Single Container Wagon at Milton Keynes Today

[The Planner]

How fast can it travel on a skate?

No more than 30mph if I recall, often less.

 

[L&Y Robert]

One wagon? I thought that container flats ran in permanently coupled sets. Some I have seen have a sort of 'bar' where the coupling should be, and no buffers 'inside' the set. I have wondered how they deal with a 'cripple' in such a set whilst out on the road.

 

[DownSouth]

One wagon? I thought that container flats ran in permanently coupled sets.

Some yes, some no. It would depend on what that operator has in their fleet, and whether they run exclusively point-to-point journeys or mixed freight with wagons getting marshalled into new consists.

Some I have seen have a sort of 'bar' where the coupling should be, and no buffers 'inside' the set. I have wondered how they deal with a 'cripple' in such a set whilst out on the road.

The first step in dealing with a fault within a 3-pack, 5-pack or whatever is to cut the whole pack out of the consist.

What happens next depends on whether they are simply full-length wagons which use drawbar couplings, or if they are 'articulated' wagons with a shared Jacobs Bogie between them. Dealing with the drawbar couplings out in the field is time-consuming but relatively simple, but dealing with 'articulated' wagons is a much more painful process which needs at least one crane.

 

[edwin_m]

What happens next depends on whether they are simply full-length wagons which use drawbar couplings, or if they are 'articulated' wagons with a shared Jacobs Bogie between them. Dealing with the drawbar couplings out in the field is time-consuming but relatively simple, but dealing with 'articulated' wagons is a much more painful process which needs at least one crane.

I don't think we have articulated container wagons in Britain. There were some articulated car carriers but I think they've gone now.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I assume this is a "wheel skate"?

I got there at around 14:00, and left at about 15:15 just after I got the above shot from the multi-story car-park. There were two class 66 in attendance. How fast can it travel on a skate?

Yes that is a wheel skate - sounds as if they got it moved fairly promptly. As well as the delay to the container, I doubt they would want something blocking the passenger platform for the Monday morning peak. Or indeed bimbling around on the WCML, as I believe wheel skates are limited to 5mph on points.

 

[Marklund]

No more than 30mph if I recall, often less.

Can't remember the exact speed, but do remember travelling over S&C is either 5 or walking pace.

Most moves are made after shut down on 2 track railways.

 

[33056]

IIRC 15mph max speed and 5mph over points and crossings.

 

[Marklund]

Oh, and the axle counters will just love that wheel skate too.

 

[455driver]

Sorry, it was meant to have a question mark as being a mere signaller I do not know such things! But normally faults don't just appear out of nowhere for no reason, and can be sometimes picked up through inspections and maintenance, or is that not the case? For example if it was a wheel flat surely it didn't deteriorate that badly in its journey?

So your car has never broken down then?
Unfortunately sh#t happens and a fault can appear at any time, most faults can be handled but once in a while it will be a job stopper and it will eff things up a treat.
Of course back in the good old days it would have been knocked out of the train into one of the many cripple sidings scattered around the Country, unfortunately the modern way is to do away with such extravagances and when it goes wrong, oh dear!

Edit-
Removed due to reading SWT passengers post on the privious page saying the same thing.

 

[Jonny]

One wagon? I thought that container flats ran in permanently coupled sets. Some I have seen have a sort of 'bar' where the coupling should be, and no buffers 'inside' the set. I have wondered how they deal with a 'cripple' in such a set whilst out on the road.

That wagon is marked as 'KFA' which usually operates as a single wagon.

 

[WestCountry]

I don't think we have articulated container wagons in Britain. There were some articulated car carriers but I think they've gone now.

There are loads of them, probably more than half the total. Lots of FEA pairs, and some other types in longer formations.

 

[GB]

deleted

 

[trainplan1]

So your car has never broken down then?
Unfortunately sh#t happens and a fault can appear at any time, most faults can be handled but once in a while it will be a job stopper and it will eff things up a treat.

Quite, again because the railway incidents are so public it puts the event under huge scrutiny. Imagine if we reported every lorry/car breakdown in the same context!

In a previous life before the railways I worked for a large container shipping company. We had regular issues with the lorry companies, e.g driver hours, satnav balls ups etc, whereas the railways were fairly plain sailing. Only once did we have a major issue. A now defunct FOC decide not to tell us about some missing containers. We knew nothing about it until a colleague walked into the office with a copy of RAIL magazine showing the aftermath of the severe gales and a couple of our containers blocking the WCML... needless to say they didn't get much business from us again....

 

[edwin_m]

There are loads of them, probably more than half the total. Lots of FEA pairs, and some other types in longer formations.

These are fixed formation because they don't have standard buffers and couplings on the inner ends, but I as far as I know each wagon still has two bogies so they are not articulated.

 

[Llama]

IIRC 15mph max speed and 5mph over points and crossings.

There isn't a defined speed for wheelskate movements, the rolling stock technicians decide what maximum speed the movement can be made over plain line, curves where the line speed is Xmph, switches & crossings (S&C), even that can vary depending on the permissible speed over the S&C, and within depots. Also advised will be any reduction in brake force, any isolated traction motors etc and other info such as coupler height.

