Sunday 31 October 2021

Collision in Fisherton Tunnel, Salisbury, 31st October

Breaking News

Reports are of 12 injuries, and all persons now recovered from the trains. BTP tweet.

Independent

From WRGEN:

"158762 158763 on 1F30 17:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol TM has struck an object in Fisherton Tunnel on the down line approaching Salisbury and derailed in the tunnel

159014 159017 159018 on 1L53 17:20 Waterloo to Honiton has then struck 1F30 in the tunnel

1F30 reported on its side in the tunnel"         
       (but images suggest that it is 1L53 which is at an angle, over the Up road)

BBC News

Salisbury Journal

Guardian

WNXX Forum

"A Network Rail spokesperson said: "At around 7pm, the rear carriage of the 17.08 Great Western Railway service from Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads derailed after striking an object on its approach to Salisbury station.

"The derailment knocked out all of the signalling in the area. Subsequently, the 17.20 South Western Railway service from London Waterloo to Honiton then collided with the Bristol train."

RailUK Forums - link to images (which show 52803 from 159102) and of the two trains inside the tunnel, with 158763 on the right.

The situation inside the tunnel could take some time to clear in a difficult space, and only after RAIB release the site - noting the example near Stonehaven in 2020. Trackwork renewal will also be required inside the tunnel.

Saturday 30 October 2021

25th - 30th October 2021

9 years ago today, 60017 with ore empties from Santon to Immingham, at Barnetby on 30th October 2012. The locomotive remains active.

Monday 25th October: 37510 + 360104 5Q86 06:16 Luton - Eastleigh one two, 37510 0H72 13:13 Eastleigh - Wembley one two; 73962 + 73965 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh; 66745 + 313121 5Q13 10:20 Old Dalby - Eastleigh one two
Tuesday 26th October: 73962 + 73965 1Q52 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Winchester - Woking - Lymington Pier -Eastleigh one; 37099 3Q71 22:29 Woking - Portsmouth - Eastleigh; 47749 19:10 0O00 Northampton - Eastleigh one
Wednesday 27th October: 73962 + 73965 1Q53 11:48 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard one two, 1Q53 18:04 Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Romsey - Eastleigh; 37099 3Q03 23:42 Eastleigh - Brighton - Eastleigh
Thursday 28th October: 47749  + 360121 5Q36 10:03 Eastleigh - Cricklewood one two three four five; 73962 + 73965 1Q54 12:46 Eastleigh - Tonbridge; 37099 3Q04 21:21 Eastleigh - Totton - Reading Triangle one; 33012 at Eastleigh Works
Friday 29th October: 37099 3Q40 23:53 Reading Triangle - Paddington - Eastleigh - Woking
Saturday 30th October:

43061 + 43075 were the first HST power cars sent for scrap at Newport one two three four

59003 appears to have been idle in Eastleigh Yard since Tuesday, when it was dragged in on Tuesday, with 66798 onto the Westbury circuit.

Another new rake of FFA-G wagons arrived in Southampton on delivery from Wembley on Tuesday 26th, operating via Eastleigh.

69003 could be appearing in Eastleigh in the coming week. Meanwhile.

Thursday 28 October 2021

Montana, June 1994

The tail end of a road trip through Montana in June 1994.


MPI 9041 + BN 4077 + BN 4033 pass Big Timber, Montana, 20th June 1994.

Snapped from a hotel room at the Super 8 Motel at Big Timber (for a wash and brush up, and a comfortable bed, after some nights in a tent, including one within Yellowstone), a BN (Burlington Northern) freight passes, along the line of Montana Rail Link, the former route of the Northern Pacific. I cannot tell much about the various motor vehicles. 

The lead locomotive is a Motive Power Industries SD40M-2 rebuild MPI 9041. At the time, these were quite fresh from works, and BN must have been short of power, as several were seen at that time. Originally C&O (Chesapeake & Ohio) SD40 7550, new in August 1966, EMD serial 31929. After running for MPI it moved on to Helm Leasing (HLCX) and was last pictured around 2008.

