1. SUPPLY CHAIN
AUTHOR
Brian Buckingham
CMILT
OPINION
Brian Buckingham RLC CMILT is the Movement Control Warrant
Officer in the Surface Freight Centre at the Defence Supply Chain
Operations and Movements organisation in Andover. He looks at
the challenges facing MOD rail capability today.
The core requirement to transport MOD freight –
ammunition, vehicles, ISO containers and loose
equipment – in support of strategic deployments must,
by its nature, use a mix of transport modes. However, the
use of rail is essential and is best guaranteed by regular
use of designated train paths between MOD depots and
garrisons, training areas, commercial rail freight terminals
and seaports.The MOD achieves this through utilisation
of a routine – and ad hoc, where required – train
schedule to effect administrative and training movement
requirements.
The legacy of Cold War planning and subsequent
rationalisation of the MOD rail capability has left a
depleted defence rail service, connected through the
contractual use of the main line national rail network and
utilising a mixed fleet of rolling stock that nonetheless
remains, in the expeditionary era, essential to the
strategic outload of materiel and munitions from the
home base. The volume of routine rail distribution has
increased considerably over the past three years, and
much has been achieved by planning and operating staff
to refine and enhance the capability.
Key benefits to defence
The requirement for a strategic rail outload capability is
predicated on the operational resilience and increased
distribution capability it delivers to the mounting of
expeditionary operations from the home base. It should
1
FOCUSJULY2009
Movement of MOD freight
by rail in the UK
A train of Ridgback 4 x 4
vehicles imported from the
USA and AFV430 series
armoured personnel
carriers en route to
Ashchurch from
Marchwood Military Port
modfreight 17/6/09 13:40 Page 1

2. be capable, in conjunction with other distribution
channels, of meeting the most demanding operational
outload requirements within the readiness and
preparation timelines set out in Defence Strategic
Guidance. Given the nature of the UK distribution
network, rail will always be seen as complementary to
the road haulage system. However, this mindset is now
changing as the following key benefits are realised:
Strategic resilience
A reliance on road transportation as the single mode of
transportation for the outload of materiel and munitions
would lead to severe congestion at specific choke points
on the national road network. The availability of
commercial road haulage is not guaranteed and is
affected by seasonal pressures. In addition, the mounting
of Op TELIC – deployment to Iraq – identified the
availability of suitably qualified – ADR – civilian drivers as
a major constraint within the mounting process. Given
suitable access to the national rail network under a
commercial contract, rail provides an alternative and
more efficient distribution network during this surge
period, delivering strategic resilience to the mounting
process.
Capacity
The rail network has the ability to move large quantities
of freight and vehicles from depots and base locations to
seaports. Whilst dependent on available infrastructure
and rolling stock, a rail wagon can carry three 20ft ISO
containers, the principle ISO unit used by the MOD. In
general terms, one train can move the equivalent of
30–40 trucks.
Economy
The relative cost of moving freight by an established rail
network as opposed to road demonstrates the clear
economic advantages of rail. Given the numerous
variables that will affect the actual costs, it is prudent to
talk in terms of cost ratio. For general freight the ratio is
approximately 4:1 in favour of rail. Far better savings are
achieved when you transport ammunition and
explosives by rail compared to road where the ratio
changes to 10:1.The MOD has procured rail tariffs that
are fixed and based on the use of a defined network of
routes with a reserve capability for ad hoc movements
off network. Road costs are either against fixed contract
prices for specialised cargo or based on a reverse pricing
mechanism for all other types of freight and vehicles.
Control
The characteristics of rail haulage allow for a greater
degree of control to be applied to the management of
outflow and receipt of materiel within the Joint Supply
Chain. During periods of peak surge outload, inherent
during the mounting of an expeditionary operation, the
use of rail assets and paths provides a key element of
managing the flow of materiel from depots/base
locations into the primary seaports.
Environmental impact
Used efficiently, rail haulage delivers a significantly lower
carbon footprint per tonne moved compared to road
haulage. Given the increasing pressures on the MOD to
demonstrate environmental awareness and quantify the
impact of its activities, rail has the potential to play a key
role in demonstrating defence’s commitment to
environmental issues. For example, freight trains emit
five times less CO2 per tkm than road haulage, helping
the MOD to reduce its carbon emissions.
CILT FREIGHT FORWARDING
2
www.ciltuk.org.uk
DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd Class
66 loco pulling a train of
armoured personnel carriers
modfreight 17/6/09 13:40 Page 2

