Obsolescence built in
A pair of class 325 units, ably assisted by 08629, starts their 310 mile journey from Royal Mail's 'Midlands Super Hub' at Daventry to Shieldmuir in Glasgow.
Royal Mail owns and utilises class 325 electric multiple units, while they are operated on the national network by DB Cargo.
This location, which is part of the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal phase 3 (DIRFT3) development, started operations in August 2023.
While the complex is connected to the electrified West Coast Mainline, the various terminals within DIRFT are not electrified. Consequently, the Royal Mail traffic is dragged the short distance from the mainline exchange sidings by the class 08 seen here.
In July 2024 Royal Mail announced they will end operation of the class 325s in October 2024. While Royal Mail have been precise in their announcement, the door remains open for them to use rail again in the future.
There is a certain irony that while the year old mail terminal and the nearly 30 year old mail units are shortly to cease work, the 65 year old class 08 will continue to be busy within the Daventry freight complex.
Obsolescence built in
A pair of class 325 units, ably assisted by 08629, starts their 310 mile journey from Royal Mail's 'Midlands Super Hub' at Daventry to Shieldmuir in Glasgow.
Royal Mail owns and utilises class 325 electric multiple units, while they are operated on the national network by DB Cargo.
This location, which is part of the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal phase 3 (DIRFT3) development, started operations in August 2023.
While the complex is connected to the electrified West Coast Mainline, the various terminals within DIRFT are not electrified. Consequently, the Royal Mail traffic is dragged the short distance from the mainline exchange sidings by the class 08 seen here.
In July 2024 Royal Mail announced they will end operation of the class 325s in October 2024. While Royal Mail have been precise in their announcement, the door remains open for them to use rail again in the future.
There is a certain irony that while the year old mail terminal and the nearly 30 year old mail units are shortly to cease work, the 65 year old class 08 will continue to be busy within the Daventry freight complex.