"Sand Rovers" and turning around

[frankmoh]

Recently Southeastern has said 'they' (even though it should be Network Rail) are trialling Sand Rover vehicles to help remove leaves from tracks on the Grain Line and Hayes Lines (two very different lines with different needs but okay I guess).

One question. How do they turn around? There is quite clearly only one cab on the vehicle.

Sand Rover vehicle. Taken from https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/autumn

 

[43096]

Recently Southeastern has said 'they' (even though it should be Network Rail) are trialling Sand Rover vehicles to help remove leaves from tracks on the Grain Line and Hayes Lines (two very different lines with different needs but okay I guess).

One question. How do they turn around? There is quite clearly only one cab on the vehicle.

Sand Rover vehicle. Taken from https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/autumn

Like any road/rail vehicle they lift the rail wheels, drive off the track, turn round and back on to the rails in the other direction.

 

[frankmoh]

Like any road/rail vehicle they lift the rail wheels, drive off the track, turn round and back on to the rails in the other direction.

I have to wonder where they would have space to turn around on the Hayes line, as Hayes station doesn't have much free space either side of the track.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Where's the photo likely to have been taken? Have seen a similar (maybe identical?) pic used three years ago in a Network Rail media story about leaf clearance work on branch lines in Devon.

 

[Ploughman]

Like any road/rail vehicle they lift the rail wheels, drive off the track, turn round and back on to the rails in the other direction.

or just stick it in reverse.

 

[PG]

Where's the photo likely to have been taken? Have seen a similar (maybe identical?) pic used three years ago in a Network Rail media story about leaf clearance work on branch lines in Devon.

This article from the manufacturer may help in tracking down the location?

The R2R 4×4 Leaf Fall (formerly known as the Sand Rover) is a specialist Land Rover RRV designed to tackle leaf debris on tracks.

 

[sprinterguy]

Where's the photo likely to have been taken? Have seen a similar (maybe identical?) pic used three years ago in a Network Rail media story about leaf clearance work on branch lines in Devon.

Looks to me to be the Loch Eil-side section of the West Highland extension to Mallaig.

 

[Flange Squeal]

I have to wonder where they would have space to turn around on the Hayes line, as Hayes station doesn't have much free space either side of the track.

Hayes station has an access point with road-rail vehicle pad at the London end of the car park they can drive on/off and turn around. You can see it at 35min 46sec of this YouTube video...

At the other end of the branch there is one between Clock House and New Beckenham accessed from Bridge Road. It doesn't appear to have been there at the time of the video above, however you can see it on Google Maps...

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[mikeb42]

Looks to me to be the Loch Eil-side section of the West Highland extension to Mallaig

That picture triggered an immediate memory of the view across the railway and Loch Garve from the A835 between Dingwall and Garve. The line to Kyle of Lochalsh just fits in a narrow strip between the road and the banks of the Loch along there.

That said, that vista could just as likely be in many places in western Scotland, including the Mallaig line.

 

[Phil R]

Recently Southeastern has said 'they' (even though it should be Network Rail) are trialling Sand Rover vehicles to help remove leaves from tracks on the Grain Line and Hayes Lines (two very different lines with different needs but okay I guess).

One question. How do they turn around? There is quite clearly only one cab on the vehicle.

Sand Rover vehicle. Taken from https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/autumn

Southeastern and Network Rail Kent Route now integrated under a unified management structure as South Eastern Railway so there's no such thing as 'they' and 'not they'.