Two Class 158 units
Allelys completed the removal and replacement of two 40te Class 158 diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains in Barmouth. The units located at this seaside town would usually be transported by rail, but due to a bridge being closed at Machynlleth, Allelys supported the project by transporting them by road.
The first stage of the project involved a detailed route study to identify a suitable route for the cargo, photographing challenging aspects of the route and measuring pinch points. This was followed by swept path analysis of specific junctions and crossroads along the route to simulate the heavy lift equipment and confirm that the route was possible.
Due to the size of the transport required, the route for this particular project was a total of 240 miles, beginning in Barmouth and moving through Llanuwchllyn, Corwen, Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Telford, Wolverhampton, Gloucester and Newport before being delivered in Cardiff two days later. The replacement units then completed the same 240 mile, 2 day route back to Barmouth.
The Class 158 units were transported using six axle rail trailers and two tractor units. The vehicles measured 30.8m (l) x 3m (w) x 4.85m (h) gross and weighed 90te. These rail trailers are purpose built for Allelys and the specialist rail projects we undertake. They enable our team to use a ramp and winch method to load the rolling stock, so the cargo doesn’t need to be lifted.
The transport route out of Barmouth, with the removed units, allowed the vehicles to travel in the correct direction of the one way system. However, when the replacement units were transported, Allelys co-ordinated with the Police to temporarily close the high street to enable the vehicles to travel against the one way system.
