507 unit rescue operation at Kirkby following the derailment

[Llama]

It varies, those weren't the speeds on the ticket for the skate move I did.

 

[Pit_buzzer]

It’s a fairly standard methodology to rerail something that that has come off in this type of incident.

I remember seeing a pic in a Modern Railways from the 70s of rerailing a loco that had gone down a bank somewhere (no idea where) on a 4 track section. It was towed back up, and onto the rails, by a lash up of 37s (I think) positioned on all 4 lines.

I remember that article, I think it was a 37 on its side and 4 class 47s connected to a kind of heavy duty pulley system. After all these years I can still remember the name of the equipment, they called it Kelbus gear and it sounds like it was purpose made for just this sort of thing

 

[Mat17]

37800 is fitted with a coupler allowing it to couple directly to the 507. Very few other locos have these and would need a translator vehicle.

Just a thought (no idea if this would be feesible) but could they use the 37 as the ad-hoc translator vehicle? Couple it to the 507 and get a more powerful loco to couple to the other end of the 37 and drag the lot out?

 

[Crossover]

It’s a fairly standard methodology to rerail something that that has come off in this type of incident.

I remember seeing a pic in a Modern Railways from the 70s of rerailing a loco that had gone down a bank somewhere (no idea where) on a 4 track section. It was towed back up, and onto the rails, by a lash up of 37s (I think) positioned on all 4 lines.

I remember that article, I think it was a 37 on its side and 4 class 47s connected to a kind of heavy duty pulley system. After all these years I can still remember the name of the equipment, they called it Kelbus gear and it sounds like it was purpose made for just this sort of thing

I think it may have cropped up on the forum in the recent past. Were some of the "assisting" locos used as "ballast weight" to stop the loco sliding any further in the wrong direction?

 

[alistairlees]

I think it may have cropped up on the forum in the recent past. Were some of the "assisting" locos used as "ballast weight" to stop the loco sliding any further in the wrong direction?

There's a few images on https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.770438752983015.1073741906.161421647218065&type=3

After describing the recovery of 70026 following the Milton derailment in 1955 (see yesterday's post on this page), we had a look in the archive and discovered that the Kelbus block and tackle was used in another tricky recovery of a locomotive, exactly 22 years after the Milton accident.

One more https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/99709-1200-falcon-south-wales-workings/ (scroll down a little)

There are photos on a website (search on:- "Quiet Womans Row " - but the site is a pig to navigate) of "Falcon" on the line to Newport Dock St. etc in 1973.

Occasionally "Falcon" got to Ebbw Vale, the attached is probably its claim to fame in the area, when in 1973 a Cl.37 ran away at Marine Colliery, Cwm, Ebbw Vale.

The errant 37 was left teetering over the river bank for months whilst the authorities figured out a way to recover it - which they did by laying a wooden roadway, then using 'Kelbus' gear ( powerful block tackle gear) they hauled the 37 up the embankment using a pair of 47s and "Falcon". The loco was then re-righted and re-railed.

 

[Crossover]

There's a few images on https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.770438752983015.1073741906.161421647218065&type=3

Thanks for that - I have definitely seen those before. Very interesting sounding operation!

 

[Grumpy Git]

There's a few images on https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.770438752983015.1073741906.161421647218065&type=3

Brilliant article, thank you.

 

[Snow1964]

If anyone has copy of “Off the Rails” book by Bill Bishop there is a diagram of the Klebus hauling tackle on page 48

Lots of pictures of recovery of Lord Nelson 30854 at Shawford 20th July 1952 (driver thought he was on fast line, which was signalled clear for a boat train, but he was on slow line which ends here). It ended up 15 feet down the embankment so had to be dragged back up.

Interestingly the method used was to take some old rail and strap it to the wheels before righting it with jacks, once upright the rails were temporarily fixed to some sleepers, so it had something to roll on

 

[Vespa]

So whats happening today ? Any progress ?

 

[N95JPl]

It looks fully re-railed now!
No news on moving it to Kirkdale though that I’ve heard?

 

[6Gman]

Didn't they just skate a Pendolino from Lockerbie to Glasgow. If they can do that, Kirkby to Kirkdale seems well within scope

Years ago I arranged a skate move Preston to Crewe, so Kirkby to Kirkdale is barely a cock's stride.

skates aways used to be walking pace over any points and crossovers but 15 or 20 on plain track ??

Correct.

Not sure if that weird extra rail makes a difference.

 

[Wezz]

It looks fully re-railed now!
No news on moving it to Kirkdale though that I’ve heard?

It's currently being held at Rice Lane

It's currently being held at Rice Lane

Just been routed onto Kirkdale Depot

 

[bazzoh]

It's currently being held at Rice Lane


Just been routed onto Kirkdale Depot

179S code on Traksy?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I assume neither 507 will work again...

