- 3 minutes ago
Francis Bourgeois and Chris Harris We Saved A Train S01E05 12 Tonne Jigsaw
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:29Captions by Red Bee Media
00:30I'm Francis Bourgeois, and I love trains
00:36I've roped in my petrol head pal Chris Harris for an epic project. That's impressive rescuing a dilapidated locomotive
00:44This isn't a quick fix
00:48Francis hooked me with engineering that is the coolest kilometer ever fit into a machine. Look at that that blew
00:54me away with weapons-grade enthusiasm
01:01And I'm all-in for a restoration race against time
01:05She just rolled beautifully. Yeah seven times
01:08We've just six months to fix this loco to replace her failing sister
01:13We have to get this locomotive ready for when she needs to come off. It's a race against thing
01:18Yeah
01:19This is British industry
01:22My dream is to see her back on the railway. You're like an infant reattaching to its mother's teat mine
01:29I can live vicariously through you is to witness that moment
01:35Brilliant absolutely
01:49It's a huge moment in our restoration with the wheels finally fixed and back at the depot
01:56It's bogey assembly day
02:05As 37-025's bogeys are so ginormous a much easier way to visualize their functionality is to see them in
02:14miniature
02:22It's 37 heaven here. These people know their shizzle
02:28Are these all yours guys? Yeah, I'm not club locals yet. Lovely to meet you
02:34Chris Cliff and Colin run the biggest little attraction at Bowness
02:39Their stunning o-gauge model railway even has a 37-025 with sound
02:50I thought that was the loco doing some horns then but it's actually Chris. I want one of these
02:57This model railway was actually subject to quite a significant bout of vandalism
03:02It was it was a break-in and then they set fires in this part here
03:06It just seems so disheartening that they want to take out their anger on such a lovely hobby
03:14Heather
03:15Brilliant public responds to that
03:18An online campaign raised 35 grand and unlike our restoration. This revival is almost complete
03:27So, how did you all get into the model railway just rekindling some memories from your childhood really?
03:32Yeah, you guys might have actually seen these in their heyday. We did that's it
03:36I met some of the youth group here the memories they're making with
03:42diesel locomotives are in a heritage sense
03:44They've just existed in a different timescale and someone else's lifelong enthusiasm you see it in the present
03:50But actually you see the equivalently aged human being and they're all wrinkly
04:04I could talk about the longevity of 37s all day
04:09But we are here to discuss bogies
04:12We have our wheel sets
04:14But then on the flip side is where the traction motors would be situated
04:18Um and you have your brake blocks here and these are the little brake cylinders
04:24Brake cylinders
04:25When you're hearing the
04:27That's that pressure
04:28That's this yeah
04:29And then it's articulated by this central point
04:33But yes, this is wonderfully detailed
04:35It's very compact isn't it
04:37It's a cassette and it contains all of the components and then and then it bolts into the train
04:43Back in the day they wouldn't be stripping it apart
04:46Rebuilding it
04:47They've got a set of bogies ready to go
04:49The loco would come in disconnect it lift it off new bogies in
04:53And out the door like a pit stop basically a pit stop yeah formula and pit stop but maybe slightly
04:58longer
05:00I can tell chris's fascination is developing
05:03He's drawing similarities from his world to mine. I can see the merits in both. I love it
05:10I can't wait to see his face when you get some 37.025 and here's the noise
05:14That's going to be quite some
05:17With our little hors d'oeuvre out the way it's time for our main course of giant engineering
05:24Hi Stuart. Hiya
05:26So this is the big day the day of bogie assembly. Yep
05:30Stuart aka god is all knowing when it comes to bogies
05:35So we've got this frame lifted up put the crane in place
05:39Onto the three wheel sets before we can put the wheel sets under we need to assemble the equalizing beams
05:43that go between each wheel set
05:45And put the springs on top of the beams and then the whole lot
05:48Rolls under here and we have to get the six axle boxes into the six guides all at the same
05:54time
05:54Did he capture that?
05:56Sort of
05:57Come on where do we start?
05:59Our first job is to install equalizing beams between the wheel sets
06:04Swing it right across
06:06That's pleasing
06:08That is pleasing
06:11Leave that suspended and roll this wheel down
06:14Have you ever done this before?
