Rail And Road Collaboration Delivers Sweet Success

Rail And Road Collaboration Delivers Sweet Success

East Anglian road haulier Rory J Holbrook and Derby based rail freight operator DC Rail are working together to get a key raw material for sugar production back on the rails. 

Each year the production of sugar requires significant quantities of pure limestone to capture and remove impurities from the rendering of sugar beet. 125kg of limestone is used to produce one tonne of sugar and this year it looked like the industry would need to rely on road transport to deliver the essential commodity. 
 
By working together, the two independent bulk haulage specialists have designed a solution for the end customer that uses rail haulage from the Peak District to Holbrook’s depot at Brandon, Suffolk. From here the material is moved by road the final few miles to the sugar production plants. Plans will see 7,000 tonnes per week moving by rail, removing the need for 260 long distance lorry journeys. 

The new traffic builds on the successful reintroduction of rail services to Brandon earlier this year which supply aggregates for use in the booming East Anglian construction market. 
 
A spokesman for DC Rail said ‘’We are thrilled to working with all parties to return this traffic to the rails. The train plan maximises the use of assets with each train completing a cycle in 24 hours. With powerful locomotives and a fleet of new high capacity wagons each train can carry over 1,800 tonnes of sugar stone. Not only does this mean that customer demand can be satisfied but it allows rail to be competitive despite the need for final road delivery.’’
 
A spokesman for Rory J. Holbrook said ‘’It is great to be able to offer our customers the benefit of rail transport. Not only is it good for the environment, but it allows our road fleet to focus on local deliveries that only road can undertake. From initial conversation to the first train took only a few weeks and we thank all parties in making this operation a success.

Thank you to John Hennis for allowing us to use his excellent picture of 'Ben Nevis' approaching the end of the journey passing the Cambridgeshire brick works

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