network rail something or other...

[P156KWJ]

Hi all,
Can someone identify a train for me? It has been coming by a lot recently and I finally got a video of it. 90% certain it's a ballast cleaner (hence the title) but can't be sure.
Filmed by me >> http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RtZrvyzq6yI

 

[Dennis]

High output ballast cleaner
The 800 metre, 3,200 tonne High Output Ballast Cleaner works on the tracks’ ballast foundation. The huge yellow machine is slashing work times and increasing productivity. Around 600 hundred yards of track can be ballast cleaned in a typical midweek eight-hour night shift and around 1,400 yards in 16 hours at weekends.
While working, the High Output Ballast Cleaning System works at around a quarter of a mile an hour, undertaking the following processes continuously:

• Excavating ballast from beneath the track, while holding the track in position
  
  
• Passing the excavated material through large vibrating sieves
  
  
• Removing ‘fines’ to specialist wagons in the train
  
  
• Returning the larger pieces of ballast back to the track
  
  
• Adding new ballast from wagons within the train to make up for the ‘fines’ removed

Some detail shots here

 

[P156KWJ]

High output ballast cleaner
The 800 metre, 3,200 tonne High Output Ballast Cleaner works on the tracks’ ballast foundation. The huge yellow machine is slashing work times and increasing productivity. Around 600 hundred yards of track can be ballast cleaned in a typical midweek eight-hour night shift and around 1,400 yards in 16 hours at weekends.
While working, the High Output Ballast Cleaning System works at around a quarter of a mile an hour, undertaking the following processes continuously:

• Excavating ballast from beneath the track, while holding the track in position
  
  
• Passing the excavated material through large vibrating sieves
  
  
• Removing ‘fines’ to specialist wagons in the train
  
  
• Returning the larger pieces of ballast back to the track
  
  
• Adding new ballast from wagons within the train to make up for the ‘fines’ removed

Some detail shots here

Thanks for the info Dennis

Does anyone happen to know where it was heading? It was on the Down line of the Nottingham-Grantham past Netherfield about 1715 daily Mon-Fri.

 

[adamp]

Wow, Network Rail really do have some interesting pieces of machinery!!
Always wondered what they did.
(Y)

 

[TheSlash]

I'd be more interested in finding out where these typical 8 hour mid week night shifts occur!! We are lucky to get 3 hours possession a night round here!!

 

[Z12XE]

Sounds like the GEML

3 Hour planned posession, 5 hours over run..........!

 

[Turbostar]

IIRC I think there's 2 of these beasts, 1 is based down here at Fairwater Yard in Taunton, the other I think is based somewhere around Rugby.

 

[jacknottm]

Thanks for the info Dennis

Does anyone happen to know where it was heading? It was on the Down line of the Nottingham-Grantham past Netherfield about 1715 daily Mon-Fri.

It was off to stoke tunnel near grantham. Have no idea why but i think there was a possesion on the slow lines after a certain time in the evening.

Jack

 

[will1337]

UK railway length 12,400 miles (2006) at 5 miles a week between 2 of them would take about 47 years to clean. There must be quite a few of them or similar machines?

 

[Dennis]

UK railway length 12,400 miles (2006) at 5 miles a week between 2 of them would take about 47 years to clean. There must be quite a few of them or similar machines?

There are also smaller medium output ballast cleaners, like this one and also older Plasser and Theurer RM75s.

 

[P156KWJ]

discovered off a friend who works for Network Snail that it was indeed off to the ECML

 

[Turbostar]

UK railway length 12,400 miles (2006) at 5 miles a week between 2 of them would take about 47 years to clean. There must be quite a few of them or similar machines?

I already said that. :roll:

IIRC I think there's 2 of these beasts, 1 is based down here at Fairwater Yard in Taunton, the other I think is based somewhere around Rugby.