RHTT 2021 Season

[beast66606]

On 16/10/2021 at 15:07, beast66606 said:

Looks like we'll be getting 37419 and 57002 - our fleet of locos is bare minimum at the moment.

 

And ... both have failed before they made it over.

Edited October 18, 2021 by beast66606

[4630]

The DRS 'extras' at York, 66303 'Rail Riders 2020' and 66304, made it over to this part of West Yorkshire early this morning working to a VSTP schedule, 3J24-3J26.

 

Shortly after sunrise the pair pass through Brighouse with 3J26, 07.06 Wakefield Kirkgate to York Thall Europa, after a reversal at Halifax. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by 4630
re-upload photos

[St. Simon]

On 13/10/2021 at 23:50, PaulRhB said:

One is the Bournemouth circuit which covers Botley & Netley too originating at Totton Yard and the other is the Salisbury & Warminster circuit 3S80 originating at Effingham. 

 

Hi Paul,

 

I see, thanks for the info, I assumed they must have be on short circuits due to how quickly they each reappeared!

 

Simon

[Metr0Land]

The RHTT working to Tondu and Maesteg is traditionally in darkness.  For 2021 the Sunday working is just about in daylight until the clocks change.  (66092 out of sight on rear).

[jamie.dunn]

Here’s two shots of 37401 and 37402 resting at Scarborough on Saturday evening before returning back to ‘base’. 
 

 

[adb968008]

On 14/10/2021 at 15:12, mikejames said:

A week or two ago I saw an article that said northern was testing the use of solid carbon dioxide

to clear/clean the tracks.

does anyone know if its happening?

 

thanks

mike j

Isnt that a track cleaning rubber ?

[adb968008]

A pair of 66’s seems such a waste of resources on an RHTT,  cannot imagine the economics cost of having spare 66’s idling year round waiting for this work too… these things cost millions, and i’d expect hire fees to not be insignificant.

 

tbh maybe 66’s should be assigned to more productive use and turn this over to aging stock with little else productive to do…redundant HST power cars come to mind.

 

in the old days infrastructure / engineering trains used leftovers from the shed, not dedicated boutique resources… thats why NR is costing the tax payer so much.

Edited October 18, 2021 by adb968008

[PaulRhB]

2 hours ago, St. Simon said:

 

Hi Paul,

 

I see, thanks for the info, I assumed they must have be on short circuits due to how quickly they each reappeared!

 

Simon

I think 80 only reappeared so fast as it got turned round at Eastleigh twice last week due to problems. 
It’s been a problem child so far this season and it is the only one hitting one of our high risk sites so I’m watching it very closely as we’ve got the backup machine on 3W87 to get that tasked or can ask the Western nicely to borrow a bit of water off 3J13 as it transits over the site to turn round at Salisbury. 
The MOM’s are checking railheads for us so we know when it starts to get bad  

[Gilbert]

37401 and 402 are just leaving York for a trip around Yorkshire

 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G65916/2021-10-19/detailed

Edited October 19, 2021 by Gilbert

[big jim]

18 hours ago, adb968008 said:

A pair of 66’s seems such a waste of resources on an RHTT,  cannot imagine the economics cost of having spare 66’s idling year round waiting for this work too… these things cost millions, and i’d expect hire fees to not be insignificant.

 

tbh maybe 66’s should be assigned to more productive use and turn this over to aging stock with little else productive to do…redundant HST power cars come to mind.

 

in the old days infrastructure / engineering trains used leftovers from the shed, not dedicated boutique resources… thats why NR is costing the tax payer so much.

 

HSTs on water jetters, now I like that idea, don’t think it would clean much at 125mph though! 
 

Thing is using things other than 66s would involve new wiring on the wagons (unless it was a blue star or AAR fitted multi working loco) otherwise you would have to isolate the rear loco every time you change ends if it’s not in multi, class 37s for example on the RHTT (or infrastructure trains) if the through wagon blue star connection isn’t working the rear loco has to be manned as it doesn’t have any automatic fire protection and the driver wouldn’t know if it were to catch fire, it also has to have a key left in and be left in neutral, only minor things but the train is suddenly double manned (even if only by a shunter) but costs are doubled and time, which is tight on these circuits, is also added every time you change ends 

 

there is also the issue of training drivers, I had a week last month doing MPVs, that’s took me out of the ‘productive’ pool for a week while there were jobs uncovered I could do, using the likes of HST powercars would mean drivers would have to learn them, not many freight company drivers have experience of anything other than 66s yet alone a former dedicated passenger loco so it would be another time consuming issue, there was a rumour last week (and I stress very much a rumour from an over enthusiastic employee, ie not happening!) that we at GB we’re going to hire in 37s for the RHTT to free up 66s, sounds fantastic I hear you say, only issue being there are only 2 of us who sign all the Midlands part of the 3J02 RHTT circuit AND class 37s and only 2 who sign both 37s and the southern half of the circuit so that would require the other drivers being trained or the same 4 drivers glued to the RHTT for 3 months (there is only me and one other who could instruct and assess on them but again it takes us out of the productive pool while we do it)

