Clayton CBD90 - Battery+diesel shunter - now BR Class 18

[The_Train]

One (BR/Beacon) Class 18 went to Whitemoor many moons ago. No idea if it left there - I guess still there. I know subsequent deliveries went to Wolverton and I have a feeling one was going to another yard but that might have been referring to the Tata non 18s !.

18001 went to Whitemoor in Feb 2022 and then returned to the Clayton facility in March 2023. Next update I could then find (in May 2023) was that it had appeared at Wolverton. 18002 is the other that has actually done some testing back in Jan 2022 when it visited the Chasewater Railway but again the next update was that it had appeared at Wolverton.

18001-15 are all built and at Wolverton.

Thanks

I guess it is now wait and see what happens as there doesn't seem to be much news around these locos. Considering we are nearing 4 months shy of 2 years since 001 went to Whitemoor, is it a safe assumption that the trial with GBRf didn't go quite to plan?

 

[D7666]

18001-15 are all built and at Wolverton.

thanks

18001 went to Whitemoor in Feb 2022 and then returned to the Clayton facility in March 2023. Next update I could then find (in May 2023) was that it had appeared at Wolverton. 18002 is the other that has actually done some testing back in Jan 2022 when it visited the Chasewater Railway but again the next update was that it had appeared at Wolverton.

Thanks

I guess it is now wait and see what happens as there doesn't seem to be much news around these locos. Considering we are nearing 4 months shy of 2 years since 001 went to Whitemoor, is it a safe assumption that the trial with GBRf didn't go quite to plan?

I'm not sure how much can be inferred from the Whitemoor trials. That was one loco on one specific duty at one location for one operator, and may have been there only because that where that operator had an opening to allow such trials, as opposed to a perhaps more appropriate location.

If it only went there for trial, and meaning trial only, that it has not continued does not imply failure per se, merely that the trial period has ended. AFAIK there was no contract to continue in normal revenue use after end of trial ? Pretty sure if there had been there would have been media releases to that effect.

I am aware there was a fair bit of criticism of Whitemoor happenings on another forum, but TBH all of this was platform end trainspotter wibble from no-one actually involved with any of it. No official reporting, or even from any credible source, of trials results has appeared anywhere to my knowledge.

 

[wickham]

As stated Clayton classify these locomotives as their type CBD90 (ie: Manufacturers classification). This does not mean that the Industrial Locomotives and the Beacon Rail Locomotives are exactly the same, the classification is to do with layout, equipment and power. The Industrial locomotives are not "Class 18s". Similar situations have occurred before, perhaps the best known being that English Electric built a good number of "08 lookalikes" both for UK industrial service and overseas, noteably Dutch Railways - British enthusiasts tended to refer to these in later years as "Dutch 08s" but of course they were not.

 

[The_Train]

thanks


I'm not sure how much can be inferred from the Whitemoor trials. That was one loco on one specific duty at one location for one operator, and may have been there only because that where that operator had an opening to allow such trials, as opposed to a perhaps more appropriate location.

If it only went there for trial, and meaning trial only, that it has not continued does not imply failure per se, merely that the trial period has ended. AFAIK there was no contract to continue in normal revenue use after end of trial ? Pretty sure if there had been there would have been media releases to that effect.

I am aware there was a fair bit of criticism of Whitemoor happenings on another forum, but TBH all of this was platform end trainspotter wibble from no-one actually involved with any of it. No official reporting, or even from any credible source, of trials results has appeared anywhere to my knowledge.

Well whichever way you look at it, 2 years built and still no takers isn't a great look

 

[Peter Sarf]

Clayton building and Beacon ordering 15 of these class 18s does seem to indicate a certain amount of optimism.

 

[The_Train]

Just done a quick check of the Clayton Equipment Twitter feed and this tweet remains pinned to their profile:

https://x.com/ClaytonEquipltd/status/1489242013300101121?s=20

You'd think that if the GB thing had gone stale, they'd take this down so I suppose there is always a chance that GB have found issues during the trial that are being corrected at Wolverton but time will tell and as there is little coming out of any official sources right now, it's all guesswork!

