West Junction

The vehicle between the Auto hoppers and the Tilting wagons is a modified Perch wagon to carry the Module S&C lifting beam which the Kirow uses to lift the S&C panels off. Most Module S&C from Beeston for a work site would be formed of the required number of Tilting wagons with a Beam wagon one end and a Bass/OCA the other for other materials.

I do have another slide of a crane from the other side, not the OOC crane, but another R&R crane DS1560 at Hither Green in 1967.

I've only this from October 1962

The larger central frame is the clamping frame. All the other frames on the imports just support the load. Similar to the Plasser LWRT's where the load is centrally clamped and free to move over the other frames/roller banks with the buffer/draw of the wagons. Corus 36m loads didn't use frames, see the previous photo of 60007 at Castleton, two wagons behind loco. Frame position depends on the actual position of the frames on the wagon for load bearing and length of rail to be moved to ensure correct overhangs.

That's the Corus frames, they just support the rails. Import flows use plain steel frames which including a clamp frame in the middle of the load.

There are differences between the wagons, most would not be easy to visually identify. Dimensions, tare weights and loading limits are slightly different for example. If I remember correctly the MK3 & 4's were at least marked by the wagon number on the vehicle. Corus just had MK2's to start with, believe they may now use some other MK's as well. The MK2 are the easiest to identify by looking at the bolsters. You can just see two in your photo, transverse wooden blocks fixed to the wagon deck. The other MK wagons had hinged turn over bolsters, which when not in use were flat to the wagon deck. When in use these often had additional timber fixed on top as they were not very high.

My memory for dates is not very good but I'll try and detail the traffic I remember post 2000 towards 2015. Corus hired IGA MK2 wagons for internal GB traffic. In 2004 there were Loading Patterns for 60' rails on a single IGA & 36m loaded over two wagons. Corus also had there own loading frames for loading longer lengths over multiple wagons. 73m over four wagons & 216m over eleven. Originally these were used for import flows through various Ports to welding depots, Castleton, Workington and Eastleigh, 36 & 73m. The three welding depots, Workington, Castleton (both Corus) and Eastleigh Network Rail (originally contractor was Mowlem's). Home produced rail (Workington) although rolled to a maximum of 72m, could only leave as 36m (geography of site). Network Rail wanted fewer welds for a standard length of 216m which led to the new plant at Scunthorpe (roll 108m rail) and Workington's closure. Castleton also closed as there was a new welding plant at Scunthorpe. 216m over eleven wagons were used for a time, until falling victim to H&S, for unloading on site by being pulled off the wagons old style. With the drive for 216m rails with only one weld, there were import flows of 108m rails loaded over multiple IGA MK3/4 in frames from Italy and Austria to Network Rail at Eastleigh. When Scunthorpe opened, 108m rail started moving to Eastleigh on Corus IGA's and Network Rail's stock rail carriers. Loading pattern for the now ex Corus IGA's have developed for export flows from Scunthorpe to Ports and through the CT. During HS1 construction 108m rails were imported from Germany to Beech Brook Farm. MK1 IGA's I think. Long S&C 43m was also imported from France, loaded over two IGA wagons with frames and an under runner, French 2 axle open with doors removed. While the Wembley - Gremberg wagonload services were running there was also the odd wagon of rail, special rails such as Tram Rail and S&C rails. I also remember imports of round bar from Dunkirk area, trails of round timber from Germany and IGA's used as runners with a support frame for Plasser MFS wagons from Austria. There were exports of sheeted steel sections from Teesside to Italy and I've loaded wagons at Bridgewater and Chittening Estate with conductor rail for European U Bahn's, Berlin I think it was. Probably other traffic but that's all I can remember at the moment.

There were sidings on the up side where the Warship was stabled along with an industrial shunter. Rail Centres Reading - Laurence Waters Steam naphtha reforming plant (New Works) was opened opposite the old works connected by new sidings to WR low level at Kings Meadow.

I first remember the workings in the 70's with ED's on Grain workings. E60xx in those days. Later there were Ripple Lane working usually with a 37. Trains would arrive on the down, with the assistance of the station railman operating the frame, would runround using the two trailing crossover, setback then haul forward into the headshunt. The train was then split into the two sidings with the loco waiting in the headshunt during discharge. D821 was stabled for a number of years in the Reading Gas Works (new works) sidings on the up side (north) of the GW mainline just west of where the Kennet joins the Thames. Just east (other side of the Kennet) was Earley Power Station.

The overheads went up at Iver on the Up Goods which then became the Up Iver Loop (UIL). East of the River Colne it was relaid along with W Drayton Loop (WDL). Adjacent to the old W Drayton yard a new facing and trailing crossover with the UR went in. West of the Colne the track is Bullhead rail on concrete/wooden sleepers. The UIL is shown OOU in the Sectional Appendix from at least 08/12/17. From the west end to just east of Iver station, track panels have now been lifted and the bed levelled.

Finally, and to complete some views of the various works, completed and ongoing, between Maidenhead & Hayes, Slough.

Maidenhead 30/09 Platform extension work. DR London end. All platforms country end (UM not shown, short extension to match length of DM).

Some photos of Hayes 30/09. 7 car 345 in the bay. Footbridge. Work has started on the station buildings with part of PL 4 OOU country end.

West Drayton 30/09. New footbridge and platform work.

New footbridges at Langley & Taplow 30/09.