Post Office Rail Hub.
During March we were able to visit the Royal Mail rail hub at Willesden, and once again this was a visit that members of the public cannot usually make.
The centre was opened last May since when it has handled most of the mail trains that used the mainline London termini. Most of the sack mail is loaded onto class 325 electric trains for transport North or onto push pull fitted van’s propelled by class 47’s to the West of England.
Most of our party met at Waterloo before travelling to Stonebridge park by tube but needless to say John who had only got to come from the SWT offices at Waterloo was last to arrive.
When we arrived at the centre we were given a cup of tea and some biscuits and then given a short presentation, detailing the type of rail operation at the centre, followed by a tour of the centre.
The distribution centre handles traffic for both road and rail and was just coming alive for the evening when we arrived. All the mail sacks arrive in modular trolleys known as York’s and these move across the floor of the centre ether straight onto another van or to be sorted by destination on a gigantic conveyor system.
From the conveyor the sacks are loaded into more York’s and then onto the rail platforms using York movers, a low floored, electric tug. There are seven platform roads, each with adjustable drawbridge to allow York’s to be rolled straight on. Whilst we were visiting there were two trains of class 325 units and a train of push pull fitted van’s with a class 47 at the head.
