4630

I think I’d prefer not to get close enough to any snake to be able to tell if the eyes are round or oval.

There was a discussion on R4s The World at One today about the latest figures. World at One, 8th May 2024 The piece starts around 21 minutes into the programme.

And the emoji also needs to recognise the wonderful sound that would emanate from that Maserati engine and the exhaust note too.

Several more, this time from 7th May 2024... GBRf 66758 'The Pavior' approaching the foot crossing at Cromwell Bottom, near Elland, with 6G95 from Crewe Basford Hall to Ravensthorpe, bogie box wagons loaded with fresh ballast... ...GBRf 66726 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY between Brighouse and Bradley Wood Junction with 6E09, loaded biomass hoppers to Drax Power Station from Liverpool Biomass Terminal... Recently released to traffic, newly converted DB Cargo 66651* (previously 66221) heading west along the Calder Valley towards Brighouse with 6M16, from Tees New Yard to Knowsley Freight Terminal, empty binliner working. * The first of ten (66651-66660) that DB Cargo are planning to convert over the coming months.

A couple of Engineers' trains heading to the worksite on 6th May 2024 passing through Brighouse. GBRf 66761 ‘Wensleydale Railway Association 25 Years 1990-2015’ working 6G90 from Doncaster Up Decoy Yard to Ravensthorpe... ...and passing in the opposite direction through Brighouse but heading to the same destination, 66707 'Sir Sam Fay GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY' with 6G91, Doncaster Belmont Down Yard to Ravensthorpe.

Last train to London, just headin' out, Last train to London, just leavin' town...* Grand Central 221143 departing from Brighouse on 6th May 2024 with 1A67, Bradford Interchange to London Kings Cross. *in the immortal words of ELO.

That probably makes a lot of sense as there are generally fewer daily biomass workings between Liverpool and Drax over the summer months, so putting their 60s to use on other suitable workings avoids assets sitting around idle and also allows their 66s to be re-deployed on to other duties.

Yes, I tend to agree with you about the progressive deterioration of the content in MR over the years. When I was a regular MR buyer (courtesy of MG Sharps in Sheffield) during the 1990s and early 2000s my impression was of far richer and varied content. It's difficult to pin down exactly when but, I guess the editorial changes over subsequent years would have been the catalyst. Similarly with Trains, I found it interesting and was a regular buyer at that time too, but when I've thumbed through copies at WHS recently there really is nothing of substance now and by my reckoning it wouldn't even remotely qualify as a trade magazine. So if that's what the new owners of the title are envisaging I suspect they maybe disappointed in the long term. I hope the Milwaukee, Racine and Troy doesn't suffer the same fate as John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid layout. As mentioned by previous posters above, best wishes to the current Kalmbach staff affected by the sale for their futures.

On 29th April 2024, GBRf 66797 with 66720 ‘wascosa’ and 66799 ‘Modern Railways Diamond Jubilee’ pass through Deighton heading west towards Huddersfield, working light locomotives from Doncaster Down Decoy Yard to Crewe Basford Hall. On 1st May 2024, Colas 66848 passes the River Calder on the approach to Brighouse with discharged bitumen tanks, working as 6E43 from Colas Ribble Rail at Preston to Haverton. A slightly unusual occurrence as this working is normally in the hands of a Colas class 70 or less frequently one of their class 56.

GBRf 60021 PENYGHENT passing the River Calder approaching Brighouse on 1st May 2024 with 6E09, loaded biomass hoppers, working from Liverpool Biomass Terminal to Drax Power Station.

On the subject of cats liking boxes... Stowaway cat accidentally mailed to California in returned package She doesn't look impressed.

Known as Platform 1. https://platform-1.co.uk/

Hythe Pier railway by the looks of it, looking along towards Southampton Water.

On 17th April 2024, 34046 'Braunton' passing Colne Bridge, between Huddersfield and Heaton Lodge Junction, with the outward working of 1Z80, The White Rose rail tour from Hereford to York - 34046 having taken over at Crewe... ...and in the early evening approaching Brighouse, on the Calder Valley, heading west with the return working 1Z82 - 34046 having taken the lead at Gascoigne Wood Down Loop for the route back to Crewe.

It could be argued, yes. And with supporting evidence of what might have happened it may be possible to convince some. But as BR didn’t continue there isn’t and can’t ever be conclusive proof - one way or the other. The irrelevance of the graph in isolation though is shown by what happened in 2021. The graph shows a massive dip. Clearly privatisation had failed. Oh wait. How about some context. Ah yes. COVID. That’s the point. It’s the context that’s important to help support, interpret and explain the movements highlighted on the graph.