MPI, at that time associated with Morrison-Knudsen, is now part of Wabtec.

BN 4077 and 4033 are both examples of the GE B30-7AB model, where the last letter indicates a cabless B unit. 4077 was new in October 1983, serial 44435. 4033 was new in August 1982, serial 44008. After heavy use on BN, these locomotives were mainly disposed of for scrap, about the 15 year lease break point in 1999. There is one difference between the locomotives, as the later units had a box on the long hood area, seen on 4077.


Montana Rail Link SD9 600, Laurel, MT, 21st June 1994.

600 had come to MRL from National Railway Equipment. New as EMD serial 21733 in April 1956, and delivered as Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 107, this became Elgin Joliet and Eastern 604 in February 1968 by transfer between US Steel subsidiaries. By the 1988 it was in the NRE fleet,at Dixmoor, IL, pending sale, which took it to Montana that year. Out of use at Livingston, MT in 2005.

Laurel is the yard at the east end of MRL, the largest yard in the state, and on the railroad between Minnesota and Washington. There is also a railroad coming from the south, the BNSF Casper subdivision - built as a link to the Colorado & Southern,

Once one casts their eyes past the early to mid 1970s Pontiac Firebird, the other GM product of interest is MRL 16, an EMD SW9 model, completed in January 1952, builder number 15865, as St Louis-San Francisco 314.  It became Burlington Northern 269, in December 1980 and retired in August 1986.  It was sold as MRL 16 in October 1987, and still appears to be on the roster at close to 70 years old.


Burlington Northern 3501 and 3510 run westwards through Billings, MT, 21st June 1994. The first wagon appears to be an empty lumber wagon returning to the west. An American railfan photographer did tell me that he didn't take pictures in June, as the sun was so high that the trucks were not illuminated, as can be seen here.

3501 is a GP40M, built in December 1966 as a GP40, EMD builder number 32573 as CB&Q 177.  It became BN 3007 in 1970, and was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen at Boise, ID, in September 1988 becoming 3501 as seen above. It became BNSF 3001, was repainted in 2008, and still appears to be on the roster. At the time of the picture, the locomotive's maintenance allocation was to Lincoln, NE, but this was shortly to change to Interbay (Seattle).

3105 is a GP50, built in December 1980, EMD builder number 796331-6, ordered as SLSF (Frisco) 795; delivered as BN 3105. At the time of the picture it's allocation was to Springfield, MO. in July 1997 it was sold to Indiana & Ohio Railway as IORY 3105, renumbered 5005 by 2002, but spent time in storage in 2012-13, then IORY 5015, then Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway TPW 5015 from late 2013, painted in G&W colours, and still in service.


LMX 8577 running through Billings.

As previously covered, LMX was a vehicle of GE Leasing, used primarily for a lease of 100 B39-8 locomotives to BN, on a power by the hour basis. LMX 8577 as completed in March 1988 with builder number 45486. It became Relco RLCX 8577 by 2004, then San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad SLRG 8577 from early 2007. To Motive Power Resources, 2014; to Texas Locomotive Solutions, 2015; to Vista Sand, 2015. Now appears to be at Vista Sand in Cresson, TX, where it may be out of use.

The engineer waves as BN 6821 + 5382 run through Billings with an eastbound.

BN 6821 is an EMD SD40-2. at that time the most prolific diesel type on BN. 6821 was builder's serial 72639-22, built in April 1973. It became BNSF 1692, and remains on the roster.

BN 5382, a GE U30C, was featured previously, and was in its last year of service.

CSX SD40-2 8210 leads a westbound train through Billings. It was some way from CSX lines, so may have been paying off dues to BN or MRL. 8210 was delivered as L&N (Louisville & Nashville) 3582 in November 1974, EMD builder number 74644-29, then merged into Seaboard System Railroad in late 1982, and CSX from July 1986. Retired by April 2008, then well stripped by 2012.

