The transfer of 120 from damaged trailer to replacement now complete without any problems! All chained down and nearly ready to continue onward to Whatley,just 3 miles away..08 may 2009..

HANSON’S NEW SWITCHER (For the 3rd time of asking!) A Short History..... Quarry operator Hanson Aggregates (formerly ARC) have acquired an EMD SW1001 switcher for use at their Whatley Quarry in Somerset. This unit is similar to the one purchased new by Foster Yeoman in 1983 but has been acquired second hand through US locomotive dealer and rebuilder National Railway Equipment (NRE) of Dixmoor, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. Originally it was built as a model SW1001 by EMD in April 1972, carrying builder number 37903 and order number 712086. This latter number gives us a clue, it’s in the EMD export series. The loco was one of 5 built for the Boke Power Project in Guinea, West Africa along with some SD40-2’s and export G22W’s. Boke’s railway was laid in connection with the construction of a dam and power generation scheme. EMD 37903 carried Boke number 204. In late 1982 Boke 204 was involved in a serious wreck and badly damaged. It was returned to the US to dealer and rebuilder Peaker Services of Brighton, Michigan for repair. Peaker decided not to repair the unit but instead supplied a second 204, another SW1001 that had been built by EMD in 10/68 (b/n 34263 o/n 4550-2) as Ford Motor Co. 10015 for use at the Dearborn plant near Detroit. EMD 37903 meantime languished at Peaker’s who eventually went out of business and their assets eventually passed to NRE.Hanson acquired it in September 2002, I wonder if they knew that their “new” loco had been sitting in a scrap-line for nearly twenty years? In October 2008 loco was again involved in a serious accident,this time at the quarry complex at Whatley. Due to a mechanical failure in the air-brake operating system engine ran away and was damaged passing through the tunnel leaving the quarry, this was due to american gauge loco not fitting a UK gauge tunnel.Further damage happened when the runaway then hit a class-59 that had also just departed Whatley. Engine was recovered and went to Eastleigh Hampshire for major rectification work.Photo shows engine on a road transporter during journey back to the Quarry. The story continues--------..08 may 2009..

After a brief rainstorm blue-skies followed allowing this nice study of Hanson-120 sitting on the replacement trailer and the Heanor Tractor unit that is to haul it the last few miles to Whatley once final prep work is completed..08 may 2009..

Having got only as far as Nunney-Catch Services just 3 miles short of it's destination before the carrying trailer failed,Hanson bo-bo 120 is seen sitting on the replacement after the Heanor crew had transferred engine in the car park of the cafe there! ..08 may 2009..

Yes you guessed it,another 'Hanson' in the sun!(GM 120) Note how bent the trailer is after it failed during the journey this far from Eastleigh.120 has had quite a history,originally went to Africa,was smashed up there,travelled back to USA for repair then eventually ended up at Whatley,only to get whacked again in the 'Bedlam' tunnel incident! ..08 may 2009..

Still sitting on the rather 'bent' 1st trailer,2nd one has been lined up and rails laid to allow a 'roll-off/roll-on type movement.Bit scary really,what if this unknown surfaced area had sunk?would have had a rather 'damaged' 120 again! ..08 may 2009..

Looking immaculate after the extensive repair work required since this engine was badly damaged in the "Tunnel" incident before Christmas last year.Hanson 120 seen on the Heanor Transporter Rig at Nunney-Catch Services whilst the crew were having a meal-relief.Nearly home as Whatley-quarry is but 3 miles from here....Welcome back 120! ..07 may 2009..Footnote----- The main trailer support girder below loco's rear bogie appears rather bent,in fact trailer was declared a failure and replacement was necessary,pictures from next day "8th" will show this operation to xfer from one trailer to another in the cafe car park! Very professional operation by the Heanor people!......

The now fully repaired Whatley-Quarry GM shunter is seen at Nunney-Catch Cafe where the crew are having a rest break.120 had been fully fixed at Eastleigh,major work was required to both drag-boxes as well as a new cab,should be good for years after this(barring accidents!) Engine may now be fixed but this trailer carrying it has taken on the shape of a Banana,a replacement rig was necessary to take 120 from here to Whatley.See shots from the 8th showing this!..07 may 2009..

The pair of unidentified Industrials that were used internally at the now closed cement production site at Westbury sit parked along with a crippled "HAA" coal wagon inside the works complex.All coal traffic and "cement produced on site" traffic has now ceased.Trains do arrive occasionally from Hope in the Peak-District to refill the storage-hoppers for local distribution.Shunters are possibly still used then to position the wagons for emptying..16 april 2009..

Shunter 08652 continues to work hard deputising for the damaged switcher at Whatley Quarry.Here seen preparing yet another set for departure..07 april 2009..

Re-geared and hence renumbered 09102 drops down through East-Usk Junction with a trip working from Llanwern to Alexander-Dock Junction..15 may 2000..

Sentinal 0-4-0 Shunter "Cattewater" stands at Cranmore on the ESRly where it has just received a full overhaul.Coming from the BP depot in Plymouth that has recently been closed..25 october 2008..

Having been the resident shunter here now for over 18-months,08393 is being moved on to pastures-new.Maybe it has suffered a failure?It's destination was Doncaster-Carr and is now stored "WNTR".Location is Dove-Holes Quarry,Peak Forest..17 october 2008..

Seen at the Didcot-Railway-Centre is Hunslet 0-6-0DM shunter DL26 parked with a "Smith-Rodley" steam crane and a gwr shunters match-wagon..11 october 2008..

