
Port of Felixstowe And Trimley
As I stated in Rail Access To The Port Of Felixstowe, I would electrify the short section between the Port of Felixstowe And Trimley. This would do the following.
- Charge the batteries on trains entering the Port, so they could operate in the Port without using diesel.
- Charge batteries on trains leaving the Port, so that they could have a power boost to Ipswich.
- The trains could be accelerated to operating speed using the electrification.
There would also be no use of diesel to the East of Trimley, which I’m sure the residents of Felixstowe would like.
Trimley and Ipswich
This section would be on diesel, with any energy left in the battery used to cut diesel running through Ipswich.
Ipswich And Stratford
Consider
- Ipswich and Stratford is a 100 mph fully-electrified line.
- A passenger train can do the route in an hour.
There must be savings to be made! Especially, if all trains between Ipswich and Liverpool Street are 100 mph electrically-hauled trains.
Stratford and Acton Wells Junction
The North London Line is getting increasingly busy and as it goes through the middle of residential areas, there will be increasing pressure for all trains to be electric, to cut noise and pollution.
In A North London Line With Digital Signalling, I wrote about the benefits of adding digital signalling on the North London Line.
I suspect in a few years time all freight trains using the North London Line will be electrically-hauled and will use digital ERTMS signalling, so that more trains can be squeezed onto the North London Line, so that increasing numbers of freight trains can travel between Felixstowe, London Gateway and Tilbury in the East and Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, Scotland and other destinations in the North and West.
Locomotives like the Class 93 locomotive will become an increasingly common sight on the line.
Acton Wells Junction and Acton Main Line
This connection between the North London Line and the Great Western Main Line will surely, be electrified, if it has not been done already, so that electric freight trains can go between the two routes.
Acton Main Line and Wentloog
Consider
- Acton Main Line and Wentloog is a fully-electrified line.
- The operating speed is up to 125 mph
- A passenger train can do the route in just under 100 minutes.
There must be savings to be made! Especially, if all trains between London and Cardiff are electrically-hauled trains, capable of upwards of 100 mph.
Conclusion
There would be very worthwhile time and diesel savings, by running the Felixstowe and Wentloog service using a Class 93 locomotive.
How many other services to and from Felixstowe, London Gateway and Tilbury would be improved by being hauled by a Class 93 locomotive?
I suspect, it’s not a small number, that can be counted on your fingers and toes.
The Anonymous Widower 