MRL 258 was originally delivered as a SD40, builder number 33518, in October 1967 to Colorado & Southern as CS 877, later merged into Burlington Northern, where it became BN 6337. Sold to MRL in October 1987 as 217, then rebuilt to SD40-2XR specification, at Livingston Rebuild Center in June 1991, as shown. It remains in traffic.
    
EMDX 6047 next to the Best Out West Enriched Flour elevator, Hardin, MT, 22nd June. Today, the elevators are operated by the Peavy Grain Co.

6047 is an SD40-2 delivered as builder number 73676-8 in December 1973 to the Rock Island (CRI&P) as their 4797, but the railtoad headed into bankruptcy, and it was sold to become (Illinois Central Gulf)  ICG 6047 in June 1980, then sold to GM as EMDX 6047 in January 1989.  Later sold as (Wisconsin & Southern) WSOR 6047 and renumbered 4003.  It became WAMX 4172, and is still operating in Wisconsin.

Sunday 24 October 2021

From Bewdley to Scotland, 7th April 1980

Firstly a treat, a Bank Holiday BR dmu shuttle, the first of the 1980 season from Bewdley to Kidderminster. I was the first outbound passenger, and I sat behind the driver. No need for a bus, and a ride from the SVR onto the BR section from Foley Park to the main line station at Kidderminster.

Class 101 dmu car approaches the platform at Bewdley, with 8233 on left, and 5164 and 7812 at right. Unfortunately I have no record of the dmu car numbers.



Saturday 23 October 2021

18th - 23rd October 2021

Updated Saturday 16th October entry for DRS move of 37419 + 57303 + 57002 from Eastleigh Works.

Monday 18th October:
Tuesday 19th October:
 47749 + 701034 5Q10 08:00 Derby - Eastleigh one two three, 47749 0Z47 16:54 Eastleigh - Derby; 153385 (Colas Test dmu for Network Rail) 2Z11 16:15 Derby -Eastleigh one two, 2Zxx Eastleigh - Southampton - Up Yard - Southampton - Eastleigh 
Wednesday 20th October:
Thursday 21st October:
43290 + 43299 1X23 15:13 Salisbury - Southampton UGL - Salisbury (on the next leg to Reading one); 43468, 360121 and D6515 (33012) outside at Eastleigh Works one
Friday 22nd October: 67021 1Z87 10:31 Victoria - Eastleigh - Southampton - Laverstock - Whitchurch, 1Z88 14:08 Whitchurch - Victoria
Saturday 23rd October:

59003 returned to Eastleigh - Westbury duties from Monday afternoon 18th one two three

66799 was expected to go to Eastleigh for painting, but it has been working from Tonbridge.

Several people have contacted me re WNXX.com not being updated. Now updated on 22nd, with owner Ian Furness just returned home from a hospital stay. I wish him the best for a continued recovery.

Tuesday 19 October 2021

DRS 'Heritage Fleet Sale' list, 19th October 2021

DRS news, with bids to be submitted by midday on 11th November. 

Updated 17th December with known dispositions.



Saturday 16 October 2021

11th - 16th October 2021


Monday 11th October:
Tuesday 12th October:
Wednesday 13th October:
43468 in base for H+H / RailAdventure outside at Eastleigh Works
Thursday 14th October:
Friday 15th October: 769946 5Q09 13:18 Oxford - Eastleigh one, 769959 5Q10 15:45 Eastleigh - Reading
Saturday 16th October: 37419 + 57303 + 57002 0Z57 10:00 Eastleigh - Willesden Brent one two three four five six seven

59003
is within the Eastleigh Works compound

Class 442: It seems that all four remaining coaches of 442412, and also some TS vehicles from units recently noted in the scrap line, are being retained meantime in Arlington ownership.

