DC RAIL has gained sand traffic from Middleton Towers, located near King's Lynn on the remaining stub of the former Great Eastern Railway line to Dereham and Norwich, and stone from Tunstead to Brandon sidings on the Ely to Norwich line. The new flows follow the start of stone traffic from the former Bristol FreightlinerTerminal to Willesden. Both traffics are using new JNA wagon rakes, at least two rakes being required to avoid contamination of the very pure 'glass sand'from Middleton Towers. The Middleton Towers traffic is a weekly flow from the Sibelco sand pits at Leziate to Pilkington's glassworks at Ravenhead, near St Helens in Lancashire.The first train, 6Z18 06.27 Derby Chaddesden Sidings to Middleton Towers, ran on 21 May 2021, comprising 18JNA box wagons hauled by No 60029 Ben Nevis. After loading, in two rakes of nine wagons, the train worked to Ravenhead as the 6Z1915.01 departure. Due to the Middleton Towers branch junction at King's Lynn facing the terminal passenger station, run-round and reversal of all trains is required in the remains of King's Lynn freight yard, the remaining stub of the former docks branch. A second train ran on 30 May, stabling overnight in King's Lynn yard before loading at Middleton Towers the following day ahead of dispatch to Ravenhead. A further pair of trains ran on Friday 4 June.
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