Freight train derailment at Carrbridge

[cawky22]

Thanks for the info Boydie

 

[Boydie]

No problem.

Hopefully ill be around when the recovery starts, although that could be some time. They reckon 3 weeks closure!!! This weather isnt helping either!!!

 

[RoyBrown]

Boydie. The last two of "your photos" are my photos. Please give my photo credit or pay for their use. My originals are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/roybrown/sets/72157623016505969/

Thanks,

Roy

 

[Boydie]

Roy.

Appolagies.

Didnt realised i had uploaded them. I have lots in the same folder.
I can take them if you want. Not a problem.

 

[RoyBrown]

Boydie, no problem, accept was an error. Surprising how easy it is to spot own pics!

Cheers,

Roy

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Thanks to both of you for sharing your images and your observations - I guess others on here will be similarly grateful.
And thanks again to Boydie for clarifying on which line that train entered the station - that had been unclear.
I must say I had been anxious about the need to loose speed in these conditions on the 100mtr descent from Slochd summit. Perhaps that was a singnificant factor to this unfortunate outcome.
Stay warm!

 

[djw1981]

Also interesting to see how much snow has built up on the rails in the penultimate picture.

 

[Boydie]

Weve had over 15cm today alone never mind what fell during the night!!!

 

[cawky22]

tommorrow morning that train will be gone-burried under all the snow that is due overnight , you can watch the clouds here:-

http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

 

[metrocammel]

I was suprised they didn't rebuild City of Glasgow, but I guess it's up to the TOC. On the plus side of that, if it was rebuilt we might not have the rather smart looking Pretendalino!)

At first I was going to say 'TOCs weren't around when City of Glasgow (46242) crashed at Harrow & Wealdstone, but then I realised you were on about 390033 at Grayrigg! (Remember there was also an 87 named City of Glasgow (006) and also a 90 (004))

Anyway, regarding the rogue Pendolino. I believe as a result of the forces that the train experienced on impact, the frame on at least one vehicle (which correct me if I'm wrong, but believe it was the leading vehicle) became distorted. As a result of this, the vehicle was a write off. As the Pendolino production line had closed, it was deemed uneconomical to build a one off driving car. I suppose it highlights the lack of flexibility/ contingency a train company has if it's relying on fixed formation units, without any substantial spare parts.

Also, while the point has been mentioned of 'modern structural standards'. People seem to think that the railways of 20 years ago were hopelessly dangerous and that all trains were built like tin cans. It's not really true. OK, Clapham was an example that mk1 vehicles had major flaws, but really anything mk2 and above have proved themselves to be very safe in collisions. On those grounds, I don't think we can comment on an 66 being any 'safer' than any of BR locos.

At the end of the day, we should be happy that incidents like this are very few and far between in this country, and most importantly, the crew in this particular incident are unscathed.

 

[37401]

Anyway, regarding the rogue Pendolino. I believe as a result of the forces that the train experienced on impact, the frame on at least one vehicle (which correct me if I'm wrong, but believe it was the leading vehicle) became distorted. As a result of this, the vehicle was a write off. As the Pendolino production line had closed, it was deemed uneconomical to build a one off driving car.

Beat me to it, yup it was the leading vehicle and it was written off.

Wernt they going to extend pendos by building a few more standard class units?

 

[Bill EWS]

I have to agree that it is wrong to state that BR trains were more dangerous. They had certain faults due to the technlogy and materials available at the time but there was plenty of safety built in. If you want to compare, if I was asked whether I would prefer a Diesel or an electric loco to a steam engine, when in a 'Boiler' forward travelling direction collision the steam engine would probably win most times.

There is no doubt the train crew of the Class 66 were very lucky to have missed any of those tress as I am sure the 66's failings would have been made very obvious.

Whatever. here are some photos of the Nuneaton collision that may refersh minds of those who may have been on the railway at the time. Looking at these photos you won't be surprised why the driver involved wouldn't wish to talk about it, even after these many years.....

http://billreid678.fotopic.net/c907146.html

 

[142094]

Was told today that the replacement bus service between Inverness and Perth is not running and the Aberdeen - Inverness line is closed. Time for a few refund letter to be sent out I think.

 

[Boydie]

Yeh thats right. I work for a local Coach company in Aviemore and we had coaches out yesterday, but nothing 2day as i havnt been called in to work (on holiday you see).
The A9 is just a joke. Was closed in 4 places north of Kingussie at one point yesterday.

 

[142094]

Thanks for that, but surely they should have known before 08.30 this morning (when the platform staff at Newcastle said they got the message) that replacement buses would not be running today, if there were these problems yesterday?

Still back at home now and filling in the refund claims. Just wonder if the hotel will refund the price for the room.

 

[Boydie]

Yeh it is a bit strange. We just wait for the call from Scotrail. Yesterday was just a nightmare.
My understanding was that all trains would be terminated at Aviemore and buses to Inverness. Turns out they are terminating at Perth due to bad weather!!

The sleeper service has been canceled all together to inverness.

 

[142094]

Oh well, just means I'll have to do the journey in the summer. WOuld have been nice in a HST through the snow tomorrow.

 

[Vulcan]

I never said that BR designed engines were dangerous, but I can't see that they could offer as much crew protection as a modern train.
I mean, between (for example) class 47s and 59s (which share the same cab as a 66) there is about 25 years worth of development and improvement. Thats like comparing the crash safety of a Ford Capri to a Mondeo, it simply cannot be as good.

