GBRf 66 - Metronet arrived

Thanks for that ikar,on a similar note does anyone know when the crossover is going to be installed at upminster so there is a connection with the romford route to the district[or is it there already]. God bless the 66s

There's also structural issues between Barons Court and Acton Town to be resolved.

The planned rollout is this summer for the Metropolitan line and next year for the District. ;D

I wonder when we will start hearing the howls of protest from stanmore K and aetearlscourt when the 66s start running - no one has said yet whether or not they will be permitted to run at line speed, and what their effects on track will be.

I didn't think it would be LUL's problem since it was a Metronet decision on leasing the 66s. Didn't Tim O'Toole question why Metronet didn't go through Transplant? LUL can sit back and put their feet up here.

Indeed. There's also the fact that the 66s might cause mayhem in some areas where they don't fit between blockjoints.



I think some locos are meant to get on and off the system at Harrow and Amersham, or at least it was proposed for that. A thread in uk.railway said that the Bicester-Bletchey route ought to be restored between Claydon LN&E Junction and Swanbourne to allow direct access to LU at Amersham from Wellingborough via the WCML and Aylesbury.

The fact that the Met Main four-tracking was done to full National Rail passenger and freight earthwork standards in the 1960s means that hopefully the structures mob will only have to sign lots of paperwork in order to recertify the route for use by Class 66 locos.

Aye thats the idea. I suspect they will be able to run at normal line speed, but they may have to comply with the "engineering trains" speed limit restriction over a lot of bridges and structures.......

I was making reference to the possibility that a Class 66's length may prevent it from running into and out of certain areas except under special conditions, as it may not clear the track circuits and release backlocks in the correct manner.

There doesn't seem to be anything happening at Wellingborough regards the depot for these trains.

For those curious:

The new GBRF 66/7s are due to move tomorrow from Newport Docks

0E03 10:30 Newport Docks - Willesen due passed Bristol Parkway at
11:22 and WN at 14:25 then 3 of the loco's will go onto to
Peterborough.

Sketchy I know but this is all I recieved today.

Ta MG and SPT

Which begs the question is it likely that a scenario where 2 or 3 class 66 locos be coupled together? That would be the worst case on the longer span bridges.

Two standard battery locos coupled together would have 4nr 16 tonne axle loads bearing on a main spanning bridge girder. Put two class 66s and you'd have 6nr 22 tonne axles at closer centres.

I suspct they there will be top and tailed on trains, and if they need to run light engine in the leaffall season, they will have to go in twos (not to hold hands!), but to make sure they drop track circuits sequntially

Leaf fall can cause quite a problem on the Met - for those who don't know, when a lot of leafs are squashed by passing trains they make a good insulator between the train's wheels and the track.

Where leaf fall is a known problem, it's possible for a short train to occupy a section of track but not operate any track circuits if all of the wheels are insulated by the compressed leafs on the track. Therefore as a train moves along the track, it may not neccesarily operate the track circuits in the correct order (ie, sequentially).

If the signalling system is not operated in the correct sequential manner, the signal operator has to reset the system - which AIUI involves paper work. To avoid this situation, longer trains are run to ensure the track circuits can be operated correctly.

That's my understanding anyway...

So these whackig great diesel locos are going to be trundling around the SSLs?

Will they fit?

*I believe* they are going to do the Track Replacement NR style, from what i can gather the 66s are going to enter our metals at Amersham (having travelled down from Wellingborough) complete with their 1/4 mile long train which includes all the equipment to get the track up and put it back down, including a tamper on the end!

The possession will in affect be the whole line, as the locos will not be fitted with a tripcock, and to reverse a 1/4 long train South to North, it would have to run to Neasden Depot to reverse, unless it runs back, wrong road to Amersham.

I think the idea of doing it this way is so the job can be done quicker, as if you tried it with batteries, trains would be shorter, and wouldnt be formed in the same way. Also think about the distance the batteries would have to go off juice, and couple that with a heavy train, they would probably come to a grinding hault half way!



During last years leaf fall season, Chiltern's bubble cars were restricted to run in formations of two or more over our metals, due to the reasons Colin stated in his post. On a couple of occasions I was at Amersham when single car DMUs came down from Aylesbury, they had to reverse via 34road and go back north.

Hope that helps