HABDs and WILDs

Sometimes, a train's axle bearings overheat. This can cause serious damage; in an extreme case a wheel can seize and cause a derailment. At strategic points on the network, hot axle box detectors (HABDs), also known as hot axle bearing detectors, are placed to detect overheating. HABDs are usually placed a few miles before suitable sidings/loops such that if a fault is detected the signaller can route the train out of the way whilst inspection and repair can take place. Detectors usually take the form of four yellow boxes, one either side of each rail.

Other easily-detectable faults are flat points on wheels. As the wheel turns so the flat spot causes a 'hammer blow' to the track and this is detectable by wheel impact load detectors (WILDs), also known as "Gotcha", "Wheelchex" (after their proprietary names) or vehicle health monitoring equipment (VHME). The equipment minimises the possibility of track damage. Again these are placed shortly before a suitable place to take the train out of service as required.

These lists show HABDs and WILDs as at 2015 and subsequent developments, with additional research for earlier activity, sorted by ELR and mileage. Names are official where known or a suitable identifying place where they aren't.

Hot axle box detectors (HABDs)

BAG2	Spetchley	65m 17ch	down main
BAG2	Eckington	74m 51ch	up main	installed 29 September 1997, later adjusted to 74m 46ch
BAG2	Eckington	74m 46ch	up main	previously at 74m 51ch
BAG2	Ashchurch	79m 40ch	up main	removed 29 September 1997
BAG2	Churchdown	89m 0ch	down main	present in 1969, later moved to 89m 0ch
BAG2	Churchdown	89m 6ch	down main	previously at 89m 0ch
BGK	Newport	39m 48ch	up main
BGK	Shepreth	53m 10ch	down main
BGl2	Brookthorpe	97m 50ch	up Charfield	present in 1969, later moved to 97m 58ch
BGl2	Brookthorpe	97m 58ch	up Charfield	previously at 97m 50ch in 1969
BHL	Colthrop	48m 44ch	up Westbury down Westbury	both later moved to 48m 66ch
BHL	Colthrop	48m 66ch	up Westbury down Westbury	both previously at 48m 44ch
BHL	Kintbury	58m 0ch	up Westbury	moved to 58m 32ch 1 September 2018
BHL	Kintbury	58m 32ch	up Westbury	from 1 September 2018
BHL	Pewsey	75m 26ch	down Westbury	later moved to 75m 60ch
BHL	Pewsey	75m 60ch	down Westbury	previously at 75m 26ch
BRY	Dinas Powys	5m 22ch	down Barry	later moved to 4m 31ch from 30 June 2014
BRY	Dinas Powys	4m 31ch	down Barry	previously at 5m 22ch to 30 June 2014
BRY	Dinas Powys	5m 22ch	up Barry	installed 30 June 2014
BSW	Filton Junction	4m 75ch	up Bristol
BSW	Pilning	9m 8ch	up tunnel
CBC3	Low Mill	24m 33ch	down main	originally shown as 24m 27ch; moved or erroneous original?
CCL	Keinton Mandeville	120m 6ch	up
CGJ1	Winsford	166m 38ch	up main
CGJ2	Norton	176m 39ch	down main
CGJ5	Coppull Hall	10m 60ch	up main down main
CGJ7	Hest Bank	2m 51ch	down main
CGJ7	Bolton-le-Sands	5m 8ch	up main
CGJ7	Low Gill	27m 6ch	down main	from 15 April 1973
CGJ7	Harrison's Siding	41m 73ch	up main	from 18 March 1973
CGJ7	Southwaite	62m 6ch	down main	from 18 February 1973
CHR	Barrow Hill	146m 69ch	down Barrow Hill
CHR	Renishaw	152m 47ch	up main
CMD1	Harecastle	10m 58ch	up main	later moved to 14m 9ch
CMD1	Harecastle	14m 9ch	up main	previously at 10m 58ch
CMD2	Barlaston	24m 47ch	down main	later moved to 24m 39ch
CMD2	Barlaston	24m 39ch	down main	previously at 24m 47ch
