Rail operations are viewed as having a key role in the future at the Port of Felixstowe, providing an intrinsic part of the Container Division’s customer service activities, creating critically needed, environmentally friendly logistical links to the core UK industrial hinterland markets.

Rail services are provided to the Shipping Lines and other port users, offering comprehensive inland rail destination portfolio of any UK port, through co-operation with Multi Train Operating Companies.

The Port of Felixstowe owns and operates two Rail Terminals, one adjacent to Trinity (North Terminal) and the other at Landguard (South Terminal). Both Rail Terminals are multi-user facilities, with open access to Train Operating Companies. Combined capacity at these facilities is currently 416,000 containers per annum.

Container volumes transported by rail have increased significantly in recent years. The Port saw record-breaking throughputs at the end of 2008, handling over 9,000 containers in a week. Rail volumes currently represent 23% of the Port’s UK domestic throughput and continue to grow. There are currently 54 services to and from the Port each day, operated by Freightliner Ltd, First GB Railfreight Ltd and EWS Ltd. These trains link Felixstowe with the major markets of the UK, providing direct connections to Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Cleveland, Birmingham, Doncaster, Tilbury, Selby, Hams Hall, Wakefield and Ditton (Widnes). There are indirect connections with a broad range of customers’ depots through onward transportation from these inland terminals.

Both the North and South Terminals operate on a two-shift/24-hour basis, from 07:00 hrs on Monday to 19:00 hrs on Saturday.

The Terminals can also be operated in between these scheduled times, based upon demand and operational needs.

To support these operations, the Rail Division possess a wide range of equipment, including 6 rail-mounted gantry cranes, 4 reachstackers and access to three shunting locomotives, complemented by a number of internal movement vehicles.

The Port owns and maintains approximately six miles of rail track, incorporating sidings, cross-port track and a Branch Line linking the North Terminal to neighbouring Trimley.

The Port is committed to further increase the share of freight being transported by rail, and has made significant investments in recent years to achieve this aim. The port controls the positioning and movements of trains on both terminals, linking with Network Rail to coordinate and control the arrivals and departure of trains. Further rail initiatives include the recent extension of the South Rail Terminal to 22 wagons capacity with the delivery of 1 new Rail Mounted Gantry crane and a further planned within 2009.

As well as general improvements the Port has developed a close working relationship with the Network Rail route management team to provide improved service capability and productivity. Work is also underway on improved system management dedicated to deliver state-of-the-art control and monitoring at the Port’s rail terminals and container parks. A third New North Rail Terminal is planned to coincide with developments running in parallel outside the port. The dualling of a 4½ mile stretch of the existing single-track Branch Line between Trimley Station and a point west of Levington Bridge will make important train path access improvements, allowing up to 40 freight trains per day to run in each direction by the year 2020, helping the newly-configured Port of Felixstowe achieve a rail modal share of 26% – taking in excess of 500,000 lorry movements off the country’s busy road network each year.