H+H RailAdventure power cars at Munich on 5th October: one two three four

Container ports crisis now in mainstream media - Southampton Container Port Status

Elsewhere, Freightliner are parking all of their Class 90 fleet, and DRS the Class 88, in response to energy pricing. A position from the RMT, and from The Railfreight Group.

Thursday 14 October 2021

Fife Circle coaches for Network Rail

On 26th August, there was a 5V22 08:55 Motherwell Tmd (Drs) to Canton Sidings , where 37716 hauled Mk2f TSO coaches 5971, 6001, 6117, 6122, 5995 and 6008 for delivery from DRS to Network Rail for test train usage. These coaches are fitted with retention tank toilets, and are expected to replace those currently hired by Network Rail from ERS.

All pictures at Aberdour on the Fife Circle, unless shown.

All of these coaches were built to Lot 30860 in 1973-74. Before DRS these were in the Cargo-D fleet.


5971, 29th August 2019. Earlier seen on the Cumbrian Coast on 17th October 2016.


6001, 15th April 2015.
  

6117, 18th April 2019. This coach once ran in the Wessex Trains pink set.



6122, 17th April 2019.



5995, at Workington, 17th October 2016.


6008, 29th August 2019.

Wednesday 13 October 2021

Eastleigh Works and T&RSMD, 12th October 2021

 
769928 arrived on 29th September.


442412 is the last MBS-less set remaining at the works. TEA wagon GERS 89014 is one of four in a line.

57302 Chad Varah remains in storage in the works, having arrived in December 2017.

59003 is back on the works as a black sheep.

62682 of 317722, which has otherwise been scrapped. This coach has ac traction equipment.


57002 Rail Express in the doors of the works, having arrived on 20th September. It is in to swap bogies with 57303.


08507 came to move 57002, but it pushed it further into the works.

Repainted 41183 for Locomotive Services, and 701025 receiving remedial attention. The scaffolding is used for overhaul of TEA wagons.


701032, 701019 and 701022 in the T&RSMD area.

Sunday 10 October 2021

Freight at Dunbridge and Romsey, 7th October 2021

 


66617 6V62 13:21 Up Yard - Whatley. The KEA after the locomotive was VTG 3196.


       66571 4M65 13:45 Maritime - Lawley Street, in which the KTA was GERS 97733. Only the leading end of the train was loaded.


Covering for 59003, was 66781 (the former 66016) 0V40 14:05 Eastleigh - Westbury.


66415 You are Never Alone 7V09 13:41 Chichester - Merehead.
    

    Two pictures, at Romsey, of 70020 with 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime.




The same 22 KTA wagons as on Friday 1st, but shuffled somewhat. GERS 97716 seen here as the last wagon.

Saturday 9 October 2021

4th - 9th October 2021

 

DR 98964 + DR98914 approach Dunbridge with 06:11 Totton - Salisbury - Basingstoke - Yeovil - Southampton - Basingstoke - Totton RHTT working, 7th October.

Monday 4th October:
Tuesday 5th October:
37419 noted outside at Eastleigh Works
Wednesday 6th October:
Thursday 7th October:
37099 one two 3Q39 22:48 Westbury - Romsey - Eastleigh - Fawley - Totton - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh - Romsey - Westbury
Friday 8th October: 360121 outside at Eastleigh Works
Saturday 9th October: 57310 5Q86 10:37 Doncaster West Yard - Eastleigh (ex Grand Central Mk 4 coaches set GC01/WB01 for TfW 82201 + 11319 + 10318 + 12310 + 12434 + 12211, as taken to Worksop on 26th February by 47812) one two three, 0M57 17:48 Eastleigh - Derby    

Container problems at the ports, where UK ports are congested and containers are being offloaded into Europe for forwarding. "The UK’s main container ports are overwhelmed with unclaimed imports and starting to refuse the restitution of empty boxes urgently needed back in Asia.", "prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday denied there was a crisis, but also said that the UK’s “world leading” logistics industry could fix it. But one UK forwarder said the prime minster was “deranged”. “Bob the builder, I am not,” he added."      

