The Overnight Freight Train Delivering HS2 Tunnel Segments
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- I was invited by Network Rail to ride Class 66 GBRf locomotive from Thamesport on the Isle of Grain, to the HS2 site at West Ruisip to deliver tunnel segments. The train runs late into the night alongside passengers trains, and then takes some freight only curves and tracks in London, all with a view from the cab, as we discuss freight operations on the railways.
My thanks to Simon Kendler and Chris Denham from Network Rail, our driver Tony, along with Pacadar, Skanska Costain Strabag and GB Railfreight.
Drone footage supplied by HS2 Limited.
How privileged are you Geoff, but you’ve certainly earned it. Brilliant thanks.
But Geoff and the rest did not show their support for the community that GBRf proudly supports. And those tunnel segments also lacked colour. GBRf might be a bit annoyed that not every decent person openly supports that community like THEY do. But every decent person DOES support that community. They just don't feel the need to SHOUT about it. Maybe they should. 🤷♂🌈
@@RAFchurchlawford4469 wat
@@RAFchurchlawford4469Are you talking about the lgbt people? Because most people who aren’t shouting about how great it is are indifferent or against it, but that doesn’t make them bad people
Why would they waste money on painting a tunnel.
Keep trying if you care ig
Very excited to see the freight side of the UK railways seeing some recognition. I used to believe that these parts were delivered by trucks, like they do in the US, but it's cool to see that it's trains doing this job.
Totally agree, nice to see railways carrying freight with minimal disruption to passenger services, planning freight around passengers, rather than the US planning passengers around freight.
I've always been fond of rail freight. This is one of the reasons that I support HS2 as capacity for freight will increase on the WCML.
It's alwayws nice to see plenty of frieght, even during the day time on the Chiltern Main Line. Even had plenty of freight near my house in Bicester when the Oxford viaduct was closed. A bit of a bugger at the level crossing though lol.
America has freight trains too.
@@SamSitarif anything America pretty much only has freight trains. We have the largest train network on the planet, but pretty much other than Amtrak and local tourist services (Like Georgetown Loop or Cumbres & Toltec) it's all freight.
The loading gauge is so large in US railways, they can simply drive the whole truck trailer onto the rail car and still have tons of room to spare (called intermodal freight). The UK loading gauge is notoriously small, even for Europe: many lines can't even handle a single standard ISO container. This means the last-mile in US rail is often done by truck, freeing line capacity for very long trains, for efficiency. (This is the same reason why Amtrak gets delayed) In contrast, if you're going to go rail freight in the UK, you're going want to use rail through the last mile otherwise you will have to re-load (transship) the freight, and that costs time and money.
Fun fact: there are weekly bike races on the Isle of Grain / Hoo peninsula. Local rule is if you get stopped at the level crossing on the way out you get to go back and start again.
Even the top level professional races in Belgium involve stopping at levels crossings sometimes.
It'd be funny if there's a cyclist who kept stopped by the train... and kept restarting...
@@peter_smyth That would be illegal in Turkey.
What an experience!! 👍🙂
I didn't think that Chris could beat his "because...Physics" line, but "like fairy cakes only big and made of concrete" comes close! 😂
Well, I would recommend biting into it, I will tell you that much.
I love the way at 8:15, Chris doesn't even need an intro or anything! We all just know who he is from all the other videos. Brilliant, Geoff. Many more like this, please!
The power of lens and mic to take us along for the rare ride; thanks for seeing this recording opportunity and carrying to fruition today and for future decades, too.
I could tell Geoff was excited travelling in that cab, because his accent really came through - cor, blimey, guv! 😂
Hi Geoff
Your joy is contagious
All best from Denmark
The concrete segments for the Channel tunnel were also made at the Isle of Grain
I wonder the LU extensions did any was from there...
I use to live near Strood Station and would see the Tunnel Segment trains pass through on a daily basis.
There are many freight trains running through Carlisle for example - carrying tree trunks for a paper factory, waste nuclear boxes, Tesco ISO containers loaded up with goodies, quarry materials and even Postal trains - so lots of stuff going by rail as freight! Great video Geoff and what a priviledsge to ride in the cab! Jealous - yes!😁
Very interesting - I didn't know aviation fuel got to Heathrow by train I thought it was via a pipeline
You can get a good view of it from a bridge on the A4 Colnbrook bypass immediately west of the M25. Uses the old West Drayton to Staines West line which now ends at Colnbrook where there is lovely station house. Believe there is a pipeline from Fawley on Southampton Water.
