JAMIE'S RANDOM UK RAILWAY PICTURES

[jamie92208]

Good morning again.  It's still 1996 and we are still in the Yorkshire Coalfield.   As a quid pro quo for some professional help I was offered a cab ride on a 59 doing a Gas Wood to Drax circuit.  I was driven out to Sudforth lane crossing to catch our train.

There is another NP train waiting to exit Kellingley visible in the background.

We took the left turn at Hensall onto the only remaining part of the old Hull and Barnsley Main Line still extant.  Here a 56 hauled train is heading out from Drax with empties.

 

As we entered the Drax complex the line turns onto the ex NER formation but a further short stretch of the H & B lay ahead in use as a cripple siding.

We then went through the unloading bunker.  Unfortunately my photos inside Drax haven't turned out very well. In about an hour we were heading back to Gascoigne Wood for another load.  Each round trip took 4 hours with the journey taking approx 25 minute each way. We passed Knottingley depot which had quite a lot of locos on it then the Ferrybridge depot.  Only their shunter and 1 loco on shed. The control office was in the brick building on the right.

I've hit my upload limit now but all being well there will be more tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited January 16 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening from a sunny Charente.   Here are some more from the Drax Gas wood trip.

First is the one that got missed yesterday. This shows Knottingley depot.

Then a general view of the loading bunkers at Gas Wood

They had their own little shunter but I've no idea what it was.

And a West Yorks Metro 158 went past whilst we were loading.

A Knottingley 56 waiting to run round.

This was not long after National Power had started their operation up and there was some animosity between the Knottingley men and the Ferrybridge men.  Some of the Knottingley men wouldn't even wave at Ferrybridge crews when they passed.  Fortunately that stopped shortly afterwards.

 

Jamie

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by jamie92208

[sir douglas]

could be a Barclay but not sure

[Michael Edge]

Yes it's a Barclay 0-6-0DH - AB615?

[newbryford]

On 06/08/2020 at 11:41, jamie92208 said:

 

 

Now back to 1994 and an expedition into the hills above Stocks reservoir.  The Forest of Bowland Light Railway featured on my Long Preston Layout and I went on a research trip one day. Far up in the hills to the south of the reservoir at Far Costy Clough, this Leeds built standard gauge steam crane resides in a quarry that supplied the reservoir down a long branch line. It sat on a short length of standard gauge track and due to a bridge washout could not be taken out in pieces.  Perhaps a Chinook could do the job.

1

 

 

 

The quarry was used to provide stone for the construction of the dam at Stocks Reservoir - via a narrow gauge railway.

The quarry lies on land owned by United Utilities and the tenant farmer is a very good friend of Mrs NB.

The last time I visited the quarry was in a cold January 8 years ago. I rode my then new mountain bike up the trackbed - with permission of Mrs NB's friend!

 

A quick screengrab from https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php#

Hopefully, this doesn't infringe copyright issues (I couldn't find a link to the screenview)

 

The quarry where the photos are taken, is at the upper left extremity of the purple line. The dam is at the lowest point of the system.

Part of the trackbed also survives as a section of the blue route MTB trail around Gisburn Forest. The section is appropriately named "Railway" on Strava.

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by newbryford

[beast66606]

On 17/08/2020 at 08:11, jamie92208 said:

Good morning again.  It's still 1996 and we are still in the Yorkshire Coalfield.   As a quid pro quo for my professional help I was offered a cab ride in a 59 on the Gascoigne Wood to Drax circuit.  Obviously I accepted so one day, I think in about May I waited at Sudforth Lane Crossing. This appeared with a train of coal from Gas Wood.  As you'll see there is another NP train waiting to leave Kellingley colliery.

 

Jamie

 

The signal is plated F for Ferrybridge, at the time the Sudforth Lane area was controlled by Sudforth Lane box (closed 24/05/2014), I think this is around Ferrybridge itself, probably next to the box with the distant 59 being in the sidings. Sudforth Lane is crossed by 4 tracks so can't be there.

 

Edit - confirmed as outside Ferrybridge Signal box

 

https://tillyweb.biz/gallery/ff/ferrybridgeold.htm

Edited August 19, 2020 by beast66606
Added confirmation and link to photo

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, beast66606 said:

 

The signal is plated F for Ferrybridge, at the time the Sudforth Lane area was controlled by Sudforth Lane box (closed 24/05/2014), I think this is around Ferrybridge itself, probably next to the box with the distant 59 being in the sidings. Sudforth Lane is crossed by 4 tracks so can't be there.

