What did I just see? Weed prevention / leaf removal / ???

[Andrew*Debbie]

Spotted at Llanfairpwll around 10:00 AM today. My best guess is a water pressure wash to remove leaves? A plain water pressure wash would knock back the weeds too. ????? Traction was 56049 and 56094.

 

[John Webb]

Railhead Treatment Train pressure-washing the rail to remove any leaf contamination. Only directed at the railhead so effect on weeds minimal.

 

[pdeaves]

Only directed at the railhead

but of course the spray deflects out in a dramatic way

 

[skyhigh]

but of course the spray deflects out in a dramatic way

And gently wets the opposite line making it slippier than it was before the train passed!

 

[Pacef8]

They generally have a route that covers both lines .

 

[Sheridan]

They generally have a route that covers both lines .

They do, but it can be a fair few hours before they return to the other line.

 

[NI 271]

Railhead Treatment Train pressure-washing the rail to remove any leaf contamination. Only directed at the railhead so effect on weeds minimal.

It's water, with nothing else added, so there will be no effect on weeds whatsoever.

 

[philthetube]

It's water, with nothing else added, so there will be no effect on weeds whatsoever.

Except to help them grow..

 

[NI 271]

Except to help them grow..

Haha, probably!

 

[Electrostarred]

Leaves smushed on the line create a slippery residue. I'm guessing if this is early autumn the line is being pressure washed.

 

[Mat17]

Is it all high pressure water these days? Do they still use sandite?

 

[zwk500]

Is it all high pressure water these days? Do they still use sandite?

Sandite is applied by different circuits/schedules. There are also weedkilling trains but I think they tend to run in Spring as new weeds are coming through rather than autumn/winter when the seeds are dormant.

 

[Alanko]

but of course the spray deflects out in a dramatic way

 

[Rick1984]

That class 56 could do with a good jet washing!

 

[D365]

That class 56 could do with a good jet washing!

Happens every year during RHTT season. As you might expect, a Class 56 isn't the normal traction for this job...

 

[Falcon1200]

but of course the spray deflects out in a dramatic way

IIRC the water jet is at an incredibly high pressure, so much so that it could damage the rail if it continues when the train is stopped!

 

[NI 271]

Happens every year during RHTT season. As you might expect, a Class 56 isn't the normal traction for this job...

It actuallly IS the normal traction for the non-Cambrian parts of 3S71 (the service seen operating in the picture), and has been since Colas got the contract in 2016. I'd confidently state that having now completed 7 seasons top and tailed by 56s, that does qualify it as wholly normal.

 

[zwk500]

That class 56 could do with a good jet washing!

It just gets coated back again in the first few minutes of railhead treatment, because all the gunk it's blasting of the rails gets splattered up it's sides. Every loco on an RHTT looks equally grimey.

 

[Rick1984]

I thought that might be comment was more tongue in cheek

 

[D365]

It actuallly IS the normal traction for the non-Cambrian parts of 3S71 (the service seen operating in the picture), and has been since Colas got the contract in 2016. I'd confidently state that having now completed 7 seasons top and tailed by 56s, that does qualify it as wholly normal.

Whoops. I’ve clearly not been paying attention.

 

[NI 271]

Whoops. I’ve clearly not been paying attention.

It's not exactly a glamorous job, it wouldn't be a surprise if it slipped under the radar. Only takes a week or so to turn the locos into that state on RHTT work. It's a horrible, dirty job. Your PPE gets binned once the circuit ends because you can't get that level of crud out of it just by washing it.

 

[D365]

It's not exactly a glamorous job, it wouldn't be a surprise if it slipped under the radar.

Indeed, but when I have a specific loco to 'visit', it does require extra planning around this time of year.

 

[Spartacus]

The Great British Weather will do far more for weed growth and wetting the opposite line than a very brief spray from the RHTT.

The water jets use filtered water, though they're washed out with chlorine every year as part of the process to make sure the tanks are clean, it's not unusual, at the start of the season especially, to get complains from people that they've been sprayed with chemicals, probably assuming it's weed-killer, though the concentration of chlorine even at it's highest is below what you'd find in a swimming pool, by the end it'll be for all intents and purposes zero.

Different regions do things in their own ways. Some use a mix of sandite and jetters, some just jetters (3SXX and 3JXX headcodes are a good clue is it's sandite & jets or just jets, but not 100%) having deemed the extra work to keep the sandite modules going not to be worth the trouble, or more accurately the risk of a short, seemingly unimportant job not being done at the end of the day leading to a failure the following day... Some treat practically everywhere they go, some in specific places. Obviously you can jet more if you're not carrying sandite too.