06:15No
06:16This is like me building a ferrari v12
06:18I'm not saying it isn't meaningful for me but for you this is life-affirming stuff
06:23The multi-stage assembly starts with us guiding the beams into the hangers on the axle boxes
06:32Down a bit more
06:35In she goes
06:36Oh
06:36Right perfect
06:38Oh
06:38It's just meccano
06:40Just like for really heavy bits
06:42It's a 3D jigsaw
06:43You can see why everyone comes here after a long working week
06:47It is just a bit of kind of play in a way
06:51The next rolling component is the wheel set that caused us so much trouble in Devon
06:58Right
07:00Our two-wheeled problem child holds the other end of the respective beams
07:06That needs to be halfway there because the other equalizing beam is going to meet it in the middle
07:10Yes
07:12It's showing off now Francis
07:15I'm loving this
07:17What is actually the purpose of the equalizing beam?
07:20The weight gets transferred from the bogie to the wheel sets across the four springs
07:24Yeah
07:25Spreads away from the four springs across the six wheels
07:28It means you don't have to have a spring mounted where the axle is as well
07:31Yeah
07:31There's a spring per axle on class 56s
07:34Which is another way of doing it
07:35Yeah
07:35That's why they look so pornographic
07:38That's
07:39Yeah
07:40Come on
07:40Well what's your favorite bogie?
07:42It's definitely not a 56 bogie
07:43Definitely not
07:44No
07:45Don't you just love how it kind of sounds like metallic maracas?
07:48No
07:50There must be a middle ground that we can come to in the depot about favorite bogies
07:56Anyone?
07:57Finished
07:57I think that means get on with it
08:00Right come on Francis
08:01We didn't really reach a bogie consensus
08:03Maybe next time
08:06We'll get the other view up
08:07You got it
08:08Yep
08:09There she goes
08:15Now look at that
08:16That starts to look like a locomotive now
08:18Next stage
08:19Fit four spring carriers for 16 suspension springs to sit on
08:27We in?
08:28Spot on
08:29It's a model kit isn't it?
08:30It's a model kit
08:31Now the springs
08:33Now put the biggie on top
08:35Yep
08:36Crikey
08:40Look at that
08:44It's much easier than a car
08:45Suspension
08:46Done
08:49Next job
08:50Get this up in the air
08:54We'll get the wheels rolled underneath
08:55That is a proper crane Stuart
09:00Yeah that's a big old piece of kit
09:01That's massive
09:02I wouldn't fancy being in control of that beast
09:06When we lower four tons onto some springs
09:09But I know a man who would
09:10Go on crane man
09:13Up down
09:14Right left
09:19That echo sound
09:21Is a bit like when they're in the compactor in Star Wars
09:24I can't say I know that one
09:26You don't know Star Wars?
09:28Well I do but I don't know what you're referencing
09:29You know when they're in a compactor and the walls are coming together
09:34And there's that massive worm thing that's trying to eat them
09:37Oh my god
09:38Stuart help me here
09:39I don't remember
09:40Oh come on
09:42Different field of interest
09:44How old is that lift?
09:46No idea we bought that off eBay
09:50No
09:51There's a guy selling a load of them
09:53Right shall we push the wheels under?
09:55Yes please
09:56Ready
09:57Okay
09:59Oh look at that
10:02She just rolls beautifully
10:04Yeah
10:06This just exemplifies why the railway is just so efficient
10:11This weight with this little friction is amazing
10:14Yeah
10:15About five tons
10:16Six or seven
10:17Six or seven tons
10:18And we're just rolling it
10:19I know
10:20That was beautiful
10:21And now for something completely different
10:24All right
10:26The only thing that holds these suspension springs in place
10:29Is a frame that weighs four tons
10:32Bring it there
10:33Lower it too fast
10:35Damaging the springs
10:36And we're in big trouble
10:38Over to you Francis
10:39Crikey
10:40Okay
10:42Right
10:43All right
10:57Coming down
10:59I'm lowering a four ton frame towards our bogey's suspension springs
11:04Okay with that
11:06Lining it up perfectly is a delicate operation
11:11Stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop
11:17How far out is it?
