IGA Cargowaggon

[Dungrange]

Hi,

 

Are the IGA Cargowaggon flats (as modelled in 4mm scale by Heljan) ever used in engineering trains for the purposes of carrying rail, track panels or any other track components to engineering possessions?

 

I have a couple of the Heljan models and in the absence of a 4mm scale model of a specific wagon built for the purpose of carrying track panels, such as YSA 'Salmon', I am looking for alternatives. Ballast and spoil wagons are not a problem: there is plenty of choice in 4mm scale at least.

 

Also, I know that the BDA wagons (as modelled by Bachmann) were used for the carriage of track panels in BR days (where they were assigned the TOPS code YAA 'Brill'), but following privatisation, many of these were returned to revenue earning service (and recoded BDA). Are these wagons still used for conveyance of track components to engineering possessions, albeit I realise that these wagons are too short to convey assembled track panels?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Regards

 

David

[Glorious NSE]

Not track panels, but some IGA are fitted with racks and employed as welded rail carriers.

 

Some examples amongst these:

[Fat Controller]

Other IGA, without racks, are sometimes to be seen in the formation of the Ebange- Scunthorpe empty slab train, loaded with 60' rail lengths.

[Dungrange]

Martin,

 

Thanks for the link to your site, although I have a couple more questions.

 

You have indicated that, “some have recently been fitted with racks for carrying welded rail”. I assume from your file names that this was as early as July 2006?

 

Interestingly, there are a couple of photographs near the bottom of http://www.derbysulz...com/barrow.html, with the caption “Two views of a familiar product from Workington, continuous welded rail. On the left is a close up of a partial load of 72m rails being loaded whilst to the right is a full load of 72m rails on IGA wagons awaiting movement”.

 

http://www.derbysulz...rrailswagon.jpg; and

http://www.derbysulz...railswagon2.jpg.

 

Photographs courtesy Ian Marsh.

 

There is no date on either photograph, although the same web page indicates that Corus kept the rail making plant open until 2006, when production moved from Workington to Scunthorpe. Assuming that the photographs were taken at Workington as implied, this would also suggest that the racks were fitted by 2006.

 

My first question is therefore can you confirm that the racks were fitted to some wagons by 2006?

 

Secondly, can you advise how many IGA wagons would typically make up a set? I’m assuming that if rails are 72m and each IGA is around 22m this would imply that they would operate in multiples of four. However, I’m not sure whether 72m is a standard length: I had always thought that these long welded rails were in 300’ or 600’ lengths, which would make them 91 or 193 metres. That said 72m would be ideal as far as I am concerned, as that would be 944mm in 4mm scale, which means that a load could be reproduced from one-metre lengths of rail: albeit there may be a flexibility issue.

 

 

Brian,

 

Thanks for confirming that they have been used to convey standard 60’ rail sections, even if I suspect these wagons are not necessarily being used to convey the rail to an engineering possession.

 

Regards

 

David

[Glorious NSE]

I assume from your file names that this was as early as July 2006?

 

Yes

 

Secondly, can you advise how many IGA wagons would typically make up a set? I’m assuming that if rails are 72m and each IGA is around 22m this would imply that they would operate in multiples of four.

 

I *Think* it's 6, but possibly 7 - there are 6 shots at Clapham Jcn, there are 6 shot at Kensington Olympia. The Carlisle ones represent partial records of 2 sets.

[Dungrange]

Thanks Martin,

 

Rakes of six would seem to make sense, especially in the last five years.

 

From what I understand, since 2006/07, Tata Steel (formerly Corus) have concentrated all their rail production at Scunthorpe where they are able to manufacture rails of up to 120 metres in length. As there is a desire to have as few welds as possible in continuously welded rail, it would make sense for the transportation of 120 metre lengths to be the new 'standard'. Assuming an IGA is around 22 metres in length, a rake of six wagons would around 132 metres: about the right length for a 120 metre load.

 

Unfortunately I don't think I'll have the space to accomodate a six wagon rake, so may have to assume that shorter lengths are being transported from elsewhere. Tata Steel's plant at Hayange in France seems to manufacture 108 metre long rails and my reference in #4 indicates 72 metre long rails were produced at Workington.

 

Do you know whether the racks are a permanent or moveable fitting?

 

Regards

 

David

[Glorious NSE]

Ref the racks, not sure, I'm not sure I'd say 'permanent' as my impression is that they could be taken off and then the wagon is back to being a normal IGA, but my impression (don't know for sure though) is they were not designed to be moveable on the wagons?

[Fat Controller]

Are the rack-fitted IGAs used for site-delivery of rail? My impression is that they're used for delivery of new rail from Scunthorpe to Eastleigh, where it's either stock-piled or loaded on to the purpose-built LWR trains.

[meld]

Are the rack-fitted IGAs used for site-delivery of rail? My impression is that they're used for delivery of new rail from Scunthorpe to Eastleigh, where it's either stock-piled or loaded on to the purpose-built LWR trains.

 

AFAIK Brian this is correct, the IGA flats have no compatable 'Control Chute' or 'SP Power' wagons or bodyside rails for the crane to run along to allow delivery to the work sites ..

 

Mike

[Mark Saunders]

I was told that these were for delivery of new rail from Workington for London Transport.

 

Mark Saunders

[new puritan]

All

 

As I have been busy I have missed this thread until now. So a few comments ...

 

Rakes of 6 is the current norm for the IGA welded rail sets. I saw 2 such rakes yesterday [stationary].

 

The Scunthorpe to Eastleigh flow [6X01] is for further welding into 216 metre lengths. Off topic here but Eastleigh also uses recycled rail which is used on lines with light traffic ... not on your average main line! IIRC correctly it also received rail from Italy a few years ago.

 

The last time I saw the imported rail on IGAs [passing at 30 mph!] it looked like conductor rail not running rail.

 

Not used in possession trains.

 

The modules are clamped in place so would be removable. The white painted clamps are added after the module has been lowered onto the wagon and the nut is added to the threaded extension of the white clamping plates. Picture below.

 

Mark

 

 

[Dungrange]

Mark,

 

I'll suggest that the racks may have been fitted initially for a flow between Workington and London in or prior to 2006, but with Corus (now Tata Steel) concentrating rail production at Scunthorpe, it would seem likely that they are only used on flows from Scunthorpe.

 

Brian / Mike / Mark,

 

That's not really the answer I was hoping for, since I was looking for their use in relation to delivery to site, but it does make sense. Apart from the lack of bodyside rails, it would seem logical that they are conveyed from the manufacturer to the customer's depot as a regular booked service and then conveyed to the work site on a separate infrastructure train designed specifically for the purpose.

 

Regards

 

David