This blog is focussed around my interests in Diesel and Electric locomotives and the modern rail freight scene. I particularly like the humble Class 08 and 09 Shunter and also anything with a pantograph, notably Class 86, 90 and 92 locomotives.

If you have a spare minute please visit my Flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/cmc1987/

This is my personal blog and as such, all views are those of myself and do not necessarily represent the views of my family, friends, or employers.

Friday 30 March 2018

Gronks Galore

My photos the humble Class 08/09 Diesel Shunter are now organised on the following link https://www.flickr.com/photos/cmc1987/albums/72157649617564179

If you have a spare 5 mins please feel free to browse over 500 images of the BR Standard Diesel Electric Shunter design.


Friday 23 March 2018

WSNW 17 years on- Looking back at the Allerton Allocated Shunter Fleet under EWS in 2001


Allerton TMD in South Liverpool was always considered a Shunter specialist site. Often having dozens on site at any one time. Indeed visits in the 1980's and 1990's would guarantee large numbers of Class 08 (and to a lesser extent Class 09) being on the depot in varying states. Under BR control, Allerton serviced the requirements for the Liverpool area for freight and station pilot duties. The sphere of operation even extended in to Cheshire with Allerton Gronks being deployed to locations such as Ditton, Runcorn and Widnes.

By the time sectorisation came around, large numbers of British Railways Standard Diesel Electric Shunter were still in existence, although their duties had already started to dwindle down in number. RFD inherited Allerton and continued to invest in the Shunter fleet. Eventually,  RFD was purchased by EWS, subsequently the final part of BR to be sold off. EWS continued to concentrate Shunter repair work for the North on Allerton. With the recoding of locomotive Pools, the EWS Shunter fleet for the North West was allocated 'on paper' to Allerton. Pool code WSNW was born. In theory what this meant was that Allerton was the home base of the fleet, but Shunters out based at Carlisle or Crewe for example would still see basic maintenance undertaken locally, with visits 'Home' only for major exams/repairs. Rail Express Magazine kindly provided a spotlight on the various EWS Shunter pools in 2001 and the WSNW pool in particular in their August 2001 issue. Please see below the dispensation of the Allerton fleet in July 2001 updated with todays state of play.

Loco
Rail Express August 2001 location
Current Fate
Location as of March 2018
Notes
08397
Crewe Diesel
Scrapped
N/A

08460
Halewood
Owned by RSS
Axiom Rail, Stoke
On hire to DB Cargo UK
08485
Trafford Park
Owned by WCRC
Carnforth

08561
Trafford Park
Scrapped
N/A

08578
Earles Sidings
Owned By HNRC
Long Marston
Stored pending developments
08599
Immingham TMD
Scrapped
N/A

08632
Crewe Diesel
Owned by RSS
Leeds Neville Hill

08701
Warrington Arpley
Owned By HNRC
Long Marston
Stored pending developments
08703
Warrington Arpley
Owned by RSS
Wigan Springs Branch
On hire to DB Cargo UK
08709
Carlisle
Owned by RSS
Goodmans, Wishaw
Stored pending developments
08737
Warrington Arpley
Owned by LSL (Hoskins)
Crewe Diesel
Awaiting Overhaul
08738
Crewe Diesel
Owned by RSS
Goodmans, Wishaw
Under repair
08782
Castleton
Owned By HNRC
Barrow Hill
Stored pending developments
08784
Warrington Arpley
Preserved at GCRN
Ruddington
Awaiting Overhaul
08802
Crewe Electric
Owned By HNRC
Goodmans, Wishaw
Stored pending developments
08866
Shotton
Scrapped
N/A

08897
Crewe Diesel
Scrapped
N/A

08909
Padeswood Hall
Scrapped
N/A

08912
Carlisle
Owned by AV Dawsons
AV Dawsons, Middlesborough
Spares Donor - Grounded
08915
Warrington Arpley
Preserved
Stephenson Railway Museum

08922
Carlisle
Preserved at GCRN
Ruddington
Under repair
08946
Allerton
Scrappped
N/A

09022
Garston Yard
Owned by Port of Boston
Port of Boston

08397+08411 stored at Allerton circa 2006.



08460 stored at Allerton circa 2006.




08460 Axiom Stoke November 2017.

08485 WCRC Carnforth November 2014



08632 undergoing a D exam May 2003
08632 undergoing overhaul at RSS Wishaw 2017
08703 Wigan Springs Branch
08709 RSS Wishaw 2017
08737 Trafford Park Euroterminal May 2003
08738 RSS Wishaw 2017
08784 08922 GCR(N) Ruddington Feb 2017

08784 Allerton 2002

08802 RSS Wishaw
08922 GCR(N) Ruddington Feb 2017

08946 Allerton 2003

08946 Allerton 2006
08946 Allerton 2007