11:19There's nowhere near
11:21It's like the way that Stuart basically roams around with a massive iron bar
11:27Clear to come down?
11:28Yeah
11:28Clear
11:29Yeah
11:29Coming down
11:32Bloody hell
11:33Right
11:34Take it up slightly
11:35Yeah
11:37Yeah
11:38The sensitivity of the buttons is
11:40I'm very glad that you're doing this lift work not me
11:43Right
11:44Okay
11:44Just coming down
11:45You press it up once it just drops
11:47Wheel problems set our restoration back weeks
11:50If this drops too fast I could set us back months
11:54Everyone clear?
11:55Yes
11:55Yep
11:57Like it
11:59Look at that
12:00Whoo
12:00A bit more
12:01Yep
12:03Yep
12:03Yep
12:05Yes
12:07Hallelujah
12:09Honestly when I did the bit too much
12:11I saw so many faces looking at me in a way that I didn't want to see
12:16That was a risky move
12:18You look as if you've seen a ghost
12:20That was fine
12:22It's fine it was alright
12:23That was fine
12:23But we're not finished
12:26Get all this packing plates in
12:27Job done
12:30The springs assembly isn't complete until metal packing plates have been installed
12:35Which means someone has to lift the frame again
12:39Do you want to do the controls next?
12:41I would absolutely rather go outside to take my boot off my sock off and kick a wall
12:50I think that's a no
12:51Maybe not then
12:53Fine
12:55Let's get in there
12:57You just use that to line it up can't you and then just drop it down
13:00Here we go again
13:08Job done
13:09Well done boys and girls
13:11Well done chap
13:11Well done
13:12Happy days
13:13Amazing
13:13No bolts
13:14No fittings
13:15Just four tons of frame holding everything in place
13:18Very clever design
13:21A class 37 sits on two bogeys
13:26While Chris and I were wrangling wheels and raising funds
13:30Team bonus were busy completing bogey one
13:36Bogey two is well behind schedule so to come so far in a morning is a blessed relief
13:43Let's get a group picture
13:45Let's get a group picture
13:46Boogies
13:47One two three
13:49Boogies
13:51In three months our loco's sister engine 37403 comes off the rails
13:58We're playing catch-up to finish its replacement
14:01What does that weigh all in now?
14:0311 or 12 tons
14:0412 tons
14:05So far
14:06So far?
14:07Still got the motors to go in
14:08Traction motors
14:10The spider
14:10Yeah
14:11Yeah
14:11And then brakes
14:13The brakes
14:14Yeah
14:14They're quite handy
14:17And brakes are the one aspect of bogey assembly that I can't wrap my head around
14:23If only I knew someone with a whiteboard and a penchant for long-winded lectures about railways
14:30I'm especially excited about this one because braking doesn't make sense to me in this in this train
14:35Okay
14:36In heavy goods vehicles and buses the default position for the brakes is that the caliper is locked against the
14:42wheel
14:42Yes
14:42When you hear all that hissing that's actually trying to keep the caliper off the brake disc
14:46And if you if anything fails everything just automatically returns to a default lock position
14:51I would have thought this would mirror
14:53A heavy goods vehicle system by being constantly on and requiring pressure to release but that's not the case
14:59No
15:00Whilst vacuum braking has been used on the railway a pressurized air brake system is more responsive
15:06Applies greater braking force and maintains the fail safe of the brakes applying if there are pressure issues
15:13When we have started 37403 for example before one of the noises that you hear straight away is
15:23That's the compressor
15:25This is what compresses the air obviously it feeds in to
15:33The main air
15:38Yeah
15:38Res
15:40Uh
15:42Voir
15:43Yeah
15:44French
15:45Potentially
15:46Not unlike your name
15:48Voir's a voire
15:49Yeah
15:49Reservoir bourgeois
15:51Then this feeds
15:53Into
15:55Where the driver applies the brake
15:58Right so that's okay that's that's actually he's on the throttle lever there
16:02Yeah
16:03Nice seat pedestal
16:04Yeah I like it
16:06So the driver is applying the brake here
16:08Which is ultimately controlling the pressure in the main air reservoir
16:13So this feeds down into a control valve here
16:18Before that there's a
16:21An aux
16:23An aux air tank
16:27This is crucially the control valve
16:32And this is
16:37The brake
16:39Valve
16:39Now the control valve
16:42Regulates the pressure on one side
16:44And equates it proportionally to the amount of braking force required to go into
16:52The brake cylinder
16:55And very simply this is attached
16:57To a little thing here
17:00And then the shoe that is in contact with the edge
17:04Of the wheel
17:05This is easily your most succinct piece of teaching so far
17:09But this is all very complicated
17:11Well with a load of pulverised chickpea fuel
17:14I know a way to physically demonstrate how the brakes work
17:22That was a third of a tub in one mouthful
17:27It's so good
17:29Very good
17:29What's left of it
17:35A practical brake demo is out of the question in the depot
17:40Where are we going?
