The East West Rail line has seen its inaugural freight service as part of the implementation of a new strategic rail freight interchange in Northampton.

The first of its kind to travel along the line, the freight service from Didcot entered the new infrastructure at Oxford before travelling 35 miles to Milton Keynes and connecting with the West Coast Main Line.

The train made its inaugural journey shortly after 13:00 on Monday 16 June

© Network Rail

The 1.2 billion GBP railway was completed in October 2024, with the inaugural service being accompanied by the first use of the Maritime Transport’s Northampton Gateway Terminal in a dual first.

Work to join the 35-acre freight facility to the West Coast Main Line (via the Northampton Loop) was completed this past Easter, with its modern junction design allowing freight trains to more easily enter and exit the site at speeds of up to 40mph (an increase of eight times over conventional freight connection speeds).

The improved speeds are expected to improve both passenger and freight journeys by reducing the impact on other services on the main line.

Gary Walsh, Director for Network Rail’s West Coast South route, said:

Running the first commercial freight train into Northampton Gateway using East West Rail infrastructure is a big step forward. The new rail link has been designed to let trains move in and out at speeds of up to 40mph, which is much faster than usual for freight terminals.

This means less disruption to passenger services and a smoother, more efficient railway overall. It’s a great example of how smart infrastructure can support greener transport and decrease the number of heavy goods vehicles on our roads.

Designed to improve connectivity between Oxford and Cambridge; the first of three phases of the East West Rail programme (known as Connection Stage One) is a new 1.2 billion section of railway aiming to restore train services between Oxford and Milton Keynes for passengers and goods.

Footage of the inaugural freight service can be seen via Network Rail’s website.

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