New connection with Network Rail?

[roythebus]

Is there a new connection in the east end between the District and Network Rail? the reason I ask is that yesterday I noticed a ballast train on the w/b District at Plaistow with a very large modern diesel loco on the front (sorry I don't know what class, I was bus driving at the time). I'm sure that size of loco could not have fitted through the tunnels from somewhere like Baker Street or the bottom of the Circle.

[DWS]

Mar 26, 2016 12:53:51 GMT roythebus said:

Is there a new connection in the east end between the District and Network Rail? the reason I ask is that yesterday I noticed a ballast train on the w/b District at Plaistow with a very large modern diesel loco on the front (sorry I don't know what class, I was bus driving at the time). I'm sure that size of loco could not have fitted through the tunnels from somewhere like Baker Street or the bottom of the Circle.

Do you recall what colour the locomotive was ?

[piccboy]

There is a set of points at Barking on the Eastbound just before the beginning of Platform 1a, not sure if it is in use though.

[norbitonflyer]

Mar 26, 2016 13:30:33 GMT piccboy said:

There is a set of points at Barking on the Eastbound just before the beginning of Platform 1a, not sure if it is in use though.

As shown on CULG, Carto Metro, Google Earth and here at about 27:30

But in any case, surely anything built to NR loading gauge should be able to go anywhere S stock can go?

[Deleted]

The connection just west of Barking (from the Gospel Oak line) on the eastbound (District) line was installed September 2008.

[Deleted]

GCP1 they are officially called they are non powered and have to be manually wound over for any moves over them.

Neither LU signaller or NR signaller have any control of them

They are detected to give the correct indications, when not in use they are scotch & clipped padlocked etc

[DWS]

As far as I am aware all Engineers Trains booked for the work to renew track and points over the Easter weekend on the District line came from and returned to Ruslip Depot and not via Network Rail connections.

[Deleted]

If any are booked to come from NR they are listed in the relevant internal publications.

I can't say anymore as these do explain traction on and off times etc

[roythebus]

Thanks, the loco seemed to be one of the GBRF class 66's? The same sort of train was on the e/b District yesterday. surely with the sheer length and height of these locos thy would be restricted even from the ssl tunnels?

[DWS]

Mar 27, 2016 9:54:23 GMT roythebus said:

Thanks, the loco seemed to be one of the GBRF class 66's? The same sort of train was on the e/b District yesterday. surely with the sheer length and height of these locos thy would be restricted even from the ssl tunnels?

The class 66 and trains come on to the east end of the District Line via the link at Barking with Network Rail.

[norbitonflyer]

Mar 27, 2016 9:54:23 GMT roythebus said:

Thanks, the loco seemed to be one of the GBRF class 66's? The same sort of train was on the e/b District yesterday. surely with the sheer length and height of these locos thy would be restricted even from the ssl tunnels?

Remember that the A stock - which most definitely fitted the SSL tunnels! - was actually bigger than standard loading gauge. However, the 66s are primarily intended for surface sections, and access to the east end is possible at Barking without negitiating the tunnel sections. (The rigid wheelbase of the six-wheel bogies might be a problem at the Aldgate triangle)

[phil]

Mar 27, 2016 13:24:54 GMT norbitonflyer said:

Mar 27, 2016 9:54:23 GMT roythebus said:

Thanks, the loco seemed to be one of the GBRF class 66's? The same sort of train was on the e/b District yesterday. surely with the sheer length and height of these locos thy would be restricted even from the ssl tunnels?

Remember that the A stock - which most definitely fitted the SSL tunnels! - was actually bigger than standard loading gauge. However, the 66s are primarily intended for surface sections, and access to the east end is possible at Barking without negitiating the tunnel sections. (The rigid wheelbase of the six-wheel bogies might be a problem at the Aldgate triangle)

What about length? Just because the A stock had the widest profile in the country and the D stock is not that much smaller doesn't mean a mainline loco like a 66 would fit through the inner circle sections without hitting things (though a 73, being a short and compact loco might be OK)

[Deleted]

Mar 27, 2016 10:14:32 GMT DWS said:

Mar 27, 2016 9:54:23 GMT roythebus said:

Thanks, the loco seemed to be one of the GBRF class 66's? The same sort of train was on the e/b District yesterday. surely with the sheer length and height of these locos thy would be restricted even from the ssl tunnels?

The class 66 and trains come on to the east end of the District Line via the link at Barking with Network Rail.

I don't see how that is possible unless they all came onto the line before they ripped up the points into Barking sidings this weekend (Eastbound), a freight train of this length coming via this connection would go way over these points before it could reverse.

I often wonder what the logistics of moving these long freight trains is like during the weekend work. There are three separate work sites this weekend from what I can tell: West of Mile End, Bromley by Bow and Barking. Are these trains all put onto the opposite track in a set order so that they can just move them along the track so the next one can come along side, as there are a limited number of points to juggle them.

edit: The Twitter feed has been very good for images of the works this weekend!

[roythebus]

There was another class 66 and ballast train at Plaistow on the e/b yesterday. also loads of road low-loaders with road/rail diggery plant and machinery. the onlt bit of railway I see on the rail replacement buses is the bit at Plaistow!! Oh, and Canning Town...

[DWS]

The Engineers trains are put into the work sites before any track or points are removed, all the work is subject to lots of planning meetings and all the movements are listed in documents that lay down the order of work to be done,

[Colin]

I observed two seperate class 66 hauled trains from my c2c train today, one at Plaistow and one on the eastbound adjacent to Barking sidings.

They were carrying plates proclaiming this to be the last job involving GB Railfreight.

[Deleted]

There is no plan to rip out the connection to the GOBLIN line infact only 2 months ago now was the point machine replaced

[Deleted]

From other groups it has been established the Easter weekend was the end of a 10 year contract GBRf had with LUL for heavy track replacement engineering work. It seems GBRf had out a lot of their special livery locos for the occasion, and the LUL 150th anniversary livery locos 66718 and 66721 worked the very last train out of the worksite. Going forwards this will all be undertaken 'in house' with the battery locos only, rather than coming from Network Rail. I had read the connection at Barking will now be removed again but seems from the post above that might not happen?

Anyway, by co-incidence i was in London on Good Friday, these were my sightings in the morning on the East End of the district for anyone interested:

Mile End:
L47 & L54

Bromley-by-bow:
L49 & L52 (crane 628 in the formation)

West Ham:
66711 (aggregate industries livery) propelling wagons about
66725
66709 (MSC livery)

Plaistow:
66706 tnt 66710

West of Barking:
66721 (white LUL livery)
66718 (black LUL livery)
66762

L26 tnt L21 (moved into the station whilst i was there)

East of Barking:
66717
Kirow crane 81623
LUL maintenance/tamper vehicle TMM774

Behind the S stock in Barking Sidings:
L32
L45
new tampers TMM775 and TMM776

my photos are here:
wavygravy.smugmug.com/TrainsByDateTaken/London-25th-March-2016/

[humbug]

Nice photos, with good captioning.

[revupminster]

replacing the crossover at Upminster by Robert, on Flickr" alt=" "] "]

This was Easter 2009 Class 66 locomotives via the connection at Barking and one on the Romford branch