By Joe Campbell

Copyright bbc

“Back in 2023, around 20% of all the containers that came through Southampton went by rail,” he says. “Today, we’re up to almost 30%.

“We’ve also managed to take around 32,000 tonnes of CO2 out of our customers’ supply chains by offering this incentive.”

Other sweeteners are on offer too. For example, the train we are on is a new service. Freightliner is enjoying a six-month holiday on track access charges from Network Rail as it tries to build up business on the route.

But while its emissions may be lower than a fleet of trucks, we are still travelling in a diesel-powered locomotive.

Mr Shoveller explains the amount of power available from the third rail system on this route means an electric locomotive would struggle to handle anything more than this relatively lightly loaded freight.

At Basingstoke, there is a change of driver before the train continues to Reading, where the third rail stops.

At one time, overhead power along the whole route was considered but Freightliner’s boss says that is no longer an option.