RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted January 17 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17 Well it was a cold one this morning when I booked on at 0351 it was a taxi to Birmingham International to prep a pair of 350's and run ECS to New St for working 1W12 0613 New St to Euston as far as Northampton for a PnB Then it was the 0840 1Y15 back to New St and a quick trip to Four Oaks and back with a pair of 323's and finally pass back to Canley and walk home. Only one pic today as it was freezing so the cab heating was on full blast. Cheers Colin 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted February 5 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 5 Yet another mundane turn this morning. First it was a taxi to the yard to prep a pair of 350's which had been stabled with the pantograph's down for 2days. I was expecting pages of faults once I had powered them up but surprisingly no serious faults. Once I walked to the North end of the units I could smell fresh paint. Logged it with Control and sent them some pics to let them decide if it was fit for service. As it was only one vehicle that had been painted our control decided to remove that unit from service once I arrived into Northampton. I was then pass to New St for a PnB then I picked up 350371 for a New St-Wolverhampton- Walsall- Wolverhampton- New St and pass back to Coventry. Anyway here are the pics of the 350 with some additional paintwork. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 3 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3 Hi all, Now that I'm slowly recovering from a severe chest infection/early on set pneumonia I've only just returned to worked I'm not firing on all cylinders just yet. That's the excuse for the last couple of weeks without pictures on this thread. next week I'm on my class 730 course at Rugby for six days I believe there is a few paths for us to carry out training runs between Northampton and Birmingham International but I'm not certain of the times as yet. Cheers Colin. 2 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 12 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 12 (edited) Well that was an interesting 6 days at Rugby I'm all passed out now on the Class 730/0 units. Had my ride out yesterday with a driver manager it was a great day chatting about the old BR and listening to his days at Stratford depot and also learning 306 units... I will probably mostly be on the Walsall - Wolverhampton route from now on until the 730/2 units come into service then I'll have to do a 1 day conversion course as there are some minor differences on these units. As I'm rest day today I might do some modelling work on the layout. Back in tomorrow at 0351 to endure a taxi to Birmingham International to prep a pair of 350's then take the 0613 (1W12) as far as Northampton and have a little nap before bringing back the 0840 from Northampton to New St followed by a trip to Four Oaks and back. Cheers Colin Edited March 12 by CovDriver Fat finger spelling 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 18 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 18 Well I'm almost back to full strength, so it was travel pass to New St uncouple a pair of 350's ànd take one to Birmingham International and back followed by a single class 323 to Redditch then to Four Oaks and back to New St for a PnB. On the way to Four Oaks I picked up @Amnesiac I must say a top team for a single unit to Four Oaks and back. Then I had a double set from New St to Lichfield TV. I hadn't been up to Lichfield for nearly 6weeks I can't believe how quick the new houses are going up. Anyway only one pic from today just a pair of 323's at Lichfield TV. I really must get more pics of the 323 fleet before they go. Cheers Colin 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 22 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 22 Well that's today's turn done after all it was a 0351 book on this morning. Taxi to Birmingham international then prep a couple of 350's run ECS to New st and then work the same pair to Northampton for a well deserved PnB then work another pair to New st followed by a quick trip to Four Oaks and back. Get those 323's in as the time is now running out as I'm led to believe the 730's will soon be coming to the cross city. Only one pic for today to try my camera phone a new Google pixel 8. Cheers Colin 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 It will be sad to see the 323s go, I was working at Centro when the electrification happened and went to the mock-up at Tickfords in Coventry, plus following a tip off in the office did get a ride from Aston to New Street on the first public run of the units on the Cross City! Despite their teething troubles they have proven to be the perfect all-rounder unit and don't really owe the West Midlands anything, and the fact they will continue to run in the North West shows they still have some life left in them. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben B Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Makes me feel old, I can remember the excitement of getting on one of those as a kid when going into Brum from Dudley Port or S&D... pressing a button to open the doors instead of waiting for Dad to open the door by hand on the slam-door EMU's they replaced :) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMKAT7 Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Good afternoon folks, I was working for Regional Railways at the time of the 323s being built (mechanical design team) and we had an inspection visit to unit 1 at Hunslet Leeds. 