 

[507 001]

179S code on Traksy?

It was 1Z99 on Railcam.

 

[EveningStar]

It’s a fairly standard methodology to rerail something that that has come off in this type of incident.

I remember seeing a pic in a Modern Railways from the 70s of rerailing a loco that had gone down a bank somewhere (no idea where) on a 4 track section. It was towed back up, and onto the rails, by a lash up of 37s (I think) positioned on all 4 lines.

If I remember the article correctly, was a class 31 down an embankment on the GWML near Reading. Needed six class 47's, some in place to provide weight to avoid distorting the track, and a fair amount of winching gear.

There was also a class 37 on its side in South Wales that need dragging up a temporary sleeper ramp.

All 'old school' railway.

 

[73001]

It's currently being held at Rice Lane


Just been routed onto Kirkdale Depot

Surprised that they delayed and turned short passenger services to do this move rather than wait til later. I suppose the costs of having the loco, staff etc sitting there for hours was less than any delay-repay from the passengers who may have bothered to claim.

 

[DJH1971]

I assume neither 507 will work again...

And probably heading to Booths in Rotherham or wherever for scrap

 

[507 001]

I assume neither 507 will work again...

I wouldn’t be so sure on 021. It’s gone to Birkenhead North for assessment, but it didn’t derail at any point and worked back to Kirkdale at least on its own.

Surprised that they delayed and turned short passenger services to do this move rather than wait til later. I suppose the costs of having the loco, staff etc sitting there for hours was less than any delay-repay from the passengers who may have bothered to claim.

Apparently the loco was needed elsewhere. Not sure how true that is.

 

[Crossover]

I wouldn’t be so sure on 021. It’s gone to Birkenhead North for assessment, but it didn’t derail at any point and worked back to Kirkdale at least on its own.

From the video, because of the way 006 took the impact and didn't stop dead (probably fortuitiously), I am not sure whether the deceleration on the rear will have been vastly different from an emergency stop. Naturally just pure speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised if 021 made a reappearance to be honest

 

[fgwrich]

I wouldn’t be so sure on 021. It’s gone to Birkenhead North for assessment, but it didn’t derail at any point and worked back to Kirkdale at least on its own.



Apparently the loco was needed elsewhere. Not sure how true that is.

Possibly for some of the 321 scrap moves occurring this week I wonder? I'm impressed it was safe enough to drag back - rather than dragging the lesser damaged vehicles and finding another way to take away the driving coach. I guess it'll be a full scale relay through there now?

 

[alistairlees]

If I remember the article correctly, was a class 31 down an embankment on the GWML near Reading. Needed six class 47's, some in place to provide weight to avoid distorting the track, and a fair amount of winching gear.

There was also a class 37 on its side in South Wales that need dragging up a temporary sleeper ramp.

All 'old school' railway.

Yes. I posted the details upthread in what's post #35 now.

 

[rickwalsh]

It would be great if someone could capture the move back to Kirkdale, or at least out of Kirby station.

 

[8J]

Interestingly, 507006 was not skated on to Kirkdale and ran on it's own wheelsets.

Looking at some of the shots out on the web, it has held up remarkably well.

 

[Winthorpe]

Surprised that they delayed and turned short passenger services to do this move rather than wait til later. I suppose the costs of having the loco, staff etc sitting there for hours was less than any delay-repay from the passengers who may have bothered to claim.

507006 had better get its skates on! Sorry!

 

[Steddenm]

A few pics from the move today which a mate just sent through on WhatsApp.

Images: the pictures come from this twitter post https://twitter.com/signalmandave61/status/1372600756814155780

 

[Crossover]

A few pics from the move today which a mate just sent through on WhatsApp. Not sure where he got the pics from though.View attachment 92683View attachment 92684View attachment 92685

They appear to be on Twitter. According to the comments on there, it may not have been skated.

 

[bspahh]

They appear to be on Twitter. According to the comments on there, it may not have been skated.

I think the pictures come from this twitter post https://twitter.com/signalmandave61/status/1372600756814155780

 

[CarrotPie]

Something was happening up at Kirkby last night. There was a "freight", timed as an EMU 75 mph arriving at 2119 from New Brighton, plus some interesting services to and from Wigan Wallgate Diesel TC with the same timings.

 

[_toommm_]

Something was happening up at Kirkby last night. There was a "freight", timed as an EMU 75 mph arriving at 2119 from New Brighton, plus some interesting services to and from Wigan Wallgate Diesel TC with the same timings.

The train from Wigan will have been a Railhead Treatment Train or Inspection Train. The path (time slot) for it is in the system for every day Mon to Fri for the next two months. That’s pretty normal and not related to the overrun.