4S99 - train can't limbo either

[mcmad]

Reports elsewhere that 4S99 GBRf Carlisle NY-Inverness has been stopped North of Perth since around 10:30 this morning due to out of gauge containers striking at least 3 overbridges

Single line working has been introduced to allow some movements between Perth and Inverness but no plan as yet as to how to remove the train.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

That's rather... unexpected.

High Cube containers on standard flats rather than the lower flats?

 

[Davester50]

Twitter post of said train



Picture from Perth Euan's Twitter with high container with bridge debris on top.

 

[randyrippley]

looks surprisingly undamaged - must be really soft stone, that debris looks like sand

I wonder if they've inadvertently discovered life expired rotten masonry on the overbridges?

 

[Grumpy Git]

Twitter post of said train

View attachment 116951

Picture from Perth Euan's Twitter

Assuming it’s double track, I would have expected the opposite side to have the greater ‘witness’ marks, (on arched bridges)?

 

[Coupling]

Looks like the relevant RT3973CON forms for the route only permit up to 8ft 6in ISO containers on the shown FYA wagon. The green container is 9ft 6in.

I’m guessing that what usually happens is that cubes with the container code 22G1 (8ft 6in height) are regularly loaded on to this service, and so this one with container code 25G1 (9ft 6in) has slipped through.

 

[GB]

20 odd bridges needed inspecting but only light superficial damage found.

 

[MadMac]

That's rather... unexpected.

High Cube containers on standard flats rather than the lower flats?

That’s apparently what happened. Two 9’6” containers loaded on “regular” wagons when there there were three empties with the lower wells at the back of the train. Several people getting invited for tea minus biscuits, methinks.

 

[Grumpy Git]

That’s apparently what happened. Two 9’6” containers loaded on “regular” wagons when there there were three empties with the lower wells at the back of the train. Several people getting invited for tea minus biscuits, methinks.

….. but they stand-out like a sore thumb. It only needs a cursory glance along the top profile of the train!

 

[Bald Rick]

Cheap way of getting gauge clearance!

 

[swt_passenger]

Cheap way of getting gauge clearance!

It worked ok on that canopy at Basingstoke. Would probably have looked neater with a sharper container though…

 

[MadMac]

….. but they stand-out like a sore thumb. It only needs a cursory glance along the top profile of the train!

Not my field of expertise, but I’d think it warranted at a minimum a “closer look”.

 

[fgwrich]

It worked ok on that canopy at Basingstoke. Would probably have looked neater with a sharper container though…

Yeeeeees, ironically did a neater job at trimming the canopy back than NR did at cutting the platform edge back.

I have to admit, after reading this thread I looked at the Infrastructure forum and thought one of the threads was "Stations with a Masonry assisted despatch". It's been a long day.

 

[380101]

A road crane has been brought in to remove the out of gauge containers with single line working in place to allow ScotRail services to resume.

 

[MotCO]

But how do you move this train without clipping more bridges, either back the same way or going forward?

Edit:the answer was given as I was typing!

 

[fgwrich]

But how do you move this train without clipping more bridges, either back the same way or going forward?

Edit:the answer was given as I was typing!

After the two offending containers have been removed, clearance shouldn't be an issue then.

 

[class 9]

Never seen a 20 ft ,9ft 6 container before.

 

[popeter45]

Never seen a 20 ft ,9ft 6 container before.

you would be supprised, 10 ft high cubes also exist

 

[marks87]

A road crane has been brought in to remove to out of gauge containers with single line working in place to allow ScotRail services to resume.

That's a great photo. It's like the trees have gone "yoink, I'll have that".

 

[furnessvale]

you would be supprised, 10 ft high cubes also exist

Fortunately for the UK, double stacked 10ft high boxes are a step too high, even for US railroads, or our freight industry would be in serious trouble.

 

[Welly]

The top corners of the 9ft 6in high containers always have wasp stripes as a visual aid to sighting them.

 

[popeter45]

Fortunately for the UK, double stacked 10ft high boxes are a step too high, even for US railroads, or our freight industry would be in serious trouble.

i think you may be mistaken, i was Talking about 10ft long not 10ft tall

 

[pdeaves]

i think you may be mistaken, i was Talking about 10ft long not 10ft tall

10ft 'high cube' as opposed to '10ft high' cube...

 

[GB]

The top corners of the 9ft 6in high containers always have wasp stripes as a visual aid to sighting them.

Replace "always" with "should". I've seen plenty in my time that have had them worn away. It's also not unheard of to have a container loaded to a train after the train preparer has walked it. That said it should really have been spotted on the roll by as a last resort.

 

[furnessvale]

i think you may be mistaken, i was Talking about 10ft long not 10ft tall

Fair enough, but I was also making the point that the only thing stopping 10ft HIGH containers becoming widespread is the fact that doublestacked, they would exceed the possibilities of even the US loading gauge. Even single stacked they would cause major problems for UK railways.

 

[Lockwood]

Is this the chance to make usual the "professional driver should know the size of their vehicle; throw the book at them, followed by the bookshelf and the library brick by brick; shouldn't be allowed to drive a wheelbarrow after this" comments following a bridge strike?

(please don't hurt me)

 

[GB]

Is this the chance to make usual the "professional driver should know the size of their vehicle; throw the book at them, followed by the bookshelf and the library brick by brick; shouldn't be allowed to drive a wheelbarrow after this" comments following a bridge strike?

(please don't hurt me)

Without seeing the tops list that was given to the driver it's impossible to say.

 

[randyrippley]

Presumably after this train has knocked the bridges into shape, the next oversize train will be clear of obstructions.
Seems a cheap way to resolve loading gauge restrictions

 

[Sonik]

Is this the chance to make usual the "professional driver should know the size of their vehicle; throw the book at them, followed by the bookshelf and the library brick by brick; shouldn't be allowed to drive a wheelbarrow after this" comments following a bridge strike?

(please don't hurt me)

We used to have loading gauges.

A CCTV based equivalent system at the exit from intermodal yards would make a lot of sense. The technology is trivial these days but of course the railway is slow to adopt.

 

[Dieseldriver]

Is this the chance to make usual the "professional driver should know the size of their vehicle; throw the book at them, followed by the bookshelf and the library brick by brick; shouldn't be allowed to drive a wheelbarrow after this" comments following a bridge strike?

(please don't hurt me)

I will say that freight operations on the railway are a little different to freight operations on the roads so I don’t echo the sentiment regarding the Driver specifically.
However, with incidents like this in general, I am always frustrated at the attitudes displayed when a lorry strikes a railway bridge and firmly believe more effort should be made into investigating all the factors involved rather than just trying to shame and belittle the Lorry Driver (who will in all probability be mortified and suffering a massive dent in their professional pride).