15 of us on the mini-bus up to Leeds and then into Hunslet. Doesn't seem like that long ago but obviously is! I have a Dapol 323 on order for next year, RR/Centro original livery. Thanks for the photos of Coventry, as a Coventry Kid it's good to see how it is now (changed so much around the station, never mind the city centre). Cheers, Nigel. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 23 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23 A lovely turn this morning with a book on time of 0510 travel pass to Birmingham international to prep a pair of 350's and run ECS to New St then it should have been New St to Four Oaks and then Redditch and back to New St with a single 323 a short PnB and then a 350 to Walsall and back to New St then pass back to Coventry. But there was an instructor with a trainee taking my turn. So I'm now spare at New St as they are short on qualified drivers. Cheers Colin 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMKAT7 Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 Good morning Colin, Interesting shot of the Desiros, consecutive unit numbers too. How often does that happen? Cheers, Nigel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 23 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23 2 hours ago, GMKAT7 said: Good morning Colin, Interesting shot of the Desiros, consecutive unit numbers too. How often does that happen? Cheers, Nigel. That's a very rare occurrence getting consecutive unit numbers. As I wasn't required to work anything at New St I've been told to go home. What a result for today's turn an early finish by 2hrs. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Davexoc Posted March 23 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 23 264 and 265 were working together two weekends ago, and they are both still in the old livery. Must be a 350/2 thing..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covkid Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 On 22/03/2024 at 16:21, GMKAT7 said: Thanks for the photos of Coventry, as a Coventry Kid it's good to see how it is now (changed so much around the station, never mind the city centre). Cheers, Nigel. From one Covkid to another !! Born 1962 Eastern Green, left in 1971 for Wales 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 24 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24 (edited) 1 hour ago, Covkid said: From one Covkid to another !! Born 1962 Eastern Green, left in 1971 for Wales I'll hopefully be doing the same when I retire or win the lottery as we've got family now in the Blaenau ffestiniog area in particular the little village Trawsfynydd. Edited March 24 by CovDriver Welsh spelling Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 2 hours ago, CovDriver said: I'll hopefully be doing the same when I retire or win the lottery as we've got family now in the Blaenau ffestiniog area in particular the little village Trawsfynydd. I'm about half an hour from Traws (my ex-Welsh language tutor lives there) in Fairbourne. Birthplace of Hedd Wyn, the Welsh language war poet who won the Eisteddfod Bardic Chair three days after he was killed in the same battle of Passchendaele as a great-great uncle of mine from the Midlands. "Byd Bach" as they would say locally! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 24 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24 Managed to get a Sunday turn in seen as SWMBO and the little one are in Wales for a week. It was basically New St to Rugby and back a few times. I've got my medical tomorrow in Birmingham so that's an easy day then I'm back in Tuesday on a running turn followed by a safety brief on Wednesday, another running turn on Thursday then that's me until May 2nd but I may make a guest appearance for an additional Sunday turn. Here's a few pics from today's job. Cheers Colin 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted March 27 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 27 Well it's all gone a bit wrong, I had my company medical on Monday and everything was absolutely fine until the doctor checked my blood pressure. When she said it was a bit high that's an understatement it was extremely high. So I've been taken off trains for the foreseeable future until my BP comes down and it's been checked again. I'm now on medication to hopefully stabilise it. So it looks like the only trains I'll be driving will be on the layout. Cheers Colin 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted April 2 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2 Well as I'm still off work but I'm actually on Annual leave now until the beginning of May. We have gone away to Belgium for a week out first place to stay is Antwerp and what a railway station it is. I'll get some pics later Cheers Colin 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMKAT7 Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Good morning Colin, Enjoy Antwerp, it's a lovely place around the old market square and with an interesting maritime museum down by the river. Plenty of places to eat and drink. As you say, the station itself is wonderful. The Boss and I went in 2001 and SNCB were digging out the lower level for the high-speed line platforms. All above was working as normal! I can recommend the Open Air Museum at Arnhem, just over the border, for a day out. The entrance fee included two round trips on the tram that runs round the site, which is like Beamish, full of old Dutch buildings. Cheers, Nigel. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted April 3 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3 We are now about to leave Antwerp and head for a place called Pairi Daisa it's Europe's largest zoo and we'll be staying for one night in the Walrus room. But only three pics railway related for Antwerp sadly Cheers Colin 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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