Derelict class 47's

[dilflat]

An aquaintence of mine has the use of an industrial unit next to Millbrook freightliner depot in Southampton.

From the rear balcony overlooking the railway line you can see a row of at least 4 Freightliner class 47's in various states of disrepair laid up in a siding, no doors, missing grills and even axles (Class 47 cobo). I couldn't make out the numbers as it was dark. Does anyone know anything else about these, and how long they have been there. I would have thought that if they are due to be scrapped then it would have to be done in situ due to their poor state.

I shall try to find an excuse to go down in daylight and get a better look.

Dave

[basildd]

An aquaintence of mine has the use of an industrial unit next to Millbrook freightliner depot in Southampton.

From the rear balcony overlooking the railway line you can see a row of at least 4 Freightliner class 47's in various states of disrepair laid up in a siding, no doors, missing grills and even axles (Class 47 cobo). I couldn't make out the numbers as it was dark. Does anyone know anything else about these, and how long they have been there. I would have thought that if they are due to be scrapped then it would have to be done in situ due to their poor state.

I shall try to find an excuse to go down in daylight and get a better look.

Dave

They are 'christmas trees' in railway terminology - you keep taking bits off from time to time when you want them (to keep visiting 47's in a state of good repair)...

[steve33108]

yeah, i seen them really close up. i was looking for somewhere near millbrook, and i got lost and ended up going through the docks, i went rigth by them{they were the other side of the fence}, some dont even have all the nessary bits to run, they are condemmed and when they can't "oh we will just take a bit off 47xxx, and oh, yeah, we could get that bit off of 47xxy" they will probably be loaded onto a low loader and taken to barry or sumwhere like that {they cant be towed, they arent in a good enough state, ie missing hoses and brake cylinders, and havnt been properally maintained in about 3/4 years}. there was an old cep in fratton depot about 2 years ago, and they was beyond repair{traction motor's constantly having things go wrong}, it was suck on a 4 car siding and within weeks the depot fitters had harvested it for most of its parts, then there was the derailmet where a coach hit the footbridge on fratton station, and the dead unit and coach were put out on "the old yard to rot, and after about 3months {tramps moved in} they were all taken away by low loader. up and down the country there is coaches, engines and wagons all in the same state, if you take a train from about hedge end to basingstoke, you will see several coaches of some discription dotted in and around eastleigh works, old trucks in eastleigh pre dispossal yard {the engineers yard on the north side of eastleigh station}, and old flat bed trucks in basingstoke's deralict sidings, its the same on the mid hants, in medstead yard, some vans and trucks used for spares and storage cupboards. it a fact of railway life, ask basil, he will tell you how people buy 33's just to brake 'em up and use as spare parts for other 33's. oh yeah basil, if ya see this, the mdi hants have scrapped a 33 for the above reasons

[dilflat]

Cheers Basil, I guessed that they had been used for spares by the overall state of the things. as for Mid Hants and others breaking a 33 to provide spares, it makes sense. I have done similar things with motorbikes over the years.

Now that 47's are being retired or converted it will be interesting to see what their eventual fate will be.

Regards
Dave