The Classic Machinery Network

I received a call from our DBS locomotive control saying that the 6B13 petrol tanker train from Milford to Westerleigh , Bristol had set of an impact detector, with luck I was working on a locomotive as it came past me.I had to close the relief good line and inspect the first 100 tonne petrol tanker wagon behind the train locomotive.The wheelsets were badly damaged and could not continue its journey.I then had to shunt the wagon off the train to the adjacent yard.To make things worse,we had to contend with a points defect preventing me doing this job.After a wait of 45 mins,the delicate operation was carried out.After a delay of over one hour,the train got on its way after I had carried out a brake test.
The photo shows the train on its way again driven by Duane Curtis,who owns a London bus and is also interested in machinery.
Martyn
click on photo to enlarge,Duane looks cool with his top gun sunglasses

I was working on these locomotives on this train when the tanker train developed a fault,its conveying china clay up to the midlands from Imreys in Cornwall.
Drivern by Howard Hughes,not the multi million $ recluse

hello martyn.
tell me where the stranded wagon is ill be down tonight with my No 4 wilcox pump and a 5 gallon drum
regards graham.

Alexandra dock junction Newport Graham,it has 76 tonnes of petrol in it
Martyn

I used to work at Hotpoint in Yate,Bristol.The rear of the press shop backed on to the main line just before Yate Station,& i would often watch these fuel trains rattle past very slowly on the way to Westerleigh which was only a few miles away.
I also have a good friend who drives for EWS.

Nice pictures, when i left school i worked on the railways 1980's i was a drivers assistant and had some great drives including a double header of 2 x Class 33 over 3000 horsepower on a 1000 ton Foster yeoman stone train from Old Oak Common to Three Bridges, my depot also used to run the Aviation fuel trains to the holding tanks near Gatwick airport too great days before re privatisation !

Happy days.Privitisation of the railways was a bad thing.The passenger services are a mess with too many companies and the travelling public are treated to overcrowded trains.
On the freight side,if it were not for the good will of its staff that go the extra mile to keep things running,it would be a shambles.Its middle managers are poor and only think about improving their handicap in golf.Staff have been cut back on the front line so much that in our patch we have a manager each. Eg we have 5 production managers, two area managers and at any one time Five front line staff on duty. with an area from Swansea to Didcot /and South West .Also,because safety cost money,you can only guess what wins.We used to moan about BR,but,my god,it was run far far beter in those days.
Very sad.
Martyn

Been a busy night shift not helped by the heavy rain.Been working in Portalbot, Avonmouth and Newport.Tuesday nights rain was very bad,it just got heavy after 0100.
Had to get a coolant pipe sent by courier last night as we keep very little stock now. Phoned up for parts at 1930 and the part arrived at 2215 from Nottingham.Loco back in service by midnight after I has to fill it with 150 gallons of antifreeze using a bucket.
Thats progress for you
Martyn