CMP1	Holmes Chapel	166m 51ch	down Wilmslow
CMP1	Wilmslow	176m 34ch	up Wilmslow
DAC	Newton St Cyres	176m 60ch	Single
DBP1	Branston	13m 44ch	up Tamworth
DBP1	Willington	6m 1ch	down Tamworth
DBP1	Tamworth	22m 30ch	down main	possibly previously at 22m 40ch
DBP3	Whitacre	31m 69ch	down slow	never installed?
DCL	Radley	58m 58ch	up main	present in 1969, later moved to 60m 0ch
DCL	Radley	60m 0ch	up main	previously at 58m 58ch in 1969
DCL	Cropredy	89m 79ch	down main
DOL1	Castle Mills	158m 60ch	up
DOW	Thorne South	9m 41ch	down main	later moved to 10m 12ch
DOW	Thorne South	10m 12ch	down main	previously at 9m 41ch
DOW	Keadby	17m 6ch	up main
ECA2	Auchengray	79m 35ch	up
ECM1	Langley	26m 62ch	down fast down slow
ECM1	Wymondley	29m 70ch	up slow up fast	both later moved to 30m 60ch
ECM1	Wymondley	30m 60ch	up slow up fast	both previously at 29m 70ch
ECM1	Biggleswade	42m 10ch	up slow up fast
ECM1	Offord	54m 7ch	up fast down fast
ECM1	Abbots Ripton	64m 25ch	up fast	moved to 64m 61ch by 2018
ECM1	Abbots Ripton	64m 61ch	up fast	previously at 64m 25ch
ECM1	Holme	69m 28ch	down fast
ECM1	Lolham	83m 33ch	up slow up fast
ECM1	Stoke	99m 78ch	down fast
ECM1	Barkston	109m 56ch	up main
ECM1	Balderton	116m 70ch	down main
ECM1	Cromwell	124m 55ch	up main
ECM1	Gamston (Askam)	134m 37ch	down main
ECM1	Torworth	143m 17ch	up main
ECM1	Bawtry	148m 55ch	down main
ECM1	Daw Lane	159m 10ch	up main
ECM4	Earfit Lane (Colton North)	184m 4ch	down Leeds down main
ECM5	Sessay	16m 65ch	up fast up slow down fast down slow
ECM5	Danby Wiske	33m 50ch	up main
ECM5	Eryholme (East Cowton)	38m 72ch	down main
ECM5	Aycliffe	49m 36ch	down main
ECM5	Littleburn (Durham)	63m 59ch	up fast
ECM5	Plawsworth (Chester-le-Street)	70m 20ch	down main
ECM7	Dam Dykes	8m 45ch	down main up main	down main removed 11 September 2017
ECM7	Longhirst	20m 20ch	down main	from 11 September 2017
ECM7	Chevington	25m 48ch	up main
ECM7	Stamford	40m 38ch	down main	removed 14 September 2017
ECM7	Stamford	40m 38ch	up main	from 14 September 2017
ECM7	Newham	47m 8ch	up main	removed 14 September 2017; replaced 8 February 2018
ECM7	Goswick	60m 66ch	down main
ECM8	Stenton	25m 48ch	up	later moved to 24m 20ch
ECM8	Stenton	24m 20ch	up	previously at 25m 48ch
ECM8	Oxwellmains	32m 65ch	down
ECM8	Lamberton	54m 6ch	up main
ECN2	Aberdour	16m 31ch	up Fife circle
EMP	Second Drove	75m 58ch	up Peterborough
EMP	Kings Dyke	96m 71ch	down March	from 14 November 2010
GSM1	Geddington (Corby)	77m 8ch	up and down Corby
HNL1	Tram Inn	5m 37ch	up main
HNL1	Nantyderry	28m 75ch	up main down main
HNR	Roade	59m 72ch	down Northampton
HNR	Althorpe Park	72m 4ch	up Northampton
HUL1	Melton Lane	8m 39ch	down Hull	from 26 November 2018
HUL1	Hemingborough (Cliffe)	28m 0ch	up Hull
HUL3	Harrymore Lane	2m 78ch	down Hull
HUL4	Barrowby Lane (Garforth)	13m 74ch	up Hull
KMG2	Floriston	7m 45ch	up arrival
KWS	Post Office Lane	62m 16ch	down Doncaster
LEC1	Northchurch	30m 7ch	up slow up fast
LEC1	Soulbury Road	42m 10ch	down slow	removed by September 2017
LEC1	Soulbury Road	42m 74ch	down fast	removed by September 2017
LEC1	Soulbury Road	42m 68ch	down slow down fast	from 7 October 2017
LEC1	Wolverton	c50m 43ch	up slow up fast	installed by 1969
LEC1	Castlethorpe North	55m 63ch	up slow up fast
LEC1	Kilsby North	78m 66ch	down main	later moved to 79m 1ch
