Network Rail HST

[Ivo]

Yesterday [4th Feb] evening, at around 20:15, I was at Taunton station, when an HST pulled up on Platform 2, in Network Rail colours. I could not explain this, and neither could the conductor on my train (the 20:30 to Bristol TM). Can anyone shed some light on this please? Thank you

 

[royaloak]

it is on its 4 weekly rounds, believe it is Plymouth tomorrow, arrives about 9AM and leaves after the 0947 to Pad has gone.

 

[ukrob]

Here you go.

It can be seen on many main lines on a 3 or 4 week cycle.

 

[poshbakerloo]

I've only ever seen it once in my life a few years ago...

 

[mallard]

It's a pretty regular sight around here in the Midlands... Guess that's not much of a surprise since AFAIK it "lives" at Derby.

 

[GNERman]

its seen on the ecml quite a lot as it frequently goes to heaton depot, i've seen it at york twice, northallerton once and newcastle once...

come to think of it i saw it at skipton once as well...

Nice video of it at York here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di0MKHzrbOI

 

[CROMPTON 33]

I've seen it at kings cross a few times.

 

[90019]

It's a pretty regular sight around here in the Midlands... Guess that's not much of a surprise since AFAIK it "lives" at Derby.

I thought it was Craigentinny :?

Especially since I've seen the 3rd powercar there before.

 

[jopsuk]

You're most likely to see it on the faster mainlines of the country- which should hardly be a surprise. It inspects track and infrastructure. Other lines tend to be covered by other Network Rail trains.

 

[mallard]

I thought it was Craigentinny :?

Especially since I've seen the 3rd powercar there before.

Well I've certainly seen it stabled at Derby on more than one occasion...

 

[StewieG]

Souns interesting... Is it ever around Leeds then?

When does it come upto York?


I've never seen it, and sounds a sight to behold!!

 

[northwichcat]

Souns interesting... Is it ever around Leeds then?

When does it come upto York?

It does go on the ECML. The first and only time I've seen it was at Doncaster. As it says 'Network Rail Measurement Train' and refurbishment work was being carried out at Doncaster station at the time I thought it might be a train they use when they rebuild platforms or build new platforms when they are putting out signs saying '4 car stop', '8 car stop' etc.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

see it every once in a while down our way, amazed that a guard has never seen it mind

 

[Vulcan]

I'm very amazed that nobody knows what the New Measurement Train is.

The coaches are full of equipment that reads and records the condition of the track and overhead wires. One of the cars has a pantograph on with cameras aimed at it for recording things about the overheads, i believe it uses lasers to even measure the thickness of the wires. It also measures the track geometry, and I think it drops yellow paint to mark areas of concern. The powercars have cameras mounted on the front as well, it can do all this complex measuring at 125mph and does the rounds around the network, generally finding faults. I think it also has a meeting room on board. Its existed for a few years now and I thought I'd be common knowledge to people on this forum.

 

[ukrob]

I'm very amazed that nobody knows what the New Measurement Train is.

The coaches are full of equipment that reads and records the condition of the track and overhead wires. One of the cars has a pantograph on with cameras aimed at it for recording things about the overheads, i believe it uses lasers to even measure the thickness of the wires. It also measures the track geometry, and I think it drops yellow paint to mark areas of concern. The powercars have cameras mounted on the front as well, it can do all this complex measuring at 125mph and does the rounds around the network, generally finding faults. I think it also has a meeting room on board. Its existed for a few years now and I thought I'd be common knowledge to people on this forum.

You are right about the paint - it is accurate to within a meter at 125mph.

It is quite an assumption that 'nobody' knows what it is though - only the OP has suggested that!

 

[Ivo]

You are right about the paint - it is accurate to within a meter at 125mph.

It is quite an assumption that 'nobody' knows what it is though - only the OP has suggested that!

I'd like to think that I do know what it is now It doesn't help that HSTs have no place in Southend (much as I'd like to think otherwise :roll, and that I only left in September...

 

[Old Timer]

You are right about the paint - it is accurate to within a meter at 125mph.

It is quite an assumption that 'nobody' knows what it is though - only the OP has suggested that!

It doesn't drop paint !

 

[43167]

The set 1st appeared in 2003 and the powercars used are 43013/014 & 062. 43067 & 196 were also painted in the yellow for a short time while they were used as cover while the regular powercars were having majors around 04/05.

Only seen the set about 4 times. But had the privilage of been invited for a ride on the train in the conference car.

