First train rolls on to new line
Tuesday 10th February 2009, 2:35PM GMT.
The Class 66 locomotive pulls into Telford railfreight terminal
The first train rolled into the new £9 million Telford International Railfreight Terminal today.
The locomotive was brought in via the connection to the national rail network at Wellington and was designed to test the facility, tracks and points prior to the terminal becoming fully operational in May.
The train was due to arrive at 11.38am, but was delayed due to hold-ups at Wellington and arrived just before noon.
Councillors and engineers were at Telford International Railfreight Park to witness the train arriving at the terminal – the first since the branch line was removed in 1993.
Councillor Andrew Eade, leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, said: “There’s huge excitement about it. There was a gap in the finance to put this together but we decided to knuckle down as we thought it was a great investment for the future of Telford.
“It’s a statement of faith in the future of Telford and Wrekin and the West Midlands, for jobs and prosperity.” Ken Russell, development director at John G Russell, terminal operator, said: “I’m delighted and very pleased that we’ve got to this stage.
“It’s a test proving that everything is working as it should be. Hopefully we’re going to have business coming through in the next couple of months.
“It should all officially be open the first week in May, but possibly things could start earlier than that.”
The test train, provided by Direct Rail Services Ltd consisted of a Class 66 locomotive and a container wagon.
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How noisy are these trains going to be for the poor people who live in Donnington and Hadley I ask myself?
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My guess is they’ll be as noisy as a freight train. How noisy do you think they’ll be?
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If the ‘poor people of Donnington and Hadley’ were to be concerned about noise (of which there is very, very little) then they would not have decided to live next to a railway line that could re-open. The railway was there first!
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P.S. I forgot to mention … I live beside a main line and I don’t have a problem!
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Probably not as bad as the coal trains that rumble and squeal their way through Coalbrookdale on their way to the Ironbridge Power Station. You soon get used to it.
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As noisy as they were in 1993?
I live within 40m of a rail line – no embankments, just a wooden fence. It’s really surprising how unnoticeable the trains are.
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Class 66′s are the most modern & quietest diesel freight locomotives operating UK. Compared with older forms of diesel traction they are very quiet & fuel efficiant. Plus the trains they pull are only permitted to run at 25 MPH along the branch from Wellington and the fact only 4 trains a day are booked to run means it won’t be like living next to a busy main line or for that matter a main road.
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No noisier than the heavy lorries pounding past on the A518!
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Well they shouldnt have bought a house near a railway line then no matter if it’s disused or not. Typical when we get a plan to reduce the pollution & congestion of lorries on the roads there always seems to be someone to try & make a complaint about it. The railway line was there many years before the housing was, blame the town planners.
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Will they take horses? I’ve always wanted to take my horse abroad, he’s got his passport and everything to go.
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In response to ‘N’ – a lot quieter than in 1993. Those modern Class 66′s as depicted in the photograph have been in continuous production since 1998, thus back 1993 much older & louder diesel locomotives (and we are talking about 1960′s unsilenced motive power here) were used for the MOD traffic to & from Donnington. I often have heavy freight trains hauled by said locomotives passing me at night & I barely notice them.
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its only economic because of a tax payers subsidy, meanwhile british lorry drivers are forced off the road by foriegn firms and the Labour government taxes my petrol to the hilt. this country has gone ot the dogs since the socialists took over
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Hopefully this will mean less lorries and will attract companies needing bulk transport to locate in Shropshire and provide employment.
I never understood why British Sugar didn’t get involved so local farmers could continue growing beet which could go by rail to their other processing plants.
Oh, and ‘Tory Boy’ has obviously forgotten the complete incompetence of the Tories when Norman Lamont & Co caused ‘Black Wednesday’. Too many of the Tories are in the well-lined pockets of the City bankers who have caused the present mess!
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we should all be glad there is less HGV traffic on the road, your tory loon, we welcome this, well done telford, i would like to see one in Shrewsbury too, there is land around harlescotts old rail line which would suit the enterprise park and with the new tesco store being so GREEN, why not have deliveries by rail to be truly green?? i think it would be a great idea
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Oh yes, we have the Torys to thank for our wonderful priviatised railway we have today. If it was’nt for the Torys we might still be nationalised!!!
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Except when people bough houses in this area the line was no longer running. This is a new line which has been built without consulting the local populance which is wrong regardless of how much noise it will or will not make.
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Jonty – well said! I believe there were sidings at one time feeding the Cold Store in Harlescott – you can see the old lines there still as this used to be a government depot I think.
Something please to ease the road congestion there would be very welcome!
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with climate change and the complete failure of the market and collapse of private sector investment, we need the government to invest in the economy, rail is the way forward a green economic boost, creating lots of jobs, come on gordon brown, lets have a freight turminal in every city and a station in every town with high speed electric connections all over, pay for it with a tax on domestic flights and lets get the economy going again through investment in rail, well done telfrod
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Any one who has bought an house by that railway line in the last 15 years if they complain about the Trains running then they had better sue their legal teams that did the conveincing of their properties, The track was taken up and trackbed remained intact on the condition that it could be installed again to the Depot. Some one did not do their homework,
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this is a real boost for the whole county, a stategic link like this will give us a real edge for businesses, well done to all who got this going for telford and everyone
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great news
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In response to ‘Y Hab Darogan’, The track bed has always been in situ since the branch was lifted in 1993 plus Railway companies don’t require planning permission for railway works. I’am suprised you or anyone who has moved in next to the trackbed since 1993 were’nt made aware of this when you did.
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It’s reminded me me of the early 80s, when I was very small and went to Hadley Nursery School (I think it’s a mosque now?) I have distinct memories of waving up at the train whenever it went past the windows!
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It never fails to astonish me the things we moan about, even in Shropshire, Is it because this country has everything so perfect compared to MOST other countries that we end up moaning and complaining about the stupidest and most pathetic things!!
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Regarding ‘Y Mab Darogen’ comments, The trackbed has always been intact & in situ ever since the branch was lifted in 1993. So there was always the possibility that the branch could be reinstated. In addition I believe that Railway Companies do not require planning permission for Railway works on Railway land.
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Y Mab
Unfortunately (for you) we live in a democracy where decisions are taken which are of benefit to the majority. The small minority who bought houses next to the railway line while it was disused will have to get used to it. The reduction of heavy goods traffic on local roads will be a benefit to everyone.
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Excellent idea and well done to everyone involved. Anything to get lorries off our roads is a great development. Let’s hope lots of companies use this facilities to move freight around the country. This will help attract business and jobs to Shropshire.
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David:
That is the problem with democracy. The majority get their way, but pass a few laws to protect minoirities (to keep them voting with the majority) – the average person really doesn’t seem to count, hence voter apathy.
Nevertheless, it does seem that very sadly these people brought their houses with a mistaken belief that trains could not return.
But surely a skilled Esate Agent could market these houses for Train Spotters and enhance their value?
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The railway was there first and the trains are NOT noisy. Y Mab Darogan gives the impression he just likes to moan.
My congratulations to the Council’s railfreight terminal project team, and to the construction workers.
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nice photo of a usa built class 66. well done john major privatise br and import all the trains and locos
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I think they were found to be more reliable than British built alternatives, enabling rail freight to remain competitive in the UK.
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