The Engine Room

Freight a minute - delivering goods by rail

Midlands Connect Episode 5

We see them hurtling through our railway stations laden with containers and cargo, but what are they carrying and where are they going? Tune in for insights on the future of the freight train, how the rail freight industry is changing and what it needs to grow from Maggie Simpson OBE director general of the Rail Freight Group.

Midlands Connect is the Sub-national Transport Body for the Midlands.

Midlands Connect researches, develops and champions long-term transport projects to provide the biggest possible economic, social and environmental benefits for the Midlands and the rest of the UK.

We examine every option for improving major transport infrastructure in our region. The fundamental aim of these improvements is to transform regional and UK gateways, bringing the Midlands closer together and accelerating cost-effective improvements to unlock east-west connectivity that will enable the region's economies to work more effectively together.

Our partnership is made up of 22 local authorities, East Midlands and Birmingham airports, and Chambers of Commerce stretching from the Welsh border to the Lincolnshire coast. The partnership also includes the Department for Transport, Network Rail, National Highways and HS2 Ltd, with whom we work alongside to drive an unprecedented level of collaboration for the good of the Midlands and the UK.