Network Rail Track Renewal Train moves to Taunton

From Monday 25 September 2006, the Network Rail Track Renewal Train (TRT) was ransferred to Taunton Fairwater Yard, from where it will be based for the foreseeable future. The train will be operated by Freightliner Heavy Haul, mainly using Class 66 traction.

From the same time, around four Class 66s will be 'based' at Taunton Fairwater Yard and in addition a number of ballast trains will operate between Westbury and Taunton Fairwater to service the train.

Around the end of the year the High Output Ballast Cleaner (HOBC) presently based at Reading will also transfer into the new yard complex at Taunton Fairwater, this will bring a further increase in the number of Class 66s to the area

The TRT itself arrived on Monday 25 September, running as the 6Z33 08.13 Reading West to Taunton Fairwater, arriving at 10.48. On the same day the first train of Autoballasters arrived at Taunton Fairwater as the 6Z34 13.10 Westbury to Taunton Fairwater. On Tuesday-Friday 26-29 September, Freightliner Heavy Haul will operate empty autoballaster wagons as the 6Z33 10.00 Taunton Fairwater to Westbury and loaded autoballasters as the 6Z34, 13.00 Westbury - Taunton Fairwater. On the first two days of operation 'celebrity' Class 47 No. 47811 was used on these duties.