DB Cargo at Westbury, 19th September 2024

Five years on from losing the Mendip Rail contract, quite what the focus of DB Cargo is at Westbury seems open to question. Five Class 66's appeared present, but the only observed activity was shunting, and a light engine dispatched to Margam.

66057 lay just about parked all day. It is in the full original EWS scheme and has extra lights for Lickey banking operations.

66055 Alain Thauvette was shunting. It also has the extra lights for Lickey operations.

66098, which later departed 0F85 16:29 Westbury Down T.C. -Margam T.C. Seen here adjacent to now rarer MRA tippler wagons.

66092 and 66131 were shunting on the Down side.

All of the Class 59/2's, Westbury 19th September 2024

 

59201 passing through with 59201 6V26 15:37 Woking Down Yard (Flhh)- Merehead Quarry (Fhh), heading to Westbury Cement to runaround. However, there was a delay of 30 minutes at Heywood Jcn, which led to further delays of trains from the Trowbridge direction, my own included.

59202 Pride of Ferrybridge 6A61 13:02 Whatley Quarry F Liner Hh - West Drayton Frays Sidings.

One of the delayed trains in the backlog from Trowbridge was 66619 + 59203 6V60 14:18 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Whatley Quarry F Liner Hh which remained foul of the line while a 3rd locomotive was added, and further delayed my train.

59204 6C48 1249 Appleford Fhh to Whatley Quarry F Liner Hh.


59205 sets off with 6O68 09:11 Westbury Tarmac - Crawley F.Y.(Flhh.

59206 John F Yeoman Rail Pioneer 7B12 12:07 Merehead Quarry (Fhh) - Wootton Bassett F.Y. (Flhh.

For class 59/0, I missed GBRf 59003 which departed earlier, but saw 59001 / 004 / 005. 59002 is stored at Leeds.
For Class 59/1, I saw only 59101.59102 and 59104 are in use, but 59103 seems to be parked at Merehead.

Colas at Westbury, 19th September 2024

 

70801 is poorly. It arrived at Westbury on 2nd April, partially dismantled, and was further dismantled by 17th April. It seems to have last worked in early August 2023.


67023 Stella lay behind, in the 'Elephant House' shed. 


70806, 70807 and 66846.

70806 changing tracks to pick up Newtork Rail wagons to head to Cliffe Hill Stud Farm.

Old and New Wagon Notes, Westbury, 19th September 2024

 

On the way out: JFA wagon ARC 17901 in the formation of 6C31 10:10 Theale - Whatle. The 'LTF' JHA hopper wagon prototype, built by Standard Wagon in 1988, for Amey roadstone traffic. The LTF wagons, named for the Gloucester RC&W 'low track force' LTF-25 bogies, are now in course of fleet reduction. Previous coverage from February 2018.

Production JHA ARC 19895, built by Procor in 1990, in the same train.

ARC 17913, a JHA, built by Standard Wagon in 1990, seen in 6V60 14:18 Wembley - Whatley.

In with the new: 203 new HOA hoppers are coming on lease from VTG, with 34 delivered at the beginning of August. However, 30 of them were sent for storage in Exeter Riverside Yard on 27th August, for reasons unknown, leaving only 4 in traffic, of which I saw 2, coupled together. This is 81.70.6774.109-7 in the same train as 17913.

It was paired with 81.70.6774.099-0.

Soon to go: None of the regular fleet of former Yeoman JHA wagons have gone for disposal so far, but will also be replaced. 'Outer' wagon OK 19305, built by Orenstein & Koppel in 1989, was being moved in a 7Z40 from Westbury to Westbury Tarmac, after a wagon in the earlier 7A40 caused a problem, leading to splitting of the train. The O&K JHAs are limited to 45 mph.

OK 19344, 'inner' with knuckle couplers,in the same formation.

NMT at Westbury, 19th September 2024

43357 + 977984 + 975814 + 977993 + 975984 + 977995 + 43251
1Q23 05:52 Reading - Salisbury, which then formed 1X23 to Southampton

Network Rail power cars 43013 + 43062 were prepared for the Bank Holiday ETCS trial on the East Coast Main Line, but were 'failed' at Derby in advance of the test, and did not attend.

Former Cross-Country 43357 approaching Westbury.


Rather worn 43251 on the rear, upon arrival to reverse.


43251 (43051, April 1977) in portrait.


977984 Staff Coach (HST catering vehicle 40501, as a TRUK once part of 253001 from November 1976).

43357 (43157, February 1981) in portrait.

Miscellany at Westbury, 9th October 2019

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.