This information will be advised to the driver on a ticket completed by the rolling stock technicians, which will also advise how frequently the wheelskate itself must be inspected during the movement.

Last time I moved one (a 156 which had suffered a hot axle box on the Atherton line) it was max 25mph on plain line, max 10mph over curves & S&C where permissible speed was 30 or more, and max 3mph over curves & S&C where permissible speed was below 30mph and within depots. Inspection was every eight miles.

 

[DarloRich]

The offending wagon was moved to the OTM sidings alongside Bletchely TMD. Here it joined another recalcitrant flat wagon carrying a Manchester (?) bin container.

They were both there yesterday and today there was a vast road crane in attendance lifting up the wagons to facilitate some work.

 

[33056]

There isn't a defined speed for wheelskate movements, ..............

Thanks for that; been a few years since I have dealt with any skate moves on my area so it looks like things are more flexible now.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The offending wagon was moved to the OTM sidings alongside Bletchely TMD.

I did wonder where it would end up, having guessed that it wouldn't be going too far.

 

[plastictaffy]

The train in question (4M88) Felixstowe - Lawley Street had been dragged some distance with the handbrake hard on on the second or third wagon back.

The only reason it was discovered was that earlier in the day, some axle counters didn't reset just north of Linslade so they stopped the driver at MK and asked him to check his train.

I should imagine the reason he was stopped there was because by the time someone thought to get the driver to check the train, he'd already passed the Bletchley loops.

I'm guessing it'll be shoved onto the back of a lorry from Bletchley TMD. Got to be road access there for a low loader to get in.

 

[6Gman]

There isn't a defined speed for wheelskate movements, the rolling stock technicians decide what maximum speed the movement can be made over plain line, curves where the line speed is Xmph, switches & crossings (S&C), even that can vary depending on the permissible speed over the S&C, and within depots. Also advised will be any reduction in brake force, any isolated traction motors etc and other info such as coupler height.

This information will be advised to the driver on a ticket completed by the rolling stock technicians, which will also advise how frequently the wheelskate itself must be inspected during the movement.

Last time I moved one (a 156 which had suffered a hot axle box on the Atherton line) it was max 25mph on plain line, max 10mph over curves & S&C where permissible speed was 30 or more, and max 3mph over curves & S&C where permissible speed was below 30mph and within depots. Inspection was every eight miles.

Indeed. I once had to time an 86 on a wheel skate Preston to Crewe - very, very, very difficult!

 

[455driver]

I'm guessing it'll be shoved onto the back of a lorry from Bletchley TMD. Got to be road access there for a low loader to get in.

Or change the bogie or wheelset where it is.

 

[GearJammer]

Or change the bogie or wheelset where it is.

I believe they have a truck with a hiab to do just this kind of job at Southampton Maritime.

 

[DarloRich]

Or change the bogie or wheelset where it is.

that is what i assumed they were doing - they had already craned the refuse container off the wagon bed.

 

[RichmondCommu]

The offending wagon was moved to the OTM sidings alongside Bletchely TMD. Here it joined another recalcitrant flat wagon carrying a Manchester (?) bin container.

They were both there yesterday and today there was a vast road crane in attendance lifting up the wagons to facilitate some work.

Apologies for the daft question but what does OTM stand for?

 

[carriageline]

Generally On-Track machine


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[DarloRich]

Apologies for the daft question but what does OTM stand for?

Generally On-Track machine

Yes things like tampers, stoneblowers and rail grinders

 

[WestCountry]

These are fixed formation because they don't have standard buffers and couplings on the inner ends, but I as far as I know each wagon still has two bogies so they are not articulated.

Sorry, you're right.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Yes things like tampers, stoneblowers and rail grinders

Thanks for that. Always learning on this forum!

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks for that. Always learning on this forum!

no worries - i am so used to talking in acronyms that they just spill out at times - Now i wonder if you could use the OTM sidings to ontrack OTP

 

[83G/84D]

no worries - i am so used to talking in acronyms that they just spill out at times - Now i wonder if you could use the OTM sidings to ontrack OTP

TCA, EBS, TIS, E90, TSR, ESR, just to mention a few. Anyone remember the telegraph codes? WALNUT REDE is one I recall! Or the Civil engineers wagons which were named Grampus, Dogfish, Salmon etc, etc..............

 

[carriageline]

TCA, EBS, TIS, E90, TSR, ESR, just to mention a few. Anyone remember the telegraph codes? WALNUT REDE is one I recall! Or the Civil engineers wagons which were named Grampus, Dogfish, Salmon etc, etc..............

It gets a bit much really, eveeythinf has some sort of abbreviation. For example 1Z11 COA on X123 on US, no SPAD. OMIC appointed (Joe Bloggs) S&T report points 1234 FOOC momentarily causing COA, FPL tested to restore. NWR.

Just an example, any resemblance to truth is a coincidence! (No it actually is!!)


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