Barrow in Furness Docks

[a_c_skinner]

We were down by the Nuclear Berth in Ramsden Dock, Barrow today (public parking, you just drive down). Network Rail had a van near the level crossing on the line to the berth. Is it in use? Being rehabilitated? Bit off topic for infrastructure but what sort of traffic is there on it if any?

 

[Lucy1501]

The line to the docks is still in use and sees regular traffic, mostly from DRS to Sellafield I believe. Last month one of the trains to it broke down causing absolute chaos…. https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...d-to-barrow-docks-failed-at-silecroft.269464/

A ground frame is provided at Salthouse Junction controlling the docks access, which is the largest lugg locked frame in the country. It can only be released from Barrow when Dalton Junction is switched in and can be accessed from both the Up and Down Main lines.

Once you’ve left the mainline, there’s two roads along Cavendish Dock which are used for runrounds generally. Not sure about the rest of it.

 

[a_c_skinner]

Thanks. I put lugg locked frame into Google and the only hit was your posting! But I can imagine what it means. Off topic it was an interesting place to explore, spoiled only by the lack of a class 68 and its train.

 

[Lucy1501]

Thanks. I put lugg locked frame into Google and the only hit was your posting! But I can imagine what it means. Off topic it was an interesting place to explore, spoiled only by the lack of a class 68 and its train.

I've got a photo of it here - the black arms between the levers act as the locking between them.

 

[Gloster]

It looks as though it is an LNWR SK design with Lug Locking, one of the earliest types of locking. I found a reference that suggested that this was installed in 1992. (Based on photos in Richard Foster’s A Pictorial History of L.N.W.R. Signalling (OPC, 1982).)

 

[Ashley Hill]

Lug locking on a GF that size must be quite unique these days!

 

[John Webb]

Lug Locking was the first interlocking I ever came across for model railway lever frame use about 70 years ago!

 

[a_c_skinner]

I may as well get full mileage out of this...

So it is unlocked from Barrow but ONLY when Dalton Junction SB is manned. Presumably this is based on verbal permission from the signaller rather than any interlocking? Are signal boxes on the Furness Line often switched out? I've an idea Grange often is.

Thanks for such full replies.

 

[Lucy1501]

So it is unlocked from Barrow but ONLY when Dalton Junction SB is manned. Presumably this is based on verbal permission from the signaller rather than any interlocking?

Ground frames on the main line are always interlocked with the signal box. In Barrow there are two releases - lever 28 for the down main to up main crossover, and lever 29 for the down main to sidings crossover.

If you look at the photo you can see how the levers lock each other - I’ve attached an extract from the signalling plan which shows how things are laid out and includes a locking table.

Are signal boxes on the Furness Line often switched out? I've an idea Grange often is.

Carnforth Station Junction, Arnside, Ulverston and Barrow are continuously open. Arnside is unable to switch out as it controls stopping/non-stopping controls for an automatic level crossing. Ulverston can switch out but it doesn’t so do regularly.

Grange and Dalton Jn are only open on weekdays between 06:00 and 20:24.

 

[a_c_skinner]

Thanks. Fascinating to a mere passenger.

 

[littledude]

Traffic in and out of Barrow is interesting, but unfortunately sporadic. As can be seen, there have only been 3 arrivals from Sellafield in the last year.

24/06/24
13:05 arrival (6X27) from Sellafield
Light engine return

05/03/24
A return light engine trip from/to Sellafield, presumably in relation to the above a few months later

15/11/23
11:40 arrival (7C23) from Sellafield
14:55 departure (6C73) to Sellafield

17/08/23
09:45 arrival (6Z69) from Sellafield
14:55 departure (6C73) to Sellafield

The wagons primarily used for this traffic are these huge KXA-C well wagons, and are fitted with cradles to convey the casks. A couple of good photos are below, one showing a close up of the cradles, and another showing the huge 120+ ton casks loaded onto the wagon.

Of interest, the cradles and casks make the wagons out of gauge, and as such can’t pass another train en-route between Sellafield and Barrow. The ‘X’ headcode indicates an out of gauge load, accordingly. I’m not sure what gets conveyed on the 6C73/7C23 etc trains. Does anyone know?

