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Network Rail tests longer freight trains
Network Rail has announced it is working with freight operators to run longer freight trains across its network.
These longer freight trains can carry more goods – helping grow the freight industry and taking more lorries off the road.
Network Rail partnered with freight operating company DB Cargo to help it run a longer freight train on a key freight route from south to north London. These trains carry sand between Angerstein Wharf in Greenwich and the London St Pancras International freight terminal.
Kenneth Yarham, a Senior Regional Freight Manager at Network Rail, said: “These trials to run longer freight services prove that we can sustainably do more with what we have, make better use of network capacity and achieve greater volumes for the freight end user and wider supply chain. It is always very satisfying to work collaboratively with our customers on such improvements.”
DB Cargo modified some of its Class 66 locomotives that are used across these routes to enable them to haul more weight. These trains carry sand between Angerstein Wharf in Greenwich and the London St Pancras International freight terminal. The extra wagon now added on this train carries an extra 75 tonnes more sand.
The locomotives were previously geared to run at a top speed of 75 miles per hour. They were then re-geared to have a slightly lower top speed of 60 to 65 miles per hour. This allows them to pull heavier loads by increasing traction performance or the ability to apply power. The locomotives also have better acceleration from a standing start which further improves their performance.
The extra wagon carried between Angerstein Wharf and St Pancras is the same as taking two lorries off the roads which amounts to taking an extra 12 lorries off the road each week given the journey is currently made six times a week - or over 500 lorries each year.
Published On: 06/02/2025 14:02:58
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