Tarmac begins direct rail deliveries to Sizewell C

Tarmac has supported the first direct deliveries of aggregates by rail for the new Sizewell C nuclear power station, which is currently under construction in Suffolk.

Working with Heavy Haul Rail and DB Cargo UK, Tarmac is organising nightly freight trains from Tunstead Quarry in Derbyshire and Mountsorrel Quarry in Leicestershire. Each train is delivering more than 1,000 tonnes of construction aggregates using the new Green Rail Route, which directly links the construction site to the upgraded Sizewell branch line.

The nuclear power station is expected to be completed by the mid-to-late-2030s, providing energy to some six million homes.

Tarmac is also supplying materials to the site via its Barham railhead, north of Ipswich, and from the Brett Aggregates hub at Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Ipswich. Together, these routes form part of a flexible multimodal logistics network that is helping Sizewell C to meet its goal to transport 60% of bulk materials by sea or rail.

Transporting large volumes of materials by rail overnight is removing the equivalent of 50 HGVs from travelling on local roads, helping to cut carbon emissions and reduce the impact on local networks.

Will Pearson, Nuclear Commercial Director at Tarmac, said: “The arrival of the first trains is an important milestone for the Sizewell C project. Delivering the volume of materials required for a construction programme of this scale demands a reliable and flexible supply network, which we’ve worked closely with our logistics partners and the Sizewell C team to establish and operate.

Alongside our marine and rail operations at Barham and Ipswich, these direct rail deliveries are helping to maintain a consistent flow of high-quality aggregates to site, while reducing the impact on local roads and supporting the project’s freight objectives. The UK rail freight system is world-leading and capable of operating at 97% reliability*, making rail an ideal means of supplying program-critical projects."

Dave Penney, CEO at Heavy Haul Rail, said: "These first commercial freight train deliveries directly into the Sizewell C site are a landmark achievement for everyone involved in the project. This milestone demonstrates the success of years of planning, investment and collaboration to create a dedicated rail connection capable of supporting major construction activity, while reducing the impact on local roads and communities.

We are proud to have been part of these first deliveries, transporting more than 1,000 tonnes of aggregate for Tarmac and helping establish rail as a key component of Sizewell C's logistics strategy."

Kathryn Oldale, Commercial Director at DB Cargo UK, said: “It’s great to be working with Tarmac to play such an important role in supporting what is currently one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects.

Rail freight is crucial to the supply strategy for major infrastructure projects. The first deliveries using the Green Rail Route demonstrate how high volumes of construction materials can be transported efficiently and reliably, while minimising disruption to passenger services and local residents. We look forward to building on this milestone as deliveries continue.”

*According to Rail Freight Group, rail freight operators achieve 97% reliability on the premium services they run for retailers.