Tidal Gronk Opera.....lol.

I've got good gut fell that we're about to relive the ASW gronk soap opera all over again.

Tidal originally had four remote controls, for which, there were two workings...

08466 Brillo
08752 Brian then renamed Lenny
08854 Bradshaw
08951 Fred / Bugle Nose then renamed Fred

When ASW shut all the remotes were disbanded around the country. When Celsa took over ASW, there were once again a requirement for two remotes, returning to south wales in this order...

08466 Brillo, June 2006
08752 (nameless Doncaster Carr removed the name), September 2006
08921 Pongo, September 2006

Reliability was very poor with shifted crank problems beginning to occur, hence three more arrive

08854 Bradshaw, December 2006
08951 Fred, April 2007
08782 Castleton Works, April 2007.....new to south wales

Two half years later, this is the status today...

08466 Brillo, Toytown - major electrical problems
08752, Tidal Sidings - due a C xam and air receivor examination at Toytown
08782 Castleton Works, Toytown - major electrical problems
08802, Tidal Sidings - arrived to replace 08782.
08854 Bradshaw, Margam Depot - stored
08921 Pongo, Springs Branch - undergoing repairs to a shifted crank
08951 Fred, Toyotwn - wheelset change

Word has it 08921 Pongo will return to allow 08752 to got to Toytown.

better than eastenders some come back more often than the mitchell brothres

What mustn't be overlooked in this opera is the unsung hero, 09017 Leo which maintained credibility for EWS by deputising for one or on some occassions both remotes. The story behind 09017 is just as crazy as it was rescued from languishing at Newport Docks for many months awaiting movement to Toytown, which most people had completely forgotten about. Only when 08802 arrived last week did 09017 rest as the standby loco, after many months of working alongside 08752. 09017 is certainly not a good choice of loco as it has a higher speed and lower tractive effort compared with a Class 08 and secondly it requires double manning.

Let's not forget the Tidal gronks must be the hardest worked shunters in the system moving extremely heavy freights over very poor trackwork.

Even in the old ASW and Canton Depot days, many of the gronks being used in ASW were those awaiting their heavy exams at Canton Depot.......but that's another story I could write a book about.

Latest completion dates for remotes...

08921, arrived Springs Branch July 2008, no completion date set.
08782, arrived Toytown January 2010, no completion date set.
08466, arrived June 2009, completion date has slipped from 31/12/09 to 30/04/10.
08951, arrived June 2009, completion date slipped from 30/01/10 to 30/04/10.

No soap today,

08802 Celsa Internal pilot
08752 Tidal pilot
09017 Spare loco

Drivers really like 08802.

We're beginning to party...

Word has it that 08921 Pongo has had its shifted crank repaired at Springs Branch and is ready to replace 08752 at Tidal Sidings for its C xam and air receivor inspection.

Hoping Catman has received 08428 for an A xam tomorrow and is looking its best for the camera. June 1984 was my last photo at Perth station on carriage shunting duties.

The 'all singing all dancing' opera has gone a little pear shaped with electrical problems on 08802, mechanical and electrical problems with 08752 which may well accelerate its move to Toytown next week and the standby loco 09017 having flat batteries.

Today 08802 was limping along as the Celsa pilot, 08752 was the Tidal / Rod Mill pilot whilst 09017 was standby loco.

Will 08921 Pongo return next week?

Not quite a Tidal gronk but 08428 underwent completion of its A xam at East Usk Yard this morning in lieu of a deferred C xam before returning to ADJ. 08428 is a very poor substitute for 08567 which appears to be suffering from a blown head gasket. Maybe re-torquing the cylinder head may do the trick or will we see 09017 drafted into action?