Manufacturers Swap Road For Rail

Back in the heady days of Victorian expansion and public spending the urban landscape changed dramatically, due to the laying down of new infrastructure. With the invention of the steam train and with global riches from the commonwealth enthusiastic fellows like Isambard Kingdom Brunel were able to build vast rail networks across Britain .

In 1840 Mr Brunel laid down the plans for his railway works supplying the Great Western railway and the town he chose was Swindon . From that, Swindon grew rapidly from the jobs in the works and the fact every train had to stop for at least ten minutes there.

Later the building of the motorway system, notably the M4, became the life blood of the area and although the trains never went they became less important.

Now, however, it seems we are going back in time and ironically it’s the car manufacturers who are choosing to use the railway over the road.

The Plan

Honda’s car factory in Swindon has begun exporting cars by rail to allow faster transportation of vehicles and reduce the associated environmental impact.

Almost 3,000 trucks a year will be taken off the road following the re-opening of an existing rail head next to the Honda of the UK Manufacturing site at Swindon . Replacing trucks with trains will halve the annual CO₂ emissions for one of the key deliveries into Europe .

The rail head was officially opened earlier today by Rail Minister, Under-Secretary of State, Lord Andrew Adonis.

Up to two trains a week will run from the rail head and with up to 243 cars per train each service could take 30 trucks off the road. This has all been made feasible by the addition of a new rail link to the factory.

“We export Civics and CR-Vs built in Swindon to 60 countries across Europe ,” says Simon Stacy, Manager – Logistics Operations at Honda Motor Europe. “The new rail head and the service it allows will not only deliver Honda cars into Europe faster, but will minimise the amount of trucks travelling in and out of the factory.”

But Wait There’s More

They’re not alone in his 'new' method of transport, which is becoming a popular way to cut transport emissions. The construction company who completed the new rail terminal have also completed one at the Jaguar Castle Bromwich plant only a short time ago.

In addition, Mazda also released information of their new Trans-Siberian railway. As a method of transporting cars from Japan across the vast openness of Siberia Mazda are using the famous railway infrastructure that transects it.

In a bid to cut cost, speed up time and reduce emissions this new link is also planned to try and tap the currently growing Russian automobile market.

Ed Dooley

29/10/2008