I love this video as it gave me so much knowledge on the Speedlink service. I have only a small layout and now I know I can run a train with a small rake of varied wagons! Thanks for posting.
So many memories in one video ! 4:33 37 406 "The Saltaire Society" was my longest cabride: from Edinburgh to Fort William at the request of First ScotRail to undertake an assessment of the Deerstalker sleeper prior to the then introduction of the Class 67 on the route. 9:13. 47 019 was not my first loco, but my first loco I recorded for haulage. Working from Gidea Park to Kensington Olympia on Eastern Region Merrymaker No 30 which started at Shenfield, and 47 519 took over for the run to Newton Abbot and back, outward via Bath Spa and returning via Bristol Parkway. 11:30. March East Signalbox. I have worked that signalbox ! And I have also done the Y junction at March West to Wisbech on a passenger train.
Great look back on how the railway moved the goods. But you can see why it stopped because you can't have just a couple of wagons behind a big locomotive 😩 When the channel tunnel opened it was supposed to make cross channel freight grow and easy 🙄 We sent more by the boats than we do now 🙁 Hopefully some will return with modern thinking 🤔
The main problem is Eurotunnel's prohibitive rates. If these were lower some 10 million plus tonnes of traditional freight could be running between the UK and the continent
It was worse than that. The loco and crew(s) had to be available for each day the service was timetabled even if there was no traffic. Some trip workings took 2 shifts to complete.
My thoughts exactly, how can it be uneconomical to transport short trains by rail. Surely if a local haulage company can arrange collection from the businesses to the freight terminal, and enough people book for that day, then it's worth it ?
@@alfwedarf7764 it would need a locomotive and crew (possibly 2 crews) available for each day the service was timetabled to run, even if there was no traffic. In some cases it took 2 shifts to complete a single day trip working from Norwich to Ryburgh due the number of stops to open and close crossing gates plus the stops for shunting wagons. As for using a local road haulage company, well that was a nobe starter, the road hauksgd company would just take the freight all the way by road, as they have been doing since 1918. When the BTC took over the road haulsge companies and the railways companies they did not attempt to coordinate freight handling in the UK to make use of high modes of transport's advantages.
@@neiloflongbeck5705I suppose so, in that example, but what about north / south or west / east services, stopping at major cities with a covered wagon service for palletised freight ? I long for the past sometimes, I just loved seeing the 47's and wagons thundering down the track as a kid.
I love this video as it gave me so much knowledge on the Speedlink service. I have only a small layout and now I know I can run a train with a small rake of varied wagons! Thanks for posting.
Im here for the exact same reason. Love the old speedlink services.
So many memories in one video !
4:33 37 406 "The Saltaire Society" was my longest cabride: from Edinburgh to Fort William at the request of First ScotRail to undertake an assessment of the Deerstalker sleeper prior to the then introduction of the Class 67 on the route.
9:13. 47 019 was not my first loco, but my first loco I recorded for haulage. Working from Gidea Park to Kensington Olympia on Eastern Region Merrymaker No 30 which started at Shenfield, and 47 519 took over for the run to Newton Abbot and back, outward via Bath Spa and returning via Bristol Parkway.
11:30. March East Signalbox. I have worked that signalbox ! And I have also done the Y junction at March West to Wisbech on a passenger train.
Great to watch, such variety back then.
Bring back marshalling yards and more locomotive haulage!!!
And who will pay for it?
why bring them back when it's all block trains these days?
Yeah, and while you're at it bring back rationing, rickets and the Poll Tax.
@@davesaunders3334 I just might grant your wish! Especially for you!😉
The transition to road haulage and the car was a mistake.
Part of the reason that wayon load never became train load was the customer not being able to handle a full train load service.
Yes, the good old days of grubby British Rail
What video was this from?
Great look back on how the railway moved the goods. But you can see why it stopped because you can't have just a couple of wagons behind a big locomotive 😩 When the channel tunnel opened it was supposed to make cross channel freight grow and easy 🙄 We sent more by the boats than we do now 🙁 Hopefully some will return with modern thinking 🤔
The main problem is Eurotunnel's prohibitive rates. If these were lower some 10 million plus tonnes of traditional freight could be running between the UK and the continent
It was worse than that. The loco and crew(s) had to be available for each day the service was timetabled even if there was no traffic. Some trip workings took 2 shifts to complete.
Bring back speedlink
My thoughts exactly, how can it be uneconomical to transport short trains by rail. Surely if a local haulage company can arrange collection from the businesses to the freight terminal, and enough people book for that day, then it's worth it ?
@@alfwedarf7764 it is. Especially if it's palletised or caged and uses units like the royal mail 325s
@@alfwedarf7764 it would need a locomotive and crew (possibly 2 crews) available for each day the service was timetabled to run, even if there was no traffic. In some cases it took 2 shifts to complete a single day trip working from Norwich to Ryburgh due the number of stops to open and close crossing gates plus the stops for shunting wagons. As for using a local road haulage company, well that was a nobe starter, the road hauksgd company would just take the freight all the way by road, as they have been doing since 1918. When the BTC took over the road haulsge companies and the railways companies they did not attempt to coordinate freight handling in the UK to make use of high modes of transport's advantages.
@@neiloflongbeck5705I suppose so, in that example, but what about north / south or west / east services, stopping at major cities with a covered wagon service for palletised freight ? I long for the past sometimes, I just loved seeing the 47's and wagons thundering down the track as a kid.
@@harveyquinn5494 That's why I don't understand the royal mail's ceasing of the use of rail transport for overnight mail.