LEC1	Kilsby North	79m 1ch	down main	previously at 78m 66ch
LEC2	Shilton	91m 26ch	up Trent Valley slow up Trent Valley fast
LEC2	Shilton	91m 30ch	down Trent Valley
LEC2	Armitage	121m 20ch	up Trent Valley slow up Trent Valley fast
LEC2	Milford and Brocton	129m 29ch	down main
LEC4	Shallowford	138m 30ch	up fast up slow	shown at 138m 62ch by May 2019
LEC4	Madeley	149m 74ch	down fast down slow
LEN3	Long Lane (Low Gates)	46m 32ch	up	later moved to 45m 65ch
LEN3	Long Lane (Low Gates)	45m 65ch	up	previously at 46m 32ch, moved to 46m 32ch by 14 October 2017
LEN3	Long Lane (Low Gates)	46m 32ch	up	previously at 45m 65ch, returned to this position by 14 October 2017
LEN3	Stockton	61m 2ch		installed 10 February 2021
LEN3	Easington	80m 15ch	down Sunderland up Sunderland	from 15 November 2010
LTN1	Brentwood	17m 1ch	down main down electric	previously at 17m 33ch
LTN1	Brentwood	17m 33ch	down main down electric	moved to 17m 1ch by 2011; higher mileage reported in error?
LTN1	Margaretting	25m 41ch	up main	moved to 25m 78ch after 2011
LTN1	Margaretting	25m 78ch	up main	previously at 25m 41ch
MAC3	Manton Wood	60m 41ch	up main	moved to 60m 60ch by 2014
MAC3	Manton Wood	60m 60ch	up main	previously at 60m 41ch
MLN1	Maidenhead	24m 3ch	up relief	from 8 September 2016, brought into use 10 April 2017
MLN1	Maidenhead	24m 10ch	up relief	moved to 24m 3ch 8 September 2016, also present in 1969
MLN1	Maidenhead	24m 10ch	up main	also present in 1969
MLN1	Twyford	32m 2ch	down relief down main	also present in 1969
MLN1	Basildon	43m 15ch	up relief up main	present in 1969, later moved to 43m 42ch
MLN1	Basildon	43m 42ch	up relief up main	previously at 43m 15ch
MLN1	Basildon	43m 42ch	down main down relief	previously at 48m 48ch; down main disconnected 10 December 2016
MLN1	Basildon	48m 48ch	down relief down main	present in 1969, later moved to 43m 42ch
MLN1	Wantage Road	59m 57ch	up main	previously at 61m 12ch in 1969
MLN1	Wantage Road	61m 12ch	up main	present in 1969, later moved to 59m 57ch
MLN1	Bourton	72m 20ch	down main	previously at 72m 65ch in 1969
MLN1	Bourton	72m 65ch	down main	present in 1969, later moved to 72m 20ch
MLN1	Studley (Wootton Bassett)	81m 14ch	up main	present in 1969, later moved to 81m 40ch
MLN1	Studley (Wootton Bassett)	81m 33ch	up main	previously at 81m 40ch to 29 June 2019
MLN1	Studley (Wootton Bassett)	81m 40ch	up main	previously at 81m 14ch in 1969, moved to 81m 33ch from 29 June 2019
MLN1	Twerton	108m 19ch	down main	previously at 108m 60ch
MLN1	Twerton	108m 60ch	down main	moved to 108m 19ch by April 2018
MLN1	Nailsea	127m 41ch	up main
MLN1	Yatton	131m 20ch	down main
MLN1	Cogload	158m 43ch	down main	present in 1969, later moved to 158m 70ch
MLN1	Cogload	158m 70ch	down main	previously at 158m 43ch in 1969
MLN1	Nynehead	168m 59ch	up main
MLN1	Stoke Canon	188m 56ch	down main
MLN1	Exminster	198m 70ch	up main
MLN1	Dainton tunnel	217m 57ch	down main up main	down main later moved to 217m 76ch
MLN1	Dainton tunnel	217m 76ch	down main	previously at 217m 57ch
MLN2	Keyham	248m 77ch	up main
MLN3	Treverrin	279m 59ch	up main down main
MVL3	Heaton Lodge	29m 47ch	up Huddersfield	Into use 20 January 2018
MVN2	Mytholmroyd	25m 0ch 25m 71ch	down L&Y up L&Y	into use 23 October 2018 into use 23 October 2018
NBS	Searchlight Lane	3m 72ch	up Norton Bridge	on 2016 NBS line diversion
NEC2	Wetherall	56m 73ch	down Newcastle