A third rake of the new FFA-G wagons has arrived, and was sent to Crewe. 1½ rakes, or their equivalents are understood to be in traffic, and have now also been noted on 4O29 Basford Hall - Maritime.

59003 was in use on Tuesday, but seems to have been stopped at Eastleigh after 6O41 on Wednesday, and is heading back into the Works.

34067 Tangmere out on a test run.

60009 Union of South Africa has steamed for the last time. On the day of the return to the main line on 5th May 1973, I witnessed it complete the first climb to Dalgety summit from Inverkeithing, on its way to Dundee. Here is a memory from an earlier period, on the stops at Aberdeen, having arrived 1Z10 from Edinbirgh via Stirling and Perth, 1st September 1979. A line of GUVs on right.

Sunday 3 October 2021

Loco hauled at Romsey, 1st October 2021

 

66534 OOCL Express + 66594 NYK Spirit of Kyoto 0O80 13:05 Stoke Gifford - Eastleigh.

Departing view of 66594.

59003 YEOMAN HIGHLANDER + 66728 Institution of Railway Operators + 66181 running as 6V41 14:48 Eastleigh - Westbury, which was formed of MHA and MPA wagons.

59102 Village of Chantry leading 7V07 13:41 Chichester - Merehead.

Needing a wash, 66416 was at the front of 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime.


The first KTA wagon was GERS 97771. There were 22 KTA wagons in the rake, a mix of those in the earlier 'KTA Liner' rakes, with some others mixed in.

Saturday 2 October 2021

Freight at Romsey, 30th September.

A brief snapshot, two freights in half an hour.


66524 (again) with 6V62 13:21 Up Yard - Whatley.


70007 leading 4M65 13:45 Maritime - Lawley Street, which was rather sparse of containers, only about six, and mainly at the end of the rake.


KFA wagon TIPH 93422 was one of two leading in the formation.

One of the rarer wagons as used by Freightliner is the IKA 'Megafret' pair, here represented by 33.68.4909.407-1 built by Arbel Fauvet between 1990 and 2004.

27th September - 2nd October 2021

 
DR 98964 + DR98914 pass Romsey with 06:11 Totton - Salisbury - Basingstoke - Yeovil - Southampton - Basingstoke - Totton RHTT working, 30th September.

66798 passing Millbrook with 6V41, 27th September. 59003 resumed on 28th. Image by Roger Homan.

Monday 27th September: 73963 + 73965 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two
Tuesday 28th September: 73963 + 73965 1Q52 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Winchester - Woking - Lymington Pier -Eastleigh; 59003 out of works and back onto the Westbury cycle one two 
Wednesday 29th September: 769928 5Q09 09:18 Oxford -Eastleigh one two, 769930 Q10 12:58 Eastleigh - Reading one two; 73963 + 73965 1Q53 11:48 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard, 1Q53 18:04 Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Romsey - Eastleigh - cancelled, noted at Eastleigh Works
Thursday 30th September: 73961 + 73963 1Q54 12:46 Eastleigh - Tonbridge one (73965 left at Eastleigh Works)
Friday 1st October:
Saturday 2nd October
:

New FFA-G wagons entered service on 4M61 12:56 Maritime - Trafford Park, from Monday 27th, and 4O22 01:24 Trafford Park - Maritime return. The second delivery arrived, and was moved forward from Wembley to Basford Hall on Tuesday, and some of these may have been worked south in 4O27 on Saturday 2nd. Press release from G&W / Freightliner.

360121 seen in EMR base colours at Eastleigh Works, 29th September.

800026 is expected to be the first IET for repair, and rumours continue that this will be at Eastleigh. It is understood to have sections removed already, for analysis, and it won't likely enter the works over Campbell Road bridge.

Rail Adventure HST power cars moving in Germany on a mobile exhibition train ("mobile messe") one two three four (in Dresden) five six seven