66044 on A350 with police escort ?

[Snow1964]

Just seen red DB liveried 66044 on a road transporter, with a police escort of a Land rover and at least 3 police motorcycle outriders heading northwards on A350 Chippenham bypass in Wiltshire.

Anyone know why it is moving through Wiltshire by road. or why it needs so many police vehicles to accompany it, or where it is headed

 

[Spirit555]

Not sure why the escort, but 66044 needed road movement as its brake blocks disintegrated in December.

Mark

 

[Razorblades]

Stopped with wheel flats, as I understand it.

 

[43096]

Stopped with wheel flats, as I understand it.

Flats acquired on RHTT duty last year, apparently. Loco heading for Toton.

 

[sutty]

Just seen red DB liveried 66044 on a road transporter, with a police escort of a Land rover and at least 3 police motorcycle outriders heading northwards on A350 Chippenham bypass in Wiltshire.

Anyone know why it is moving through Wiltshire by road. or why it needs so many police vehicles to accompany it, or where it is headed

Nothing particularly special. Police escort will come from the fact that it's a large load that may need junctions and small roads ahead of it clearing to make way for the carrier. Some larger loads work with local authorities to have roadside signs temporarily taken down so that it can pass.

 

[Snow1964]

Nothing particularly special. Police escort will come from the fact that it's a large load that may need junctions and small roads ahead of it clearing to make way for the carrier. Some larger loads work with local authorities to have roadside signs temporarily taken down so that it can pass.

If it is that difficult to move it by road, and it sounds like it had taken about 8 weeks to arrange it, and get it on a suitable transporter. Plus booking the police escort (all of which must have cost a lot).

Then I wonder if it would have been easier to lift it with a crane and swap the bogies or wheels to move it by rail. Or am I just being naive. Especially as at end of road journey will still need the wheels sorted anyway.

 

[DarloRich]

Just seen red DB liveried 66044 on a road transporter, with a police escort of a Land rover and at least 3 police motorcycle outriders heading northwards on A350 Chippenham bypass in Wiltshire.

Anyone know why it is moving through Wiltshire by road. or why it needs so many police vehicles to accompany it, or where it is headed

Perhaps because it is an outsize load for the area/infrastructure and they need to clear the way. Perhaps it has to go wrong way through a particular junction or traffic island or some such.

That or it is going to blow if goes under 60 mph!

it will be off to Toton if it is DBC surely.

( PS nothing like a police outrider escort for getting through the traffic lights. Superb!)

 

[DelW]

If it is that difficult to move it by road, and it sounds like it had taken about 8 weeks to arrange it, and get it on a suitable transporter. Plus booking the police escort (all of which must have cost a lot).

Then I wonder if it would have been easier to lift it with a crane and swap the bogies or wheels to move it by rail. Or am I just being naive. Especially as at end of road journey will still need the wheels sorted anyway.

I'm sure it will have been decided on cost and practicality (can a crane even reach the loco?).

A class 66 weighs around 127t, so even to lift one end at a time would be at least a 64t lift. To do that at (say) 20m radius from the crane centreline, you'd need at least a 500t nominal capacity crane. I'm out of touch with current rates, but for that I think you'd be looking at over £5,000 per day for crane and driver alone.

 

[fgwrich]

Perhaps because it is an outsize load for the area/infrastructure and they need to clear the way. Perhaps it has to go wrong way through a particular junction or traffic island or some such.

That or it is going to blow if goes under 60 mph!

it will be off to Toton if it is DBC surely.

( PS nothing like a police outrider escort for getting through the traffic lights. Superb!)

And I can tell you what a feeling it is!

But yes, Toton depot is the destination for the 66.

 

[Mystic Force]

There might have been a need for a crane to get it on the road trailer......

 

[Wyrleybart]

If it is that difficult to move it by road, and it sounds like it had taken about 8 weeks to arrange it, and get it on a suitable transporter. Plus booking the police escort (all of which must have cost a lot).

Then I wonder if it would have been easier to lift it with a crane and swap the bogies or wheels to move it by rail. Or am I just being naive. Especially as at end of road journey will still need the wheels sorted anyway.

Or even isolate the bogie brakes and put three wagons behind it fpr brake force. I am guessing the wheeltreads were damaged though so it would have had to go by road.
Probably cheaper than on rail anyway