Mystery track maintenance train?

[Alanko]

A few nights ago I decided to 'self isolate' in the second bedroom of our house, which overlooks the Edinburgh to Glasgow line. I don't have Coronavirus, just a nasty cold, but I didn't sleep very well. I was aware of several trains passing in the night, but one stands out.

I have a memory of being woken by a train of some sort. I took a peep out the curtains and saw what looked like a train no longer than a Transit van. It was yellow and I could clearly see workers on it, dressed in orange overalls. They were brightly lit, as was the area around this train. It didn't appear to have a normal cab structure, and wasn't passing particularly quickly. It was reasonably loud, but the noise seemed to relate to its function rather than anything involved in moving it (like a loud diesel engine).

I couldn't match this to anything on RTT, beyond general maintenance moves over the past few days which seem to vary wildly from the times plotted out in RTT. I also can't find a corresponding train when scouring photos of Network Rail equipment online. I'm semi ready to chalk this up as a fever dream, but thought I would check with you lot first! I did find photos of tamper trains in the US that looked semi similar.

 

[LOM]

Certainly a roadrailer. Probably one of the welders’ Mitsubishi Canters or Iveco Daily 4x4s, or an OLE Unimog.

 

[High Dyke]

If an On-Track Machine (OTM) is working within an engineering possession then it wouldn't show on RTT.

I don't have a picture to hand, but could it be something like a road-rail Unimog? These type are used by overhead line maintenance teams. They either have a cherry picker fitted or a scissor lift platform.

 

[DarloRich]

A few nights ago I decided to 'self isolate' in the second bedroom of our house, which overlooks the Edinburgh to Glasgow line. I don't have Coronavirus, just a nasty cold, but I didn't sleep very well. I was aware of several trains passing in the night, but one stands out.

I have a memory of being woken by a train of some sort. I took a peep out the curtains and saw what looked like a train no longer than a Transit van. It was yellow and I could clearly see workers on it, dressed in orange overalls. They were brightly lit, as was the area around this train. It didn't appear to have a normal cab structure, and wasn't passing particularly quickly. It was reasonably loud, but the noise seemed to relate to its function rather than anything involved in moving it (like a loud diesel engine).

I couldn't match this to anything on RTT, beyond general maintenance moves over the past few days which seem to vary wildly from the times plotted out in RTT. I also can't find a corresponding train when scouring photos of Network Rail equipment online. I'm semi ready to chalk this up as a fever dream, but thought I would check with you lot first! I did find photos of tamper trains in the US that looked semi similar.

Is the line electrified? If so it sounds like a mewp ( mobile elevated work platform) designed to help access the overheads for inspection and repair

 

[DarloRich]

If an On-Track Machine (OTM) is working within an engineering possession then it wouldn't show on RTT.

I don't have a picture to hand, but could it be something like a road-rail Unimog? These type are used by overhead line maintenance teams. They either have a cherry picker fitted or a scissor lift platform.

Sounds spot on

 

[Alanko]

Is the line electrified? If so it sounds like a mewp ( mobile elevated work platform) designed to help access the overheads for inspection and repair

The line is electrified indeed, so this would fit the bill.

Thanks all for the suggestions thus far!

 

[IamTrainsYT]

how about a stoneblower? there is nothing normal about their cabs

 

[DarloRich]

how about a stoneblower? there is nothing normal about their cabs

They will be bigger than the suggested size set out by the OP

 

[Alanko]

how about a stoneblower? there is nothing normal about their cabs

From what I've Googled I think these are too long. The open section behind the cab looks semi-correct, but the thing I saw was about a third of the length and seemed to be reasonably open plan, as I could clearly see the chaps working on it. I couldn't tell what they were doing.

What I did notice was that the rear lights were quite close together. Narrower than the width of the track, even.

I think a conventional vehicle adapted for rail use makes sense.

 

[swt_passenger]

From what I've Googled I think these are too long. The open section behind the cab looks semi-correct, but the thing I saw was about a third of the length and seemed to be reasonably open plan, as I could clearly see the chaps working on it. I couldn't tell what they were doing.

What I did notice was that the rear lights were quite close together. Narrower than the width of the track, even...

The “rail” running lights on a road rail conversion often are more central, because the base vehicle body will also have to meet the normal road regulations for positioning of its “road” lights; and of course the road railer will have a normal front and back when on the road, but must obviously have reversible rail lights.

You might get an idea of exactly what it was by browsing the On Track Plant website here, if you aren’t already aware of it: https://www.ontrackplant.com/