Royal Mail to build 840,000 sq ft parcel hub in East Midlands

[ConeHater]

Are they keeping NDC on or is that going in here as well?

I’ve been told not, the surveyors have been in already and the landlords are keen to get Royal Mail out as soon as the new site is ready !

[SpacePhoenix]

I think that RM have missed a trick by not having all three hubs next to railway lines. Trunking runs between them could have then gone by train for 2C/48/Tracked 48

[ConeHater]

I think that RM have missed a trick by not having all three hubs next to railway lines. Trunking runs between them could have then gone by train for 2C/48/Tracked 48

If there’s a trick to be missed RM will miss it !

Many years ago the railway was being improved next to Cambridge Mail Centre and RM was asked whether it would like access, of course it declined but then decided it would a few months later when it was too late.

It would’ve shown great foresight and commitment to build the NW Parcel Hub at Warrington Rail Terminal, but to do it would involve purchasing, flattening and rebuilding the industrial estate around it to create the space needed, and even if that mammoth task was undertaken there would still be an issue with the capability of the road into it to cope with the volume of trucks feeding into it.

I guess PRDC at the other end of the line has the same issue, not big enough as it is and the roads around it not got enough capacity.

[SpacePhoenix]

I think that RM have missed a trick by not having all three hubs next to railway lines. Trunking runs between them could have then gone by train for 2C/48/Tracked 48

If there’s a trick to be missed RM will miss it !

Many years ago the railway was being improved next to Cambridge Mail Centre and RM was asked whether it would like access, of course it declined but then decided it would a few months later when it was too late.

It would’ve shown great foresight and commitment to build the NW Parcel Hub at Warrington Rail Terminal, but to do it would involve purchasing, flattening and rebuilding the industrial estate around it to create the space needed, and even if that mammoth task was undertaken there would still be an issue with the capability of the road into it to cope with the volume of trucks feeding into it.

I guess PRDC at the other end of the line has the same issue, not big enough as it is and the roads around it not got enough capacity.

RM should have had all new build MCs over the last 20 years or so located adjacent to a railway line

[ConeHater]

I wonder if the RM Class 325 trains will be visiting the new parcel hub ? No obvious facility shown on the few artists impressions and pictures we are being drip-fed. It would seem to be obvious to have that available to link with PRDC, Warrington and Wishall. It would mean having a dedicated platform built, as the rest of the DIRFT site deals with Intermodal (shipping) containers. I’m sure the planners are all over it!

[wallan]

Possibly take over the Coventry Parcel Force Hub as well

[ConeHater]

I see from the recent Joint Statement regarding the Network Revision that consideration will be made to formally introduce a full VOC at Atherstone to alleviate Midlands capacity issues.
The all singing ‘n’ dancing Midlands Parcel Hub 2 years from completion and already acknowledged as not being up to task !

[ConeHater]

Speaking to folk at NDC it seems that the all singing all dancing Midlands Parcel Hub due to be operational next year will probably have more than a few teething troubles to get over.
As I understand it, the building was not designed for Royal Mail, but bought off existing plan, so we’ll be trying to fit our operation into another building that’ll probably be lacking in some way, rather like the new parcel hub at Warrington, which was another building that someone else didn’t want.
The bays on the building are much closer to each other than those at NDC, so much so that current thinking is that only Shunters will be manoeuvring trailers on/off, drivers will be dropping/picking trailers from the yard. When you look at the plan, I can’t see where all that yard space exists.
Trailers have been taken to the site, I believe that created some head-scratching as to how the limited yard area could work, and as for the 110’s . . .
Unlike PRDC and WRT, the railway platform is separate from the building, meaning all Yorks will need trafficking between the two, presumably on more trailers, a remarkable lack of foresight.
No gatehouses at the site, probably be OK most of the time but when contractor arrives with driver that can’t speak English and doesn’t know what load they have I’m sure that will create a challenge!
Then again, perhaps everything will be fine.