NOB1	Netherfield	2m 26ch	up Newark
NOB1	Langford	20m 24ch	up Lincoln
NOC	Church Fenton	11m 8ch	up Normanton
NOG1	Allington	108m 64ch	up Nottingham
NWO	Arley	5m 60ch	down Arley
PED5	Warmsworth (Conisbrough)	19m 28ch	up Sheffield
PMJ	Bainton Green	15m 33ch	up Stamford
RBS1	Brandon	89m 5ch	down Coventry
RBS1	Bradnocks Marsh	101m 14ch	up main
RBS3	Penkridge	24m 1ch	down main
RBS3	Penkridge	25m 20ch	up main
SAL	Warminster	113m 73ch	up Salisbury
SHL	Marsh Farm	14m 33ch	down main
SHL	Ludlow	26m 64ch	up main
SHL	Wellington	45m 32ch	down main
SKN	Lifford East	46m 0ch	up Camp Hill
SKW1	Gargrave	226m 59ch	up main
SMJ2	Hickleton	15m 12ch	down Pontefract
SMJ2	Baghill	6m 70ch	up Pontefract
SPC1	Napsbury	18m 0ch	up slow up fast
SPC1	Chiltern Green	27m 57ch	down slow	previously at 27m 69ch
SPC1	Chiltern Green	27m 69ch	down slow down fast	down slow moved to 27m 57ch by August 2020
SPC2	Oakley	53m 60ch	up slow up fast
SPC3	Harrowden Junction (Finedon)	67m 36ch	up and down slow down fast
SPC3	East Langton	86m 20ch	up main down main
SPC5	Barrow-upon-Soar	108m 72ch	down slow down fast
SPC5	Loughborough	111m 5ch	up slow up fast
SPC8	Duffield	132m 63ch	up main	replaced by Belper 8 October 2018
SPC8	Belper	134m 68ch	up main	replaced Duffield from 8 October 2018
SPD1	Cheal Road	48m 32ch	down Spalding
SPD2	Scopwick	70m 43ch	up Spalding
SPD2	Blankney	73m 21ch	down Spalding
SPD3	Sykes Lane	89m 17ch	up Gainsborough	replaced by Tinsley's 3 November 2014
SPD3	Tinsley's	88m 58ch	up Spalding	replaced Sykes Lane 3 November 2014 (though still shown there in 2019)
SPD3	Gainsborough	98m 56ch	down main
SPD4	Haxey	105m 59ch	up
SPD4	Auckley	112m 73ch	down main
SWB	Chipping Sodbury	105m 63ch	up Badminton down Badminton	present in 1971
SWB	Coalpit Heath	109m 27ch	up Badminton down Badminton
SWM2	Over?	117m 20ch	up	present in 1969
SWM2	Bullo Pill	125m 59ch	up main
SWM2	Caldicot (Portskewett)	145m 50ch	down main
SWM2	Bishton	155m 7ch	up main up relief
SWM2	Marshfield	163m 73ch	down main down relief
SWM2	Pontsarn	175m 79ch	up main	later moved to at 178m 39ch
SWM2	Pontsarn	178m 39ch	up main	previously at 175m 79ch
SWM2	Pontsarn	178m 39ch	down main
SWM2	Bryn-Y-Gwynon	185m 10ch	up main	never installed?
SWM2	Stormy	194m 72ch	down main	installed 21 January 2019 delayed from 2 December 2018
SWM2	Port Talbot West	203m 1ch	down main	removed 18 November 2018
SWM2	Briton Ferry	205m 36ch	up main
SWM2	Pembrey	228m 59ch	up main
SWY	Urchfont	84m 28ch	up Westbury	installed ≈29 August 2020
TCC	Langley Mill	129m 27ch	up and down Erewash slow up Erewash fast
TCC	Stoneyford	131m 19ch	up slow down main	never installed?
TJC1	Tapton	146m 69ch	down goods	no longer used?
TJC1	Dore	154m 72ch	down Sheffield
TJC3	Methley North	188m 34ch	down Midland
TJC3	Calverley (Kirkstall Forge)	201m 40ch	up Leeds
TJC3	Kildwick	216m 50ch	down Shipley main
TJG2	Thorne North	12m 32ch	up main
TRL3	Wennington	29.723km	down line
TRL3	Wennington	29.839km	up line
WCM1	Floriston	6m 5ch	up main
WCM1	Nethercleugh	28m 51ch	up
WCM1	Wamphray	34m 42ch	down
WCM1	Crawford	55m 76ch	up
WCM1	Leggatfoot	70m 20ch	down
WCM1	Braidwood	80m 57ch	up
WEB	Tinsley's	88m 58ch	up Spalding
WEY	Upton Noble (Bruton)	125m 69ch	down main
WJL1	Sutton Weaver	177m 35ch	down main
WNS	Narborough	12m 17ch	up Nuneaton
XTD	Sevington	58m 42ch	up main down main