 

[Old Timer]

The NMT is WTT'd on a four-week cycle that takes it along the principal main lines in the same booked path.

It passes over all the various routes radiating from Derby, as well as the Wichnor Jct to Lichfiled TV HL section (both ways).

If anyone wants the specific time at a certain point then I can oblige as I have access to the complete NMT timetable.

 

[matt]

The NMT is WTT'd on a four-week cycle that takes it along the principal main lines in the same booked path.

I thought that some lines get tested more regularly than others so some lines may get checked every two weeks, four weeks, thirteen weeks etc.

 

[Vulcan]

It doesn't drop paint !

I thought it did, after my dad also said he thought it did, and as he works for NR I thought he had some insider info. I've also seen strange yellow stripes painted on the sleepers and ballast on seemingly random bits of track, in neat stripes exactly parallel to the rails, which would suggest it was painted by a moving vehicle. However, if it was the NMT that did it then I would have thought it would have it splashed around on the underframe at least, and I've never seen any evidence of this.

Also, now you say the above, I know its most likely a myth.

 

[Old Timer]

Here is the programme

Week 1
Monday
1Q13 Heaton to Derby via Hexham, Carlisle, S+C, Leeds (reverse), Diggle, Manchester Picc (reverse) and Diggle

OR

1Q36 Heaton to Derby via Hexham, Carlisle, S+C, Leeds (reverse), Hebden Bridge, Manchester Vic.(reverse) and Hedden Bridge

OR

1Q37 Heaton to Derby via Hexham, Carlisle, G+SW, Kilmarnock (reverse), G+SW, Carlisle, Shap, Crewe.

Tuesday
1Q28 Derby to Derby via Alrewas, Lichfield(reverse), WCML slows, Euston(reverse), WCML slow lines, Crewe (reverse)

OR

1Q22 Derby to Crewe via Alrewas, Lichfield(reverse), WCML slows, Euston(reverse), WCML slow lines, Crewe, Wilmslow, Manchester Picc.(reverse), Wilmslow

Wednesday
Spare. Every 12 weeks however works
1Q23 Crewe to Derby via Liverpool Lime Street(reverse), Crewe(reverse), slow lines, Liverpool Lime Street(reverse), slow lines, Crewe, Stafford, Lichfield and Alrewas

Thursday
1Z16 Derby to Old Oak via Leamington, Banbury, Didcot and Reading

Friday
1Z18 Old Oak to Plymouth via Reading and the Berks & Hants
1Z19 Plymouth to Paddington via the Berks & Hants and Reading
1Z21 Paddington to Derby via Reading, Didcot, Banbury and Leamington

Saturday
1Q40 Derby to Heaton via S+C, Carlisle and Hexham


Week 2

Monday
1Q42 Heaton to Derby via Doncaster West yard(recess), Newark, Peterborough, Kings Cross(reverse), Peterborough, Grantham, Nottingham and Spondon

Tuesday
1Q26 Derby to Glasgow Central via Crewe, Shap, Beattock
1Q27 Glasgow Central to Ayr

Wednesday
1Q28 Ayr to Glasgow Central
1Q28 Glasgow Central to Crewe via Beattock, Shap
1Q27 Crewe to London Euston via Trent Valley and WCML fast lines
1Q27 London Euston to Derby via WCML fast lines, Trent Valley and Crewe(reverse)

Thursday
1Q52 Derby to Derby via MML and St.Pancras(reverse)
1Q53 Derby to Heaton

Friday
No booked work – Works as required

Saturday
No booked work – Works as required
Sometimes runs as follows
1Q34 Derby to Heaton if used on previous day


Week 3
Monday
1Q01 Heaton to Derby via Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow Queen Street(reverse), Edinburgh, Berwick, Newcastle, Durham, York, Doncaster, Rotherham

OR

1Q24 Heaton to Derby via Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow Queen Street(reverse),Edinburgh, Berwick, Newcastle, Durham, York, Milford, Rotherham

Tuesday
1Q28 Derby to Derby via Alrewas, Lichfield(reverse), WCML slows, Euston(reverse), WCML slow lines, Crewe (reverse)

Wednesday
No booked work – Works as required

Thursday
1Q25 Derby to Derby via Stoke, Macclesfield, Stockport(reverse), Macclesfield, Stoke, Norton Bridge, Stafford, Wolverhampton, New Street, Coventry, Rugby, Northampton and return
1Z17 Derby to Old Oak via Bromsgrove, Bristol, Taunton(reverse) and Bath

