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Originally Posted by Andy_S
(Post 10512835)
Trouble is, Manston isn't actually on the railway. You would either need to build a spur from the Canterbury-Ramsgate line (a mile or two I would guess, depending on start / finish point) or build a new rail / road freight interchange on the existing line and truck the freight a short distance to the airport before unloading it again. Perhaps not the most efficient way of doing things.
In any case, is there really a market for rail / air freight transfer? My feeling is that the two modes of transport serve quite different freight markets. |
I believe your memory serves you well, but I assume that a Parkway station would be for passenger use.
To handle rail freight in viable quantities, you would need a specialised facility. |
Yes, it was for pax only. The council was also in talks with Network Rail about improving the track speed between Ramsgate and the HS1 junction at Ashford.
Manston's USP was very short "aircraft landing to truck departing airfield" times. A cargo load could be on the way out of the airfield within 40 minutes of the aircraft touching down. With decent links to the local motorway network and hence London, cargo into Manston could be in the London markets before Heathrow cargo had been processed at the airport. There was never a need therefore for a cargo railroad. |
I think we're absolutely on the same page. (Perhaps it was a mistake to prolong a discussion about a rail / airport cargo interface which was never really a practical proposition). Smaller point to point cargo deliveries are definitely the way to go, and road is really the only sensible way to do that.
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Isle of Thanet News today reports that the sale of Manston to RSP was completed yesterday 9 July 2019 at 7.30 p.m.
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"The County Council were committed to building an airport parkway station back in 2013, funded by S106 contributions from local housing developers"
the answer is again in the text - let us build 25000 houses on the airport and we'll be happy to put in a railway station so they can all go and work in London......................... |
Wrong. It was to support passenger operations at the airport under a new owner.
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Of course - they were going to pay several million pounds or more (in the USA they reckon $ 1- $ 2 million per mile for a new track) to an airport that has no proven demand.........
Say 1900 Pax a day as per plan. Even a small train takes 200 pax a trip - a Javelin takes 300- 350 a trip. so even if ALL your pax arrive by train that's 6-10 trains a day - one per hour in daylight............... that isn't viable for anyone I'm afraid especially as even airports with good links (NCL for example) only handle 10-20% of pax using the airport |
The plan was to put in a parkway station at the point where the existing track passed closest to the airport. This was at the junction of the A299 and A256. Shuttle bus then took pax to and from the terminal just as Luton Airport operates now.
As I pointed out in a previous post, the cost would have been passed on to local developers via the S106 mechanism. The airport was a substantial employer and any growth would have added to the employment levels. Both local and county councils were fully onboard with plans to grow the airport. |
Anyone advise if there’s anything to see at Manston aircraft wise? Any stored or parked aircraft? Looking to take some pics on a local visit, keen to know if you can even get close enough? Bit of an “aviation history” angle, enjoyed walking the runway at Wisley and interested to see MSE before it’s gone? Thanks.
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I don't believe there are any aircraft left on the airfield. But of course, there are two Museum sites. RAF Manston History Museum based in The old MT yard. And nearby the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum opposite the former RAF SHQ. Unfortunately, I think still temporarily closed due to Covid19? The only other aircraft were on the Fire Training Ground. Not sure you can gain access as an Army unit is now based there I think.
I'm still hoping that the airfield can re-open in some form. But, I'm biased as I was based there 1979 - 1982. |
Polar Helicopters are based in one of the hangars
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Government have granted permission for the redevelopment of Manston.
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Any clue, airport, housing, lorry park...?
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Plans to transform Manston Airport into a freight cargo air hub have today been given the green light - paving the way for hundreds of jobs to be created and a £300 million boost to east Kent. It will become a dedicated air freight facility, able to handle at least 10,000 air cargo movements per year whilst also offering passenger, executive travel, and aircraft engineering services. North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale welcomed today's announcement. He said: “This decision reflects the wishes of the majority of the people of Thanet. I applaud the determination of those who have worked so hard in support of this cause and the commitment of RiverOak who, since the airport was closed, have not wavered in their determination to see Manston re-opened as a freight hub and, subsequently, as a passenger and general aviation airfield again. "I hope that Kent County Council and, particularly, Thanet District Council will now unreservedly throw their weight behind this job-creating project. £300 million of inward investment is a sum that East Kent has never seen before.The capacity to create good, long term employment is colossal.This would be good news for Thanet and good news for the country at any time but in the middle of an economically devastating pandemic is a shot in the arm for the nation.We know that there is a long haul ahead and that it will be at least a couple of years before we see wheels landing on tarmac again but the starting gun has been fired and now we can get on with the real task of creating a state-of-the-art zero-carbon airport."When it re-opens, Manston is planned to be the most environmentally friendly airfieldin the world and that will send a clear signal that a new Britain is very much open for business. Manston has been at the front line of the Battle for Britain in the past and I look forward to seeing an inaugural Spitfire landing on that famous runway again within my parliamentary lifetime.” https://www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet/...proved-230082/ |
Might I ask where the money for this redevelopment is going to come from ? Words are cheap, but people tend to be more reluctant to invest large quantities of cash during a recession
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East Midlands and Doncaster seem to have cleaned up on the cargo Manston used to get.
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Planning inspectorate recommended the application should be refused. Secretary of State decided to disregard the recommendation. Politicians with undisclosed agenda? Wonder if there'll be a Judicial Review.
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Who will be funding any JR request?
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Nice place to live once they start on the houses............
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