Wheel impact load detectors (WILDs)

AYR3	Howwood	12m 77ch	down Ayr up Ayr
BAG2	Eckington	75m 46ch	down main up main
BML1	Queenstown Road (Battersea)	2m 44ch	up main fast up main slow
BML1	Shawford	68m 56ch	up down
CGJ3	Dallam	183m 40ch	up slow up fast down fast down slow	moved to 183m 68ch 8 September 2018
CGJ3	Dallam	183m 68ch	up slow up fast down fast down slow	from 8 September 2018
CMP1	Heaton Chapel	184m 27ch	up slow up fast down fast down slow
ECM1	Wymondley	30m 63ch	up fast up slow	from 8 September 2018
ECM5	Sessay	16m 65ch	up fast up slow down fast down slow	from 8 September 2018
ECM8	Innerwick	33m 62ch	down Berwick up Berwick
EGM1	Philpstoun	32m 1ch	down E & G up E & G
EMP	Eastrea	93m 53ch	up down	moved to 93m 60ch 29 July 2018
EMP	Eastrea	93m 60ch	up down	from 29 July 2018
GSW	New Cumnock	56m 70ch	down main up main
HNL1	Tram Inn	2m 75ch	up main down main	from 23 April 2016
HXS3	Ainsdale	14m 18ch	down Southport
HXS3	Ainsdale	14m 3ch	down Southport	reported from 7 April 2018; moved or earlier incorrect information?
LEC1	Cheddington	34m 60ch	down fast up fast down slow up slow
LTN1	Margaretting	24m 75ch	up main down main	moved to 24m 79ch 29 July 2018
LTN1	Ingatestone	24m 79ch	up main down main	from 29 July 2018
MAC3	Croxton	97m 54ch	down main	from 26 January 2019
MAC3	Croxton	97m 57ch	down main up main	from 8 September 2018; removed 15 December 2018
MAS	Grindleford	159m 45ch	up main down main	moved to 159m 79ch 1 September 2018
MAS	Grindleford	159m 79ch	up main down main	from 1 September 2018
MLN1	Waltham	26m 21ch	down main up main down relief up relief
MLN1	Cholsey	49m 05ch	down main up main down relief up relief
MLN1	Exminster	198m 68ch	down main up main
SHL	Bromfield	25m 0ch	up main down main	removed 23 April 2016
SPC5	Thurmaston	101m 78ch	down fast up fast up & down slow
SWB	Alderton	98m 30ch	up Badminton down Badminton
SWM2	Marshfield	163m 63ch	down main up main down relief up relief
SWY	Urchfont	84m 28ch	up	possibly moved from 84m 40ch; moved to 84m 32ch 7 March 2020
SWY	Urchfont	84m 32ch	down up	previously at 83m 28ch; moved 7 March 2020
SWY	Urchfont	84m 40ch	up	unclear if actually installed; later at 84m 28ch
TRL3	Thurrock	29.723km	down CTRL
TRL3	Thurrock	29.739km	up CTRL
TRL3	Nashenden	52.864km	down CTRL
TRL3	Nashenden	52.995km	up CTRL
TRL3	Charing	79.731km	up CTRL
TRL3	Charing	79.822km	down CTRL
TRL3	Ashford	92.771km	down CTRL up CTRL
VIR	Swanley	16m 8ch	up fast up slow
VTB3	Salfords	23m 55ch	unknown
WCM1	Braidwood	80m 58ch	down main up main
XTD	Sevington	58m 42ch	up main down main

Hot axle box detectors (HABDs) and wheel impact load detectors (WILDs)

A (one day) comprehensive listing

Hot axle box detectors (HABDs)

Wheel impact load detectors (WILDs)