20901 & 20905 - Balfour Beatty

[DarloRich]

Info from a contributor to se gen, 20901 & 20905 will begin with working 1705 6J09 Woking Up Yard Sidings to Bletchley CE Sidings next Thursday 22nd

thanks - will keep my eyes open! The drain train is coming home (almost!)

(Entirely by chance i saw them through Crewe on Monday and they looked great! )

 

[Peter Mugridge]

20 901 and 20 905 are easily photographable at Woking today from passing trains - totally unobstructed and in full sunlight.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Quite poetic seeing those two locos being dedicated to a specific infrastructure duty... thirty years ago they were part of the Hunslet Barclay Class 20 fleet which operated weed-killing trains across the network.

Plus ça change!

 

[Peter0124]

What are these trains used for?

 

[Steve Harris]

What are these trains used for?

Reading page 3 of this thread... the Drain Train.

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 out for a warm up session with the Drain Train today on 1100 6J09 Woking Up Yard Reception and return via Eastleigh



** Updated Thursday 22nd August **


20901 & 20905 worked the delayed 1705 6J09 Woking Up Yard Sidings to Bletchley CE Sidings with the Drain Train



** Updated Saturday 24th August **


20901 & 20905 worked 1934 6J09 Bletchley CE Sidings to Cheddington and an Engineers possession with the Drain Train



** Updated Sunday 25th August **


20901 & 20905 worked 1020 6J09 Ledburn Junction to Bletchley CE Sidings with the Drain Train

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 worked 1702 6J09 Bletchley CE Sidings to Woking Up Yard Sidings with the Drain Train

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 worked 1013 6J09 Woking Up Yard Reception to Stapleford & Sandiacre with the Drain Train via Dudding Hill & MML

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 worked todays 1609 6J09 Stapleford & SCCE Siding to Welwyn GC FD via Oakham & Peterborough with the Drain Train

 

[DarloRich]

Two questions:

1. Is this drain train one that used to live at Bletchley
2. is this pair of class 20's assigned solely to the drain train?

 

[ExRes]

Two questions:

1. Is this drain train one that used to live at Bletchley
2. is this pair of class 20's assigned solely to the drain train?

1) The two wagons were reported as 7045740094 & 7045740136, there is a close up photo of both on Flickr and by the look of them they've been well used so every chance that they are the Bletchley ones & 2) they've stayed permanently attached on 6J09 since May, I've seen nothing to suggest any other use for them as yet

 

[trainlogger]

Two questions:

1. Is this drain train one that used to live at Bletchley
2. is this pair of class 20's assigned solely to the drain train?

1) no. Balfour Beatty have two Drain Trains, both consisting of two container flats with various modules on. Until the acquisition of the 20s, both drain trains worked within "Plasser TRAMM" machines, or sometimes between two "Plasser Dynamic Track Stabiliser" machines*.

The set currently between the 20s are BB's first drain train wagons dating back to 2004, numbers quoted above by ExRes.

The Bletchley train was the grey "Sussex Rail" drain train with wagons 95490 and 95491. They were acquired by Balfour Beatty in ~2019 and subsequently repainted blue & white.


2) *the DTS machines mentioned above were exported in December 2023 due to the acquisition of the 20s. They were sometimes used on BB's electrification trains, and hauling cranes & other items of plant about from depot to depot. It's not entirely unfeasible in the future that the 20s may also take up similar tasks when not in use on drain trains and is hinted as such in BB's press release.

 

[ExRes]

1) no. Balfour Beatty have two Drain Trains, both consisting of two container flats with various modules on. Until the acquisition of the 20s, both drain trains worked within "Plasser TRAMM" machines, or sometimes between two "Plasser Dynamic Track Stabiliser" machines*.

The set currently between the 20s are BB's first drain train wagons dating back to 2004, numbers quoted above by ExRes.

The Bletchley train was the grey "Sussex Rail" drain train with wagons 95490 and 95491. They were acquired by Balfour Beatty in ~2019 and subsequently repainted blue & white.


2) *the DTS machines mentioned above were exported in December 2023 due to the acquisition of the 20s. They were sometimes used on BB's electrification trains, and hauling cranes & other items of plant about from depot to depot. It's not entirely unfeasible in the future that the 20s may also take up similar tasks when not in use on drain trains and is hinted as such in BB's press release.

