UK's iPort Rail handles its first train
iPort Rail, a strategic intermodal rail terminal abutting Verdion’s giant iPort logistics park development in Doncaster, is now open, and the first train, hauled by Hector Rail’s GB Railfright affiliate from Felixstowe, arrived on 20th February
Verdion’s iPort logistics park has planning and funding in place for almost 560,000 m2 of logistics space. A £100M, 102,000 m2 mega-shed, 0.5 kms long, has already been completed for Amazon, and CEVA has opened a 20,000 m2 facility, Fellowes occupies a 13,470 m2 logistics unit and fast-growing supermarket chain Lidl expects its new £70M RDC to be ready in spring 2019.
Occupying 30 acres, iPort Rail can accommodate full length 750m long trains, with two 400m (un)loading tracks, worked from one hard-standing side by two Sany reach stackers supplied through Cooper Specialised Handling, and one 800m long reception track. It currently has storage capacity for 1,500 TEU, which can be increased to 3,000 TEU in future as more rail tracks are added. Located within seven hours at most of all the UK’s deepsea container ports, iPort Rail is also a Channel Tunnel secure facility (SACTFF approval) for international trains.
As iPort develops it will become a cargo generator, which will attract business to iPort Rail. The UK’s newest intermodal facility, iPort Rail is also a neutral operator, so is an open access terminal, whereas the existing Doncaster International Railport is operated by Freightliner.
iPort is directly connected to J3 of the M18 motorway via the newly-constructed Great Yorkshire way, the M18/A1M intersection is just two miles away and the M18 also provides direct links to the M1 and M62.
Rail connectivity is good, with capacity for six trains a day and iPort Rail is currently in discussions with Network Rail over paths and also reopening a siding at Rossington, to optimise rail access from all directions.
"We are in discussions with rail freight, companies, shipping lines and NVOCCs, and the feedback is very positive," iPort Rail’s Managing Director Steve Freeman told worldcargonews online. "We are expecting our first commercial train during March."
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