GBRf Class 73/9 Locomotive Questions.

[yh00157]

hello. I am a railroad fanatic living in Korea.

While studying mechanics in high school and junior college, I also watch railroad cars.

I am writing to ask questions.

I am writing this because I would like to ask a question about the GBRf operating class 73/9 locomotive.

I understand that locomotive 73961-971 was converted at a brush traction factory.

Here 73966-73971 I would like to know about this fleet and whether there is a third rail current collector.

While looking at Wikipedia, I saw that the 3rd rail current collector of the Caledonian Sleeper fixed fleet was dismantled, so I would like to know exactly.

Since I am Korean, I wrote this in Korean using Google Translator and then translated it into English. Please understand that the grammar may be incorrect.

 

[richieb1971]

I believe they were removed. 73966 to 73971 are 331 miles away from any 3rd rail so there would be no use to have it. The locos in question operate in Scotland, 3rd rail services are operated mostly south of London.

Class 73's were built especially for south of London, by moving them up to Scotland they are very far from the rails they were originally designed to use.

 

[driverd]

Hi there,

It's my understand that the Cal Sleeper 73/9s are mechanically identical to 961-965, so retain the ability to run on either power source.

The 3rd rail shoes have simply been removed as they are unnecessary in the locations where the locomotives currently operate.

 

[SteveM70]

The Cally Sleeper ones originally kept their third rail shoes when converted in 2015/16, but had them removed later on in 2019/20. I don't know why this happened, but I have a nagging thought in the back of my mind that there were incidents with them striking objects / fouling clearances but that might just be my mind playing tricks on me

 

[driverd]

The Cally Sleeper ones originally kept their third rail shoes when converted in 2015/16, but had them removed later on in 2019/20. I don't know why this happened, but I have a nagging thought in the back of my mind that there were incidents with them striking objects / fouling clearances but that might just be my mind playing tricks on me

Maybe someone in the area could clarify, but I suspect it would just be to reduce the ongoing maintenance costs (no point in paying to upkeep something thats not being used, after all). They wouldn't have been left fitted for 4 years if they were colliding with things (unless the 73s were moved to additional routes at this point, where clearance was an issue).

 

[norbitonflyer]

73966 to 73971 are 331 miles away from any 3rd rail

Ormskirk to Glasgow is only about 200 miles

And of course at Queen Street Low Level the 73s are directly above the 3rd Rail (and 4 foot gauge!) Glasgow Subway

 

[1Q18]

Maybe someone in the area could clarify, but I suspect it would just be to reduce the ongoing maintenance costs (no point in paying to upkeep something thats not being used, after all). They wouldn't have been left fitted for 4 years if they were colliding with things (unless the 73s were moved to additional routes at this point, where clearance was an issue).

Another possibility might be that spare shoes were needed for 961-965?

 

[LBMPSB]

The Cally Sleeper ones originally kept their third rail shoes when converted in 2015/16, but had them removed later on in 2019/20. I don't know why this happened, but I have a nagging thought in the back of my mind that there were incidents with them striking objects / fouling clearances but that might just be my mind playing tricks on me

The third rail shoes on a Class 73 raised when on diesel and therefore would not have been an issue in striking objects/fouling clearence. One would have thought if still fitted on a Class 73/9 the same would apply.

 

[Doomotron]

For clarification, are the 73/9s in GBRF livery still equipped with their third rail shoes?

 

[43096]

For clarification, are the 73/9s in GBRF livery still equipped with their third rail shoes?

Yes. They regularly work on third rail power.

 

[bengley]

For clarification, are the 73/9s in GBRF livery still equipped with their third rail shoes?

Yes

 

[driverd]

For clarification, are the 73/9s in GBRF livery still equipped with their third rail shoes?

And routinely operate on the juice also! The /9 project was all about extending the life of the locos - I believe the CS ones were done to a similar spec as the earlier examples, with the game plan being, should a change of contract see loss of the CS work, they could move south.

 

[norbitonflyer]

And routinely operate on the juice also! The /9 project was all about extending the life of the locos - I believe the CS ones were done to a similar spec as the earlier examples, with the game plan being, should a change of contract see loss of the CS work, they could move south.

