Willesden Logistics Hub
{{Short description|Railway station}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
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| name = Willesden Logistics Hub
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| address = Willesden
| borough = Brent
| country = England
| coordinates = {{Coord|51|31|59.71|N|0|15|6.51|W|display=inline,title}}
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| status = Operational
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| opened = {{Start date|1994|06|07|df=y}}
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Willesden Logistics Hub is a freight railway station situated adjacent to the West Coast Main Line in Willesden, England.
History
The site was rebuilt to handle container freight through the Channel Tunnel and was known as Willesden Euro Terminal, one of nine such facilities constructed. Prior to this, it was already in use as a freight handling yard.{{Cite web|last=Waite|first=Jordan|date=2017-07-12|title=Have You Seen These Remnants Of A Failed Eurotunnel Project?|url=https://londonist.com/london/transport/what-are-these-giant-yellow-cranes-in-north-west-london|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Londonist|language=en}} The first train departed for the tunnel on 27 June 1994.{{Cite web|date=2019-02-25|title=Willesden cranes make way for HS2 logistics yard|url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/willesden-cranes-make-way-for-hs2|access-date=2021-07-03|website=The Construction Index|language=en}} However, the site did not see as much use as hoped due to declining levels of freight trains using the Channel Tunnel. As a result, the customs facilities were de-staffed, and eventually the site stopped handling international trains. It continued to be used for domestic railfreight purposes.{{Cite web|title=International rail freight post-Brexit|url=https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/files/Publications/2018-08_international_rail_freight_brexit.pdf|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Rail Delivery Group|page=23}}
The site was identified by High Speed 2 (HS2) as a candidate for use as a construction compound. Work started in 2018 to dismantle the disused cranes at the site. This was completed in March 2019.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2019-03-15|title=Works now finished at HS2 Willesden Euro terminal|url=https://www.johnfhunt.co.uk/works-now-finished-at-hs2-willesden-euro-terminal/|access-date=2021-07-03|website=John F Hunt|language=en-GB}}
The first train ran from the refurbished facility on 2 July 2021.{{Cite web|last=Roberts|first=Matt|date=2021-07-02|title=First trains depart from HS2's Willesden Logistics Hub|url=https://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/first-trains-HS2-willesden-logistics-hub|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Rail Technology Magazine|language=en}}
Usage
The facility is expected to handle up to eight freight trains per day during the construction of HS2.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-02|title=HS2 Deliveries to Take 1.5m Lorries from Roads|url=https://www.ukconstructionmedia.co.uk/news/hs2-deliveries-to-take-1-5m-lorries-from-roads/|access-date=2021-07-03|website=UK Construction Online|language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{High Speed 2 articles}}
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1994
Category:Railway stations in the London Borough of Brent
Category:Rail freight transport in Great Britain
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