This is one of your most fascinating videos of all time! (and I realise that is saying something) 👍🏻
Excellent video. Geoff setting the bar of train-related excitement very high indeed.
Just fantastic! Thanks for going the extra mile for us!
Once again, your enthusiasm Geoff is utterly infectious!
10:07 the effort to draw the lines north of Clapham Jn is brilliant. very useful to someone who isn't local, too. makes you wonder why each individual branch was built!
i can confirm it took several goes to get right ...
London Brighton and South Coast, London and South Western, Great Western Uncle Tom Cobley and all had an interest in the amazing railscape around Pouparts, Latchmere, Battersea, Kensington, Shephards Lane &c. &c. Junctions/Lines.
Carto Metro has the definitive (mind-blowing) map if you're interested. I reckon it's well worth a voir.
@@JP_TaVeryMuch CartoMetro and OpenRailwayMap are invaluable resources
Oh the joy on Geoffs face. A fabulous trip indeed.
How often do we hear the sound of late night freight trains rumbling in the distance on our stretch of the GWR. 👍😀
I live near enough to the GWR main line to hear them going over the points at night, but unfortunately not close enough to see them!
@@stepheneyles2198 I echo your sentiments 👍😀
I think this was the most enjoyable train ride you've ever been on Geoff. Thanks for taking us along with you.
What a fascinating video! Thanks Geoff! It's nice to know that the hundred of hoo branch is being well used! It's in my neck of the woods! Fascinating to see grain crossing halt as it used to be called! And with mechanical signalling!
Freightliner will soon also be starting a very similar train with the same tunnel segments but made at the Strabag factory in Hartlepool and will run to Willesden 6 times a week, that train will be known as 4X51 (the timings are already in the system).
A fascinating insight ! one of the best videos I’ve seen from you Geoff. Thank you
Superb video Geoff…thanks for showing off our freight ops.
Undoubtedly one of your best videos in YEARS! Love Simon and Chris, love freight trains, love rare track in London, love HS2, this video was a dream! Thank you!
This is one of your best Geoff; totally unique perspective for the journey and Simon was a great co-host.
Thank you Peter! Very kind.
You jammy get, I'm so jealous. Thank you for taking us with you!
Geoff Marshall and 'Magic Tricks'. One minute the key is removed, the next second it is still in the slot. Amazing!
sssh! don't spoil the magic of the edit! 😂😂😂
Sack the continuity assistant.
I'd love you to take more cab-rides. More of these, please! :)
Great video, it's great to see you doing videos about freight trains because I'm always wondering where they're going and what they're delivering.
Definately fascinating to see! I work for a company that is building some of the HS2 infrastructure and the Transpennine Route Upgrade so I do get to see some cool stuff every now nad then but it's amazing to see just how much work goes into this!
Fans in all the right places, and deservedly so. Great stuff as always, Geoff! Thanks tor taking us along with you 😀
If you come to Norway, you are more than welcome to join me on a freight train trip over here! Cool to see some freight trains on the channel.
Great offer Geoff, worth considering. You could find the least used station in Norway while you're there.
@@caw25sha There’s loads👍
Loved this Geoff. Watching London by night was brilliant and very informative.
I'll go and visit Peckham to see it's refurbishment now that you have reminded me
Wow! This video brought back many happy memories! Was nice to see Tony again too! 😊
This video, wow, really think I'm a night freight train nerd now. More like this!
R3c7j7c3r9j😮
Omg! What a video! A great nod to the GBRf Pride locomotive! Absolutely stunning! Crazy to hear how similar that Locomotive sounds to the American ones I'm used to! Love it! Thank you for sharing!
Geoff has the blue hat on again. What did that mean? Oh yes, I remember: It's for those who put their gloves on backwards. Proved, once again, by Geoff at the end of this video!! 😂
Joking aside, I'm hyper envious of you riding a Class 66! Thanks for sharing the experience, and thanks to everyone who made it possible!
