(1) 47378 in trouble at Wisbech yard -
* Derailments were sometimes an often occurance as the sidings in the yard were poorly maintained in the final years of traffic using the Wisbech branch. As the yard and the branch was in a poor way, a weight restriction was imposed in 1972 supposedly to prevent heavier engines such as class 40's and class 45's from venturing down the branch towards Wisbech. A few mistakes meant a class 40 or a class 45 was sent down the line to Wisbech for the Spillers Pet food trains in the late 1970s / early 1980s instead of the route-allowed Class 25's, 37's and 47's. Sending a heavier loco down the branch often resulted in the track spreading apart under the increased weight of the wrong engine, and British Rail then having to re-align the rails back into position.
After passenger closure of the Wisbech branch in 1968 track maintenance was down at basic minimal level by British Rail and later by Railtrack, just enough work was done on the line to keep the daily freight flows to and from Wisbech running until final closure in 2001.
(2) 47033 sliding off the rails at March Whitemoor yard -
(3) 47217 falling off the road at March Whitemoor yard -
(4) 47473 in a predicament at March Whitemoor yard -
* Derailments were sometimes an often occurance as the sidings in the yard were poorly maintained in the final years of traffic using the Wisbech branch. As the yard and the branch was in a poor way, a weight restriction was imposed in 1972 supposedly to prevent heavier engines such as class 40's and class 45's from venturing down the branch towards Wisbech. A few mistakes meant a class 40 or a class 45 was sent down the line to Wisbech for the Spillers Pet food trains in the late 1970s / early 1980s instead of the route-allowed Class 25's, 37's and 47's. Sending a heavier loco down the branch often resulted in the track spreading apart under the increased weight of the wrong engine, and British Rail then having to re-align the rails back into position.
After passenger closure of the Wisbech branch in 1968 track maintenance was down at basic minimal level by British Rail and later by Railtrack, just enough work was done on the line to keep the daily freight flows to and from Wisbech running until final closure in 2001.
(2) 47033 sliding off the rails at March Whitemoor yard -
(3) 47217 falling off the road at March Whitemoor yard -
(4) 47473 in a predicament at March Whitemoor yard -
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