 

[D7666]

Well whichever way you look at it, 2 years built and still no takers isn't a great look

We do not know if there any or no takers. All we can say is there is no known info in the public domain.

None in use now does not mean they do not have a future. Leascos like Beacon are not daft.

As I said, my money is on some for HS2 tunnel works trains once the track is installed, there is a huge amount of fitting out to be done. Given that even this month the whole HS2 thing was off on off on depending which rumour one looked at, it is not surprising placing of contracts is dragging.

 

[Peter Sarf]

We do not know if there any or no takers. All we can say is there is no known info in the public domain.

None in use now does not mean they do not have a future. Leascos like Beacon are not daft.

As I said, my money is on some for HS2 tunnel works trains once the track is installed, there is a huge amount of fitting out to be done. Given that even this month the whole HS2 thing was off on off on depending which rumour one looked at, it is not surprising placing of contracts is dragging.

Plus the class 08s and 09s are not going to go on forever and these class 18s can move on the mainline quicker than an 08 or 09 could so might be viewed as easier to deploy.

 

[Defiance149]

class 18s can move on the mainline quicker than an 08 or 09 could so might be viewed as easier to deploy.

Class 18s aren't touching Network Rail metals until they have type approval, which is one of the reasons for the delay.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Class 18s aren't touching Network Rail metals until they have type approval, which is one of the reasons for the delay.

Well.... Thats a bit of news then.

 

[D7666]

Well.... Thats a bit of news then.

But then again, if there are no takers for immediate use for main line operations needing NR approval, there is no pressing need to approve and certify them.

If my HS2 works trains prediction is right, they will come under the construction contractors works site responsibility, not NR.

There are always two ways to spin these things, but these forums have a habit of producing the more pessimistic view.

 

[Peter Sarf]

But then again, if there are no takers for immediate use for main line operations needing NR approval, there is no pressing need to approve and certify them.

If my HS2 works trains prediction is right, they will come under the construction contractors works site responsibility, not NR.

There are always two ways to spin these things, but these forums have a habit of producing the more pessimistic view.

I presume then that getting Network Rail approval is very expensive otherwise Clayton/Beacon would get it done so as to improve the chances of use ?.

 

[Ashley Hill]

It seems a bit pointless giving them the class 18 classification. Those that operated at Whitmore could have been lumped in with the 97s if necessary.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Achdung.

Apparently 18011 heading South on M1 nr Jct 24 (East Midlands Airport) - on a low loader. About 17:00.

Been a rumour of a trial at Felixstowe. See if it turns left for the A14 or goes to Wolverton. Mind you if its for Felixstowe it might go the long way round via the M25 like many of the boxes do sort of !.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Plus the class 08s and 09s are not going to go on forever and these class 18s can move on the mainline quicker than an 08 or 09 could so might be viewed as easier to deploy.

Wikipedia says the Class 18's maximum speed is 20kph (12mph), compared with 15mph for a Class 08 and 20mph for a class 09.

The 08e has a claimed maximum of 25mph, and the oily bits nearest the interface with Network Rail have grandfather rights (probably great grandfather given their age.....)

 

[Roger B]

TheEngineer reported on the 'Class 319's into storage/withdrawals tracker' thread that he'd had a look through the railings in LIDL's car park on 20th Feb "two 321s in the yard with 4 class 18s visible but impossible to ID and TP01"

 

[Trainman40083]

All this discussion about such modern shunters reminded me of that e-shunter that is at Barrow Hill, converted from a 08.

 

[Bedbugs52]

Anyone know the ID if the class 18 currently on trial at British Steel Scunthorpe?

'Green’ loco’s platform to perform

britishsteel.co.uk

 

[The_Train]

Anyone know the ID if the class 18 currently on trial at British Steel Scunthorpe?

