JAMIE'S RANDOM UK RAILWAY PICTURES

[jamie92208]

Good evening, It's a bit wet down here but in May 2011 I was still in Devon.  On the morning of the 11th we set off to catch a train up to Gunnislake.

Here we are reversing at Bere Alston. 

A view i the other direction just wishing we could go straight on the Meldon and Exeter on our way back.

A quite spectacular view of the Tamar from the viaduct at Calstock.

Then finally into Calstock and lots of twists and turns.

That's all it will let me upload tonight so hopefully some more tomorrow now that I've soldered the plug back onto the power lead for the laptop.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good evening.  After a good afternoon trainspotting here are a few more pictures. We are still in May 2011.  After the Gunnislake branch we went up to Newton Abbott and headed down to Paignton.

From there it was back to Exeter.  I travelled up the LSWR line to Salisbury and then back to Bristol via Castle Cary and Bath then met Keith back at Temple Meads, all in all a very good few days of track bashing and another 4  atlas pages completed.   

 

That was it for 2011so we go back to 2012.   We went down to Kent to stay with some friends near Rainham and went out to Sittingbourne where of course here was a narrow gauge railway so here are a few from that expedition.

We were too late to have a ride but did see a train setting off from the paper mill.

Then it was back to Sittingbourne to photograph it on the iconic viaduct.

The viaduct certainly looks like it needed a bit of tlc, but it was good to see a train.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good evening, I think we are going to have a rather quiet New Year with only the two of us but there is some cheap fizz in the fridge. The Tardis has now moved on to 2013.  We start at the Middleton railway, the world's oldest. It's February 16th and the team were involved in relaying the Balm Road Branch.

 

The rails had been lifted and rolled sideways then new sleepers were brought down by flat wagon and craned into position on top of the track. Then spaced out. Short lengths of rail were then inserted.

And a short track panel was then lifted into position.  

The keys were then checked and eventually the short rails were replaced by the longer permanent ones.

The Balm Road Branch is used for trains a few days per year and in fact still has a main line connection though it's rather overgrown.  Apparently there is a contract that the Middleton signed with the Midland Railway in the 19th century that guarantees the connection.

 

 In April my wife and I had a short break in North Wales and I managed to persuade her to ride the Great Orme tramway.   Here we are just after leaving the lower terminus.

Then entering the passing loop on the lower section.

That's it for tonight.   I wish you all a Happy New year which I hope will be better than 2020. 2020 has brought a bonus in that I wouldn't have scanned all my negatives and slides without the lockdown.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a cool but not yet snowy Charente.  The Tardis is still in North Wales on 30th April 2013.

On the Great Orme we approached the intermediate station to change to the top section.

Then on to the upper section and passed car 7.

Some lovely views from the car on the way down.

Two days later we drove to Caernafon to ride the Welsh Highland Railway with their lovely Garrats.

Once off the former standard gauge section at Dinas we twisted and turned.

 

Absolutely stunning scenery.

Then we got to Rhyd Ddu and stopped whilst a photo charter was in the loop.

 

Hopefully some more tomorrow.

 

Jamie

Edited August 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[sir douglas]

Paul Lewin on the left, current general manager of the F&WHR

[jamie92208]

Good evening again. Some more from May 2013.  We are still on the Welsh Highland Railway at Rhyd Ddu.

Our loco was taking water.

Then it was down to Porthmadog.

And after a wander round the town and the station off back.   There was  a leaking cylinder drain cock on the leading engine and we slipped badly on the way up the Aberglaslyn pass.  However the views were spectacular

 

 

As we crossed the river on the new bridge.

From the carriage we could see the bridge abutments for the abortive scheme that went further up the valley but whose name I can't remember.   

We slipped to a stand in the tunnel before Bedgellert station and the fireman was out hand sanding.

More tomorrow all being well.

 

Jamie

Edited August 7, 2022 by jamie92208

[Davexoc]

We passed your Garrat while on Silver Wedding hols in 2019.

Here she is near Rhyd Ddu, wifey getting a wave from the crew as we passed...

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Davexoc

[jamie92208]

Good evening again.  More Welsh Highland.

After several restarts we did eventually get into Bedgellert and found the photo charter there.We then headed up round the sinuous curves towards the summit with fabulous views of Snowdon.

A bit better than when I last saw it in 1977

Then on through the sinuous curves.

And a better one of the loco.

Finally back into Caernafon.

It must be one of the most spectacular and scenic railway journeys in the UK.  I had followed the rebuilding of the WHR on a website that detailed where the head of steel was each week. A fantastic achievement by all concerned.

 

Jamie

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening.  More photos today.  A bit of a gap for two days but other things intervened. Also my laptop has somehow hidden a folder of pictures from 2013.  However here are a few that I've found elsewhere.   As some will know I was involved in Horse tram restoration and we finished the project in August 2013.  Here is a 

photo from 20th July of the tram nearly finished. The late Jim Soper is working inside

Then we move forward to 25th August when for 2 days we ran the tram carrying passengers and drawn by 2 horses in the car park at the Middleton Railway.   The capacity was 34 people and it was fascinating to see the suspension working as it was designed to, under load.