17:42Right
17:44Outside on the other hand
17:46I present to you
17:56This is
17:58We Inver
18:06We Inver
18:07Because it's Inver
18:09Nest, TMD, but we
18:11We Inver
18:11I like it
18:12I'm hoping it's a static object
18:14No
18:15This moves
18:16Yes
18:16Is the expectation that I'll be moving with it?
18:19Yes
18:20So I know I've explained how the braking system works on a whiteboard
18:25Yeah
18:25But we can see it here in practice
18:28There's no substitute for seeing things move
18:30Exactly
18:30Come on, let's see it
18:31So just like the real class 37
18:35We have a compressor
18:36That feeds air into a main air reservoir
18:40And when actuated
18:48It's really good this
18:50That's
18:51I mean that
18:52That piston coming out like that is just
18:56Everyone, every young kid needs to see this
18:59So they understand how it works
19:01Yeah
19:01Shall we have a go?
19:02How quickly will it stop?
19:04That's what we're here to find out
19:08Are you okay being on second man duties?
19:10Yes, you tell me what I have to do
19:11Chris, please may you check the tail lamp for me
19:20Tail lamp flashing
19:22Do you mind checking the headlight as well for me please?
19:29Headlight on but not impressive
19:32Okay
19:34Can you just check the horns working as well please?
19:41Now we've done all the testing
19:43We can get this puppy fired up
19:48I could I can do this but okay
19:50I'm going to turn the feed to the bit of the fuel
19:53Have you driven it before?
19:55No, I haven't
19:57Okay
19:58You've not had a little go at practice?
20:00Nope
20:03Have you ever started it before?
20:14Just turned the compressor on
20:20Jump to a horn
20:34Lucky hell, that's quite lively
20:36Ha ha ha ha!
20:42Ha ha ha ha!
20:45Ha ha ha ha!
20:46Ha ha ha ha!
20:46Ha ha ha ha!
20:48Ha ha ha ha!
20:52That's...
20:53That's plenty fast enough for me!
20:56Oh my god!
20:59Ha ha ha ha!
21:02Ha ha ha ha!
21:06Right!
21:11I've brought us to a halt at this location
21:14as there's
21:16a home signal
21:17and if the home signal is
21:20displaying a stop aspect
21:22we would need to
21:23guide our rail vehicle
21:25to a halt before the signal.
21:27I think it would be fun to maybe imagine that
21:29we have a red or
21:32a stop aspect here
21:33and we need to bring our vehicle
21:35to a stationary position
21:37as close to the signal as possible.
21:39OK!
21:49Brake! Brake! Brake! Brake!
21:51Brake! Brake!
21:52Woo!
21:56OK!
21:574...
21:595...
21:596...
22:007...
22:008...
22:019...
22:029 sleepers
22:03from the signal.
22:05Happy with that?
22:06Happy.
22:07Yeah, good.
22:08Now it's your turn.
22:08Let's go!
22:10Somehow, this is more nerve-wracking
22:12than stopping a Valkyrie AMR Pro
22:14from 200 miles per hour.
22:16Ha ha ha!
22:17It's metal on metal.
22:288...
22:289...
22:2910...
22:3111...
22:3211!
22:339...
