East Coast Express Freight Pack

Hi All,

Something that has been thrown around for a fair while has been that the ECE series by EuropeanBahn didn’t have much in the way of freight. Now being that I am on the “other side of the world” and Google isn’t being helpful I would like to put a lot of questions to the community:

Firstly: I know that Coal and Container trains are operated on the ECML, but is there any tanker traffic or any other major train loading that I am not aware of? (Besides mail as I have already released the Mail By Rail pack). I know that the Coal would have been in HAA hoppers, but which type of container wagons (as well as the other freight wagons) would have been used?

Secondly: As I would be making this pack to suit the era of the ECE (1990’s – 2007 when GNER lost its contract) which specific classes were used on which type of service. I know that the 47’s used to run coal trains up to the mid 1970’s but were they still doing so by 2000? I know that the 66’s were introduced in 1998 so they would be an obvious inclusion, but what about the 37’s? There is also the question about 58’s? (Ignoring the 67’s as I already have them modelled). Also which particular liveries would people prefer: Pre EWS only or both Pre and Post?

My other big question is how many people have the Locomotives and Activities Collection by EB?
As I know that this pack has 58’s, 37’s and 47’s (albeit in passenger use for the last 2).

Obviously this pack would not be a quick production IF it were to go ahead. Having said that is there anyone mad enough to join me on this ride?

Justin

Hi Justin,
Sorry, but I can't help with most of the questions in your post, but I do have the Locomotives and Activities Collection by EB !

Cheers,
Ged

There is a site called Freightmaster HERE, which deals with freight traffic from about 1994. That should give some idea of typical traffic although as contracts were won and lost both between train operators and road haulage.

Hi Alec,

Thanks for that. Funnily enough one of the "free examples" happens to have Doncaster in it Even though it is a more modern timetable, it will give me a good jumping off point for ideas.

I have also managed to pull Eastern Region Diesel Allocations for December 1997 (latest I could get access to on BRDatabase [I keep forgetting to use this site]) which shows that there were 08's, 31's, 37's, 47's and 1 lonely 56 (56021). The 58's appear to be Midland allocated machines. Unfortunately I can't seem to get any allocation info for the class 90's in this era.
So now it becomes a case of looking at the shed allocations and checking which engines had which colour scheme and picking a few to model.

Ged, well at least that's 2 people that I know off that have that add on. The main reason I asked about it was it does have container wagons, a few flat cars and other bits but no coal wagons.
I was just wondering if the wagons were the right type for the era 1997-2000?

Justin

I'm not sure what information can be gleaned from HERE about Class 90 allocation but it may be of help?

Out of interest I have two 2 "add-ons" from EB, namely Locomotives & Activities Collection and Mainline Stock & Activities Collection - the latter being related to the WCML.

Hi Justin,
Other freight moves Oil from Cleethorpes went via Doncaster,cement Ketton - Kings Cross,Pet food from Kings Lynn to Scotland,sugar in Polybulks to Scotland from Doncaster or Selby to Mossend.Now a days they go from Norwich to Mossend in FPA waggons,sugar trains from Peterborough and Ely ceased running in the 1970's.

Other locomotives class 60,they are still in use today on oil trains,Loco's in the 1990's would have been in sector liveries,Rail freight Distribution,Railfreight Metals,Railfreight Coal,Railfrieght Petrolium later there was Freightliner Triple Grey mostly class 47's (and Electric Loco's) also Civil Enginners Grey Yellow.

Passenger Inter City,Regional Railways,Network Southeast,Parcels,Scotrail and Transpennine.

Class 59's were the fore runner of the class 66's,class 58's were mainly used on coal trains,classes  86\87\ 90\92's were'nt used on the ECML they were West Coast loco's,the only Passenger loco's were the 91's and the Badger,a couple of 90's were used for a few months whilst the 91's were being upgraded,all freight on the ECML was\is still diesel hauled.In GNER days some Eurostars were used on Kings Cross Leeds services.

Then just before Privtisation the freight was split up into Mainline, Load Haul and Transrail.

These days there is virtualy no freight South of Peterborough on the East Coast Main Line just a couple of overnight container trains,all other freight what's left of it goes via the line that goes to Ely from Peterborough,and soon there will be no Freight North of Peterborough on the ECML,once the Werrington Flyover is installed all freight will go via Spalding Lincoln and rejoin the ECML just south of Doncaster,this will free up paths for the New High Speed Trains,which come into service in 2018.,the latest plan is to keep some 91's and MK4 coaches for Executive Trains to and from Kings Cross - Leeds,they will have less coaches than the current sets so they can keep the same speed as the new trains,the 91's are cleared for 225 kmph running.

That's all I can remember at the momment,I'm sure Europeanbahn did a class 60 in one of their loco packs.

Mike

Justin,
This is the ECML 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrcSpAa2gtA It's taken at Peterborough and shows the new platforms,and the new LED signals,also a Colas 70 ( Colas a French Freight Company) and a DRS class 68

Mike