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55022 to work freight


Michael Delamar

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I think the question is, is a Deltic ideal for freight work? Seems an odd request. Will a fitter travel with each train as they did in regular service...:D

 

I'm not at all sure if a Deltic is the right thing for this sort of work but I don't know the route at all so don't know if the loco is going to start running into the low speed time limits on maximum amps restriction which the Deltics were saddled with. Working on a single engine might be a possibility but that apparently affects the field diverts and - again it depends on the nature of the route - that might not be entirely helpful(?). Overall not exactly the right sort of loco for the job but no doubt very much the sort of thing which a few years back would have emptied the shelves of Kodachrome and it'll make a few quid for the loco's owners (and presumably the hirer will be paying for the brake blockswink.gif).

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I think the question is, is a Deltic ideal for freight work? Seems an odd request. Will a fitter travel with each train as they did in regular service...:D

 

Everyone seems to be assuming traditional freight work - heavy/slow stuff. Surely if they are borrowing a Deltic it's going to be light/fast stuff like emu and barrier movements, or ECS ? Preserved Western on freight was cooler anyway 8)

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Everyone seems to be assuming traditional freight work - heavy/slow stuff. Surely if they are borrowing a Deltic it's going to be light/fast stuff like emu and barrier movements, or ECS ? Preserved Western on freight was cooler anyway 8)

 

Quote from Royal Scots Grey website:

 

"Following a recent increase in business, GB Rail Freight approached us recently regarding the hire of 55 022 for use on a freight working covering a total of 36 miles per day, operating 2 round trips between North Blyth and Lynemouth."

 

Sounds like the Alcan tanks to me, as shown in one of Beast's vids.

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Everyone seems to be assuming traditional freight work - heavy/slow stuff. Surely if they are borrowing a Deltic it's going to be light/fast stuff like emu and barrier movements, or ECS ? Preserved Western on freight was cooler anyway 8)

 

Seems we now have invisible video to go with invisible ink and invisible picsblink.gifsmile.gif The link says it's going to work on Lynemouth trains and we've now seen linked video showing what they are (the two different types of train which run loaded to Lynemouth - one with coal and the other with alumina). Mind you it could be that the hire will release another GBRF loco to go on the Lynemouths and the info from the Deltic owners isn't quite correct.

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I bet that GB RF looked for a loco with a certain number of horses in the engine bay. Probably why a 37/31 was not considered. I suspect that by the end date they have either moved from the job or got another shed lined up - Rail Freight still have plenty of shed stored at Midland Road in Leeds.

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Deltic's horses are more useful for speed than hauling capacity.

 

Though the prototype was trialled on freight of the unfitted variety, I've never known a Deltic to be used on freight when they were in service, not to say they couldn't do it. (waits for pictures to appear...)

 

The Deltic requires VERY careful use of the power handle when starting, open up, almost shut off, open up again, to avoid tripping the overloads as the revs build up. The engines are very responsive to the power handle settings, and the skill in Deltic driving is starting them! Only once the revs have built up steadily and the initial amps have gone down a bit can they be fully opened up. It's a bit easier using one engine, but then there's only half the power!

 

As for a fitter on every train, with the thousands of miles I worked on them, I only ever had a fitter ride with me once. But then they were in daily service then and were well looked after.

 

Good luck on this enterprise, it'll be interesting to see how the loco fares on fast freight.

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As for a fitter on every train, with the thousands of miles I worked on them, I only ever had a fitter ride with me once. But then they were in daily service then and were well looked after.

 

Good luck on this enterprise, it'll be interesting to see how the loco fares on fast freight.

 

The travelling 'fitter' (an EE employee) was, as I understood it, only riding when the original maintenance contract was in place and that the practice ceased when that contract ended.

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It won't be very fast freight on that line... a bit like 'Red Rum' pulling a totter's cart.

I wonder if GBRf will end up leasing any of the 66s that DRS have returned to the leasing companies- a Deltic is hardly ideal motive power for the job in question, where I doubt that the loco will ever do much more than 30 mph. This working was the last to have unfitted stock built for it, back in 1970, and I believe it was also the last regular unfitted working on the former BR network- the air-brake stock in the photos is a fairly recent arrival.

I have only ever seen one photo of a Deltic on any sort of freight- that was on a Freightliner train on the ECML in the 'Life and Times of Freightliner' book.

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Ex-DRS and Freightliner 66s are currently being prepared for use with GBRf but I know the management are fans of proper traction, so they won't waste an opportunity to have some fun pending the arrival of more Sheds. And if the rates are competitive with hiring a 37 or 47, then it makes sense. I'm just wondering how much a photographic expedition from Cornwall to Northumberland would set me back in fuel... :blink:

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A few images of 55022 this morning on the Alcan working to North Blyth.

 

 

post-5613-0-38291300-1302531171_thumb.jpg

 

Freemans Crossing 55022 Royal Scots Grey Alcan Lynemouth to North Blyth

 

 

post-5613-0-31273600-1302531161_thumb.jpg

 

 

Climbing to North Blyth 55022 Royal Scots Grey Alcan Lynemouth to North Blyth

 

 

post-5613-0-41882600-1302531177_thumb.jpg

 

 

North Blyth about to run round 55022 Royal Scots Grey Alcan Lynemouth to North Blyth

 

 

post-5613-0-12823100-1302531156_thumb.jpg

 

 

Alcan North Blyth 55022 Royal Scots Grey Alcan Lynemouth to North Blyth

 

 

Enjoy them.

 

David

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I do wonder if this escapade should carry an April 1st date, but thanks for the photos and good luck to all concerned and hope that the U-boat doesn't break!

 

Cheers,

Mick

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