Simiklar, but not identical. ETS of 96 instead of 38, and fuel capoavcity of 1509 litres instead of 1409. Doubtless the one necessitated the latter

 

[LBMPSB]

GBRF retain Class 73/9 because at the moment there is no other loco that is permitted to run through the Thameslink Core Section (Kentish Town - Blackfriars), and thus are required for Engineer's Trains on that route.

 

[1Q18]

GBRF retain Class 73/9 because at the moment there is no other loco that is permitted to run through the Thameslink Core Section (Kentish Town - Blackfriars), and thus are required for Engineer's Trains on that route.

GBRf retain the 73/9s because Network Rail pay a lot of money for the use of them.… There are several other routes they are required for beyond Thameslink: the Merseyrail network, the East London Line and the Northern City line amongst others. One of Network Rail’s four PLPR (plain line pattern recognition) trains will be on the Southern Region each week, requiring two 73/9s (the Colas drivers who operate these don’t sign 73/1s) and this is their primary year-round use.

 

[Senna1210]

For clarification, are the 73/9s in GBRF livery still equipped with their third rail shoes?

Yes and are fully functional and are in regular use

 

[yh00157]

Hi there,

It's my understand that the Cal Sleeper 73/9s are mechanically identical to 961-965, so retain the ability to run on either power source.

The 3rd rail shoes have simply been removed as they are unnecessary in the locations where the locomotives currently operate.

Now you have confirmed it.

I saw a photo of a previous trip to southern England.

Since the current collector was removed, was it operated in diesel mode?

 

[driverd]

Now you have confirmed it.

I saw a photo of a previous trip to southern England.

Since the current collector was removed, was it operated in diesel mode?

That would entirely depend on dates. If the previous trip was before 2020, there's the chance that you saw one of the locos before they had the collector shoes removed.

Perhaps you could upload the photo and we could do some detective work? (If the loco is unobscured, you'll likely be able to see the shoes).

 

[yh00157]

That would entirely depend on dates. If the previous trip was before 2020, there's the chance that you saw one of the locos before they had the collector shoes removed.

Perhaps you could upload the photo and we could do some detective work? (If the loco is unobscured, you'll likely be able to see the shoes).

73968WortingJct180520

73968 Worting Junction 18/05/20 0Z73 Loughborough to Eastleigh. This is the last one of the sub class to visit Eastleigh for attention and travelled down overnight from Craigentinny to Loughborough (via Doncaster) with 73966 which was left at the former BRUSH works.

www.flickr.com

The Trains of Basingstoke.

73968 Caledonian Sleeper seen passing through Basingstoke Station, Hampshire on it’s way to Eastleigh Works. Time : 1:14 pm. Date : May 18th 2020.

www.flickr.com

I found the photo on the flickr site.

I don't know if this is correct.

 

[driverd]

73968WortingJct180520

73968 Worting Junction 18/05/20 0Z73 Loughborough to Eastleigh. This is the last one of the sub class to visit Eastleigh for attention and travelled down overnight from Craigentinny to Loughborough (via Doncaster) with 73966 which was left at the former BRUSH works.

www.flickr.com

The Trains of Basingstoke.

73968 Caledonian Sleeper seen passing through Basingstoke Station, Hampshire on it’s way to Eastleigh Works. Time : 1:14 pm. Date : May 18th 2020.

www.flickr.com

I found the photo on the flickr site.

I don't know if this is correct.

In the pictures the shoes can be seen fitted to the locomotive, but in the raised position. It is, therefore, running on diesel power.

I wonder if this one may have been heading to Eastleigh for shoe removal?

 

[yh00157]

In the pictures the shoes can be seen fitted to the locomotive, but in the raised position. It is, therefore, running on diesel power.

I wonder if this one may have been heading to Eastleigh for shoe removal?

While I was browsing the Internet, I happened to see the site "scot-rail.co.uk" and it said that the current collector was removed in 2020.

I'm Korean, so I didn't know much about it, so I searched the Internet and found it.

scot-rail.co.uk » Class 73