22:3410...
22:3411.
22:35It's the same on this side as well.
22:40Anyway, Chris.
22:41Fine.
22:42I may have overcompensated
22:43for the total absence of rubber.
22:46If you're going to beat me at anything,
22:47a braking challenge is the one to be beaten out.
22:50I'll take that.
22:51Not quite supercar stopping,
22:53but 12 miles per hour to zero in six seconds
22:56is a world best in the crazy railway go-kart category.
23:02I've enjoyed that.
23:03Yeah.
23:04Now what?
23:05Er...
23:06We can reverse back to the depot, maybe.
23:08We have to reverse all the way back.
23:09Can't we turn it round up there?
23:10Er, no.
23:11What?
23:17I can't see.
23:36It'll take many hands a week to assemble the brakes in Bogey 2.
23:40And we're mucking in, stripping brake lines for repainting.
23:47With around six metres of steel brake lines in each bogey,
23:51we have a lot of old paint and rust to grind
23:54before reaching bare metal.
23:55But it's therapeutic work.
24:00That looks not bad.
24:02You can come again, lads.
24:05We can then turn it over and get the underside done.
24:09We're looking at 45 minutes of noisy graft to get these lines ready for primer and paint.
24:15And I'm aiming to be top of the podium for coverage.
24:22And I'm aiming to be top of the podium for coverage.
24:31It certainly is.
24:32Every grain counts.
24:34And crucially, our effort means these pipes are ready to paint.
24:39Get some primer on that.
24:40In colour coded white.
24:43So white is air.
24:45Yep.
24:45Orange is electricity.
24:48Yep.
24:48Blue is water.
24:49Oh, water.
24:51Pipes, hoses and cables are colour coded to speed up maintenance, fault finding and safety checks.
24:58Speaking of which, our next job is a brake test on Bogey 1.
25:03So white means air.
25:04Yeah.
25:05Where we'll be willing support for Isla and Stuart.
25:09So, we get it up to the maximum pressure, plug in the pressure gauge and see if it's holding pressure.
25:17You're only allowed a certain amount of pressure drop.
25:20This started at 72, it's now at 63 psi.
25:24There's a leak somewhere.
25:25Finding an air leak in all this pipe needs specialist tools.
25:29Did you ever know that that existed?
25:31Leak detection spray.
25:33What is it exactly?
25:34It's soapy water.
25:35Is it really?
25:36That's all it is, yes.
25:38Armed with soapy water, sorry, leak detection spray, the hunt is on.
25:43Anything with a nut, we test.
25:47Nope, nothing there.
25:48We're looking for soap bubbles caused by escaping air.
25:52Nope.
25:54You can see the thread on this one, I wonder.
25:56Ooh.
26:00Ooh.
26:00There.
26:00Look, the bubble underneath.
26:01Ooh.
26:02There you go.
26:04Span up.
26:05Go on, give it a crank.
26:06Yep, that's definitely a bit loose.
26:11Right.
26:12Let's check numbers.
26:13It's a lot slower.
26:14It's a lot slower, but it's still leaking.
26:16It's still leaking, yeah.
26:16There's another one somewhere.
26:19Is there a chance it's one of the inside nuts?
26:22Could be.
26:23When not volunteering here, Isla is at uni, studying mechanical engineering with aeronautics.
26:29You're going to have to see if this bubbles.
26:32Which might prove handy.
26:35Anything on that one?
26:36Can't see anything there.
26:39Ooh, there we go.
26:41There we go.
26:42Oh, big bubble.
26:42Bingo.
26:43How do we tighten that up?
26:44Righty tighty, lefty loosey.
26:46There could still be multiple leaks, so we don't want to risk over-talking individual nuts and damaging pipes.
26:5684, 80, it's going slower.
27:00Which means an ongoing game of gauge checking.
27:04It's slowing down.
27:05And bubble hunting.
27:07Ooh.
27:08Ooh.
27:08And careful tightening.
27:10Do you want a bigger spanner that's got more leverage on it?
27:13Er, yeah.
27:14A leak could cause the brakes to lock on, so the tolerance is tiny.
27:191 psi in 15 minutes.
