Extremely rare footage of a class 73 on the Merseyrail loop, it can be heard crossing the junction at Mann Island and onto the single bore tunnel at James street.
47s have been through various bits of the tunnel system on engineering trains; though not for many years. A couple of 66s did pass through Liverpool Central and Moorfields a few months ago.
Really? I thought that wasn't allowed because of the fumes, it seems anything goes on merseyrail these days. At least the 73 can work off the third rail.
Why would anyone want to dislike this video, great catch and i haven't seen a 73 since my early teen years at Clapham Junction when slam stock was the norm.
i can imagine being there, just got down to the station after having me tea, seeing the light in the tunnel, thinking "oh, thats nice the train came early" and all of a sudden this old beast comes out steaming past triumphantly
I know that class 73s are not strangers to Merseyside but the ones I have seen were using their diesel standby engines. At last I`ve now seen one using the Merseyside 3rd rail!
@@grahambarr7015 Electrodiesels..Ran on Southern Region for yonks on 3rd rail 750v pick up n originally fitted with a 600hp 4cyl diesel Thumper unit. This one has been re engined n modded.
@@chrispaw1 most people that I met are, maybe where you live other people might like railways too, but most places that I've been too, people have been very condescending towards rail enthusiasts
BR(S) electro-diesels: the gift that keeps on giving. Smashing surprise to see ‘Stewarts Lane/Janice/Dick Mabbut’ down a Mancunian tunnel. Wonder what she will be called in her next incarnation?
Class 73 is built to the very narrow Hastings line loading gauge on the south coast network. Which no longer exists as they converted the dual tunnel to single track.
Oh yeah? I bet it doesn't work off the third rail like the real thing. It would if it was mine, I'd soon convert it, ever thought of trying that? There's been plenty of models working off live overhead line, but I've not seen any working off a live third rail, only ever seen them with dummy conductor rails.
It was the first time that I can recall this happening with 66s on a ballast working, running outside normal passenger service hours, though one was called in to Liverpool Central in January 2019 to rescue a failed MPV
I've been to every underground station on merseyrail, and to every overground station there too, but I've never seen a class 73 go through, but I have seen them at birkenhead north depot.
I don't know if it still is in service but the SBK South Brooklyn Railway is or was a freight line owned by the TA in New York. It at one time hauled a fair amount of freight from the water front to local business in Brooklyn. It was also how the TA got new rolling stock. This link will take you to the Wikipedia article about it. As a kid I sometimes saw the street running portions. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Brooklyn_Railway
@@MLampner i’ve heard of it, it’s like Boston’s forgotten Union Railroad that linked our North and Southside railroad lines directly…the closest nowadays to freight and public transit together are in Cleveland and New Jersey where trams/trolleys and the Waterfront Line run alongside and with freight lines but never the other way around
These locos were only really used for passenger service. When they were first built they were for use on BR’s southern region which was 3rd Rail 750vDC electrified. BR also specified that it would be a mixed traffic loco to be used for shunting freight as well as hauling freight and passenger trains. For this reason there are driving controls on both sides of the cab. They’re also equipped with a Diesel engine so they can go on non-electrified lines, however they’re not as powerful in diesel mode. And yes they have two power levers in the driving cabs one for electric and one for diesel. Merseyrail which is the operator which runs the station in the video had four of these locos basically for getting the electric trains out of the shed. They could drive in on their own but needed to be hauled out.This was their main duty for this operator as well as departmental duties. In about 2000 (if memory serves) the Sheds at Kirkdale and Birkenhead North were fitted with an overhead ‘trolley’ which was basically an jumper cable which plugged into the train and allowed it to drive out just far enough so the first collector shoe was in contact with the conductor-rail at which point the trolley could be disconnected and the train drive the rest of the way out under it’s own power. I saw this operation done once. As soon as this upgrade was done their main duty was over so they were sold. I read that this was in 2002 but that was after I left the company. The video was uploaded in 2021 was certainly filmed after the station refurbishment in 2012 so I don’t know what this locomotive is doing there. Perhaps its being used for engineering works. Not a lot of freight is hauled on this suburban network! There is some, but not in the underground sections and it’s hauled by diesels.
Ironic seeing as Merseyrail had a couple of class 73/0s in their departmental fleet in the 1990s in the original 1990s Merseyrail livery with the big 'M' logos.
I remember those too when I was involved with Engineers trains on the Merseyrail network. They were not much good on Stone trains, they could not handle the weight.
Good clip - thanks for posting ! great light effect from the tail lights on the roof . Just thinking what else I'd like to see going through a Mersey Rail station, now there's food for thought eh !!!!! I'm already thinking Class 37 and 40 without doubt !! Tornado, Double headed Black 5. Sorry I'm getting carried away here, and should be going off to one of my special therapy sessions now anyway !!!
Was thinking a double deck TGV or Thalys pulling into James Street - would really dumbfound yer average scoucer first thing in the morning. Then realised the tunnel height restriction. "Bonjour Madame et Monsieur Ce train est pour New Brighton"
Was thinking a double deck TGV or Thalys pulling into James Street - would really dumbfound yer average scoucer first thing in the morning. Then realised the tunnel height restriction. "Bonjour Madame et Monsieur Ce train est pour New Brighton"
Wow, that's crazy. I have been out of the loop with developments in the UK for 20+ years, but I don't ever recall seeing a 73 even as far north as the line between Waterloo and Basingstoke. I can't help but wonder how it even came to be there - surely there is a gap of more than 150 miles between the third rail lines in the SE and Merseyside?
Don't they use them on the Caledonian Sleeper in the far north of Scotland? However, it is really bizarre to see a fully grown loco in a situation like this.
well the class 73 have been seen in scotland and they are the uk's first bi mode loco and the uks first hybrid train, that cause take electricity directly from 750v dc third rail and operate with an onboard diesel engine that drives a huge dc alternator set to make dc power for the motors
its not like the underground, trains here are usual size unlike the underground where they are very low. the majority of the uk's rolling stock could fit through these tunnels
Have they done away with the ‘Tripcock’ safety system? Nothing was allowed underground without a working Tripcock in days gone by, so would assume the line was closed to all other traffic whilst this took place?
Class 73 locos have the option to change power supply so they can run off 3rd rail and not diesel. Plus these locos cannot run with the diesel underground because it will rupture the structure of the tunnels and cause it to fall in
It would have to be on electric for tunnel working. Someone will no doubt put me right, but I can't think of any other electro diesel loco with 3rd rail capability as opposed to overhead pickup..
@@johno4521 I did think that 🤔 but lived outside the UK for along time and for some reason I thought the 73's had the third rail capability removed. I'm not an expert as you can clearly tell just taking an interest 😊 thanks
I wonder if a 92 would fit through the tunnels? Would have to be dragged to the third rail network I think as I don't think there is anywhere where 25kv meets the 750dc in Merseyside
it is unusual, i know the Merseyrail system well as i live there. there are many Docks North and South of the Central Liverpool area and over the other side of the Mersey. so many connecting loops and tunnels maybe this Loco was taking a short cut through the city centre?
If that was the case, it would of been on platform 2 and heading on to the junction to take it up to Liverpool central via the old line. This is going around the loop which means it will reappear in the open on the Wirral side.
No all of the Merseyrail network is National standard, there’s often Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3 test coaches running through the loop in the early hours of the morning when it’s closed to the public.
