Class 158/159 recovery following Salisbury collision

[Winthorpe]

There is a picture circulating of one coach being lifted.

There are a couple of pictures of one of the carriages being lifted in the Salisbury Journal (pasted below):

 

[Gloster]

Several photos of the recovery on the Twitter account of BBC South’s correspondent Paul Clifton ( @PaulCliftonBBC ).

 

[Brush 4]

This is part of 159 102 being rescued around 1- 1.15pm today, the first one out. As you can see public access is surprisingly close to the site, if anyone wants to go there in the next few days. Friendly staff, happy to chat, although asking if they were going to Eastleigh, elicited the reply, 'no they are going to quarantine' Is that an official railway term? Note foliage before the A30 bridge as well as after.

 

[357]

Good on that burger van owner! It's a win win situation for them and also for the workers at the location

 

[rebmcr]

asking if they were going to Eastleigh, elicited the reply, 'no they are going to quarantine' Is that an official railway term?

It's a common phrase in accident investigation — both air and rail.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's a common phrase in accident investigation — both air and rail.

I expect that “quarantine” in this context also implies RAIB want another look at them. There’ll probably still be more useful information to be gathered without the risk of carriages sitting at an angle at the tunnel mouth.

 

[43096]

I expect that “quarantine” in this context also implies RAIB want another look at them. There’ll probably still be more useful information to be gathered without the risk of carriages sitting at an angle at the tunnel mouth.

It's standard after a major accident to quarantine the vehicles involved: RAIB have said their investigation will include looking at "the status and performance of the braking, wheel slide protection and sanding systems on train 1L53" and "the behaviour of both trains during and following the collision"; obviously that is easier in a secure environment. As an example, the vehicles involved at Carmont were quarantined at the former Glasgow Works after the accident.

158762, the leading GWR set, has been released back to GWR - that's entirely in line with what the RAIB have said they are investigating.

 

[Bigfoot]

asking if they were going to Eastleigh

Off to Long Marston is my understanding.

 

[JN114]

158762 is back at SPM, moved under its own power last night.

They’ve so far recovered only the London End vehicle off 159102; the remaining vehicles have been somewhat stubborn. I understand that further attempts with more destructive methods will be attempted from tomorrow (cutting bits off it to free it in lay terms)

 

[hwl]

158762 is back at SPM, moved under its own power last night.

They’ve so far recovered only the London End vehicle off 159102; the remaining vehicles have been somewhat stubborn. I understand that further attempts with more destructive methods will be attempted from tomorrow (cutting bits off it to free it in lay terms)

Torching the coupling bars before attempting to pull them out might have been a good idea so they aren't trying to pull 4 connected and wedged vehicles out at the same time...

A Kirow might also be useful to right the 159 middle vehicle at least.

Having the 59 on the other track might have been more helpful too!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I assume the rest of 159102 will be scrapped on site?

 

[Clarence Yard]

I assume the rest of 159102 will be scrapped on site?

No, each vehicle will be removed.

 

[Annetts key]

Rather than using a loco to try to drag the DMU cars out of the tunnel using traction alone, they really need a powerful and strong winch. Which in turn needs to be fixed to something very heavy. Such as a topped and tailed ballast train.

It may also be worthwhile putting a makeshift wood sled on the adjacent line and then trying to lower the car that is at an angle onto it, rather than trying to pull it out in it’s current position. Of course, that assumes there is enough space in the tunnel to do this.

 

[357]

Torching the coupling bars before attempting to pull them out might have been a good idea so they aren't trying to pull 4 connected and wedged vehicles out at the same time...

A Kirow might also be useful to right the 159 middle vehicle at least.

Having the 59 on the other track might have been more helpful too!

I'm sure the professionals on sight are doing it the best way possible whilst working with what they have been given.

Perhaps they have already split the carriages (you don't need to torch the coupling bars to do this, at least not on my traction, but I get people in my place under the impression that a torch is the only option too)

For all we know the other track might be too damaged to use, or unavailable for another reason (such as signalling still being quarantined).

 

[Dan G]

Here's the videos of the attempt to use a Class 59 to drag the vehicles from the tunnel (Jeremy Clarkson would be proud)

https://twitter.com/IanHardie9018/status/1456291780199071755

 

[reddragon]

Pictured in New Civil Engineering

Salisbury train crash | Network Rail preparing for ‘heavy refurbishment’ of track as trains lifted away | New Civil Engineer

While a final plan is yet to be drawn up, Network Rail has revealed that the line will be closed for at least another week following Sunday's collision.

www.newcivilengineer.com

Network Rail has revealed that it will need to carry out a “heavy refurbishment” at the site of the Salisbury train crash.
While a final plan is yet to be drawn up, Network Rail has revealed that the line will be closed for at least another week following Sunday's collision.