Thanks for the info @trainlogger



** Updated Monday 23rd September **


20901 & 20905 worked last nights 2344 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to Alexandra Palace and 0510 6J09 return




** Updated Tuesday 1st October **


Tuesday 1st - 0445 Bowes Park to Welwyn GC FD & 2317 to Gordon Hill
Wednesday 2nd - 0445 Bowes Park to Welwyn GC FD & 2317 to Gordon Hill
Thursday 3rd - 0445 to Welwyn GC FD & 2317 to Gordon Hill
Friday 4th - 0455 to Welwyn GC FD

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 working Sundays 1049 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to Barrow Hill LIP via Peterborough, Oakham & Erewash

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 worked 1000 6J09 Barrow Hill LIP to Welwyn GC FD with the Drain Train



** Updated Wednesday 23rd October **


20901 & 20905 worked 2155 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to West Hampstead Thameslink with the Drain Train

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 worked 0455 6J09 West Hampstead South Junction to Welwyn GC FD and 2156 6J09 return with the Drain Train



** Updated Friday 25th October **


20901 & 20905 worked 0455 6J09 West Hampstead South Jct to Welwyn GC FD with the Drain Train

 

[ExRes]

** Sunday 3rd November **

20901 & 20905 worked 2345 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to New Southgate with the Drain Train

Monday 4th - 0510 New Barnet to Welwyn GC FD & 2345 to New Southgate
Tuesday 5th - 0510 to Welwyn GC FD & 2346 to Alexandra Palace
Wednesday 6th - 0510 to Welwyn GC FD & 2343 to Alexandra Palace
Thursday 7th - 0510 to Welwyn GC FD & 2343 to Alexandra Palace
Friday 8th - 0510 to Welwyn GC FD

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 worked 1025 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to Diss Reception with the Drain Train



** Updated Sunday 1st December **


20901 & 20905 worked 0028 6J09 Colchester Reception Line to Ipswich and 0715 6J09 return with the Drain train



** Updated Tuesday 3rd December **


20901 & 20905 working 1119 6J09 Diss Reception to Welwyn GC FD with the Drain Train, I'm presuming there must be a teleporter between Colchester and Diss as RTT and Rail Record show no workings between the two

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 back out on Cillit Bang duties with the 6J09 Drain Train after having used the Colchester teleporter again

Saturday 14th - 2217 Colchester Reception Line to Chalkwell
Sunday 15th - 1835 Pitsea to Welwyn GC FD
Monday 16th - 2342 Welwyn GC FD to New Southgate
Tuesday 17th - 0510 Oakleigh Park to Welwyn GC FD & 2344 to New Southgate
Wednesday 18th - 0509 Oakleigh Park to Welwyn GC FD & 2337 to Alexandra Palace
Thursday 19th - 0505 Alexandra Palace to Welwyn GC FD & 2344 to Alexandra Palace

 

[notverydeep]

Presumably the discontinuity is because they are working within a possession between the two locations. Anyway they were sat in the sunshine this morning at Welwyn Garden City sidings between a two segment (switch and crossing?) rail grinder and another track machine called Gill…

 

[ExRes]

Presumably the discontinuity is because they are working within a possession between the two locations. Anyway they were sat in the sunshine this morning at Welwyn Garden City sidings between a two segment (switch and crossing?) rail grinto der and another track machine called Gill…

I can understand the possession locations it's the 'arrive at Diss depart from Colchester' and 'arrive at Welwyn depart from Colchester' that confuse my poor old brain, presumably the moves just miss RTT and Rail Record somehow

0510 Alexandra Palace to Welwyn GC FD this morning which, if RTT is right, could be the last trip of the year. One contributor to the forum thinks that the Drain Train is back off to Scotland in February so hopefully another busy year for the set

** As of this evening we now have some VST schedules added for Monday 23rd to Upper Holloway and Tuesday 24th to Willesden Junction

 

[Class15]

So frustrating I’m away right now, tonight’s 6J09 would have been perfect.

I can’t see any paths out of Willesden, probably will leave under a possession… will they come back before or after Christmas?