Aggregate Workings at Westbury, 9th October 2019

Just under 4 weeks to go for Mendip Rail workings to move from DB Cargo to Freightliner. We still await the actual outcome of the sale of Class 59/2 locomotives, although the rumour mill suggests that this is coming soon, and that they could be remaining in the area. Overall, this Wednesday felt underwhelming with some long gaps, where two Acton-Merehead workings, one with returning 59202, passed without visibility on the avoiding line.

12:14 - 59104 Village of Great Elm 7B12 11:23 Merehead - Wootton Bassett.

13:47 - 66021 running around 7V16 11:55 Fareham - Whatley.

13:57 - 59203 heads into the down relief line with 6C68 12:25 Avonmouth - Whatley.

14:01 - 66034 6C58 11:45 Oxford Banbury Road - Whatley, which came by an alternative and quicker route via Melksham.

14:14 - 59005 KENNETH J PAINTER departs with 6L21 13:24 Whatley - Dagenham (arrived 13:39).

16:02 - A crew change was completed for 59004 PAUL A HAMMOND running 6V18 11:25 Allington - Whatley.

16:59 - 66151 ran the 7Z52 14:52 Southampton Up Yard - Whatley for several days, here seen running around. The lower height KEA wagons are 3172, 3213 and 3208.

17:52 - 59103 Village of Mells approaches the station with 7A15 17:05 Merehead - Acton.

59101 was also noted working 7V12 15:38 Woking - Merehead.

IEPs at Westbury, 8th February 2019

The new trains. Enthusiast confusions prevail ...

1) Are these IEP or IET trains? It seems that they are IEP trains, of which the GWR variant is 'IET'. Those GWR IET not part of the DfT IEP activity are AT300. So far it appears that my previous captions have been compliant!

2) Which works built and completed each train? British, Japanese or Italian? It varies, but GWR Class 802 are mostly Italian.

3) Will the train make it past Dawlish? The Class 802 are intended to be more robust for salt water spray issues passing Dawlish.

802015 + 802003 operating the 1A77 05:41 Penzance - Paddington. Class 802 trains, of which there are 22 five car 802/0 and 7 nine car 802/1 on order, with uprated engines, larger fuel tanks, and more robust roof mounted brake resistors, for services into Devon and Cornwall. These AT300 trains are assembled at Pistoia in Italy, the former Ansaldo Breda facility, except for 802001 / 003 / 101, assembled in Kasado, Japan. 

802003 was the first assembled in Italy, although this unit has bodyshells built in Japan, from 802004 these were MIG welded in Italy from flat packs supplied from Japan.

800321 is the last of the 9 car Class 800/3, intended for HST replacement, and delivered on 11th December 2018, the 50th IET from Newton Aycliffe, assembled using bodyshells imported from Kasado, Japan.

 Cab end view of 800321.

800316 departs with 1A83 11:32 Paignton - Paddington. This unit departed Newton Aycliffe on 31st August.

800316 heads for London via the Berks & Hants.

Freightliner activity at Westbury, 8th February 2019

Playing a relatively secondary role at Westbury on this occasion, the presence of green / orange & black locomotives should increase significantly from the November period.

66546 and 66519 arrived with late running 6Y47 04:20 St Budeaux Victoria Road (former LSWR) - Westbury. The locomotives then proceeded to Stoke Gifford.

66532 + 66585 12:39 Stoke Gifford - Eastleigh. This area saw extensive track work over the Christmas period, with some replacement of signalling.

HST operations at Westbury, 8th February 2019

The GWR full length HST operations are currently expected to complete in the May period. The HST GTi sets have now started to run on the Bristol - Plymouth - Penzance diagrams. Watching 'the general public' get on and off these trains showed that many do not recognise that the doors remain a manual slam-door operation.

43098 (BREL Crewe, July 1978) is owned by First, and fitted to support door operation on the GTi sets, for which it has already been noted on the early workings. Here it is operating as a traditional HST, 1A79 06:47½ Penzance - Paddington.

43174 (BREL Crewe, August 1981) was on the rear. This power car is owned by Angel Trains, and is believed to have come off lease after usage on Saturday 9th. Update: Worked to Ely for storage 5th March.

43197 (BREL Crewe, August 1982) arrives with 1C81 12:33 Paddington - Taunton. Owned by Porterbrook, and expected to come off-lease. Update: Off-lease by 5th March, to Long Marston 11th March.

43193 (BREL Crewe, May 1982) on the rear. Again owned by Porterbrook, and expected to come off-lease. One of the long standing signals on the gantry has been replaced by the LED signal only partially seen above the train. Update: Off-lease by 5th March, to Long Marston 11th March, still in pair with 43197.

43192 (BREL Crewe, May 1982) arrives with 1A87 1255 Plymouth - Paddington. This Angel Trains owned power car is due to come off-lease.

43071 (BREL Crewe, November 1977) on the rear. Owned by Porterbrook and due to come off-lease.