GWR Power Car 43198

[Statto1965]

Saw this power car on the back of a lowloader, heading northbound near M5 Junction 24 (Bridgwater South) this morning. Just curious if anyone knows where it was heading?

 

[fgwrich]

Road transfer from Laira to St Phillips Marsh, ready to drop onto GW07. One of 3 Power Car moves from Laira over this week, with 43023 leaving for Ely, and 43357 off for a repaint.

 

[43 302]

Why transfer it by road, surely by the time it's on the back of a truck it could be half way to St Phillips Marsh?

 

[Mag_seven]

Why transfer it by road, surely by the time it's on the back of a truck it could be half way to St Phillips Marsh?

For whatever reason it might have been unfit to travel by rail e.g. severe wheel flats, seized axle or whatever- I certainly hope that's the reason.

 

[fgwrich]

Why transfer it by road, surely by the time it's on the back of a truck it could be half way to St Phillips Marsh?

It could also have been a Lack of available driver, or pathing, or just ease and cheapness of putting it on a trailer which may be visiting Laira anyway too.

 

[DarloRich]

It might just be cheaper and easier to wang it on a wagon.

 

[irish_rail]

Doesn't help that Plymouth men have been made to sign off Taunton to bristol route which means likely 2 different drivers needed for the move or an Exeter man taxied to Laira. A shame really as we often did stock moves from laira to bristol until last year.

 

[delt1c]

Sounds like privatisation , cost over profit. Never mind we have a perfectly good rail network, lets send it by road to save money

 

[fgwrich]

Sounds like privatisation , cost over profit. Never mind we have a perfectly good rail network, lets send it by road to save money

But what is a better or cheaper option - use a wagon returning up north and have them drop it off in Bristol on it's way back to their base (I think it was Allelys) who would otherwise drive back to base empty, or pay the costs of a 1 maybe 2 Drivers + Network Rail + Fuel costs to send it by rail to Bristol? Seems like a perfectly sensible option to me!

(And yes, I believe there was a road move into Laira the previous day, so the lorry would have otherwise driven back empty)

 

[delt1c]

But what is a better or cheaper option - use a wagon returning up north and have them drop it off in Bristol on it's way back to their base (I think it was Allelys) who would otherwise drive back to base empty, or pay the costs of a 1 maybe 2 Drivers + Network Rail + Fuel costs to send it by rail to Bristol? Seems like a perfectly sensible option to me!

(And yes, I believe there was a road move into Laira the previous day, so the lorry would have otherwise driven back empty)

Why have a road drop the previous day, why didn’t that use rail ? Privitisation has provided profit for many. Never mind the effect on the environment

 

[43096]

Why have a road drop the previous day, why didn’t that use rail ? Privitisation has provided profit for many. Never mind the effect on the environment

So are you advocating spending money for the sake of it then, rather than doing something the cheapest and most sensible way?

 

[fgwrich]

Why have a road drop the previous day, why didn’t that use rail ? Privitisation has provided profit for many. Never mind the effect on the environment

Why not? Again, it could well be for the reasons outlined in my post above. It could also have a mechanical defect like a seized gearbox etc? Still fancy trying to send that by rail to Laira? Stick it on a wheel skate and haul it to Laira at great expense to everyone?

 

[DarloRich]

So are you advocating spending money for the sake of it then, rather than doing something the cheapest and most sensible way?

Standard ruk logic.

 

[43096]

Why have a road drop the previous day, why didn’t that use rail ? Privitisation has provided profit for many. Never mind the effect on the environment

Because the tyres on 43093 were below scrap size so its move was by road SPM to Laira. Back moving 43198 as a replacement on the same vehicle makes an awful lot of sense.