Depot Shunters

[alexl92]

Looking at a pic of one of the BLS' depot shunter tours the other day I realised that in most pics I've seen, the Class 08/09s used as depot shunters for many TOCs only seem to have a standard screw coupling fitted.

With the variety of couplings used on various traction - tightlock, screwlink, knuckle, BSI, Dellner etc - in the UK, how can the depot shunter at somewhere like Neville Hill be useful for all types?

In that depot you'll have BSI & tightlock (Class 321s) for Northern, knuckle couplings for the EMT/EC Mk3/4 coaches plus whatever they use on the front end of an HST. If a TPE Class 185 had to stop there for any reason, you can add a Dellner to that list.

Do they really have to use coupling adaptors every time, or do they have multiple shunters, each with different couplings fitted? Or do they just use other matching stock to do the work?

 

[badassunicorn]

On the 08 at Ilford, you have a screw coupler and droppable BSI coupler on the loco itself, on each match wagon either end there is a tightlock, and we also carry a dellner to tightlock adaptor on the wagons for moving that stock.
Its a pain if you need to use the BSI/screw coupler as you have to leave a match wagon somewhere and then pick it up again when you're done. Also the dellner adaptor is very heavy!

 

[83G/84D]

I recall loose shunting at some depots and when a loco was not available a fork lift and a length of rope!

 

[9K43]

I have shunted in Healey Mills yard, Also up at Neville Hill Depot with all types of locos, and other stock.
It was not allowed to shunt with ropes, or iron chains or an other type of thing.
It was not allowed in the rule book, and if you got caught do so, it was down the road.
If a rope snapped, you could be injured with the wiplash.
The 350 shunter would have to match the coupeling of the vehicle vehicle to be moved.
Safety must be the first prioity for everone on the railway.
I have worked on many 100's of Ballast trains all over the north of England as the guard in charge of my train, and seen this type of horrid working had to be put to rest before the. If it had no proper coupeling there was no work till the problem wa rectified.
The guard is in charge of the train and will give such instruction to the driver as he needs to work safely.

 

[83G/84D]

I have shunted in Healey Mills yard, Also up at Neville Hill Depot with all types of locos, and other stock.
It was not allowed to shunt with ropes, or iron chains or an other type of thing.
It was not allowed in the rule book, and if you got caught do so, it was down the road.
If a rope snapped, you could be injured with the wiplash.
The 350 shunter would have to match the coupeling of the vehicle vehicle to be moved.
Safety must be the first prioity for everone on the railway.
I have worked on many 100's of Ballast trains all over the north of England as the guard in charge of my train, and seen this type of horrid working had to be put to rest before the. If it had no proper coupeling there was no work till the problem wa rectified.
The guard is in charge of the train and will give such instruction to the driver as he needs to work safely.

I am not saying I agree with shunting with a rope and fork lift but I have seen it being done that way.

 

[9K43]

I have shunted in Healey Mills yard, Also up at Neville Hill Depot with all types of locos, and other stock.
It was not allowed to shunt with ropes, or iron chains or an other type of thing.
It was not allowed in the rule book, and if you got caught do so, it was down the road.
If a rope snapped, you could be injured with the wiplash.
The 350 shunter would have to match the coupeling of the vehicle vehicle to be moved.
Safety must be the first prioity for everone on the railway.
I have worked on many 100's of Ballast trains all over the north of England as the guard in charge of my train, and seen this type of horrid working had to be put to rest before the. If it had no proper coupeling there was no work till the problem was rectified.
The guard is in charge of the train and will give such instruction to the driver as he needs to work safely.

 

[Johnuk123]

I recall loose shunting at some depots and when a loco was not available a fork lift and a length of rope!

Bescot used to use a JCB and rope now and again, usually driven by the shed foreman.

 

[gage75]

I do recall seeing a tractor (poss a Massy Ferguson) in EWS colors at Acton aggregates yard fitted with buffers on the nose end on a board altho not sure what kind of coupling head it had

 

[91104]

Looking at a pic of one of the BLS' depot shunter tours the other day I realised that in most pics I've seen, the Class 08/09s used as depot shunters for many TOCs only seem to have a standard screw coupling fitted.

With the variety of couplings used on various traction - tightlock, screwlink, knuckle, BSI, Dellner etc - in the UK, how can the depot shunter at somewhere like Neville Hill be useful for all types?

In that depot you'll have BSI & tightlock (Class 321s) for Northern, knuckle couplings for the EMT/EC Mk3/4 coaches plus whatever they use on the front end of an HST. If a TPE Class 185 had to stop there for any reason, you can add a Dellner to that list.

Do they really have to use coupling adaptors every time, or do they have multiple shunters, each with different couplings fitted? Or do they just use other matching stock to do the work?

When were shunting an odd mk4 coach at Bounds Green with the pilot we use a barrier coach which are old mk2 coaches with a draw hook at one end and a tightlock at the other or we use a spare DVT as a barrier if there's one available.

 

[Ploughman]

BREL York carriage works.
Stock shunted around the works including on and off the traversers fitted with own winches and by ground mounted capstans and hooked rope.

 

[matchmaker]

When were shunting an odd mk4 coach at Bounds Green with the pilot we use a barrier coach which are old mk2 coaches with a draw hook at one end and a tightlock at the other or we use a spare DVT as a barrier if there's one available.

Buckeye, surely?

 

[91104]

Buckeye, surely?

No it's only the TOE that has a drop head buckeye for attaching to the class 91 all the other vehicles are equipped with tightlock couplings

 

[alexl92]

Fascinating. I'm interested to hear any more recollections.

What about for HST power cars? Obviously tightlock or Buckeye (Not sure which it is) at the rear end; what about at the cab end, if shunting with an 08?

 

[91104]

Fascinating. I'm interested to hear any more recollections.

What about for HST power cars? Obviously tightlock or Buckeye (Not sure which it is) at the rear end; what about at the cab end, if shunting with an 08?

We use an emergency drawbar for HSTs but have to remember to take the pivot pin out the coupling head as I've been told it could derail an 08 but never actually moved a HST with an 08 but hauled one a few times with a 67

 

[matchmaker]

No it's only the TOE that has a drop head buckeye for attaching to the class 91 all the other vehicles are equipped with tightlock couplings

Very interesting. I'd always assumed it was buckeyes - like every other variety of LHCS since the Mk 1. Wonder why they changed?

 

[33056]

I do recall seeing a tractor (poss a Massy Ferguson) in EWS colors at Acton aggregates yard fitted with buffers on the nose end on a board altho not sure what kind of coupling head it had

Nothing wrong with using a tractor

Slovenia:


Hungary

 

[DownSouth]

The same happens here in Australia at remote stops where a loco drops off a few grain wagons on the way out and picks them up at a time to be picked by the mainline train when it returns. To use a 'real' locomotive would be ridiculously expensive in staffing and other operational costs.

It's unlikely that grain wagons will be getting ECP any time soon (the current operator is acting like a monopoly and running the service down) but it could be even easier if they did. The tractor could be replaced with a winch for haulage, with stopping power provided by a remote control and an air hose.

 

[Juniper Driver]

I've seen a tractor being used many years ago during my Stratford days.Think it was somewhere around a Gidea Park siding.