An elevated idea that can revolutionise rail freighting
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HE USE of lorry-mounted fling gear, similar to that of the avit vehicles collecting rubbish kips, is the key to a new-style eight transport system con 3ived by British Rail Research, °RN DURANT reports.
Could this method for moving eight become even more famiar than skips? If it is adopted, 3y, after a pilot scheme to test s financial viability, it could uickly accelerate, for it needs :tle back-up a rail siding is le major requirement.
This system minicon was amonstrated at Railfreight '81 : the Motorail Terminal, Olyma, London (CM, March 7).
It is designed to carry on rail le freight traffic in the 0.75 to 5 'one range which is now allost exclusively road hauled. It ould bring the benefits of coniner operation to the customer ith small loads, and current re:arch is aimed at developing id providing the equipment .leded if the minicon system as to be adopted.
The unit capacity is 340cuft or 5 tonnes.
Commercially, says the BR Re!arch and Development Divion, there are two main factors: e ratio of payload to tare eight and the degree of use. Road vehicles are limited by oss and axle loadings small intainers enable lightweight ting equipment to be used and e payload/tare-weight ratio is pt in balance. Long road jour neys mean poor utilisation of the additional equipment, but by transferring the load to rail vehicles, the equipment can be economically justified.
The minicon benefits to the customer, says BR, are sealed "Door to door" container giving greater security; reduced handling damage; speed and reliability; complete consignments no break-bulk loadings; reduced warehousing; and adaptability and compatibility with existing transport modes.
Benefits to the road haulier are claimed to include short profit able journeys (no overnight stays); no backload problems; minimal vehicle modifications; no sorting or marshalling problems; and optional standardised lifting equipment.
To the distribution trade advantages are claimed to be reduced handling costs; reduced warehouse costs; lower capital expenditure; and higher utilisation of manpower.
Tranship With minicon in operation, davit lifting vehicles collect and deliver containers measuring 8ft x 6ft x 8ft and tranship them directly to and from the rail vehicle.
This effectively combines the operational flexibility of the lorry with the low running costs of the train.
Transfer sites can be very basic and minicon bases are compatible with most conventional handling methods.
The basic elements of the system comprise: road carrying vehicle fitted with hydraulic davit lifting gear and rapid attachment slings; and rail container Minicon bases may be used independently or with tent frame and cover or collapsible body. Options built on this base format include full-height containers, liquid and open containers, and special bases for higher loadings.
On the purely rail side, around 20 per cent of the wagons were on show for the first time an indication perhaps that while road/rail co-operation may grow, so may the fight-back by rail generally for freight In the forefront are the private wagons operated by members of the Private Wagon Federation, the builders, owners, hirers and repairers of the 19,000-strong fleet of private wagons in service on BR, and the organisers of Railfreight '81.
At present they handle over 30 per cent of freight tonne mileage, but BR plans this to rise by 54 per cent by 1990.
British Rail's freight services are designated Trainload, Speedlink and Freighliner. The Trainload business full trains from customer to customer is the hardcore of the business and the one that cuts road transport out. Freightliner now moves about 8m tonnes of goods a year by container.
Speedlink-wagonload goods between customers' private sidings and between railway terminals is a new service. By 1982 it will cover most parts of the country through its trunk and feeder services. Twenty-five pe cent of its services are new ti rail.
An important incentive to pu freight on rail is, of course, th introduction of grants of up to 51 per cent of the cost of nev wagons and facilities, when sending freight by rail instead c road will bring significant envi ronmental benefit to location along the route.
Transport Secretary Normal Fowler, who opened Railfreighl announced three more rai grants totalling £1,916,000; "tc ensure that 550,000 tonnes pe annum of freight are carried Ix rail rather than heavy lorry," it the words of the Department o Transport.
British Rail has been makinc favourable noises about the pro posed (or still possible) Channe tunnel. However, in thr meantime it sees potential ir ferry wagons carrying 54 tonne; to the Continent; Sealink jumbc train ferries have already beer approved in principle by thr Minister.
French Railways (SNCF), whc have offices in London, had stand; its RA service (Regimr Accelere) co-operates witi British Rail. In France, more thar 12,000 traders and industrialist have private sidings and Frenci Rail has its own road deliven service (FERCAM).