Unusual wagons for track laying

nickt · Post by **nickt** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 11:45 am

I saw some odd wagons with tilted frames on sunday in vicinity of dr days as part of track renewal train. Would they be for transporting track panels or pre-assembled points. The points on the junction have been replaced and there was a crane in the line up.

the green mile · Post by **the green mile** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:54 pm

I saw them as well at Temple Meads a few weeks ago. Were these involved in an incident about a month ago between S Gifford and Bristol East where they could not be extracted from an overrunning occupation due to restrictive route availability?

nickt · Post by **nickt** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:56 am

Dont know the answer to that one... First time ive seen these. Heard some one mention wagons that can transport track in a similar way but they keep within loading guage..

the green mile · Post by **the green mile** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 11:58 am

They certainly look as if they are designed to carry track panels of some sort. Of couse,loading gauge is only one factor affecting route availabilty.

The 76 tonne Cowans Sheldon breakdown cranes introduced about 30 years ago were well within the loading gauge but were very restricted due to their weight - 155 tons if memory serves me correct. I think they were RA10 when introduced but this may have been reduced to RA9 at some stage. There were some beautifully hand drawn maps of the route which showed where they could go with comments associated with certain underbridges, such as "10 mph. To be inspected by the Chief Civil Engineer following passage".

I actually used one of these cranes to help the P/Way chaps catch up with tracklaying one night when they fell behind due to plant failures.

stopblock · Post by **stopblock** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:42 pm

They carry the nickname of the double glazing wagons. They have ben in use on the recent weekend blockade at Dr days replacing various sections of track..
There was quite a bit of intreast at Ashley Hill last weekend at the relaying going on there good for joe public to see how much work is involved for a weekend pocesation.