Record breaking.....

The Maritime trip earlier today departed with 23 wagons.... this beats the previous known record of 22 wagons. 66542 was in charge of the trip and brought in 12 wagons for repair before departing with the mammoth consist;

66542
92574
97734
97769
97719
608103
608102
608368
608367
608059
608495
92573
92571
608109
608110
608193
608194
608271
608269
97742
608298
607012
607110
608498

Also out and about today are two of the GLVs being prepared for de-icing duties now that the weather is getting colder.

Farewell 'Splutter'

Having arrived on 19th October 2011, the two Kof locos have proved their worth over the last two years. They've hauled all sorts around the Works, including mainline locos (47s, 57s and 66s) and electric units, not to mention dozens of Underground vehicles and wagons.

323 674-2, nicknamed 'Splutter' having developed an engine fault that made it sound rather unwell, is now departing for pastures new at Wansford on the Nene Valley Railway.

323 539-7 remains on site and is used out the back of the Works for shunting locos and wagons between bays 1, 2 and 3.

Here's a look back of some of 'Splutter's varied duties over the last two years.......

Arriving with 323 539-7

 Shunting overhauled wagons

 



Shunting Underground units for warm storage

Shunting Class 57s

Shunting Undergrounds for decontamination and disposal



 Hauling a Class 66 out of the Paintshop

Shunting Class 508s for warm storage

In the Rain....

Four EDs (73136, 73212, 73141 and 73119), two Translators (975875 and 977087) and the two 508 vehicles (64710 and 64720) are waiting at the gates to leave for the docks. Once there they will be loaded onto lorries for the journey to their new home.

47853 and 66589 are back out the front of the Works, almost ready for departure following repairs.

'Celebrity' 66s, 66718 and 66721, are sat in the pouring rain by Eastleigh station. Released from the Arlington Paintshop on Monday reliveried and one of them renamed, they did a GBRf charter yesterday from Victoria which included a naming ceremony for 66721 'Sir Peter Hendy CBE'.


66718 sports graphics of various modes of transport around London as well as famous quotations relating to London.

66721 retains its 'Harry Beck' nameplates and is cream on one side with graphics depicting the Harry Beck's original 1933 Underground map. The other side is white and depicts a 2013 version of the map.

 

Yesterday saw the return of three 57s from RHTT duties, 57312, 57301 and 57306 arrived with the Arlington Translator vehicles. The comment on the side of 57306 said it all for me...'Also available in Yellow'.

 

01508 was used to shunt the Translators giving the first chance to see the matching livery....

 

 

 

 

 

That's Not MOD Green!

Ex MOD 428 (01508) is out of the Paintshop sporting a new coat of Arlington green, the same as the two Translator coaches. It's currently without numbers and decals. It makes quite an impression when it's shunting which it was doing most of the morning.

New arrivals have been 455807 on saturday evening and 450030 this morning. 455841 departed on Friday and 450015 this morning.

66594 has just departed on the trip back to Maritime with repaired wagons.

66718 and 66721 have also arrived, just as the rain started!

In amongst all the excitement, a curious track machine , 999801, arrived and parked up.

Is this place haunted?

Moving around the site earlier was 57007 in white primer, looking very ghostly...!

66717 is progressing well in the Paintshop with the blue due to be painted any time now.

66589 is the latest Freightliner 66 to arrive for repairs, arriving on the Maritime trip on Monday.

450015 has replaced 450029 earlier this week for Siemens, 450026 remains on site.

Wabtec are finishing off 455840 which will be leaving tomorrow evening.

C Stock scrapping has restarted with Raxstar disposing of 6536 and 6567 yesterday.

End of an Era

Something I omitted from my previous post was that 59002 and 59004 were here over the weekend of 6th to 8th September for debranding. They had the large 'Y' and Yeoman branding painted out.

These were the last ones to carry the Yeoman logo, going back to John Yeoman the man who bought the 59s to the UK and ultimately also the design for the Class 66.

508 Disposals come to an end.....

The 508 disposals have come to an end, at least for now. 71488 and 64654 of 508203 were the last to be broken up by Raxstar earlier this week. This just leaves the 7 vehicles for Translators and spares.

 

Repainted 57002 departed with TSO 5810 and BSO 9525 and was replaced by 57007 which is now in primer. Arriving with 57007 were 47790, 47853 and TSO 6122 for repairs.

 

70017 has departed following completion of repairs. 66556 has also departed following repairs and 66587 remains here.

 

GBRf 66716 has departed following repainting and been replaced by 66717 which is in the Paintshop being prepared for repainting.

 

NR 57s are beginning to see more use with both GBRf and Colas using them recently.

 

31105 has visited several times recently with a Test Train and is currently in the yard being refuelled ready for its next outing.

 

Wabtec are now working on 455840 which is due out next week.

 

Siemens have 450029 and 450026 on site, with 029 due out very soon and another in to replace it.

 

MOD 428 is running around in primer with the covers off while 66s and 57s are in the Paintshop.

 

07007 has had downtime this week to fix some annoyingly persistent oil leaks which, fingers crossed, are now resolved.

 

C Stock arrivals so far this month have been; 5536/6536, 5567/6567, 5554/6554 and 5730/6730 with all but 5567 already in the scrap line.

 

Work continues on the overhaul of Merchant Navy 35005 'Canadian Pacific'.