Roger Monk
Posted: 14 April 2021, 21:45
I am trying to compile a list of OTP used for the construction of the Midland Metro line from Birmingham (Snow Hill) to Wolverhampton back in 1997-1999. Grant Rail were the sub-contractors for track laying. I have some details of some of their vehicles from Industrial Railway Society records. However, my knowledge of OTP is fairly limited - please excuse this. I have photos/notes of 3 Grant Rail Tampers used on the project which I haven't been able to identify:
GR 4 Tamper/Liner? 4w Make/Model??? Yellow/black livery This looks to be the same machine as seen @ Scunthorpe on Paul Bartlett's site: https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/grantlyoneagre
GR 6 Tamper/Liner? 4w 'double ended' Make/Model??? Yellow livery; red buffer heads
GR 5142 Tamper/Liner? 4w Plasser & Theurer UNIMA 1 Yellow livery
Thanks in advance for any help on this topic - if it helps I could post photos of these machines.
A Fairmount ballast regulator was also used on this project - is anything known about this. I have tried to find if there's a Grant Rail 'fleet list' online but not found anything.
Nick Tompkin
Posted: 15 April 2021, 00:09
Roger
Firstly, the last machine is the easy one. It is this machine - https://www.ontrackplant.com/otp/pt2705
GR 4 and GR 6 are, I think, former Grant Rail fleetnumbers from a series which are not recorded on the site, being superseded by the GR51xx series. However from the link GR 4 is I believe either a Tamper EJG6 or Tamper/Fairmont Tamper EAS-JD. The 2000 OTP book records GrantRail as having five such machines at this time, one of which is this one - https://www.ontrackplant.com/otp/TSF51050
Grant Rail became VolkerRail whose fleet you will find listed here - https://www.ontrackplant.com/small-machines/volkerrail If you select the option for scrapped machines etc., this should bring up machines from this time which are no longer around.
If you are able to post the photos, I may be able to assist further. I hope this is a start however.
Roger Monk
Posted: 15 April 2021, 14:31
Thanks, Nick. That's very helpful. I had no idea that Grant Rail had become VolkerRail I have now posted some photos (before I saw your reply); will now look up the links you have provided.
Roger
Bryan Blundell
Posted: 15 April 2021, 19:17
In Roger Monks post above he mentions use of a regulator on the Midland Metro.
Could it be this one GR5077?
https://www.ontrackplant.com/otp/GR5077
Still in regular use on the NYMR
ontrackplant Website editor
Posted: 15 April 2021, 19:52
I have now approved all of the interesting photos- currently clickable in the comments section.
Quick tip: if you have a full number such as "gr5142", you can tap it into the search box at the top of the website and get details about the machine.