08s on the mainline

[Solo40336]

Hi All,
New to the forum so be kind


Whilst in work yesterday, In a bus depot just outside of Manchester Piccadilly, More or less opposite Ardwick Junction i saw Longsight's 08611 running on the mainline away from Piccadilly towards Longsight, around 12:30PM.

Anybody know why it was running on such a busy corridor during that time of day? I couldn't believe my eyes and its been bugging me as to why ever since.

Thanks In Advance

 

[9K43]

The O8 might have been going for fuel, the loco may have been a demic requiring the service of a fitter down at the shed or maybe going to assist another loco motive. Or the driver was off somewhere to have his snap / toilet facilities.

 

[Solo40336]

That particular 08 is actually based in the yard at Longsight and would appear to have been returning from a duty out on the mainline, it was light engine and theres no sign of it on Realtime,

 

[CAF397]

Certainly for journeys of less than half a mile they don't need to have a path put in the TRUST system (which RTT and most other online journey planners pull the data from). Also, if workings are VSTP (planned on the day) then RTT won't have the working in.

But interesting none the less, would be interesting to know what the move was for.

 

[ThePannier]

Not sure if it's worth much - but when passing through York on Wednesday 29th October on an East Coast HST - I saw a Class 08 sitting in a siding with 60009 'Union of South Africa', just short of the NRM's main building.

 

[GB]

Certainly for journeys of less than half a mile they don't need to have a path put in the TRUST system (which RTT and most other online journey planners pull the data from). Also, if workings are VSTP (planned on the day) then RTT won't have the working in.

But interesting none the less, would be interesting to know what the move was for.

VSTP services usually do show up on RTT.

 

[alexl92]

Not sure if it's worth much - but when passing through York on Wednesday 29th October on an East Coast HST - I saw a Class 08 sitting in a siding with 60009 'Union of South Africa', just short of the NRM's main building.

Was it in maroon/red? If so it'll be the NRM's Class 09 used for re-arranging their displays etc.

 

[ThePannier]

Was it in maroon/red? If so it'll be the NRM's Class 09 used for re-arranging their displays etc.

No, sorry! - it looked like a silver-ish livery. I honestly can't remember specific details though, because it was a few weeks back, but that's all I can tell you unfortunately.

 

[dk1]

We get some 08 action in & around Norwich station when there are failures. NR where not happy when one strayed as far as Lakenham to assist a few months back as they have no TPWS or GSMR.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Would love to get one out on the mainline, don't get to open them up much in the yard confines!

 

[alexl92]

Open them up? To 21 mph?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

No, sorry! - it looked like a silver-ish livery. I honestly can't remember specific details though, because it was a few weeks back, but that's all I can tell you unfortunately.

Hmmm... The NRM's 08911 is listed on Wikipedia as being currently in Railfreight Grey, but the small amount of other info I could find and all recent pictures (albeit the most recent were 2011/2012) showed it in a variation of BR Blue with NRM branding.

According to Wikipedia, only two preserved 08s are in grey... the other was at the Colne Valley or somewhere like that, so unless there's one at Leeman Road FTPE depot that they borrowed then I presume it was 09811!

 

[Juniper Driver]

I've been told by other drivers that in the olden days that 08's used to run down from Stratford to Norwich occasionally...although I never did the turn myself.

 

[Trainfan344]

NR where not happy when one strayed as far as Lakenham to assist a few months back as they have no TPWS or GSMR.

I'd have liked to see that!

 

[ThePannier]

Open them up? To 21 mph?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---




Hmmm... The NRM's 08911 is listed on Wikipedia as being currently in Railfreight Grey, but the small amount of other info I could find and all recent pictures (albeit the most recent were 2011/2012) showed it in a variation of BR Blue with NRM branding.



According to Wikipedia, only two preserved 08s are in grey... the other was at the Colne Valley or somewhere like that, so unless there's one at Leeman Road FTPE depot that they borrowed then I presume it was 09811!