 

[ExRes]

Confusing as usual but 6J09 did actually run last night (Monday 23rd) as 2013 Welwyn GC FD to Upper Holloway CE Siding and is scheduled as todays 2240 to Willesden Junction High Level, RTT then confusingly shows a 0058 Upper Holloway Up Goods Loop to Willesden Junction for tomorrow so is maybe carrying some elves as back up for the Santa Special

 

[Class15]

1am on the 25th December is absolutely brutal for the driver!

 

[ExRes]

1am on the 25th December is absolutely brutal for the driver!

Absolutely, I used to do a regular 0112 book on but never had to do it on Christmas Day

Lucky driver worked this mornings 0058 6J09 Upper Holloway Up Goods Loop to Willesden Junction, no further schedules for 6J09 coming up on RTT as yet

 

[Class15]

Absolutely, I used to do a regular 0112 book on but never had to do it on Christmas Day

Goodness me that’s bad luck!

Lucky driver worked this mornings 0058 6J09 Upper Holloway Up Goods Loop to Willesden Junction, no further schedules for 6J09 coming up on RTT as yet

Please go east… (if you’re listening 20s)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Dec 2024 ==

They’ve left Willesden at some point this morning, hopefully they’ve gone back to Upper Holloway but nothing on RTT.

AUTOMERGE

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Dec 2024 ==

20901 and 20905 were stabled in the Cripple Siding between Upper Holloway and Junction Road as of 16:00 today.

Photo shows the 20s standing in the Cripple Siding, taken from Platform 1 at Upper Holloway station.

 

[ExRes]

Goodness me that’s bad luck!

Please go east… (if you’re listening 20s)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Dec 2024 ==

They’ve left Willesden at some point this morning, hopefully they’ve gone back to Upper Holloway but nothing on RTT.

AUTOMERGE

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Dec 2024 ==

20901 and 20905 were stabled in the Cripple Siding between Upper Holloway and Junction Road as of 16:00 today.

Photo shows the 20s standing in the Cripple Siding, taken from Platform 1 at Upper Holloway station.

Thanks, just looked on se gen and noticed a report that they are at Upper Holloway

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Jan 2025 ==

Goodness me that’s bad luck!

Please go east… (if you’re listening 20s)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Dec 2024 ==

They’ve left Willesden at some point this morning, hopefully they’ve gone back to Upper Holloway but nothing on RTT.

AUTOMERGE

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Dec 2024 ==

20901 and 20905 were stabled in the Cripple Siding between Upper Holloway and Junction Road as of 16:00 today.

Photo shows the 20s standing in the Cripple Siding, taken from Platform 1 at Upper Holloway station.

The system won't let me put a new post until tomorrow, but 20901 & 20905 have finally departed this morning

Slightly delayed 1000 6J09 Upper Holloway CE Siding to Welwyb GC FD, nothing on RTT from Welwyn as yet

 

[ExRes]

Please go east… (if you’re listening 20s)

20901 & 20905 worked todays 1015 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to Colchester TC



** Updated Sunday 12th January **


20901 & 20905 worked 0024 6J09 Colchester Reception Line to Ipswich, 0715 return and 1400 Colchester TC to Welwyn GC FD



** Updated Wednesday 15th January **


20901 & 20905 worked 2154 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to West Hampstead Thameslink



** Updated Thursday 16th January **


20901 & 20905 working 0515 6J09 Carlton Road Junction to Welwyn GC FD

 

[ExRes]

Please go east… (if you’re listening 20s)

20901 & 20905 worked todays 1015 6J09 Welwyn GC FD to Marks Tey S&T Siding retimed to 2025



** Updated Sunday 26th January **


20901 & 20905 working 2025 6J09 Marks Tey S&T Siding to Colchester Reception Line and 2122 6J09 to Halesworth


Monday 27th January - 0515 Oulton Broad South to Colchester Reception Line, 0732 to Marks Tey S&T Siding and 2216 to Halesworth

Tuesday 28th January - 0515 Oulton Broad South to Colchester Reception Line

 

[ExRes]

20901 & 20905 worked 0206 6J09 Colchester Reception Line to Bentley (Suffolk) and 0650 Ipswich Halifax Junction to Colchester Reception Line