Operations Track Record
THE early May bank holiday weekend saw the WCML closed between Carstairs South Junction and Gretna Junction, with engineering work being undertaken at various sites.
At Abington the work was to replace four sets of switches and crossings, with an associated upgrade to the signalling system and renewal of about 475 yards of plain line.
The trains on site on Saturday, May 4 included DBC Class 66 No. 66020 on the 6K01/05.13 from Carlisle New Yard; GBRf Class 66 No. 66744 on the 6X04/05.44 from Carlisle New Yard; DRS Class 66 No. 66433 on the 6K02/06.15 from Carlisle New Yard; FL Class 66 No. 66593 on the 6K03/06.45 from Carlisle New Yard; DBC Class 66 Nos. 66135 and 66057 top-and-tailing the 6X05/06.32 from Millerhill; and DRS Class 66 No. 66429 on the 6K06/05.56 from Millerhill.
On Sunday, May 5, tamping was much in evidence at Carstairs, with DR73932, a switches and crossing tamper, working on the Down main line, and another unidentified machine on the up line.
FURTHER engineering works in the Cove area from about 11.00 on Saturday, May 18 resulted in the line being closed until around 13.00 the following day.
Trains involved included on Saturday, May 18 Class 66 No. 66555 with the 6K11/07.23 Millerhill-Cove; No. 66105 with the 6K13/05.27 Millerhill-Cove; and No. 66169 with the 6K14/10.22 Millerhill-Cove.
The following weekend the WCML was closed between Rutherglen and Carstairs.
ScotRail trains operated between Glasgow Central and Wishaw (via Belshill and Holytown), with replacement buses serving Motherwell, Shieldmuir, Carluke and Lanark/ Carstairs. In connection with this closure Class 66 No. 66007 was seen in the Ravenstruther area on the Saturday morning while on ballast train 6K01/04.52 from Millerhill.
THE northbound 06.15 departure from Warrington Bank Quay for Carlisle on Saturday, May 24, was failed in the platform, with a directional fault, which meant it could not be driven north.
The passengers were kept abreast of the situation, and a novel solution was found by Virgin. They halted the 06.45 for Euston in platform 1, with both sets of passengers detraining and swapping trains.
The northbound departed at 06.50, and