Friday
1Z20 Old Oak to Derby via Didcot, Newport, Swansea(reverse), Newport, Bristol Parkway, Charfield, Ashchurch, Bromsgrove

Saturday
1Q34 Derby to Heaton


Week 4

Monday
1Q07 Heaton to Ferme Park via Doncaster, ECML, Kings Cross(reverse)
1Q08 Ferme Park to Derby via Kings Cross(reverse), ECML, Doncaster, Leeds(reverse)

Tuesday
1Q26 Derby to Glasgow Central via Crewe, Shap, Beattock
1Q26 Glasgow Central to Crewe via Beattock, Shap

Wednesday
1Q27 Crewe to London Euston via Trent Valley and WCML fast lines
1Q27 London Euston to Derby via WCML fast lines, Trent Valley and Crewe(reverse)


Thursday
No booked work – Works as required
Sometimes runs as follows
Thursday
1Q11 Derby to Heaton
Or
1Q30 Derby to Crewe via Crewe, North Wales Coast and Holyhead(reverse)


Friday
No booked work – Works as required
Sometimes runs as follows
1Q12 Heaton to Heaton via Berwick, Edinburgh, Fife, Dundee and Aberdeen(reverse)

OR

1Q20 Crewe to Newport via Shrewsbury and Hereford
1Q20 Newport to Derby via Hereford, Shrewsbury and Crewe(reverse

Saturday
1Q34 Derby to Heaton (doesn't run if Aberdeen trip operates)

 

[GB]

Ive never seen the NR HST train so do not know if it drops paint. However there are certainly some NR inspection trains that do drop paint in areas of concern.

http://www.east-rail.fotopic.net/p55592155.html

 

[Vulcan]

Ive never seen the NR HST train so do not know if it drops paint. However there are certainly some NR inspection trains that do drop paint in areas of concern.

http://www.east-rail.fotopic.net/p55592155.html

Thats probably where the confusion comes from then

 

[matt]

Looks like today is the end of week 3 as on Thursday it did the Derby to Northampton via Birmingham International.

 

[Ivo]

So all this, yet if i actually looked carefully at the right time it runs one mile from my home. Great... :roll:

 

[Ploughman]

I occaisionally used to travel on board the Sprinter version and on the then Lab 5 for the faster routes around Leeds and York as local PW rep in the early 90s.
These trains were for recording track faults, my job was if anything major appeared I could ring back to the office and give the boss a report as to were the problem was. Then bring the paper trace back to the office for examination.
The faults were marked by paint drop Yellow or red dependant on type. This was I think 20 yds from the fault and so easily found by the local PW gang sent to repair the fault.
I seem to remember that there was a bit of a competition between Hull and Skipton as to who had the worst stretch Hull Dock branch or Rylstone quarry branch.

 

[ukrob]

It doesn't drop paint !

I thought it did, after my dad also said he thought it did, and as he works for NR I thought he had some insider info. I've also seen strange yellow stripes painted on the sleepers and ballast on seemingly random bits of track, in neat stripes exactly parallel to the rails, which would suggest it was painted by a moving vehicle. However, if it was the NMT that did it then I would have thought it would have it splashed around on the underframe at least, and I've never seen any evidence of this.

Also, now you say the above, I know its most likely a myth.

If it doesn't now, it certainly used to. Indeed people who were lucky enough to go on a tour of it were shown how it works.

 

[Old Timer]

If it doesn't now, it certainly used to. Indeed people who were lucky enough to go on a tour of it were shown how it works.

Sorry if offence has been taken. That was never the intention.
I think you are thinking of the original HSTRC and later versions on that theme.

The NMT now uses technology that positions it precisely, whereas the others were not THAT sophisticated and hence the need to drop paint. The NMT printout allows it pinpoint very accurately indeed the location of any fault. Given that these develop generally over time, they can be seen to get worse.

In the case where a yellow or red paint mark would have been left previously, track conditions of this nature will result in a telephone call or the train being brought to an emergency stop as well.

The idea that the train drops paint is quite widespread.

 

[matt]

In the case where a yellow or red paint mark would have been left previously, track conditions of this nature will result in a telephone call or the train being brought to an emergency stop as well.

I was at Coventry station once when the NMT went towards through heading towards Birmingham and shortly afterwards the line was shut for emergency engineering works.