It adds: “We will have to carry out what is called a “heavy refurbishment” on the junction where the accident happened, which is one stop short of a complete replacement.

“The advantage is we don’t have to dig everything up and start again with new components, but it’s still a big job.


“At the same time, we’re investigating potentially laying new track in Fisherton Tunnel, and we'll know more about that later this week.”

Network Rail is also inspecting the signalling equipment in the area which was struck during the collision.

 

[DanNCL]

No, each vehicle will be removed.

Isn’t using “destructive methods” to remove them near enough scrapping them on site? I appreciate that may not be the official term for it and that the remains will be heading to Long Marston rather than a scrapyard but in layman’s terms that’s pretty much what it is - to many of us a train is “scrapped” once it’s been dismantled to a significant extent, which is what removal by destructive methods implies.

 

[mpthomson]

Good on that burger van owner! It's a win win situation for them and also for the workers at the location

Given where it is (ie next to the welfare prefab and within the cordon, the owner/staff member is wearing a hi viz) it'll have been rented specifically for the staff.

Rather than using a loco to try to drag the DMU cars out of the tunnel using traction alone, they really need a powerful and strong winch. Which in turn needs to be fixed to something very heavy. Such as a topped and tailed ballast train.

It may also be worthwhile putting a makeshift wood sled on the adjacent line and then trying to lower the car that is at an angle onto it, rather than trying to pull it out in it’s current position. Of course, that assumes there is enough space in the tunnel to do this.

I suspect that the engineering staff there already know what they're doing. They'll also want it out with the minimum of further damage causing, so laying it on its side on any form of sled and dragging it out isn't an option.

 

[swt_passenger]

Isn’t using “destructive methods” to remove them near enough scrapping them on site? I appreciate that may not be the official term for it and that the remains will be heading to Long Marston rather than a scrapyard but in layman’s terms that’s pretty much what it is - to many of us a train is “scrapped” once it’s been dismantled to a significant extent, which is what removal by destructive methods implies.

I think it should be interpreted as “don’t worry about causing further damage”, rather than “destroy them on site”…

 

[357]

TikTok

www.tiktok.com

TikTok - Make Your Day

Video of the attempted removal from track level

 

[Clarence Yard]

There will come a point where it will be easier to get them out in chunks (especially the front 159 car) but it should be possible to free the cars and then drag them out. Trying to pull them out in the manner they have attempted seems a bit too basic for me - I’m more used to seeing jack and pack, separate and move.

It will be interesting to see what they do next.

 

[VEP3417]

I did wonder why they used a train to pull another out of some wreckage rather than a crane or something

 

[357]

i was also caught out by the photo, i did wonder why they used a train to pull another out of some wreckage rather than a crane or something

They did indeed use a train, I guess it makes sense to try the more simple options first before trying more complicated, expensive and destructive methods.
The issue was in the second TikTok link the user has added a photo of some wheel-slip damaged track that was not taken at the incident location.

 

[driverd]

I think they just need a few more locos. Eventually you'll get enough force to drag it out!

Being serious though, I cant imagine cutting it to pieces would be any easier, unless they're very small pieces that can be removed by conventional plant machines.

Be interesting to find out what the engineers come up with in the end!

 

[Steddenm]

TikTok

www.tiktok.com

TikTok - Make Your Day

Video of the attempted removal from track level

The wheelmarks dug into the track from the 59 on the second video are horrific.

 

[contrex]

"British Burgers" - (rolls eyes).

 

[Wyrleybart]

There will come a point where it will be easier to get them out in chunks (especially the front 159 car) but it should be possible to free the cars and then drag them out. Trying to pull them out in the manner they have attempted seems a bit too basic for me - I’m more used to seeing jack and pack, separate and move.

It will be interesting to see what they do next.

Using the nylon strap seems a little "elastic" to me but I guess heavy duty chains are no longer HASAW approved. Seeing 59003 bounce on the end of the strap is a little unnerving but the guys on the ground are professionals and know what they are doing.

 

[hwl]

The wheelmarks dug into the track from the 59 on the second video are horrific.

Not from the scene, the still image from that video was deleted and and comments related to it not being from the scene also deleted

 

[swt_passenger]

The wheelmarks dug into the track from the 59 on the second video are horrific.

Not UK infrastructure, irrelevant.

 

[contrex]

I did wonder why they used a train to pull another out of some wreckage rather than a crane or something

In the 1980s a Class 47 ran down an embankment and was recovered by quite a collection of its class mates, and a clever arrangement of steel cables. Was it 47 522 at Forteviot in July 1982?