Cat's Cradle

On Monday the 17th of June, word reached me mid-morning that 6X27, the 06.22 Sellafield BNF - Barrow Marine Terminal working, comprising 68034/68003 and a consist of 7 x PFA alternating with 6 x KXA Flatrols, had come to a stand somewhere after Bootle station with brake issues. All subsequent...

flic.kr

Wheely Heavy

57305 is captured whilst drawing the first half of 6X24 out of the terminal. The huge double bogied KXA wagon tips the scales at 59 tons and the weight of the cast iron HAW28M cask when fully loaded is 126 tons, and 110 tons when empty. The fact that this was a Class 6 freight as opposed to...

flic.kr

 

[zwk500]

Of interest, the cradles and casks make the wagons out of gauge, and as such can’t pass another train en-route between Sellafield and Barrow. The ‘X’ headcode indicates an out of gauge load, accordingly. I’m not sure what gets conveyed on the 6C73/7C23 etc trains. Does anyone know?

Complete guess, but I'd suggest either wagons without the cradles, or the other type of nuclear flask wagon (the boxy one).

 

[MisterSheeps]

the cradles and casks make the wagons out of gauge, and as such can’t pass another train en-route between Sellafield and Barrow

If the load overhangs so much that it cannot pass another train, how does it pass the station platforms (which are variously present on either side, e.g. Foxfield) and bridges? Is the overhang guaranteed to be above platform height?

 

[Gloster]

Looking at various photos it does appear that everything below platform level is to gauge, although if the wagons only run Sellafield-Barrow there may have been some additional gauge clearance to accommodate the odd inch or two. I wonder if it is not the vertical stanchions that are the problem, but the end extremities of the wagons.

 

[MisterSheeps]

I wonder if it is not the vertical stanchions that are the problem, but the end extremities of the wagons

Ah!, thank you, that would make sense, the curve to the Duddon crossing from Foxfield is very sharp, ditto near Kirkby in Furness.

 

[themiller]

Looking at various photos it does appear that everything below platform level is to gauge, although if the wagons only run Sellafield-Barrow there may have been some additional gauge clearance to accommodate the odd inch or two. I wonder if it is not the vertical stanchions that are the problem, but the end extremities of the wagons.

When these wagons were built, the south end of the up platform at Seascale and the north end of the down platform at Bootle were rebuilt for a short length. I don’t recall any other work to clear platforms.

 

[Adrian Barr]

I’m not sure what gets conveyed on the 6C73/7C23 etc trains. Does anyone know?

I'm not especially familiar with the Barrow workings, but did find a video of 6C73 on 17/08/23 conveying a standard nuclear flask on an FNA wagon "to tie in with a visit from the BBC"

Barrow ramsden Dock 17 08 2023 | kevsmiththai Smith

There's also footage of the November working, also with an FNA "this time to tie in with a Royal Visit to Barrow"

UK North West Rail Action October November 2023 | kevsmiththai Smith

Another interesting flow from Barrow is pictured here; containerised waste originating from Dounreay (although that flow may have ceased by now):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75784477@N08/22797084648/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75784477@N08/30859138962/

 

[themiller]

FNAs are only for domestic spent fuel flasks so traffic to the docks would likely be for publicity or training purposes. Kev’s first video shows that the wagon has no labels on so is either empty or carrying an empty flask.

 

[Adrian Barr]

FNAs are only for domestic spent fuel flasks so traffic to the docks would likely be for publicity or training purposes

I did wonder if it was for a photo opportunity, or just to have a train there to demonstrate the rail facility.

For some reason I always think of the white cover on those FNAs as a "nuclear flask" although like you say it was probably empty.

For the sake of curiosity I found a photo of what the domestic spent fuel flasks look like, with the cover slid back: https://www.railwaygazette.com/frei...g-authority-orders-flask-wagons/41734.article

This piece (talking about the defuelling of Wylfa) also talks about the flasks and mentions that "It takes 24 hours to fill a flask with approximately 150 used nuclear fuel elements": https://www.gov.uk/government/news/wylfa-reactors-75-defuelled