Leaf fall season - a question
 

We are now in the leaf fall season and one at least of the local lines here (Reading to London Waterloo) publishes a special timetable easing the schedule by some minutes. Special trains run spraying high-pressure water etc on the rails to remove the mess of ground-in leaves and, I believe, spray something on the rails to improve adhesion.

My question - where can I see one of these trains in operation? Do they only run at night?

I haven't been able to track down any sort of timetable for these trains. I'll travel some distance to see one if necessary but I imagine they run on many local routes including the one mentioned?

rail washer
 

hi if you use this it tells you when and where i looked at waterlooo and it does run see link http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/trai...10/23/advanced
its id is FRGT toc is ZZ these identify the same network rail one in my area run between two drs class 20 s picture here http://www.flickr.com/photos/97535436@N04/10351117395/ if you type in yout home town in realtime trains on the advanced tab it tells you what time it will pass etc etc

There is now even a Facebook group that reports on these trains and on there on the Train Spotting groups there are lots of pictures

All are top and Tailed traction can be varied from Class 20 and 47 or 57 up to Class 66's
the loco's are usually very dirty due to the task of high pressure spraying and Sandite spraying

The Sandite train has been running through Stafford for the last couple of weeks covering up and down fast and the slow lines with class 66 top and tailing. Gray your comment regarding the state of the engines is correct, they are filthy.
One thing thing we noticed, after the Sandite train has run through, the next fast passenger train takes on a different sound?

Whereas the Water Canon blasts the railhead with a jet of high pressure water in order to clear off the contaminant, the Sandite train lays a coating of grit in an adhesive liquid. So instead of having a steel wheel in contact with a steel rail, there is now a slightly crunchy layer in between....for a little while.

Saw a strange looking device running over Accrington viaduct yesterday (12/11/2013 about 14.00) heading towards Blackburn. Seemed to have a cab at either end with a couple of large IBC`s (tanks) between them = not sure what it was

any ideas spotters?

John

Sounds like a MPV ( Multi Purpose Vehicle ) to me.

Best regards, 62440.

Certainly does the MPV looks like something Thunderbird 2 would carry but they are built by Windhoff and can do all sorts of weird stuff without having to have multiple vehicles

Thought this link might be of interest to you guys!
http://www.rail.co.uk/rail-news/2012...s-on-the-line/

Interesting
Cheers
Phil

Success!!! Purely by chance this morning I saw a RHTT running south through Reading West station at 08.23. First time in my life that I've seen one, so there's always something new out there. The train was topped and tailed by a '66' (the locos were inevitably rather grubby) with some tanker wagons in between. Nothing very dramatic: water spraying underneath the train and wet rails afterwards. Bingo, job done.

Thanks to all of you for your help in replying above though I must admit I was having real trouble getting my head around the information shown in realtimetrains.co.uk. Even now I don't know how I would have identified the train - which I assume is ZZ "352N" - as the one I was looking for.