09:51 - Smoky 66025 shunts a rake of VTG JNA wagons, and appeared to be a yard shunter through the day. The platform extension appears to be one of Network Rail's slower projects, plenty of the orange army coming and going into the fenced area, but this has been happening on all my visits in 2019.
10:24 - 66160 + 66168 return from Salisbury with RHTT duty 3J13 08:50 Westbury - St.Blazey. Both of these locomotives were reinstated from storage in September for RHTT duties.
11:12 - 66533 arrives with the HOBC train as 66533 6C72 09:20 Fairwater Yard to Westbury Up T.C. for attention at the virtual quarry. This was much the same train as seen in February 2018. In this area we did see the MOBC train, but this was removed as a capability in Network Rail CP6.
"The CP5 settlement for renewals was based on a strategy of “maintain assets in broadly
the same condition” and has been described in hindsight as a tight settlement. Looking
forward, the Route’s renewals submission for CP6 was for a significant improvement over
CP5 levels, but was then constrained to a level some way below the unconstrained level.
Whilst it represents around a 15% increase on the CP5 level, it is heavily skewed by the
need to provide adequate funding for the Feltham resignalling project. This has resulted
in a tough decision being made to remove the funding for the medium output ballast
cleaning programme that was planned. I understand that this decision is likely to lead to
the relevant MOBC system being mothballed in CP6. The Route has recognised that this
decision means that average asset condition of ballast will deteriorate through CP6 and
that this is unsustainable in the longer term."
11:17 - 66774 ran light engine 0V07 07:55 Kineton - Warminster-, where it picked up a MoD train to Eastleigh. I believe that these are the wagons, seen the next day.
16:11 - 70807 0F75 14:09 Cardiff Canton - Westbury.
16:41 - 66018 + 66069 RHTT 3J41 14:53 Didcot - Westbury - Didcot.
66018 + 66069 pause with the RHTT train. Both locomotives were again reinstated in September.
