With the rapidly rising cost of fuel and today’s carbon, congestion and cost conscious society, road haulage is an increasingly controversial issue.
Not only do continuing rises in fuel charges play a significant part in inflation, but best use of energy itself has become a major consideration.
Stobart’s dedicated rail freight services, first launched in 2006, represent an innovative solution to reducing carbon emissions. The trains are based on specially commissioned containers which are packed at the customer site. They are then transported to the railhead on Stobart skeletal trailers, where the containers are transferred onto the company’s rolling stock for transport to their destination.
Since the launch of the original Daventry to Mossend service, the project’s success has resulted in the launch of a further three trains, running between five and six days per week, with an additional route from Wakefield to Mossend due to commence shortly.
Return trips on the above routes frequently have highly cost-effective capacity available.
Building on a successful track record in the operation of environmentally responsible daily railfreight services, Stobart Rail operates a dedicated weekly train, which links the fruit and salad growing areas of southern Spain with the UK’s major grocery retailers.
The train transports thirty chilled containers, each controlled and monitored using the latest satellite technology; ensuring produce arrives in top condition.
The flexibility to meet your requirements
The seasonality of fruit and salad production has long formed a barrier to development of effective leading edge transport solutions between the Spanish fruit and salad growers and their UK marketplace. In the past it has been impractical for growers to maintain their own transport capability to service the limited season, meaning they must rely on expensive short term transport contracts.
The initial single train a week will be supported by daily road services following the same route. As takeup increases, additional trains will be added in place of the road services, until three trains a week are provided.
Spain to UK in just 53 hours
The weekly rail service commences at 23:59 CET on Tuesday in Valencia, where 30 sealed loaded containers, which have been collected from customers and consolidation sites by Stobart, are transferred to rail.
Following a brief stopover at Port Bou for transfer of the loaded containers to standard European gauge rolling stock, the train continues via Toulouse and Paris to arrive at the Channel Tunnel.
The last leg of the journey sees the train arrive at Barking Railport at 04:00 GMT on Friday, only 53 hours after departure from Valencia. Once changeover is complete, the train returns on the same route, arriving in Spain at 21:00 on Sunday, some 50 hours later. This return leg offers some excellent backhaul transport opportunities.
For further information contact: Central Sales Enquiries on 01788 823 222 or email [email protected].
