Class 994 (T&W Metro) at Bristol Barton Hill?

[superalbs]

Hello,

I was heading North towards Worcester Shrub Hill from Bristol Temple Meads today, and was routed behind a stopping service, meaning we crawled very slowly out of Bristol Temple Meads.

I had heard of a Class 50 being based at Barton Hill, so turned to look at it when I saw a two car grey train with yellow doors. My first thought was that it was a promotional livery for a Class 150 or something, what with the doors being in that location, but I then realised that it was nothing like a Class 150!

My only thought is that it is a Class 994 from the Tyne & Wear metro system in the Newcastle area, but it seems illogical for that to be down in Bristol.

Any information on this confusion is appreciated - thanks!

 

[theblackwatch]

I saw a report of this last week, but have no idea why it's there. GWR Class 150 replacement perhaps? :P

 

[bgstrowger]

Vivarail are going to put a Mercedes F1 engine underneath it to create a cut price 125mph commuter train ??????

 

[D365]

Out of interest, when have they ever been referred to in the public domain as Class 994?

 

[Paul_10]

My guess would be its one of either 4001 or 4002(which are the prototypes) as both units have been out of service for a long time now especially 4002 where it was in service in October 2015! Could be possible both are down there for some unknown reason.

Is Bristol Barton Hill a maintenance facility or a GWR depot? If its the former then it could be one of 4022 or 4055 as they might need bodywork repairs as both derailed in Gosforth Depot in the last few months.

Will be interesting too see if anyone does know why they are there.

 

[Dhassell]

Barton Hill is a Arriva owned Maintenance Depot, Voyagers are stabled in there, they also have a paint shop with GWR 158's are refurbed in, as well as Chiltern Mk3's a while back.

 

[Parallel]

There's also a Pacer at Barton Hill at the moment, thought to be receiving a paint job. I saw it a couple of days ago, left of a 158 that was poking its head out from the shed.

 

[mackeral1234]

Any pictures

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'm pretty sure that the various pictures circulating on Twitter earlier today show the 50 hauling a rail grinder train, not a T&W Metro unit...

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Lots on the class 50 Facebook page. 50 008 carting a grinder around the south West

 

[NSE]

Some high digit numbers are given a TOPS classification for 'other' units. I think 99 was used for some old BR ferries back in t'day. Class 499 I think is the one given to the Bakerloo line trains when north of Queens Park. Purely for the signallers to know what's coming etc. So 994 could be something in that vein as they share track at Sunderland.

 

[swt_passenger]

I'm pretty sure that the various pictures circulating on Twitter earlier today show the 50 hauling a rail grinder train, not a T&W Metro unit...

I don't think the OP actually meant the Cl 50 was hauling what he saw. I took his post to mean that while he was looking for, or at the Cl 50, he then also saw what he thought was a Metro unit...

I doubt anyone would describe a 5 vehicle bright yellow grinding unit as a 2 car grey train with yellow doors?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I doubt anyone would describe a 5 vehicle bright yellow grinding unit as a 2 car grey train with yellow doors?

Depends on the bowlage getting in the way, surely...?

In this case, I get the impression the sighted train was partly or fully inside Barton Hill?

 

[superalbs]

Depends on the bowlage getting in the way, surely...?

In this case, I get the impression the sighted train was partly or fully inside Barton Hill?

Some of it was in the shed, maybe half a coach, and by the time I had returned, it was fully in the shed.

 

[DarloRich]

The new grinder (One of three new C44 Loram Rail Grinding Machines) sounds like the right colouring but it is longer than a 2 car train. One has been down in the SW pottering about on a preserved line. The 50 hauled it up and back before handing over to a 56 in Birmingham for the run to Derby.

BTW Class 994? I assume this was assigned for use on the Sunderland section of the metro but i have never heard the metty referred to as a class 994!

 

[mackeral1234]

The new grinder (One of three new C44 Loram Rail Grinding Machines) sounds like the right colouring but it is longer than a 2 car train. One has been down in the SW pottering about on a preserved line. The 50 hauled it up and back before handing over to a 56 in Birmingham for the run to Derby.

BTW Class 994? I assume this was assigned for use on the Sunderland section of the metro but i have never heard the metty referred to as a class 994!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyne_and_Wear_Metro_rolling_stock

 

[D365]

BTW Class 994? I assume this was assigned for use on the Sunderland section of the metro but i have never heard the metty referred to as a class 994!

That's exactly what I said, they're never referred to as that in day-to-day Metro use.

 

[DarloRich]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyne_and_Wear_Metro_rolling_stock

It might be the TOPS allocation but no one has ever referred to a metro train as a class 994 - regardless of what wiki says!

 

[D1009]

I presume this is the first time for many years one of the Tyne and Wear Metro units has been seen outside its local area, so when someone suddenly encounters one in Bristol, it's hardly surprising they would wonder what to call it.

 

[DarloRich]

I presume this is the first time for many years one of the Tyne and Wear Metro units has been seen outside its local area, so when someone suddenly encounters one in Bristol, it's hardly surprising they would wonder what to call it.

they have been back and forward to Doncaster in recent years where they had a full refit

 

[Mintona]

I drove past a Tyne & Wear Metro on a lowloader on the M5 at Stroud last week or the week before, I forget now. I was rather confused as to where it was heading in the south west, obviously Barton Hill was the answer.

 

[hacman]

It's down there for repairs following a derailment a few months ago.

 

[hacman]

The unit in question is 994022.