3. 3
FOCUSJULY2009
444 503
11611050
655
1286
831
1374
2320
3081
1624
2062
2583
2146
1469
2135
1247
2346
4082
631 584
837
511 389
645735707
1151 883
757
1017
1514
1609
1016
2073
856
722
678
1154
1572
1822
12511189
1546
5867
3225
2049
3545
3631
4013
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
1999/2000 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012
Numberofmovements
Wagon vehicles Wagon explosives Wagon inert stores Container explosives Container inert
Linear (oontainer inert ) Linear (wagon inert stores) Linear (wagon vehicles) Linear (wagon explosives) Linear (container explosives)
Projected wagon and container utilisation over time (until September 2008 and projected to March 2009)
MOD Railfreight Traffic Statistics 1999 - 2008
OPINION
Armoured vehicle movement
The movement of armoured vehicles by rail within the
UK is constrained by the national rail loading gauge – for
example, large vehicles such as the Challenger II main
battle tank and the AS90 gun have to be moved by road.
A MOD-owned fleet ofWarflats andWarwells allows for
the movement of armoured personnel carriers,
reconnaissance vehicles and engineer plant. Even the
new Panther Command and Liaison vehicle and Mastiff
vehicles recently deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq under
an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) are
transportable by rail in UK prior to retrospective vehicle
enhancements. There is currently no commercially
available civilian equivalent rolling stock within the UK.
With the current drive to lighter, smaller and more agile
armoured vehicles within the defence industry, rail is
likely to become a key driver in any future expeditionary
deployment.
Routine rail distribution
Given the availability of guaranteed train paths for
strategic outload, it makes commercial sense to utilise
this capacity for routine distribution tasks and in support
of training. Routine rail distribution is currently a
The Army’s ‘Be the Best’ livery
on a DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd
loco shunting MOD 20 ft ISO
containers into the new
railfreight terminal at Donnington
modfreight 17/6/09 13:40 Page 3

4. fundamental part of the Joint Supply Chain business with
the ability to have access to the correct type of rolling
stock key.The state of the MOD-owned fleet is currently
limiting the ability to carry out routine rail distribution
tasks. Future commercial and environmental imperatives
may generate additional MOD rail-focused activity and
enhance the strategic rail outload capability.
Current initiatives and concerns
As part of a rail freight service provision to the MOD,
DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd, the largest rail freight
operator in the UK, was contracted to transport a
number of 20ft ISO containers from Marchwood
Military Port and MOD Bicester to the new rail freight
terminal located at Donnington on 20th April 2009.The
brand-new, £9 million, international rail freight terminal
was not due to officially open until June 2009. However,
arrangements were put in place with the terminal
operator, John G Russell (Transport), to showcase the
facilities and services available.The trial was a complete
success and now opens up another service to the MOD
by connecting one of its largest storage and distribution
depots to the national rail network.
As alluded to above, the MOD’s ageing fleet of
Warflats and Warwells is throwing up significant
challenges in terms of wagon availability. The
consequences of not having sufficient wagons available to
meet routine movement requirements are self-evident.
As a result, a rail capability investigation is currently in
place where it is hoped that funding will be made
available to replace the MOD fleet with new wagons
that are modern, fit for purpose and, above all, more
adaptable in terms of their capability to carry a variety of
loads – ISO containers and vehicles.
Conclusion
The UK national rail network plays a vital part in enabling
the MOD to move, control and account for its freight
through the Joint Supply Chain as part of an operational
outload and to meet the requirements of defence during
peace time. Coupled to this is the ability of its rail freight
operator to provide a robust and cost-effective service
that provides value for money and has as little impact on
the environment as possible.The MOD must not ignore
the strategic importance of sufficient investment in rail
wagons assets. Should it do so, this will result in a return
of freight vehicles on to the road network and therefore
present even greater challenges to those who need to
meet the MOD’s logistic requirements in time of peace
or strategic outloads.
CILT FREIGHT FORWARDING
4
www.ciltuk.org.uk
Kalmar container handler lifting
MOD ISO containers at the
Donnington railfreight terminal
About the author
Warrant Officer Class 1 (Conductor) Brian Buckingham RLC CMILT is the Movement Control Warrant
Officer in the Surface Freight Centre at the Defence Supply Chain Operations and Movements organisation
in Andover, Hampshire. He has served in the army for 22 years and is responsible for managing the
transport and movement services to defence and industry partners.
Further information
For more information about MOD logistics why not join our Defence Supply Chain Forum?
See our web site www.ciltuk.org.uk for more details.
modfreight 17/6/09 13:40 Page 4