27:22A drop more than 1 psi in 15 minutes, and it fails.
27:2615 minutes?
27:28Ooh.
27:29Oh, that's miles off.
27:31We're dropping 4.5.
27:33If we can't fix that today, it'll be a week before enough volunteers are available to try again.
27:39Is there a way we can isolate this?
27:42No.
27:43We need to know if this is the last leak.
27:48We could maybe calculate the volume of the bubble.
27:53Go for it.
27:55Try and measure the diameter.
27:574 pi r squared.
27:58No, 4 pi r cubed, is it?
28:004 over 3 pi r cubed, I thought.
28:034 over 3 pi r cubed.
28:04Anyone else know?
28:06But I think you're correct.
28:07I graduated from my degree three years ago.
28:11For you, it's a little fresher in the mind, I suppose.
28:13Just a little bit.
28:15Calculate bubble volume.
28:16Work out flow rate.
28:18Confirm this against our measured pressure change.
28:20And determine if this is our last leak.
28:24We've got to close this off.
28:25Are you going to start measuring bubbles now?
28:27Yup, he is.
28:28Right, but I need to time the moment from the bubble's inception.
28:34That was 15 seconds of a bubble.
28:36And we're looking at...
28:382 centimetres.
28:402.5 centimetres.
28:42So, 2.5 centimetres in diameter in 15 seconds.
28:53Whilst the bubble whisperer is over there doing his maths homework, you're actually getting this done.
28:58I like this.
28:59Go on.
28:59Go on, go!
29:02Now that's moved.
29:04How are you getting on bubbles?
29:05So, I've worked out the flow rate of the bubble leak is 5.45 times 10 to the minus 7
29:16metres cubed per second.
29:18Okay.
29:19But then how do we go from pressure change to flow rate?
29:23Mass equals density, speed, area.
29:28Are you two related?
29:30Because you actually sound like him.
29:33I'm going to say that as a compliment.
29:35Oh, you've actually got your calculations.
29:37You've done your work as well.
29:38And I've done my assumption at the top as well.
29:39Assumption bubble is an...
29:42It's an intruded sphere.
29:45Okay.
29:45But I've worked out the flow rate of the leak.
29:51Which is 5.45 times 10 to the minus 7 metres cubed per second.
29:57Great.
29:58What does that mean to you?
30:02It means it's still leaking, isn't it?
30:06Big spanner.
30:07The data points towards this being our last and only leak.
30:12Right.
30:14There's literally no more bubbles under here.
30:17Good.
30:18Okay.
30:18The moment of truth.
30:20Are we below max tolerance of 1 psi drop every 15 minutes?
30:25Okay.
30:26Calculations.
30:27So, 0.05 psi in one minute.
30:31So...
30:320.75 every 15 minutes.
30:39Do you want me to go in and get that?
30:41No!
30:42No, let's just...
30:43Let's just relish in the moment.
30:46I'm really sorry.
30:47Well done.
30:48Thank you very much.
30:49Well done.
30:51What an end to the day.
30:52Bogie 2, ready for the rails.
30:54It's just a shame that I launched Francis' phone into it.
30:59Was it already cracked like that?
31:02Oh!
31:06It smashed quite badly.
31:08Can you see these slightly ferrous filings?
31:12It's got Class 37 DNA embedded in it now, so is it more valuable to you now?
31:17I think it has another story, another chink in its armour, so thank you, Chris.
31:22Such positivity, I like that.
31:24Yeah.
31:27I've got something else planned that Chris should like.
31:31A treat that's perfect for lovers of road and rail.
31:35Right, I'd recommend getting to bed soonish.
31:38I know you don't like surprises, but I've got something arranged for us tomorrow morning.
31:42OK.
31:44Erm...
31:44It won't be a tickle fight.
31:46Again.
31:47Night, Francis.
31:48See ya.
31:52Tickle fight.
32:02I've chased trains to some wonderfully picturesque locations.
32:10The emus are making a racket, as are the 97s.
32:19And to celebrate a successful bogey assembly and brake test,
32:24this morning I'm taking Chris to one of the most stunning locations of all.
32:28Right.