 

Long gone are the days of ‘any old loco’ on trains like these as delays on them are very costly, cancellations more so, we had an issue last week with a jetter and had to return to shed 3 times in the night, we couldn’t just abandon the train at the first issue, we sat there while it was attempted to  be repaired and had to going out until it got to a point where my day was up and we had to abandon the circuit and get back to base 

 

As you can see it’s not quite as cut and dried as just putting a different loco the front on unfortunately, lots of things to factor in, training, traction and route knowledge, infrastructure etc 

 

still wouldn’t say no to a HST on it though, to be honest if I could have a class 69 conversion I’d have a go with a pair of those on it (if we had more than a pair available!) 

[Busmansholiday]

No change at Scarborough today.

[StuAllen]

Got a few from just north of Wivelsfield this morning

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by StuAllen

[Busmansholiday]

66426 (leading) and 66423 storm up the bank (sadly a lot quieter than a pair of 37s do) into Wombwell Station on yesterdays service.

 

[newbryford]

On 19/10/2021 at 12:56, big jim said:

 

Thing is using things other than 66s would involve new wiring on the wagons (unless it was a blue star or AAR fitted multi working loco) otherwise you would have to isolate the rear loco every time you change ends if it’s not in multi, 

 

 

 

 

I think the North-west RHTT wagons may also have Class 68 cables as they both sounded powered past me. I'll try and see it in daylight next week, but have to also get lucky with a pair of them as 3J11 seems to be a lucky dip for locos!

[big jim]

Are 68s not AAR fitted, when chiltern swapped from 67s to 68s I don’t think they had to modify the stock to work with them?

 

also Ive been traction conducted on IM stuff with MK2s running 68s top and tail 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by big jim

[TomScrut]

7 hours ago, big jim said:

Are 68s not AAR fitted, when chiltern swapped from 67s to 68s I don’t think they had to modify the stock to work with them?

 

I am pretty sure only the Chilterns and 68008 I think can operate with the MK3 sets (probably because of the DVT).

 

I am also pretty sure I read the 68s can only run in multiple with each other and 88s, not sure if these points rule AAR being fitted as I don't know enough about it.

[Kaput]

The Chiltern 68's and 68008/9 are AAR fitted. The rest can only run in multiple with other 68s/88s.

[newbryford]

On 24/10/2021 at 14:22, Kaput said:

The Chiltern 68's and 68008/9 are AAR fitted. The rest can only run in multiple with other 68s/88s.

 

I believe the Chiltern 68s (and the designated spare 008/009) have a form of AAR but can only be driven from a mk3 DVT via it.

A Chiltern 68 cannot control a 66 or other "normal" AAR fitted loco.

Edited October 28, 2021 by newbryford

[Grampus]

Good evening all.  Could anybody help me with the numbers of the two DBS (Red) 66s I saw East of Lincoln this morning (Monday 25th Oct) at about 0805 on an RHTT train, crossing over the Bypass, Lincoln-bound, on the line from Peterborough, please?   They didn't look to dirty yet, but I guess it's early in the season.  Many thanks.

 

Hopefully,

 

Paul

 

[4630]

26 minutes ago, Grampus said:

Good evening all.  Could anybody help me with the numbers of the two DBS (Red) 66s I saw East of Lincoln this morning (Monday 25th Oct) at about 0805 on an RHTT train, crossing over the Bypass, Lincoln-bound, on the line from Peterborough, please?  

 

According to a TOPS list DB Cargo 66074 and 66114 worked 3J41, 06.10 Peterborough LIP to Doncaster Up Decoy, through Lincoln at 08.16. 
 

HTH

Edited October 25, 2021 by 4630

[Grampus]

Brilliant - the timings certainly work.  Thank you very much - really appreciated.

 

Best wishes,

 

Paul

[Gilbert]

If anyone has access to Railcam York ROC2 is showing 2 37s with a standard 2 wagon train plus 2 66s unusually with a single wagon.

Chris

[letterspider]

Spotted on the North London Goblin line

Nice to see the LU celebrity 66s together; hopefully we may see more of these being renewed in model form. 

[TomScrut]

1 hour ago, letterspider said:

hopefully we may see more of these being renewed in model form

 

A pair of these from Hattons would be great, even if it meant my Bachmann 721's value would plummet!

[Davexoc]

Didcot based pair 66151 and 155 just before lunchtime today

 

 

66155 on the rear as they stormed off on the Westbury bound afternoon blast, passing through Didcot 4 minutes early

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by Davexoc
Photo restored