Were locomotive powerplants ever transported by road?

[Norm81]

I was wondering if this ever happened, but more specifically in the mid-80's. The usual suspects draw a blank or pictures of complete locomotives.

 

The sort of thing I have in my mind is for example a Sulzer 6LDA on a flatbed or low loader.

 

Thanks.

[Davexoc]

Up until the mid 80s there were still ENPARTS vehicles running between Works and depots so there wouldn't be much need to transport much by road. An engine would only be lifted out at the highest level depots or works, the loco more likely to be moved to works anyway.

Old Oak Common had EE engines from 50s on the deck at times, but getting a road vehicle in under the overhead crane would have been nigh on impossible.

 

Dave

[Fat Controller]

At the time in question, engines, along with generators and bogies, were moved from the main works to other works and depots by train. The engines would usually be conveyed by Weltrols or Warwells, and would be largely covered by wagon sheets. I first encountered such workings at Alsager in 1979/80, when there was a daily Derby- Crewe working with a very mixed rake of 'specials' . Bogies would come from Derby, whilst Crewe would send out reconditioned power units. In the early-mid 1980s, I would encounter similar trains serving Gateshead depot.

[AberdeenBill]

There were a handful of specially constructed 'engine carriers' (DB998050--DB998053; diagram 1/635?) that transferred DMU engines between Eastleigh and St Leonards (Hastings).   A couple were often to be seen in Eastleigh Works yard and looked like galvanised 'sheds' on wheels.  

 

Bill

[Bernard Lamb]

During the infamous 3 day week we had an 08 engine still mounted on the frames and including the buffers as a standby generator. It was delivered by road though I do not remember exactly on what type of vehicle. As a stationary power source it made a heck of a lot of noise and vibration.

Bernard

[anroar53]

There were a handful of specially constructed 'engine carriers' (DB998050--DB998053; diagram 1/635?) that transferred DMU engines between Eastleigh and St Leonards (Hastings).   A couple were often to be seen in Eastleigh Works yard and looked like galvanised 'sheds' on wheels.  

 

Bill

 

At least one has survived to the present day.

The cover to this wagon shows that it belonged to 998052. There is, or at least was, an engine still inside it.

 

Andy.

[anroar53]

I was wondering if this ever happened, but more specifically in the mid-80's. The usual suspects draw a blank or pictures of complete locomotives.

 

The sort of thing I have in my mind is for example a Sulzer 6LDA on a flatbed or low loader.

 

Thanks.

 

Wrong type of engine, 20 years out, but at least a power unit on a flatbed.

[desiro450]

Not the 1980's but your post triggered a memory from a VHS Railscene tape I had when I was younger. (Funny how the brain works.) I found the clip in question on YouTube. 

 

Skip to 2:04 (Well worth watching the whole thing though...) 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbMtXH4IO4s 

[The Johnster]

Many of the power units used in diesel locomotives were also available for use in other applications (the famous Deltic being originally developed for naval use in fast patrol boats), and might be found in marine or industrial use such as in generator sets anywhere.  One of these could very probably have been seen loaded on to a road vehicle, but one for railway use would, I think, have been unusual in the 80s.

 

My memories of Canton in the previous decade include road deliveries of wheelsets for locomotives, and complete dmu bogies, but as has been said, engines came on the enparts from Swindon or wherever.

[47164]

The power units for the initial batch of class 56's that were built in Romania were all trucked out there, some in mid winter...and no motorways in parts of Eastern Europe then !

[Derekl]

Not the 1980's but your post triggered a memory from a VHS Railscene tape I had when I was younger. (Funny how the brain works.) I found the clip in question on YouTube. 

 

Skip to 2:04 (Well worth watching the whole thing though...) 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbMtXH4IO4s 

 

Great piece of film - thank you. Interesting that there is not a safety glove in sight (although gloves would not have helped some of the potential trapping points) - not so good to hear that the innards were coated with asbestos - sorry a bit off topic.

[Norm81]

Thanks all, if BR wouldn't be moving them by road is there any possibility the preservation movement would?

[Pandora]

Around 15 years ago at Toton ,  I recall a loco which had been cut back to frames and bogies ie not much body left, and the loco  may well have been a transporter of diesel engines around the confines of the depot

[keefer]

I think they were class 37s, there are pics out there

[Bernard Lamb]

Thanks all, if BR wouldn't be moving them by road is there any possibility the preservation movement would?

 

Very much the case.

A few years ago I came up behind a J15 on the A41 just NW of Aylesbury.

Before Chinnor was reconnected all stock arrived and departed by road.

Several preserved lines are not connected to the national network so road transport is the only option.

Bernard

Bernard

[45125]

The first power units to be seen in any numbers in transit by road would have HST power units.

 

[60800]

Short answer is yes

 

Not 80's, but the long answer is yes, it's still done today. A short while before the two of the three HNRC 20's departed Scunthorpe, one of them (more than likely 20066) had an engine swap - the engine was brought via the M180 all wrapped up on the back of a low loader with HNRC branding everywhere. I've also seen engines / generators for 66's being taken down the same stretch of motorway, presumably to Trent repair sidings (Scunthorpe - DB) or Immingham (FL)

 

Cheers,

60800

Edited November 29, 2017 by 60800

[Gary H]

The first power units to be seen in any numbers in transit by road would have HST power units.

And that is still very common today!

All  MTU HST powerunits that are fitted or removed in Laira are brought in and taken out by road. I see them regularly going up and down the A38.

All their HST bogies are also moved by road.

[RfDforever]

I am surprised that no-one has made the point that, until sectorisation, items such as this were conveyed free of charge "OCS"; the choice between sending it free by rail or by road at a cost seems to be not a difficult one.

Railfreight from its inception had a great interest in understanding cost causation and soon discovered the scale of costs associated with 'free' movement - for instance, about 2/3rds of the workload of Gloucester New Yard (all the costs of which were inevitably allocated to R/f) was for civil engineers' trains. To add insult to injury, this was mostly prefab track panels and lwr to keep Intercity fast lines tip-top, while freight only lines were having serious problems with condition of track.

I recollect seeing a wagon loaded with a Sulzer engine (the clue being the covering sheet carrying that name very clearly) arriving on the ferry though I can't remember the conditions - maybe SBB were more generous.

[muddys-blues]

I would have thought plenty of power units for preservation locos would have been moved by road, and those power units heading for docks around the country to be exported to far off shores.

 

If not .... rule 1 just model it

 

Best regards

Craig