81533 - Cowans Sheldon Heavy Duty Diesel Hydraulic Crane
Photo of 81533 at Willesden F sidings - 12 December 2007. Dave Hunt.
Your comments
All comments are the opinions of their respective authors, and do not reflect the opinions of ontrackplant.com
-
steve parberry
19 March 2008, 09:24:10
98t of scrap metal unless its been moved on for repair and a proper repaint.
-
Chris Hembry
19 March 2008, 16:47:38
Nearly got moved to Hitchin last year but Heanors were denied access by the landowner.
-
Jonathan Flood
20 March 2008, 00:12:11
Is it not on NWR property?
-
Jon Horswell
20 March 2008, 00:46:26
I was wondering that myself. I don't recognise the location. Where exactly are the 'F' sidings and is this crane visible from any passing train.
-
Chris Hembry
20 March 2008, 08:13:08
It is on NWR property but the road access is via in industrial estate. F sidings are parallel to the WCML on the west side opposite Brent/Royal Mail yards.
-
Ben Williams
20 March 2008, 08:24:21
Its at low level too so basically when you are passing the Royal Mail depot, look on the opposite side and down!
-
Jonathan Flood
20 March 2008, 09:53:03
Why can't it be dragged out by rail?
-
Midnight Cowboy
20 March 2008, 10:08:43
Basicly because of cost. The vehicle would need maintaining before it could be moved. It would require a full VIBT and UAT, then what ever work arising from these inspections, then to hire in a loco, driver, shunter/trainman, and to get a train path out to where ever would probably cost around 8 - 10K. So rail movement is a little expensive.
Best idea is not to abandon machines, and then want them back when the price of scrap goes through the roof.
-
steve parberry
20 March 2008, 10:09:57
At a guess, and looking at the state of it, i would assume that the brake test and other type of fit to move paper work are well out of date and the siding itself also looks in a very poor state to allow a loco to collect it.
-
steve parberry
20 March 2008, 10:36:34
Look at that two very simular comments from two very unatached people at very much the same time!!!!
-
Bryan
20 March 2008, 10:49:10
Would another factor in it being abandoned be the preference for retaining the Plasser version? Possibly due to Plassers still being around.
-
steve parberry
20 March 2008, 11:02:41
If you type in cowans and sheldon in you web browser you will find that they are still very much around and have a very strong influence in the rail industry i.e. long welded rail trains.
-
Jonathan Flood
20 March 2008, 11:44:44
What about cutting it up on site then? or would that involve huge expenditure on paperwork, permissions, authorities etc. too?
-
steve parberry
20 March 2008, 11:57:46
Oh yes!! Network rail or siding owner, enviroment agency, machine owner, waste disposal paperwork, waste transfer notices,etc. Possiable ground contamination with all that oil that might leak out risk to the wild life and water coarses. Transport of 98t of scrap to the scrap yard, risk assessments, pts trained staff, possession managment, the list is endless.... as the cowboy states best not leave em all over the place...
-
Chris Hembry
20 March 2008, 12:39:05
And you still have the same problem with road access! Machine originally was deposited in Brent yard with wheel flats due to the handbrake being left on. EWS wanted to clear the yard so moved it to F sidings where they thought it could be collected by road. Unfortunately, the landowner did not agree due to being annoyed by EWS over the previous use of these sidings as a virtual quarry - Stalemate.
-
steve parberry
20 March 2008, 12:49:11
That does make a difference to road haulage i thought it was just the size of the low loader that prevented shipping via road next option is bogie change or wheel skate and you still need VIBTand UAT etc. Or just let the weeds take over!!!!
-
Jonathan Flood
20 March 2008, 13:12:15
You could removed road access issue by removing the scrap in wagons. There's a rail served scrap yard just opposite Willesden TMD!
-
Dave Hunt
20 March 2008, 13:23:18
Jonathan this is pie in the sky stuff. For the all the reasons already stated above, the current bureaucracy, paperwork and expense that is involved in doing anything on the railway these days means its just not as easy as sending in a few wagons to take the scrap away! The small amount of metal would just not make it economically viable to put on a special train!!! Plus the fact the place opposite Willesden TMD is still about a mile from this location! This situation is a mess and it could remain here quite a while as a result.
Some scrappings did take place here (2004?) of other stock from Brent yard and suspect this might have contributed to the current access problems too.
-
Jonathan Flood
20 March 2008, 14:08:47
I guess then that either nature will reclaim this crane or the local vandals will torch it!
-
Jon Horswell
21 March 2008, 17:43:15
I require this and never knew it was here all this time. Better go and see it (from the train of course)!!
-
Bryan
21 March 2008, 18:07:27
Cowans came back from the brink in about 2000 with the RDTs but only after being taken over by other companies. The Rail cranes were built mid 70s and the works was then closed 1987. The current company is not the same as the crane manufacturer. Check the book Carlisles Crane Makers. The Cowans Sheldon Story.
-
Rob
22 March 2008, 10:41:13
when going into London on the West Coast Mainline look to the right (down side) between the north circular road bridge and the Mcvities factory, willesden F sidings can be viewed here. Also partially visible from train between Kensington Olympia and Watford (southern service) that uses the low level Willesden relief lines.
-
Make a comment
Please make sure your comment is relevent to the above photo. If it isn't, then it will be removed.
If you have a sighting, please use the sighting submission page. Thanks!