Anyway, I'm fed up of this debate so this is the last you'll hear from me on the subject.

 

[A60K]

Royaloak
Thanks for the updates.

I was involved in the mop up of both, and can remember some of the details but memory plays tricks these days on dates.

Its a funny thing the the Overnight Scottish Sleepers during my time seemed to be involved in many of the biggies.

I think I would take my chances riding out an incident on an 86 against a 66

Agree - in this sort of crash it's sheer luck whether a large branch comes through the cab window, and it doesn't matter in that case how much crumple zone you have.

On the subject of Sleeper crashes, I can also remember one or two Morpeth crashes - with coaches ending up in someone's house in one - and the 75mph Subway Junction/Paddington crash in 1982(3?) where the Penzance sleeper engine arrived sideways ON platform 8 with coaches scattered all over the throat.

 

[royaloak]

Morpeth 24/06/84-
47452 ended up going straight on with the coaches going into the side of the bungalow.

Paddington 23/11/83-
50041 arrived on its side.

 

[djw1981]

Northern Constabulary closed the snow gates yesterday evening - road closed! Whilst FSR could send a bus from Perth via Aberdeen to Inverness, this would not serve in between towns, and with Northern and Grampian advising against non essential travel..... incidently the Borders part of Lothian & Borders went one further, stating that you should only travel if it was a matter of life and death!

 

[cawky22]

Hi everyone.
Just signed up to enter in this conversation.
To tie up the loose ends about this incident, 66048 was traveling SOUTH BOUND from Inverness. It was runing late due to severe weather and

the DRS 37 on "frost patrol" .

/pardon my stupid question , but can you tell me what the drs on frost patrol is/does please.

 

[SWT Driver]

Probably the same as running Ghost Trains.

Runs a LE to make sure all of the TC's, points work & the line is clear.

It doesn't matter too much if a Ghost Train is delayed, it costs NR if a service train is delayed though.

 

[Inverness_App]

i just got in the house about an hour ago. been down at carrbridge most of today. went on the 37 and 66 with the snow ploughs from carrbridge up to inverness to help clear the points at tomatin loop. when we got to inverness we were supposed to be taking the crane back down with us that came via aberdeen (another crane was coming up via perth and i heard it got stuck in a few places). when we got to inverness tho we got told to leave the crane there as they were abandoning the site until the morning. not sure how far the other crane got up the line, last i heard it was stuck at dunkeld.

on another note, the track doesnt seem to be to bad, but lots of s&t problems. a signal post was ripped out of the ground (including the concrete base) 2 or 3 location cabinets totally destroyed, and lots of cable will need replacing.

and finally, all the rail cranes will be able to do is remove the wagons. the engine is too far down the embankment as the cranes wont be able to fully extend their stabalisers due to the platforms.

heading back down to carrbridge in the morning so hopefully more updates.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

Great reports Inverness_App, keep us informed!

 

[drover1]

The Class 37 is ran on the line to keep the line open and stop the snow from forming drifts. Also scotrail have withdrawn all of the 170's from going past Perth due to the weather related problems its too cold for them.

 

[cawky22]

The Class 37 is ran on the line to keep the line open and stop the snow from forming drifts. Also scotrail have withdrawn all of the 170's from going past Perth due to the weather related problems its too cold for them.

It must have snow ploughs on both ends , does it ?

 

[mikeyboy]

Hi There, I live locally and can the see the traffic going up and down the line. The 37's I've seen are a DBS 37 in large logo livery (might be 425 which was in inverness a week or so ago on the lairg tanks), and a DRS 37, both these loco's have the small front end ploughs only, I've not yet heard of the independent ploughs working but they may have possibly gone up the line the other day as the drifts were several feet deep in places.

Just this morning a network rail crane with support coaches left inverness for the crash site, pulled by a 66, couldn't tell what the number was ?

 

[The_Pilot]

66048...at Mossend DY 2 days before it departed for Inverness

 

[Inverness_App]

I've not yet heard of the independent ploughs working but they may have possibly gone up the line the other day as the drifts were several feet deep in places.

we were using the dbs 37 and 66 from inverness coupled together with the 2 ploughs attached on either end yesterday to clear from inverness south to carrbridge.

today we just took the 37 on its own first to just clean the surface and then we used the 66 to take the crane down. when we got down with the 37 the crane from the south was sitting at the other end of the loop. thankfully there was no new snow overnight and it held off all day.

by the time we got down with the crane they had already pulled out the 2 containers that were sitting on the rails in the station from the other end with a road based crane in the car park liting them out over the station building onto lorrys.

after that we got 3 or 4 wagons pulled out the same way. havent used the rail based cranes yet but i think we shall be using them in the morning or afternoon.

just seen this on bbc news website

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Because of the weather conditions it will probably be early next week before the line is reopened.

"The first of the containers are being lifted off the track.

"Engineers have dug down through the snow and found the track was damaged during the incident and this will be repaired at the same time as the lifting work."

the last bit is lies as the track is still covered in snow and any repair work cant be started until all the lifting work has been completed. the first bit has a bit of truth to it as we are hoping to have it open but only on one line as the aviemore signal box has no control over the points anymore with all the damage to the s&t equipment.

men on nightshift tonight to clear all the snow and then we can see what damage has been done to the rails, sleepers ect