Freightliner will operate Mendip Rail trains from November 2019. The company will haul an expected eight million tons per year under the new deal, which is about 107,000 wagonloads.
The trains will run from quarries owned by Hanson Aggregates and Aggregate Industries in the Mendips, northern Somerset, to terminals in London and the South East. The product will be used for various construction projects including housing and roads.
This is described as a long-term deal, and includes the purchase of eight Class 59 locomotives from Mendip Rail, which is due to be concluded before the end of 2018. The locomotives are 59001/002/004/005, 59101-59104.
“With this new contract, Freightliner is privileged to serve two customers that are critical to the UK construction market, and we are committed to the customer-focus and service reliability that defines all of our operations,” said Freightliner Chief Executive Officer Gary Long, who added: “By adding one of the largest bulk haulage contracts in the UK, we are also adding to the foundation of our long-term bulk business as we have successfully replaced traffic losses caused by the collapse of the UK coal industry in 2015.”
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For the FULL story, read RAIL 870, published on January 16, and available digitally on Android, iPad and Kindle from January 12.
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AndrewJG8918 - 23/12/2018 23:32
At least it will keep the freight movement on the railways moving and to take off the HGV lorries carrying freight on roads. Which freight trains are ideal for longer journeys from port to port such as Felixstowe port in East Anglia to other ports and freight terminals in the UK.
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AndrewJG8918 - 25/12/2018 23:37
Does that also include Class 70 to operate on these routes as Freightliner is taking over. Plus with the new Class 93 Tri-Mode freight locomotive which is to be built by Stadler and won’t be in service until 2020.
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