News - Timber
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The mystery of construction work and clearance going on at Hackney railway sidings near Newton Abbot Racecourse can now be solved. Its so that a new freight service can begin, taking trees from across the South West by rail to sawmills in the north. [The article is illustrated with a photograph taken at Georgemas. -RS]
(Permalink) Newton Abbot Timber |
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A Highland timber plant is being asked to set an example by becoming the first firm to make use of a newly built train track.
(Permalink) Norboard Railfreight Timber |
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Scottish Forestry says 225,000 tonnes of wood will be transported by sea to Ayrshire. The Scottish government agency said the move would save about 2.2 million lorry miles - including 9,750 fewer lorry trips via the A82 - and prevent the release of almost 4,000 tonnes of harmful CO2 emissions.
(Permalink) Ardrishaig Associated British Ports Auchinleck Ayr Campbeltown Girvan Irvine Sandbank Scottish Forestry Timber Troon |
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Welsh timber will be permanently carried on the main rail route through Powys after trials were deemed successful.
The 'discrete' trials between Aberystwyth and Chirk's Kronospan factory have seen the firm Colas Rail UK sign a contract to make the arrangement permanent. The additional service has been described as 'environmentally friendly', and has been made possible with the help of Network Rail, being the first regular locomotive-hauled freight service to use the scenic Cambrian Line in more than 25 years. (Permalink) Aberystwyth Chirk Colas Rail Kronospan Railfreight Timber |
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For the first time since 2005, a freight train carrying Welsh timber left Aberystwyth as part of a trial that could see regular freight traffic return to the Cambrian line.
(Permalink) Aberystwyth Railfreight Timber |
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It has been a while since the seaside university town of Aberystwyth in Mid-Wales has seen a regular freight service. That may be about to change. A surprise timber train departed on Saturday evening from make-shift facilities adjacent to the town's modest passenger terminal. At the weekend and for the first time since 2005, a ...
(Permalink) Aberystwyth Timber |
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Freight train carried a total of 320 tonnes of timber in eight wagons from Newton Abbot to Wales.
(Permalink) Abergavenny Colas Rail Network Rail Newton Abbot Railfreight Timber  Newton Abbot: A sawmill in Abergavenny in Wales has received its first load of rail-transported timber since 2004, thanks to a partnership between Network Rail and freight operator Colas Rail. The timber, felled in ... |
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A sawmill in Abergavenny in Wales has received its first load of rail-transported timber since 2004, thanks to a partnership between Network Rail and freight operator Colas Rail.
(Permalink) Abergavenny Colas Rail Network Rail Newton Abbot Railfreight Timber |
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Loading facility at Altnabreac could be model for others across Scotland, states report. A plan to take 9000 tonnes of timber off Caithness roads and on to the rail network has been approved by Highland Council. It granted planning permission to Caledonia Forest Land Investment Ltd to construct a rail-side timber loading facility on land near Altnabreac station. The company, which has a number of plantations in the north, is working on the venture with HiTrans and Scottish Woodlands.
(Permalink) Altnabreac Caledonia Forest Land Investment Ltd Far North Line HiTrans Scottish Woodlands Timber  Altnabreac: Hard to believe this is the same viewpoint as the shot taken 41 years ago see image [[29053]]. A 'Friends of the Far North Line' outing is about to escape the Altnabreac midges by jumping on the 13.55 ...  Altnabreac: Altnabreac in its splendid isolation. Looking south towards Forsinard in 1994. The water tank still exists behind the photographer.  Altnabreac: A water column still stands defiantly at Altnabreac in the summer of 1971, long after the end of steam. |
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Active outdoors: John Davidson enjoys a family walk from the forest village in a visit to the Cairngorms national park.
(Permalink) Footpath Nethybridge Timber Extraction Railway Timber Wartime  Nethy Bridge: Looking north over the level crossing at Nethy Bridge on 2 November 1968 as a special makes a photostop at the closed station. The special, which was on its way to Aviemore, was organised to mark the ... |
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Only time will judge whether COP26 was a success. To many it achieved real progress, to others not enough, and to some it was all 'blah, blah, blah'. Whatever camp you are in, one thing is for sure, all eyes were on Scotland and the hospitality industry had much to cheer about after the covid lockdowns. [Note the mention of electrification of the Glasgow and South Western Main Line. -RS]
(Permalink) Blackford Electrification Glasgow and South Western Railway Highland Spring Mossend Yard Rail Freight Group Railfreight Russell Group Timber WSP  Mossend Marshalling Yard: 90039, just after its 'Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport' naming ceremony at Mossend, showing off its black 'Backbone' livery on 9th November 2021.