08604 in BR(W) livery shunts a Hawksworth brake-2nd at the Didcot GWR railway centre.Note loco carrying shed-plate allocation 84F..Location of this was "Stourbridge Junction" ..11 october 2008..

GM 120 rests against 59101 after suffering a collision on the Whatley-Branch.Several loaded boxes ended up going over the bridge edge.Sadly this could spell the end for this loco as not only is it damaged"front and back" but major injury to the bodywork occurred when it went through the tunnel out of the quarry.Being American loading gauge it is supposed to never enter the tunnel!..07 october 2008..

Now this was a lucky find! Almost identical to the two Sentinals (47190/47191) that worked for years just down the S&D at Radstock is Ex-Croydon-Gasworks Sentinal (works No 7109) No37 "Joyce".As seen at Midsomer-Norton Station restoration is well in hand,probably be numbered 47192 when at last operational..15 august 2008..

An unidentefied ex-MOD 0-4-0 shunter parked up in the bushes at Long-Marston.Looks to be a product of the "Thomas Hill" company..22 april 2008..

Class 08 No 08624 marshals a rake of empty flats at Millbrook FL depot using the "up-main" as a head-shunt..12 february 2008..

Southern Hub of Freightliner operations is Southampton Maritime.This scene shows operations around the depot area.08624 is busy with shunting FL flats preparing consists for loading. In the loco sidings recently "off-lease" 57004 looks very smart,obviously prepared for hand back to the "Leasing Company".Meanwhile 444035 sweeps by on the mainline with a London bound express probably from Bournemouth..12 february 2008..

Here we view one of the old "Sentinal" steam shunters(No 3) that were used in Whatley Quarry near Frome up to the late 1960's.Seen here preserved in the Adventure playground at Welshmill in Frome.Was removed some time ago as was deemed a "health and safety" hazard (sic) Was eventually moved to the Hansen Quarry at Tytherington north of Bristol.Can be seen there now doing duty as a "Gate-guardian"..Summer 1996"

The Westbury Cement-Works Industrial shunter(A Hunslet) sits parked with a short rake of empty HAA coal hoppers at the far end of the sidings complex..17 december 2007..

English Electric 0-6-0 shunter number 10 in S&D livery seen at Midsomer Norton station..August 2006..

Sometimes at Westbury when marshalling long rakes of wagons shunting spills out onto the main line towards Fairwood.On this occasion loco was 08947.Named "Howie" on one side and "Margaret" on the other.Apparantly to mark a liason these two people had whilst working in the offices at Westbury(Allegedly).Loco lasted locally until withdrawn with a broken spring.happily now resident at Merehead still shunting around..27 may 1999..

Class 08 shunter 08757 stands in Acton yard,West-London.Still wearing the now defunct "Parcels livery"..29 september 2005..

Ex-Southamptom Dock Shunter D2991(07007) stands freshly repainted in BR Blue at Eastleigh Works..31 july 2007..

Ex-MOD shunter No-428 (Rushton & Hornsby works no 466617) and also allocated 'TOPS' No-01508 seen being delivered to Eastleigh Works on the back of a Heanor low-loader slowly negotiating the sharp bends on the Campbell Road overbridge next to the works..This Rushton shunter is virtually identical to the BR "07" type that used to work on Southampton docks a few years ago.Major differences are the cab roof-line,more square than the 07 model and transmission is hydraulic instead of electric.This loco joins "07" D2991 already resident at the Works..31 july 2007..

Metre gauge shunter number 4724 stands in the erecting shop at Swindon Works.These 0-8-0 shunters for an African Railway Company believed to be "Kenya Railways" were the last new engines constructed at the old GWR works..19 may 1979..

Still wearing the old BR Green livery D3261 sits in the workshops at Swindon receiving attention.This loco was withdrawn from BR service in 1972.Then used in industry until eventually preserved at Brighton..Now at the Swindon & Cricklade Rly..6 june 1981..

Re-geared specially for Main-line trip working class 09 shunter 09001 comes over the junction to join the South-Wales main line with a transfer trip working from Llanwern steel-works probably to Alexander Dock Junction Yard..30 march 1995..

Residing in Long-Marston 08736 recently brought down from Deanside in Scotland along with 3 others.General idea is to make 2 good ones from 4 wrecks.This one must have suffered shifted cranks as can be seen,the connecting rods have been torched off so it could be towed!..03 july 2007..

08813 sits in Long-Marston storage compound quietly awaiting it's fate.Looking very tidy in Departmental Grey will probably end up as a spares doner then scrapped..03 july 2007..

HNRC liveried 08 running number 01553(old BR number 12082) sit in the headshunt at Long-Marston awaiting the arrival of a rake of class 87's for storage.Loco used to shunt release train engine then push the 87's round to the High Security Compound..03 july 2007..

In nice condition but very dust splattered after being under the loaders at Dove-Holes quarry. 08393 rests between shunting stints in the refuge siding at Dove-Holes quarry sidings..25 april 2007..

Dove-Holes visitor for a short while was 08994.One of the cut down versions specially modified to work the BPVG branch line in S-Wales.3 loco's were modified and all of them are still in use(very useful they are).Currently at Bury working on the local tramway extension along with it's 2 brothers..28 september 2006..

08588 seen parked next to resident 0-6-0 industrial at Dove-Holes.Currently carrying a version on L&NW Black livery..26 september 2006..

EWS liveried 08526 seen shunt-releasing a class 66 after it had brought in a rake of "railtrack hoppers" from Eastleigh.This siding known as "the ditch" and is opposite the power-box at Westbury..10 january 2005..