The case for the amount of tunnelling on HS2 (32 miles of twin bores on phase 1!!) is possibly questionable... but the engineering effort involved looks really impressive (and keeping lorries off the road 👏)
This amazing life of Frieght train. I see Frieght trains pass night's while everyone sleeping ❤😊
Thought this was the best video you have done. Something special about all the views from obscure rail lines going through London at night.
What a great and interesting video! Its amazing to think how many other trains use the network rather then just the passenger ones! Would love to see more of these!
Lovely to see freight trains. I live near York station and they’re always going through the lesser used Holgate Loop that only the Lumo passenger trains use otherwise
All videos are good but this is the best for a long time, thank you.
Brilliant. Thanks to Simon, Tony and Chris too. I feel the only way you can top that is to stick a TBM on the front with the laser from the Deathstar (dialled down) and carve out your own tunnels. Crossrail 2? Done. A station in the middle of Battersea Station correctly labelled “Battersea Power station station station”? Done.
Fascinating video, Geoff 👍 Would be interested in a similar video following the transfer of aviation fuel to/from Heathrow Airport; wonder if Gatwick and Stanstead Airports have similar procedures
Your excitement is practically palpable through the screen. Gorgeous footage too. Thanks Geoff!
Can we non-Brits on this channel please all take a moment to appreciate the fact that the train driver is actually wearing a tie?
This is a very unique video I enjoyed it keep up the good work
Outstanding!!!!
Best one yet.
Well done GB Freight and Network Rail.
Excellent coverage, a real eye opener.
The US and UK probably have the passenger/freight ratios flipped. IE, in the US, there are a lot of freight trains (and frequently very, very long ones) but less passenger service, while the UK has more passenger service and less freight.
Personally, I believe a great deal of it is the size and population densities of the two countries. The US is very large but not very dense, especially in the non-coastal Western half of the country, while the UK is much smaller but denser. Lots of places in the US are too far for passenger rail but perfect for the slower needs of freight.
Wow! what a cracking invite.
Given the chance I would happily pay for that ride.
I don’t think I’ve seen anyone smile as much as you did.
Good video……
Great video, really appreciate you connecting us to all these passionate people who make things happen. And the driver even wore a tie for you!
Was waiting for a train home from Middletown, NJ when a lone NJ Transit electric locomotive came through not pulling anything, and the speed he passed through was actually quite violent to us standing on the platform at a late hour. (He did toot the horn as a warning, but we didn’t realize he was running at Mach 2!)
I'd expect to hear an automated recording telling people to stand back from the platform edge as there's a fast train approaching.
This was fantastic Geoff, your night shots had great exposure levels, great job!
You get to do all the coolest things Geoff! Love it, thanks for taking us along 🙂
Can remember occasionally laying in bed late at night as a kid listening at the sounds of a train echoing through late at night as it passed through our local station, the metal clatter of wheels on track and occasional brake squeal. Was surprised because I knew “the trains” at our station didn’t run overnight, but then at that age I was thinking just of the passenger trains and had to find out that was the freight. Ah, trains echoing in the night :)
Another amazing video, keep up the good work. A video idea that might be cool would be seeing how long it takes to travel along all sub- surface tube lines(metropolitan, Hammersmith and city, district and circle)
Cab ride on a night freight, Geoff joined the dark side of the network ! Dark but with fine weather, imagine rain snow and fog all adding to the fun ...
I had a cab ride way back in 1978, on a DB V100 diesel running a freight through the Ruhr area at night and on to Meppel in North Netherland. It was most impressive, the Ruhr steel plants were still working in those days ! The V100 was quite comfortable, the Dutch loco that took over was an old wibbly wobbly NS1100, the driver had to sit on a small hard wooden stool and I had to stand. Stand beeing a misnomer, I had to hold on for dear life as the loco lurched from side to side.
A question: is the Heathrow fuel/tanker train a standard working or a special because of pipe-line maintenance or the likes ?