The tram is now in the exhibition hall at the National Tramway Museum at Crich.

Then we move on to April 2014 when we had a short break just north of Carnforth. I went down to the brickworks at Claughton Manor just east of Lancaster to take some photos of the gravity worked overhead cableway that brings clay down to the brickworks from a quarry on the moors. As far as I know it is the only cableway of it's kind in Europe. It was mothballed along with the brickworks in the recession in 2008. However it was re-activated in 2014 along with the brickworks.  A new cable was run out and some of the buckets refurbished. It needs no outside power and is driven by the weight of the clay in the descending buckets.

Here you can see the cableway coming down through the woods.

Then the buckets cross the main road.

Before entering the tipping shed.

The site we were staying on was near the WCML so I did manage to get a shot of a Pendelino speeding south.

hopefully some more tomorrow when it should be some photos from a trip to South Wales.

Edited August 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a slightly grey Charente.   he Tardis is still in 2014 however.   By this time Keith and I had nearly completed our post retirement project of riding all passenger lines in Great Britain.   However there was still one major area that had eluded us and that was South Wales.   The combined domestic authorities gave us outline planning permission for an extended trip to the principality as it was impossible to do much more on day trips.   Keith's daughter got us some cheap Cross Country tickets and we set off for wales one morning.  Keith's daughter was complaining because she had to spend a couple of days in the cab of a 31, route learning for diversions.   We had both offered to pay her to take her place but for some reason that wasn't possible.   there's no pleasing some people.

 

Anyway 21st April 2014 we set off from Wakefield Westgate and got to Cardiff where we bought our rover tickets.  The trip had been carefully planned and the whole venture

 

The amount of stabling accommodation surprised us. 

Then took the train through to Penarth,

then back to Cardiff and caught a train to Ebbw Vale Parkway.

Where a quick change of ends and it was off back to Cardiff.

A meal in a Spoons and a night in a B & B across the river from the Millennium Stadium and we awoke refreshed for a long day of travelling ahead.  Before we headed west there was time to fit in the Cardiff Bay Branch

Where I managed a photo of Keith chatting to our guard.

After that back to Central and out to Newport.

 

More to come as we head west.

 

Jamie

Edited August 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[Dagworth]

6 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

a B & B across the river from the Millennium Stadium

Not Austin’s?

 

Andi

[jamie92208]

You're getting a double bill tonight as for some peculiar reason, yesterday morning's selection didn't post.

We are still in Cardiff on the 22nd April 2014.  From Cardiff Bay we caught a train back to Queen Street.

From Queen Street we headed out to Coryton where the line now ends, I believe it used to head out towards the lines to Radyr.

And this was the line back towards Cardiff.

Then a train to Newport to ensure that we got decent seats for our long ride to Fishguard Harbour. We had a little time on Newport and there was some freight activity.  First a 70 came through on a freightliner.

Then a 60 on the Robeston tanks.  We would see this train quite a bit over the next few days.

Then a 66 came in with a coal train as our guard was getting ready to set us off to Fishguard.

The reason for wanting to catch that working was that it was the only daily train that went via the Swansea District line so it was vital to finish those pages. The District line was an interesting ride and this rather dilapidated lightship was in the river that we crossed.

Then finally we got to Fishguard harbour.   

I think this was one of the former Trans Pennine units.  Anyway there was no rest for the wicked as we had two more lines to do that day.

 

Jamie

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

4 hours ago, Dagworth said:

Not Austin’s?

 

Andi

I can't remember but it faced the river just across from the stadium.

 

I've also edited yesterdays post and the photos are now displayed.

 

Jamie

[great central]

Last time I went to Rhymey it was class 37 haulage, after a trip from Cardiff to Fishguard in the same train. Those rapid station stops and hills certainly made a 37 roar, best bit was full throttle through Caerphilly tunnel.

Just doable in a day from Nottingham, although on one occasion it did get a bit squeaky bum time when the unit to get back to Cardiff was late. Something like a 20 minute connection for the last Nottingham turned into a less than 10 minute!

[jamie92208]

Good evening, from a rather cool piece of the Charente.  However it was a bit warmer when the Tardis was in west Wales, still on 22nd April 2014. 

We got back onto our train at Fishguard and headed east to Whitland.

At Whitland we had over an hours wait for the next train to Milford Haven. 

Still some sidings in evidence but not a lot of life in the town.

Then our train arrived and took the token before coming into the platform.

Then along the branch to Tenby to await another unit.

The token instruments were interesting to see.

Then along to Pembroke Dock.

I don't know if it's used but this ramp was on the other track, presumably for military vehicles.  Keith amused me with takes of unloading vans of tank ammunition when he was a soldier.

 

This was where we had the tightest connection as to do all three branches in a day we needed to get a taxi to Milford haven in time to catch the train to Swansea.

 

More tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening.  Some more pictures from 22nd April 2014.   We are still in deepest west Wales.   There was a taxi waiting outside Pembroke Dock Station and off we sped towards Milford Haven . This involved crossing the bridge that infamously collapsed during construction with a good view of the Haven.