 Blackford: The 12.43 from Glasgow Queen Street to Dundee, powered by 43012 and 43146, passes the Highland Spring terminal at Blackford on 27th September 2020. No sidings laid yet.
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No part of the UK's economy has remained untouched by the chronic shortage of lorry drivers, and the forestry and wood processing industry is no exception.
(Permalink) Rail freight Sea freight Timber  Georgemas Junction: Close up of the wagon loading equipment in use for the trial timber trains at Georgemas Junction, seen on 4th August 2020.  Aberdeen Guild Street: Trainload of timber in Guild Street yard, Aberdeen in June 2007. The view east shows the exit onto Market Street in the background and beyond that the dock area.  Arrochar and Tarbet: View south from Arrochar and Tarbet on 10 April 2005 showing the timber loading terminal on the left. |
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A move which could see 400 lorryloads of timber transferred to the railways is being planned.
(Permalink) Georgemas Junction Timber Georgemas Junction: Close up of the wagon loading equipment in use for the trial timber trains at Georgemas Junction, seen on 4th August 2020.  Georgemas Junction: Loaded timber train at Georgemas Junction during the Victa Railfreight trial workings in August 2020. West Coast Cass 37s provided the motive power for these trains. |
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A project which could move over 500,000 tonnes of timber out of Rannoch Forest by rail has taken a major step forward.
A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Scottish Government and private sector interests to construct a log stacking and timber loading facility, north of Rannoch Railway Station. (Permalink) Rannoch Timber  Rannoch: Looking to Rannoch station from the end of the former long siding. The West Highland line is on the right.  Rannoch Viaduct: Rannoch Viaduct & Station looking south from northbound sleeper service |
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The Scottish forestry sector is estimated to contribute around £1bn to the economy each year, with around three-quarters of that coming from forestry and timber processing. Around 10m tonnes of timber are harvested each year, and this is forecast to increase over the long term as Scottish Government increases forest planting to support its green recovery and climate change ambitions. The most recent update to the Climate Change Plan stated that Government will increase woodland creation from the current level of 12,000 hectares in 2020/21 up to 18,000 hectares in 2024/25.
(Permalink) Climate Change Green Timber Georgemas Junction: Close up of the wagon loading equipment in use for the trial timber trains at Georgemas Junction, seen on 4th August 2020. |
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Caithness is playing a key role in a £195k project which hopes to show that moving timber by rail is a viable and greener alternative to using roads.
(Permalink) A9 A99 Dalcross Far North Line Georgemas Junction Hitrans Inverness Network Rail Norbord Scottish Forestry Timber Transport Scotland Victa Railfreight |
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Hundreds of lorry loads of timber could be removed from the A9 in Ross-shire after almost £200,000 was allocated to a rail freight trial by Victa Railfreight.
(Permalink) A9 Dalcross Far North Line Georgemas Junction Hitrans Inverness Network Rail Norbord Scottish Forestry Timber Transport Scotland Victa Railfreight |
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Given the importance of timber to the rural Scottish economy with 10 million tonnes forecast to be harvested every year for the foreseeable future readers will perhaps be surprised to learn that not a single wagon of timber has moved by rail in Scotland for 10 years.
(Permalink) David Spaven Timber |
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Talks are under way to investigate the feasibility of making much greater use of rail to transport the estimated 4 million tonnes of standing and fallen timber from the Flow Country in the North of Scotland to processing markets in the south via Inverness.
(Permalink) Far North Line Timber |
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The Scottish Executive has awarded EWS with £1m for timber traffic. The grant will be broken up as follows;
- £158,000 to partly finance the re-development of the rail freight depot at Beattock for timber. EWS is seeking further funding. - £766,000 for a track access grant for timber sent by rail from Fort William, Crianlarich and Arrochar to Chirk in North Wales. - £143,000 for a track access grant for timber from Kinbrace in Sutherland to Inverness. The project is also supported by the Highland Council, the Forestry Commission, the Highland Rail Partnership and EWS. (Permalink) Arrochar and Tarbet Beattock Chirk Crianlarich EWS Forestry Commission Fort William Highland Council Highland Rail Partnership Inverness Kinbrace Timber West Highland Lines |
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