Weekend on the railways

[martyn williams]

Busy weekend ,it started off with a derailed loco as I got into work,then after that was rerailed another loco jumped the track at the other end of the yard.This loco is owned by our compeditors.It came to a sudden stop after its leading bogie came off the rail at some pointwork.It was hauling a train of coal empties at the time,if it was loaded it would have caused more damage with 2000 tonnes behind it Had to do a post derailment inspection on 66250 as this was booked on a train.All sorted and it left ontime on a train to Scunthorpe.The Freightliner loco was rerailed by 1530.Yesterday took me to Westbury on a job, then on to Hinksey Oxford for a loco with flat batteries.Just about got the van out of the yard as it was snowing heavy.These derailments were caused by compacted snow in point blades
Martyn
Photo shows the Freightliner loco 10 minutes after it came off.

[martyn williams]

Me starting a Class 60 at Oxford yesterday, engine not been run for days
[video]http://youtu.be/1YbnZHnG04M[/video]

[modelman093]

Seems to give the batteries and starter motor a fair bit of punishment - just how many chances do you get?

[martyn williams]

It has two starter motors,the poor things have to turn over a very large 8 cylinder 3300 hp Mirrlees.This loco had been left for days in ice cold conditions without being run.I was a bit peed off with this job as I was called to attend a bit late in the day after working on another job at Westbury,I was hoping to get back to Wales after the Westbury job. This trek could have been avoided as we instructed the drivers to run the engine for two hours every day.I was lucky to have a guy in the yard to push the starter btton whilst I was on the fuel rack innside.He did well to film the job as well as help me.Normally there would be no one at this yard on a Sunday.
Martyn

[gah1950]

It has two starter motors,the poor things have to turn over a very large 8 cylinder 3300 hp Mirrlees.This loco had been left for days in ice cold conditions without being run.I was a bit peed off with this job as I was called to attend a bit late in the day after working on another job at Westbury,I was hoping to get back to Wales after the Westbury job. This trek could have been avoided as we instructed the drivers to run the engine for two hours every day.I was lucky to have a guy in the yard to push the starter btton whilst I was on the fuel rack innside.He did well to film the job as well as help me.Normally there would be no one at this yard on a Sunday.
Martyn

hello martyn,
ask a dull question,how did you rerail the loco as i cant see a 200 ton crane around.
graham.

[topkit]

I think they use jacks that how they used to put our locos back on to the rails. Martyn i hope the competition has been charged well for your work, it's not like the good old days when we were all one company, if there was a breakdown the nearest depot would send any loco that they had available and the train was soon moving again, i have heard nowadays its all paperwork and hiring a loco from one company to help another etc sounds crazy!

[martyn williams]

Hello Graham.
A set of four jacks, packing and hydraulic rams are used.It takes longer to set up than to do the job.It took two and a half hours for each loco. It tokk five guys that came up from Margam,they finnished the first one,packed up and went for something to eat before going home,but were called back to do the Freightliner loco that was drivern by a mate of mine It was a mad day.I had to do a quick check on the first one to make sure it was fit for service to haul a steel train up North.In between those jobs I had to put two class 66 in multiple,6600 hp to pull a very heavy train up to Bescot.It did not need a banker at Bromsgrove with that power.A single 66 is limited to 1200 tonne on the bank,a class 60 is 1400 tonnes and a 37 max weight on the bank ,900 tonnes.
The company set up is mad these days,one loco was stranded for four hours whilst a "fee " was set up. I had to wait seven hours to get the nod to work on a "Hanson " owned loco last year.
Martyn

[Jeremy Rowland]

Nice bit of clagg on the 60 Martyn

Jeremy

[martyn williams]

The 60 was impersonating an IH Drott mate
Martyn

[martyn williams]

Found this footage of the same loco at work around Northampton area. This is the way it should start up. Idling for long periods of time on engineering jobs don't do the engine much good.The bores get glazed up causing poor compressing due to ring wear and sealing and leading to crankcase pressure buildup and a smokey exhaust.Back on tonight,hope they have followed my instructions on this loco
[video]http://youtu.be/5I2Jb9Dt7n4[/video]