73951/952 purchased by HNRC (Harry Needle)

[The_Train]

Have the yellow minions been purchased by LSL?

 

[D365]

Have the yellow minions been purchased by LSL?

wnxx says HNRC (Harry Needle)

 

[The_Train]

wnxx says HNRC (Harry Needle)

The forum or the news pages?

 

[fgwrich]

wnxx says HNRC (Harry Needle)

Correct. What Needle sees in them is Harry's guess, but fair play to him if he can get them to work!

 

[Anonymous10]

Have the yellow minions been purchased by LSL?

What are the yellow minions?

 

[_toommm_]

What are the yellow minions?

The (now) ex Network Rail Class 73s

 

[The_Train]

What are the yellow minions?

Sorry, I forget I'm posting here and not on twitter sometimes haha.

As above, it is 73951/952 which are the ex Network Rail Class 73s

 

[Anonymous10]

Sorry, I forget I'm posting here and not on twitter sometimes haha.

As above, it is 73951/952 which are the ex Network Rail Class 73s

Many thanks, was thinking what the heck are they never heard that reference.

I suppose being 3rd rail locos with diesel generators and not many other 3rd rail locos they have plenty of potential in the south.

 

[Townsend Hook]

Many thanks, was thinking what the heck are they never heard that reference.

I suppose being 3rd rail locos with diesel generators and not many other 3rd rail locos they have plenty of potential in the south.

Just a shame they’ve never been made to work reliably, on or off the juice. But maybe HNRC can work a miracle..

 

[Alanko]

Many thanks, was thinking what the heck are they never heard that reference.

I suppose being 3rd rail locos with diesel generators and not many other 3rd rail locos they have plenty of potential in the south.

Did the NR 73/9s retain their third-rail equipment?

 

[Townsend Hook]

Did the NR 73/9s retain their third-rail equipment?

Yes, although they can’t switch between diesel and electric modes on the move as the original 73s and the Brush-converted 73/9s can.

 

[12LDA28C]

To be fair, and to my own surprise, both those 47s still exist in preservation and appear capable of turning a wheel.

Indeed, however of course neither are main line registered or have the necessary equipment such as GSM-R, TPWS and OTMR to allow them to work on the main line. Unless some kind benefactor with pockets six-figures deep comes along, 47401 / 402 will stay trundling around at 25mph until the end of their days.

 

[fgwrich]

Yes, although they can’t switch between diesel and electric modes on the move as the original 73s and the Brush-converted 73/9s can.

Another design flaw on these things - along with the removal of Multi - Working capability too. A good idea but, poor reliability coupled with various design flaws rather cut short their potential.

 

[alexl92]

How big a job would it be to convert the minions to be the same as the other 73/9s that now work on the Caley sleeper?

 

[Townsend Hook]

How big a job would it be to convert the minions to be the same as the other 73/9s that now work on the Caley sleeper?

They would need drophead Dellner couplers fitting and the electric train supply voltage would need to be increased, same as on the Brush 73/9s. They would also need all the drivers to be trained on them specifically because they’re completely different in the cab.

 

[ajrm]

They would need drophead Dellner couplers fitting and the electric train supply voltage would need to be increased, same as on the Brush 73/9s. They would also need all the drivers to be trained on them specifically because they’re completely different in the cab.

For what it's worth, they're completely different mechanically as well, with 2 Cummins engines as opposed to a single MTU in the Sleeper version.

 

[fgwrich]

For what it's worth, they're completely different mechanically as well, with 2 Cummins engines as opposed to a single MTU in the Sleeper version.

Indeed, in short an very big job. You’d actually be better off starting with one of the many in storage GB locos (except 73110 / E6016) instead.

 

[Alanko]

For what it's worth, they're completely different mechanically as well, with 2 Cummins engines as opposed to a single MTU in the Sleeper version.

It must be quite unusual to have such a heavily reworked and re-engined locomotive without a new classification (per Class 29, 31, 57, 69) and to have two quite different locomotive designs sharing the same subclass?

 

[Noseygit]

HNRC switielsky have decided the time is right to sell the class 73 locomotives, seen on there social media page

 

[cj_1985]

If they have a future... it's only a short one I'd bet. Scrap must be the only fate

 

[cav1975]

HNRC switielsky have decided the time is right to sell the class 73 locomotives, seen on there social media page

Do you have a link?

 

[The_Train]

If they have a future... it's only a short one I'd bet. Scrap must be the only fate

Scrap or if the wheels still turn, maybe a heritage line would be interested but I guess that would only happen if the current owners are feeling generous

 

[fgwrich]

If they have a future... it's only a short one I'd bet. Scrap must be the only fate

Spares for GBRf perhaps? Obviously not the engines, but bogies, traction motors and 3rd Rail kit would certainly be valuable. The rest of the loco’s can be binned off.

 

[wickham]

Spares for GBRf perhaps? Obviously not the engines, but bogies, traction motors and 3rd Rail kit would certainly be valuable. The rest of the loco’s can be binned off.

This is a quite likely option - in particular Class 73 wheel sets are in short supply, there was great difficulty in obtaining replacements not too long ago.

 

[===gricer===]

Do you have a link?

https://fb.watch/FEfHeLnUpe/

 

[cj_1985]

This is a quite likely option - in particular Class 73 wheel sets are in short supply, there was great difficulty in obtaining replacements not too long ago.

I'm no expert, but GB have bought every 73 that has hit the market, not to mention stripping a couple of it's other 73s for spares... but I don't remember hearing anything about them showing interest in the minions. They did however show enough interest in 73138 to buy it.

IF the minions bogies were still compatible, it'd probably only be them and maybe cab windscreen and side glass that would be of use. Surely wheelsets would be beyond recovery, given that they were mentioned as being worn  before NR binned them

 

[fgwrich]

I'm no expert, but GB have bought every 73 that has hit the market, not to mention stripping a couple of it's other 73s for spares... but I don't remember hearing anything about them showing interest in the minions. They did however show enough interest in 73138 to buy it.

IF the minions bogies were still compatible, it'd probably only be them and maybe cab windscreen and side glass that would be of use. Surely wheelsets would be beyond recovery, given that they were mentioned as being worn  before NR binned them

It wouldn’t just be the wheelsets though (as we know new tyres and wheelsets can be made up) but bits and pieces such as traction motors too. I believe 128 is currently sidelined at Eastleigh with a faulty traction motor too, so stripping the minions would at least given them an already reconditioned and fairly low mileage set of motors.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I wonder if they were bought in 2023/24 always with the intent to resell for spares in a tight market, possibly with a fixed term (2 year?) no resale clause. Did they ever turn a wheel for HNRC or Swietelsky? Could also be a simple disposal of redundant assets by the new-ish owner.