32:31So, welcome to Loch Il.
32:35Looks like the set of deliverance to me at the moment, mate, I have to say.
32:39Well, it's about to get better as we're putting on high-vis.
32:44I used to have a man deliver me sushi to Dunfolds at the top of your test track.
32:49I'm now lacing up a safety steel toe-cap boot,
32:54clearly bought at a service station last night by the crew,
32:58on the passenger seat of a Renault van.
33:01Hashtag fallen.
33:04Do you notice I'm not even asking what we're going to be doing today
33:06because it's going to be something so random.
33:08The reason why I thought this experience would function better as a surprise
33:12is that, you know, we've involved ourselves so much in my sort of vehicle.
33:18Oh.
33:18I thought that we'd go more into your kind of vehicle.
33:24Ooh, now we're talking. Okay, you've got me.
33:26Yeah.
33:26I'm thinking something Scottish. An Argyle GT Turbo. A Raptor. Maybe a cute little Hillman Imp.
33:39Chris.
33:40What?
33:42Ta-da!
33:44Good Lord.
33:46This is an Isuzu network rail response unit.
33:50Well, consider me underwhelmed.
33:53You can barely see what's underneath it. There's an Isuzu under there somewhere, isn't there?
33:57And inside it is our driver.
34:00Hey, mate, I'm Chris.
34:01Hey, Chris. Gary.
34:02What on earth are we doing?
34:10All right, so, a real network rail vehicle.
34:16So, we're going to go off-roading and look at a railhead?
34:20Er, well, I think you're on the right track in saying we're going off-road.
34:28Is this normal?
34:32We're about to drive on the railway.
34:34Have you done this before?
34:35Never.
34:38This is cool.
34:39This is cool as.
34:44Go on, Gary.
34:49Oh, he locks his steering wheel off.
34:51Oh, this is ridiculous!
34:53Steeringless. Elon Musk eats your heart out.
34:55Zero nine, Bannerby North, Gary Maxx, no deal.
34:57They're on track.
35:02I have done most things in a car, but I've never done this.
35:11Oh, this is wild.
35:14This is wild.
35:16This is making me have a mental misfire at the minute.
35:21Wow!
35:22Network Rail has hundreds of road rail vehicles.
35:25Most are propelled by the tyres directly touching the track.
35:29The tyres are only just in contact with the rail.
35:33Enough friction to drive and enough friction to brake.
35:36The braking is still done through the road wheels.
35:38They're still in contact with the railhead.
35:40So, you still brake and accelerate like a normal car.
35:42But, obviously, the rail wheels guide you along the tracks.
35:45You just maintain the speed maximum is 20.
35:47You don't want to go any more than 20, do you?
35:50No.
35:50No, you really don't.
35:5220 is plenty.
35:53Yeah.
35:56I've never seen one of these driving on the tracks from a car.
36:01This type of vehicle, I've only seen operate in the Highlands.
36:05West Highland Line, there's a lot of where the track goes, there's no road access.
36:09We can access incidents far easier.
36:12And we also use it for patrolling.
36:14So, after, like a storm, we'll go out with chainsaws, clear the line of any trees that have fallen.
36:19To keep trains running in tough terrain areas like the Highlands,
36:24Network Rail's road rail vehicles include excavators, cranes and mobile platforms.
36:31I've chased many Class 37s down this way.
36:34I bet I.
36:35Yeah.
36:36There's one kicking about today.
36:37Ooh.
36:40He's happy now.
36:42That makes two of us.
36:44Oh, this is beautiful.
36:46Look how old that is.
36:48Fabulous.
36:49This is a very, very, very special treat.
36:53Well, I feel very, very spoiled.
36:59Look at that.
37:02Oh, wow.
37:04So, you may know this bridge, Chris, from Harry Potter.
37:17This is stunning.
37:19But even the boy wizard didn't get to walk on it.
37:23This is absolutely magnificent.
37:27Well done, you.
37:28Oh, thank you.
37:29One day, I'll have to reciprocate and take you on a car journey, which will never match this.
37:34Best spot I've ever been to for a selfie in my life.
37:37It's not too bad here.
37:40Isn't this just bonkers?