Probably was haha - I can barely tell the difference between an 08 and an 09! lol

Thing is, I didn't get a clean look at it's fleet number, because although we were moving at a slow speech on the approach, it was still gone in an instant.

 

[91104]

Occasionally the 2 Bounds Green pilots will get onto the main line when they need to go to Ferme Park for fuel. I've only done it once but was quite fun bombing down the up slow 2 at 15mph hanging out the drop light then going over the Harringay flyover then got some funny looks from waiting passengers at Bowes Park station as I went through on the way back.

 

[6Gman]

Many years ago I saw a pair of 08s en route from Shrewsbury to Crewe (for maintenance?) - the noise they made, flat out at 20mph, was unbelievable! Thought the world was ending!

 

[12CSVT]

Any class 08 which is Network Rail certified is permitted on the main line.
Using the Longsight based 08s as an example, 08451 / 454 / 611 are all certified for the main line, however 08954 isn't certified and confined to Longsight depot.

The FGW 08s based at Old Oak Common are often used on ECS workings to and from Paddington.

 

[33056]

I've been told by other drivers that in the olden days that 08's used to run down from Stratford to Norwich occasionally...although I never did the turn myself.

Used to work with an old-hand ex Stratford driver who had done just that, he said it was the longest night of his life

08s also used to go between Willesden and Euston from time to time. One day the signalman at Willesden PSB took a call from the TMD
"Light engine to Euston mate"
Thinking it was an electric loco, he was just about to do a "fly" move up the slow when a thought occurred to him and he phoned the TMD supervisor.

"What is that engine that has just rung off to go to Euston?"
"A 350 (local term for an 08) mate"
"Good job I didn't pull off for it then!"

 

[RichmondCommu]

Any class 08 which is Network Rail certified is permitted on the main line.
Using the Longsight based 08s as an example, 08451 / 454 / 611 are all certified for the main line, however 08954 isn't certified and confined to Longsight depot.

I'm amazed (but very pleased) to hear that Longsight still has four class 08's on its books. Are they all serviceable and if so are they all in daily use?

 

[GatwickDepress]

Many years ago I saw a pair of 08s en route from Shrewsbury to Crewe (for maintenance?) - the noise they made, flat out at 20mph, was unbelievable! Thought the world was ending!

Give me the roar of an 08 over Deltics and 37s anyday!

 

[tadhatter]

In the 80s I took a picture of a Laira based 08 in Penzance station. Definitely wasn't the Long Rock one. I've always wondered how long it must have taken to get there and when?

 

[Big Chris]

On the back of a low loader lorry, not that long I wouldn't have thought.

 

[D6975]

Long distance gronk moves are all by road nowadays.
Disconnecting the drive and putting them in 45mph freights is a thing of the long distant past.

 

[83G/84D]

Most 08's / 09's that are likely to go onto main running lines are fitted with safety systems such as TPWS / GSM-R as fitted on other trains. Without this equipment they are generally not allowed away from depot / yard confines.

 

[lewisf]

There was this picture on railway-centre.com a few months back

 

[jopsuk]

Long distance gronk moves are all by road nowadays.
Disconnecting the drive and putting them in 45mph freights is a thing of the long distant past.

Much less chance of there being a 45mph freight (or several, via marshalling yards) between the origin and destination!

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Miss watching them crawling along on the trip workings from Llanwern down to Newport Docks etc

 

[83G/84D]

In the 80s I took a picture of a Laira based 08 in Penzance station. Definitely wasn't the Long Rock one. I've always wondered how long it must have taken to get there and when?

Back then they were moved overnight by rail between locations usually towed by a min line engine. The side rods were disconnected and it took an awful long time to get from Plymouth to Penzance! I will have some photo's somewhere but not sure if I can find them.

 

[westcoaster]

There was this picture on railway-centre.com a few months back

Isn't this the Milford jn to knottingly trip workings, one of or if not the only main line booked work for 08's.

 

[33056]

Isn't this the Milford jn to knottingly trip workings, one of or if not the only main line booked work for 08's.

I think that you'll find that the Knottingley "pilot" is usually an 09, a bit speedier than an 08.