NIR Class 450 (456) gets the CHOP!

pointsman

Class 450 DEMU Unit No. 8456 - 8796 - 8786 "GOSFORD CASTLE" was cut in half at Ballymena Infrastructure Yard and taken to a local scrapyard for disposal on Wednesday 1st May 2013. The unit had previously arrived here on the 30th March 2012 with sister unit 8455. They had both been withdrawn from passenger services at the time of transferring. In the first third of 2013, NIRailways advertised a tender for 5 x 450 Class DEMU's. Thomas Hamill & Sons were the successful tenderer. It was decided by NIR to retain 8455 at Ballymena Yard and not select this unit for scrap so only 8456 was scrapped and disposed of on this day.

To complete the disposal in the safest & tidiest manner, This required the shunt of 4 Gatwick Mk2f Coaches (8943-8944-8942-8941) which were alongside 8456.

On the Wednesday morning, Loco 112 ran LE from York Road to Ballymena Yard to shunt the carriages arriving in the yard at 1115hrs. The shunt began at 1145hrs with the GM pulling the carriages into the Down Platform in Ballymena and then propelling them into the "On Track Plant" Siding alongside the shed at Ballymena. By 1148hrs T Hamill & Sons had began to cut Power Car 8456 into half. By 1158hrs the first half was on the lorry ready for the scrapyard!

The 3 Car 450 Class had each carriage cut into half and then lifted onto a lorry for transportation to the scrapyard. All 3 cars (6 halves) were disposed off and in the scrapyard by 1445hrs, Just short of 3 hours after beginning the first cut.

A short time later, 112 then split the 4 Gatwick coaches and hauled 8941 + 8942 to York Road Depot as an ECS transfer.

To date (01.05.13) - Here is a list of where the remaining 6 units of the fleet remain: -

8453 - BANGOR MIDDLE ROAD
8454 - CENTRAL PARCEL SDG
8455 - BALLYMENA INFRASTRUCTURE YARD
8457 - BANGOR MIDDLE ROAD
8458 - YORK ROAD DEPOT (-Transferred ex CL on 03.02.13)
8459 - CENTRAL PARCEL SDG

Link to photos from the day at Ballymena -

http://chrisplayfair.smugmug.com/StockTransfers/Stock-Transfers-Disposals-2013/Disposal-of-8456-Gatwick-Shunt/29199456_X9kwsP#!i=2488089625&k=zmjRZrj

dowlingm

does anyone know why NIR is wasting diesel to pull half the Gatwicks from Ballymena Pillar to York Road Post (and doubtless back again some time soon)?

pointsman

dowlingm wrote: »

does anyone know why NIR is wasting diesel to pull half the Gatwicks from Ballymena Pillar to York Road Post (and doubtless back again some time soon)?

Stripping parts I'm told...Remember the Sandite will be an 80 class this year

dowlingm

pointsman wrote: »

Stripping parts I'm told...Remember the Sandite will be an 80 class this year

I'd forgotten the 80s were based on Mark 2s.