GM No. 8112 active on NIR network
The locomotive has been tasked with a number of infrastructure and railhead treatment train (RHTT) duties.
A SIGNIFICANT period of inactivity for the GM 8111 Class fleet came to an end for one of the locomotives on October 26, when No. 8112 hauled an empty hopper wagon from Belfast York Road to Ballymena. The locomotive was then stabled after shunting the infrastructure department yard. No. 8112 hauled five empty hoppers to Poyntzpass on the 28th and, after positioning them in the ballast siding, ran light engine to York Road. The Sandite programme was temporarily suspended in mid-November because MPV No. 11 was unavailable. As low rail adhesion continued to be a problem across the network, the decision was made to use No. 8112 to haul the waterjetter wagon, whose equipment would clear the railhead of leaf mulch. On November 16 the locomotive and wagon ran from York Road to Bangor and return. The sphere of operation for No. 8112 and the wagon was extended on the 17th when the Belfast to Carrickfergus section of the Larne line was also treated, while the Belfast to Portadown line was added to the itinerary on the 18th.