Class 90 Workings on the GWR Mainline

[GEOEng03]

Hi 

 

Out of interest.  Does anyone know of Class 90 working on the GW Mainline that may have happened.  Imagine these would be limited to electrified route as far as Reading etc...

 

Have found records via internet search of testing when the Heathrow wires were being tested in the late 90s.

 

Id thwre are pictures out there, then that would be great.

Cheers

[DY444]

Aside from the Heathrow testing the only electric locomotive I can recall on the GWML under its own power was 87002 last year.

[GEOEng03]

3 hours ago, DY444 said:

Aside from the Heathrow testing the only electric locomotive I can recall on the GWML under its own power was 87002 last year.

Thanks. That sounds interesting. Will do a search and see if there are any pics. 

Cheers 

[Johnson Street IEMD]

Hi, I saw your post about 90s on the GWML, as far as i am aware, 90035 is the first, having recently worked down there testing the overhead lines, having just been reliveried into DB Cargo red.

 

 

[TravisM]

4 hours ago, DBC90024 said:

Hi, I saw your post about 90s on the GWML, as far as i am aware, 90035 is the first, having recently worked down there testing the overhead lines, having just been reliveried into DB Cargo red.

 

 

 

From what I’ve read, 90035 is fitted with a Class 800 pantograph and is drawing power but not under power if that makes sense?  It’s being dragged by two Class 67’s, so is it being tested or the OHLE?

[MGR Hooper!]

Does this picture help anyone?

Credits: Colin J. Marsden (uploaded to The Railway Centre)

[Johnson Street IEMD]

As I understood from what I read about it - its more about the GWML than it is the 90 itself.

[Hesperus]

What's going on with the track in the foreground of that picture?

[Ron Ron Ron]

48 minutes ago, Hesperus said:

What's going on with the track in the foreground of that picture?

Maybe a road-rail access point?

[PaulRhB]

56 minutes ago, Hesperus said:

What's going on with the track in the foreground of that picture?

As Ron said it’s a RRV (road rail vehicle) access point for engineering works. Key points are picked for the usual blocking limits on a section of line. A lot also have hard standing compounds adjacent for secure storage while machines are berthed during the day to try and prevent thefts. 

[Fat Controller]

5 hours ago, jools1959 said:

 

From what I’ve read, 90035 is fitted with a Class 800 pantograph and is drawing power but not under power if that makes sense?  It’s being dragged by two Class 67’s, so is it being tested or the OHLE?

It's the overhead, and its associated equipment, that is being tested; the loco is there to provide a load (sometimes called a load-bank)

[DY444]

11 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

It's the overhead, and its associated equipment, that is being tested; the loco is there to provide a load (sometimes called a load-bank)

 

AIUI when being hauled the locomotive is merely measuring mechanical and aerodynamic parameters of the ole via the instrumented pantograph and not providing an electrical load other than whatever is needed to allow it to be hauled with its pan raised.  Reports suggest that the locomotive will haul the train for any tests requiring the drawing of more substantial currents.

[The Stationmaster]

13 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

As Ron said it’s a RRV (road rail vehicle) access point for engineering works. Key points are picked for the usual blocking limits on a section of line. A lot also have hard standing compounds adjacent for secure storage while machines are berthed during the day to try and prevent thefts. 

Indeed it is - and it's the one in the picture below - at the site of Ashbury Crossing just east of Shrivenham station site.