37:43I've done some things in my time.
37:45I've been so lucky, but this is right up there.
37:49Look at it down there.
37:54See those people up there?
37:56They've come to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct due to its feature in the Harry Potter films.
38:02And they've got a double whammy because they're also seeing a networked rail response unit.
38:07Or are we just ruining their photograph?
38:09No.
38:10You sure?
38:10Yeah, yeah.
38:12Hello!
38:15Look at this, Francis.
38:17Look at that view down there, down the loch.
38:20Oh, this is just stunning.
38:23Now, let's have a look up close at these railheads.
38:27So that's for your expansion and contraction when the weather, obviously, and each one has that gap.
38:33How do they keep it so accurate?
38:35It's just the distance.
38:361,435 millimeters between here and here.
38:43That's a standard gauge.
38:45145 is a significant number for you, isn't it?
38:48Absolutely.
38:48Is it like pi for you?
38:50Yeah.
38:51Now you've got me going.
38:533.141592653589793238462.
38:59That's as much as I can remember.
39:07Okay, that's only to retire now.
39:10He's just recited pi to about 13 decimal places and then did an accidental blow-off and walked away because
39:18he knew he'd done it.
39:20I guarantee no one has ever done that.
39:22No, no one's ever done that before.
39:24An accidental flabby woof woof after... How many decimal points was it?
39:2821.
39:292021.
39:31Quick.
39:33Change the subject.
39:34No one noticed.
39:37I've stood there numerous times waiting to see 37409, 37676 and 45407.
39:47Those are the occasions that I've seen locomotives pass over here.
39:51Would you rather see a Class 37 or a steam engine come over here?
39:55A Class 37.
39:57Would you?
39:57Like, the tourists want to see the steam engine. I want to see the 37.
40:02I thought I'm going to repay you for all this. The last few months have been back-to-back special
40:09moments.
40:10Well, that's the thing, Chris. It's... This is a... You know, it's a bit of fun, really, for us.
40:17Because we've been working hard, you know?
40:21I finally understand Francis' love of the railway. I've fallen for it, too.
40:28Extraordinary.
40:35You're distracted by the fact there is one lurking, isn't there?
40:38Yeah.
40:40We're on our way back to Bowness, but the boy wonder can't get over a possible Class 37 in the
40:46wild.
40:47And an undercover 37 at that.
40:50The fact that it's on a VSTP path, which needs very short-term planning,
40:56as soon as it runs out onto the line on line-proving duties,
40:59it doesn't go on a publicly-advertised headcode.
41:03Ah. Called in last minute to test the line after snow,
41:07this loco is for eagle eyes only.
41:09If this particular Class 37 was in a Bourne movie, would it have gone dark?
41:14Yeah. It's flying below 50 feet.
41:16Is it?
41:17A dark 37. No intel. What hope is there?
41:22Thankfully, I'm sitting behind a gentleman called Gary, who works for Network Rail.
41:27Good point, Agent Orange.
41:30He does. Gary knows.
41:35Gary gave up everything under interrogation.
41:38Activate the asset.
41:40I like this game.
41:42I hear it.
41:44Do you? Yeah.
41:47How far away is it? Half a mile.
41:49I can't hear a thing.
41:57Yeah.
42:01Here it comes.
42:02Here it comes.
42:10Oh, yes.
42:19Freshly painted as well.
42:21Come on, give it a bit of welling.
42:34Yeah.
42:37Lovely colours.
42:44Well, that was very, very lovely.
42:46It's on a line-proving run in anticipation of poor weather. The Class 37s are perfect.
42:52For working highland routes like these. The treacherous conditions, the trees, the slippery rails. It's what the Class 37s are
43:01built to overcome.
43:02For the first time since we started this project, that's the first time I've seen one working.
43:08Yeah. On the main line.
43:09Because that's a working train there, wasn't it?
43:11Yeah, yeah, yeah.
43:12Network Rail have paid for that locomotive to go on the main line and to just prove, make sure that
43:20the line is safe to run.
43:21025 might well be in that position in the future.
43:24Precise.
43:55We'll see you next time.
43:58We'll see you next time.
Comments