howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
30 January 2010
23:0539183flexibility colin.
the trend towards just in time transport has been going for some time, due to costs that businesses incur with warehousing.
the road truck collects direct from the factory and delivers direct to the consignee.
with rail freight it goes factory to railhead, railhead to destination railhead, then has to be unloaded and reloaded again before final delivery.
having said that i feel sure that there is still some bulk cargo that could go by rail, thus unblocking the road system.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
30 January 2010
23:3039185I see what you`re looking at Howard, but I`m looking at 40 lorries driving all the way from Italy for example, to the delivery centre here with 40 lorry driver`s, and one train with 3 driver`s en route to the railhead over here, with 40 container`s, and then collected at the railhead, as opposed to travelling all the way over here by road. One of the problems at the moment though I hear, are Eurotunnel`s extortionate prices.
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Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
31 January 2010
08:3039189Colin
Price is one barrier, the other is the stations are never at a place thwe lorries want to finish/start at.
Just a general observation hsave you seen train ticket prices, how some of them can be justified i will never know.
Think i'v posted on here before that a friend of mine had to get train to Liverpool to go to a funeral to go early morning(communter time) cost was £170!!!!!
off peak time £70
But he would have to have gone ealy morning.
He ended up driving!!!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
31 January 2010
10:5739200Keithy,don't forget tou have an expert on here talking about ticket prices,if you can be flexible and travel off peak you can get to Liverpool off peak for about £40 return if you can book in advance,I know that your friend having to go without prior knowledge couldn't do that,but it is the same for freight,if it travelled outside peak hours eg at night there is no reason for the containers not to go by rail.
About the Stations,well many large firms have there own branch lines or even halts so they could be unloaded there,but surely it is better to have the stuff brought in by train,and then moved short distances by road rather than bring all those trucks from foreign countries.Look at the fruit processing place at Paddock Wood near Tonbridge.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
31 January 2010
11:0339201John
You know I share your passion for getting more on to rail
but the rail companies also need to do there bit not to price themselves out
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
31 January 2010
12:0339207Thanks Keith, but I am referring to freight train costs as opposed to passenger ticket prices for which I have no knowledge. But yes, there are lorry distribution depots all round the country, and as JHG mention`s above, Paddock Wood for one. After that fire there a few years ago, which burnt the depot down, white goods which were delivered by rail to this location ceased overnight for obvious reasons. Now, a new building quickly knocked up, and they`re back in business again. Not for rail though. Tescos have container goods delivered by rail, and even Eddie Stobart is into it now, so rail is a good option, but going back to my question above, why is road to rail not happening, in this so called environmentaly freindly country?
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