 

Strange to think that this was once a major military base and that the only surviving Mk 2 Sunderland sits on the bottom somewhere.  Anyway was got to Milford Haven with about 10 minutes to spare.

It really does look like the end of the line but our train soon appeared a class 175.

That took us to Carmarthen where we reversed.

Then stopped at what I think was Ferryside where there was a nice lower quadrant signal.

Then on to Carmarthen.

Then it was on to Swansea and our hotel, arriving after dark but pages 29 and 30 completed.  The next morning we set off to Bridgend to change for a train up to Maesteg where we arrived.

Tondu was an interesting station with some nice signals controlling the junctions for Swansea and Brynmenyn.

Then it was back to Bridgend to change for the Coast line.

More adventures in Welsh Wales next time.

 

Jamie

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[31A]

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Then stopped at what I think was Ferryside where there was a nice lower quadrant signal.

 

Yes to Ferryside Jamie - it is a nice signal isn't it!

 

[jamie92208]

7 hours ago, 31A said:

 

Yes to Ferryside Jamie - it is a nice signal isn't it!

 

Thanks for the confirmation. It's 6 yrs ago and had been a long day.

 

Jamie

[Fat Controller]

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Thanks for the confirmation. It's 6 yrs ago and had been a long day.

 

Jamie

Llansteffan/ Llanstephan castle is visible on the skyline to the right. I remember sitting up by the castle, watching the trains passing on the other side of the Tywi. It was the mid/late 1960s, so there were Motorails, milk trains, oil trains, and a rather meagre passenger service.

[jamie92208]

Good evening from the land of dark skies. Orion is visible above our neighbours house across the road, it will be cool tonight.  Anyway the Tardis is still in South Wales.  From Bridgend we went round the coast to Cardiff. The first target was Barry island and we passed these rather sad remains of a 9F.  As you might realise from my screen name I rather like 9's. I never saw Barry scrapyard.  

Then off to Barry Island.

I have never watched Gavin and Stacey one of our cats was called Gavin so we went into the town and bought some souvenir mugs. 

When we got back I took a photo of the remains of the original line that I believe went down to some sort of jetty.

 set off into the valleys proper.    The next train was heading for Merthyr Tydfil and as we stopped at Aberfan, looked across the valley at the memorial.  Having worked in a mining area for many years it was a poignant sight.

I remember being punished at school for looking at a Newspaper picture of the disaster the next morning.

Then on to Merthyr.

A quick turnround before heading back to Pontypool  and then up to Aberdare where we were able to see the freight only section to Tower colliery.

The gradient off the end of the platform is quite severe.

We made use of an excellent sandwich shop across the road then waited for the next train back to Pontypool.

 

A very Welsh valley scene with the chapel.

 

More next time.

 

Jamie

Edited August 8, 2022 by jamie92208

[Chris Turnbull]

14 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 I never saw Barry scrapyard.  

 

 

Barry was very depressing although I'm glad I visited it.

 

Here is a general view on 24th August 1968.  Like you I had a problem with a shot into the sun.

 

 

And here's a view down a typical line of locos.  Gloomy and sad.

 

 

Chris Turnbull

 

[great central]

3 hours ago, Chris Turnbull said:

 

Barry was very depressing although I'm glad I visited it.

 

Here is a general view on 24th August 1968.  Like you I had a problem with a shot into the sun.

 

 

And here's a view down a typical line of locos.  Gloomy and sad.

 

 

Chris Turnbull

 

 

Gloomy and sad at the time maybe, I visited a couple of times, late 68 early 69. But if they hadn't been there the preservation movement would have been short of two hundred or more locos.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, great central said:

 

Gloomy and sad at the time maybe, I visited a couple of times, late 68 early 69. But if they hadn't been there the preservation movement would have been short of two hundred or more locos.

When explaining that to friends in the US and France I refer to the miracle of Barry.

 

Jamie

[brushman47544]

19 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Good evening from the land of dark skies. Orion is visible above our neighbours house across the road, it will be cool tonight.  Anyway the Tardis is still in South Wales.  From Bridgend we went round the coast to Cardiff. The first target was Barry island and we passed these rather sad remains of a 9F.  As you might realise from my screen name I rather like 9's. I never saw Barry scrapyard.  

 

Rather unfortunate juxtaposition for the Network Rail sign and that 9F 0-10-0. Transforming the railway in Wales by reintroducing steam locos. 

[Chris Turnbull]

1 hour ago, great central said:

 

Gloomy and sad at the time maybe, I visited a couple of times, late 68 early 69. But if they hadn't been there the preservation movement would have been short of two hundred or more locos.

 

Yes, quite.  Although in the summer of '68 no-one dreamed what was to happen in the coming years.  Steam had just ended on BR and, other than 4472, all steam locos were banned from BR tracks (excluding the VOR of course).  Who would have thought at the time that this would ever run again, for example?

 

 

And anyone suggesting building a completely new A1 pacific would have been taken away to Napoleon XIV's Funny Farm.  

 

Chris Turnbull

Edited January 19, 2021 by Chris Turnbull