Its a normal service and if you look at the old Colnbrook station site you can see a discrete very narrow siding were it is unloaded about a mile west of terminal 5. Fuel is also delivered to Heathrow by pipelines and occasionally by truck as well. My understanding is that the rail tanks are having to take up the slack until the new Fawley refinery to Heathrow pipeline (60 miles long) is completed in 2024/5. There have been minor fuel problems at Heathrow this summer and airlines have occasionally been asked to arrive with more fuel on their aircraft than normal because of this. Sources suggest Heathrow uses up to 20,000 tonnes of jet fuel per day so rail deliveries are probably a slightly smaller percentage than suggested in the video.
@@Pesmogyep, that new pipeline has come right through my local area. Caused a fair bit of local disruption.
Brilliant video that's great you've ridden 66 well done did you enjoy you're time
Kind regards Henry
Absolutely Brilliant!! More freight stuff please Geoff, this was so fascinating.
Another fantastic video Geoff! Please keep the great work... 😁😁😁
Outstanding Geoff lad. Thanks for sharing.
I would love to see a map of the entire route as it seems that you took every direction on the compass. Maybe if Dr.Beeching hadn't been so ruthless a more direct route would have been possible?
Absolutely fantastic, wow what a lucky man you are. Great video
Simon the freight manager is so nice, so knowledgeable, so.....OK so adorable.
I’m not a train guy but I do love your videos Geoff
very kind, thank you!
It's amazing to see Freight Trains , You are so lucky Geoff. 💯💯🙏🙏
That was a great video. Very insightful to learn about how Network Rail freight trains operate.
2 minutes in and I’m already jealous I’ve always wanted to be in a cab of a 66 on the main line
This was a superb and interesting video! More like this!!
Excellent episode. And was that Chris popping in the steal the show with the classic concrete fairy cakes comment?
Nice to watch and also nice to see the tunnel segments are not only made in the UK but also in Medway giving a boost to jobs in the local economy ,the Isle of Grain has a lot to offer potential industry especially with the rail connection 😊.
Very very interesting, nice to see the paths and routes that the freight on the lines tskes
Cracking night out...and a Geoff Marshall Monday for me! Magic
Brilliant insights you give us Geoff.
Wow, I would like to see more of these, brilliant.
Nice one. Just heard a freight train rattle past as this came to an end
Terrific video Geoff. It's a whole other world. I feel a freight series or "non passenger train" series coming on. As I live near Wolverton I'd love to see you cover the Royal Train too...
fascination with trains and where and how HS2 is progressing good job Geoff
Any chance you will do a reaction video on the recent cancellation on some part(s) of HS2? I've lost a bit an overview of what will be realized and what not, and in which time-frame. Wikipedia doesn't make it any clearer. Your graphics are always very helpful to get a good understanding of the situation.
That was a fascinating incite into freight trains and HS2. Interesting to see the not so well known Isle of Grain Branch right though some backwaters of London to Ruislip on my doorstep.
that was brilliant, thank you
the real railroad! love it, thank you geoff :)
Great video thanks!
Anyone else notice geoff has his gloves on back to front in the last shot 😂. So lucky to get to ride in that freight train.
Yep , Glovegate has returned 😂
He dose that several times in previous videos when he need full ppe
it's almost like i'm doing it on purpose as an easter egg ... ;-)
@@geofftech2 impeccable style!
Yes that was quite some think to watch. Thanks Geoff
Hey Geoff Marshall amazing video and i can tell that you we a kid in a candy shop that grin says everything 😂
This was really interesting and cool
Incredible experience Geoff - very jealous.
Realy enjoyed the video Brilliant well done.
That’s great Geoff, interesting to see about the tunnel rings
Excellent video, more freight please!
Such an awesome video! Also great videography!
That was very cool ride along. More freight work on the channel please!
Geoff, nobody who watches this channel is going to mind the occasional blackout if the topic is as interesting as this. Keep your confidence and just keep going! 😊
Happy to watch the track going by and the upcoming lights/stations when it all goes dark.
Geoff and the GBRF Staff Many Thanks!
In the Netherlands we only wave during the day. If the cab light goes on and they wave you know you’ve passing a belgium driver
I assume Belgians think Dutch drivers are unfriendly for not waving back 😂
Personally I wave at everyone during the day, but only other freight trains at night 😄
Entertaining, Informative and Fun Thanks
Brilliant
"Hoo Junction?"
"Yes"
"Third base!"