'Green’ loco’s platform to perform

britishsteel.co.uk

18003

 

[Bedbugs52]

Thanks The_Train

 

[Baldwin70]

14 class 18s were viewed today at Wolverton.
5 in a line from Lidl Car park
3 in a line from the footpath on the west side of the works
6 in a line from the canal.
Only 18006 & 18013 confirmed. I assume all seen apart from 18003 which is still at Scunthorpe? Also I had a report 18002 had gone to Loughborough. Either way, one of them must have returned.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

14 class 18s were viewed today at Wolverton.
5 in a line from Lidl Car park
3 in a line from the footpath on the west side of the works
6 in a line from the canal.
Only 18006 & 18013 confirmed. I assume all seen apart from 18003 which is still at Scunthorpe? Also I had a report 18002 had gone to Loughborough. Either way, one of them must have returned.

Thanks for your post and welcome to the forum. Your first post I see with some great information.

 

[marketman]

i can confirm that 18002 was at Loughborough as at yesterday

 

[The_Train]

Anybody know the purpose of 18002's move to Loughborough - maintenance or to be used as a shunter there?

 

[Bornin1980s]

As stated Clayton classify these locomotives as their type CBD90 (ie: Manufacturers classification). This does not mean that the Industrial Locomotives and the Beacon Rail Locomotives are exactly the same, the classification is to do with layout, equipment and power. The Industrial locomotives are not "Class 18s". Similar situations have occurred before, perhaps the best known being that English Electric built a good number of "08 lookalikes" both for UK industrial service and overseas, noteably Dutch Railways - British enthusiasts tended to refer to these in later years as "Dutch 08s" but of course they were not.

Did any of the exported '08s' have larger bodies/cabs?

 

[wickham]

No none of the exported "08 lookalikes" had larger bodies or cabs - there were built more or less to British loading gauge - presumably simply becasuse that is what the design was ! There were a few built to narrow gauge (Australia springs to mind) but I suspect they were the same in overall size to the UK versions.

Regarding post 84: I understand that Clayton have a presence at the former Brush Works - not clear if they have use of one of the shops or simply rent space, but obviously it will be a useful location to deal with large locomotives rather than taking them back to their smallish works at Burton on Trent. Indeed, 18001 was at Loughborough from 20.02.23 till 15.05.23 when it moved to Wolverton. I suspect that the report of 18011 being reported in Post 74 as beeing seen southbound on the M1 on 24.11.23 may also be connected with this. It had probably been to Loughborough and was returning to Wolverton using the A6 north from Loughborough to the M1 junction then south on the M1 to Wolverton.

 

[The_Train]

18006 has now moved to Basford Hall for use with Freightliner

x.com

twitter.com

 

[wickham]

13 x Class 18s visible at Wolverton from outside observation points between 1230 and 1330 on 15.04.24:
Visible from Lidl car cark: 5 in a row (18001 & 18011 identified for certain), 2 more on siding adjacent to these (unable to identify).
Visible from footpath at west end of site which runs from main road to canal: 5 in a row (18004 confirmed by label in window).
Visible from Grand Union Canal Towpath: In siding right up by fence on other side of canal: 18013.
I was only expecting 12 locos to be here as 18002 was at Brush Works Loughborough 03.04.24, 18003 is on trial at Scunthorpe and 18006 is with Freightliner Basford Hall.
So it would appear that one of these three has returned to Wolverton. If anyone has any more information on this, I would be most grateful to hear.

 

[Bobcp]

18006 has now moved to Basford Hall for use with Freightliner

x.com

twitter.com

Viewable on 20/04 from trains passing on WCML.

 

[Roger B]

I had a walk round the outskirts of Wolverton works yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. Visible from the LIDL car park were five 18s (see first photo) anyone know their identities?
I then walked along the footpath at the western end of the works to the canal tow-path, and along the tow-path nearly as far as the railway bridge opposite McDonalds' car park. I only spied one class 18 through the trees - and probably that'll be obscured by leaves in a week or two.