Class 20s take the strain on the Drain Train

Balfour Beatty has operated on-track drain clearance trains for several years, but its decision to acquire two Class 20s to operate the train has made them of more interest. Pip Dunn finds out more.

In this article:

• The Drain Train, operated by Balfour Beatty, uses veteran Class 20 locomotives to clear railway drainage systems nationwide.
• Equipped with high-pressure jetting and suction modules, the train is a proactive tool for efficient drainage maintenance.
• The Class 20s' compact design and speed improve operational flexibility, while sustainability efforts minimize environmental impact.

As night falls, waiting at a locked gate under the M74 at Rutherglen station, in the Glasgow suburbs, is one of the more unusual places to have a rendezvous for a feature visit.

It’s a bit like the opening scene to one of those gritty northern cop dramas. And it’s one of those situations where, for peace of mind, I have an idea of the last train back into Glasgow should no one turn up.

Just after 2200, the headlights of a van light up the dank, weed-ridden location. It stops. A man gets out and unlocks the gate.

Neil Williams is expecting me. I heave a huge sigh of relief, and he takes us to Bridgeton yard (which is actually at Rutherglen, not Bridgeton).

And there, in the fading light, I see what I have come for… two veteran Class 20s, dating from November 1961 and November 1967 respectively, atop the two-wagon Balfour Beatty Drain Train.

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