The most northerly of the 'White Elephants' is set to migrate south !
Delivered in July 2021 and never used. The ultimate "White Elephant" 50 tonne Zephir Road-Rail shunter "Carlisle No.1" (wks no. 2927/2021) registered as on-track plant with the number 70 997 9 114-4 sits in Carlisle Kingmoor Yard's C&W Compound. It has been moved from out of the weeds onto the concrete hard standing in readiness to be collected by a heavy plant road transporter for removal to Knottingley Depot.
DB Cargo bought six of these top of the range Lok30.520 models for use at locations with a Network Rail LDC (Local Distribution Centre), the idea being to release six class 66's back to mainline use as work has picked up post pandemic. Although very capable for wagon placement in workshops and terminals they were never going to be ideal for making up trains in a railway shunting yard. There was no thought given to basic practicalities like the fact the cab only faces one way, no AAR auto-coupler, the use of UIC buffers which have no compression, let alone the requirement to be placed over a pit once a fortnight as part of warranty maintenance. In the end it was the drivers union "ASLE&F" that decided they were so non compliant as a shunting engine they were in effect blacked by the union. They could have been re-deployed to more suitable locations where one or two staff at terminals could have been trained to operate them as after all they aren't registered as locomotives. They would be ideal for use where a block train is placed for unloading and thus release the mainline loco but instead all six have simply languished out of use for 20 months now.
At last someone within DB UK has bit the bullet and accepted the inevitable and sort to find work for these expensive machines. The Carlisle Zephir is one of two out of the six delivered fitted with an OHL safety cage. It is going to Knottingley for use placing stock in the C&W shed for maintenance while the one currently at Oxford Hinksey LDC is destined for Stoke Wagon Works. That leaves four to find gainful employment, they are currently located at Toton, Hoo, Doncaster and Westbury.
The most northerly of the 'White Elephants' is set to migrate south !
Delivered in July 2021 and never used. The ultimate "White Elephant" 50 tonne Zephir Road-Rail shunter "Carlisle No.1" (wks no. 2927/2021) registered as on-track plant with the number 70 997 9 114-4 sits in Carlisle Kingmoor Yard's C&W Compound. It has been moved from out of the weeds onto the concrete hard standing in readiness to be collected by a heavy plant road transporter for removal to Knottingley Depot.
DB Cargo bought six of these top of the range Lok30.520 models for use at locations with a Network Rail LDC (Local Distribution Centre), the idea being to release six class 66's back to mainline use as work has picked up post pandemic. Although very capable for wagon placement in workshops and terminals they were never going to be ideal for making up trains in a railway shunting yard. There was no thought given to basic practicalities like the fact the cab only faces one way, no AAR auto-coupler, the use of UIC buffers which have no compression, let alone the requirement to be placed over a pit once a fortnight as part of warranty maintenance. In the end it was the drivers union "ASLE&F" that decided they were so non compliant as a shunting engine they were in effect blacked by the union. They could have been re-deployed to more suitable locations where one or two staff at terminals could have been trained to operate them as after all they aren't registered as locomotives. They would be ideal for use where a block train is placed for unloading and thus release the mainline loco but instead all six have simply languished out of use for 20 months now.
At last someone within DB UK has bit the bullet and accepted the inevitable and sort to find work for these expensive machines. The Carlisle Zephir is one of two out of the six delivered fitted with an OHL safety cage. It is going to Knottingley for use placing stock in the C&W shed for maintenance while the one currently at Oxford Hinksey LDC is destined for Stoke Wagon Works. That leaves four to find gainful employment, they are currently located at Toton, Hoo, Doncaster and Westbury.