 

Edit - confirmed as outside Ferrybridge Signal box

 

https://tillyweb.biz/gallery/ff/ferrybridgeold.htm

Thanks for that. My forgettery is working overtime. Of course it's at Ferrybridge. Wr'd just walked up from the control office and the other 59 is waiting to work off the depot. Thanks.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

On 19/08/2020 at 01:27, newbryford said:

 

The quarry was used to provide stone for the construction of the dam at Stocks Reservoir - via a narrow gauge railway.

The quarry lies on land owned by United Utilities and the tenant farmer is a very good friend of Mrs NB.

The last time I visited the quarry was in a cold January 8 years ago. I rode my then new mountain bike up the trackbed - with permission of Mrs NB's friend!

 

A quick screengrab from https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php#

Hopefully, this doesn't infringe copyright issues (I couldn't find a link to the screenview)

 

The quarry where the photos are taken, is at the upper left extremity of the purple line. The dam is at the lowest point of the system.

Part of the trackbed also survives as a section of the blue route MTB trail around Gisburn Forest. The section is appropriately named "Railway" on Strava.

 

 

 

Thanks Mike.  We had parked where the line crossed the road and walked up the trackbed. There are still quite a lot of rails on that section.  I believe that the line to the quarry was left in place after the rest of the line was taken up so that they could get stone to repair the dams and spillways etc.  You can still see the other end of the line at the side of the road just past Tosside. There are some concrete loading ramps. They used traction engines to haul the supplies from Long Preston.  My model used modellers licence to imagine that the line had actually reached Long Preston.  Some of the narrow gauge rolling stock is on display on the remaining part of the layout in Long Preston village hall.

 

We put an extra arch in the road bridge to accommodate  the narrow gauge and when we displayed it at Long Preston one very puzzled lady spent ages looking at that bridge. When I asked her why, she said she was wondering when they filled the bridge arch in as her bungalow was built where the exchange sidings were.

 

Jamie

Edited August 20, 2020 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon.  Some more pictures to share still in 1996 on my cab ride. First off a shot looking back from the cab at the loading bunkers.

And as we left there was another train coming in to fill up.

After we climbed off above the depot this shot suggested itself.

I tried to get an arty night shot during a night shift.  This was the best I could do.

And one afternoon later in the year a steam special going past Wakefield Europort with rather too little backlight correction.

I think ti was the 8F that had just been named in honour of the Gauge O Guild.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited January 16 by jamie92208

[eastwestdivide]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

And one afternoon later in the year a steam special going past Wakefield Europort with rather too little backlight correction

You might get a bit more out of it in software. I took the liberty of doing a quick and dirty job on what you uploaded, ignoring the blowout of the field and sky, and there's a bit more detail to be had:

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon everyone.  It's come sunny here so we should be OK for the BBQ.  However in early December it was definitely not sunny.  I had been offered another 59 cab ride by NP and my colleague and trainspotting mate was allowed to come as well.  The trip was from Sudforth Lane to Maltby colliery and back via Drax.  This was the scene that greeted us near Maltby.  We had been much delayed by this 58 which had slipped to a standstill as someone had forgotten to fill the sanders up.  We were then delayed another half hour whilst a technician used a pointed stick and a bucket of anti freeze to get detection on the set of points in front of us.

Here's Keith getting his photo taken.

To put it mildly the railhead condition in the pit were atrocious.  This was the track under the rapid loader.  The driver was setting up the slow speed control ready for loading and laconically said, " It could be a but slippy, I'll set it for 0.45 mph today.   As we dropped down and the train was loaded, the traction inspector opened the doors to the boards that controlled the anti wheel slip equipment.  It was fascinating to watch the 6 sets of lights flickering on and off.   The speed stayed between 0.43 and 0.47 mph as the train weight went from 600 to 2000 tons on a falling gradient.   

As we left we got turned out main line near the royal mail terminal and the driver gave it Run 8 and we roared through the station doing 60 on the centre roads.  Passengers could be seen shrinking back on the platform. 

 

The Control Office at NP had three lovely models of a 59 and 2 hopper wagons in NP livery in 7mm. Made by Chris someone who worked for one of the magazines.   I managed to get permission to borrow them and run them at our Wakefield club exhibition that year.  

 

I can't remember what the layout was called but they ran well.

 

I wonder what happened to the models when EWS took over.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good evening all. We've now moved on to 1997.  We may revisit this era when I finish sorting out my unfiled negatives from 97 to 2008.  The slides are mainly neatly filed in storage boxes and labels.  Anyway sometime in spring 97 I must have been to London and here is the new order at Kings Cross with GNER in evidence.

I remember mixed and matched rakes but here is what looks like a complete GNER rake coming into Leeds.

And the "new" trains on the Aire Valley electrics.  I think it was these that had exploding High Voltage cables running through the passenger compartments from the pantographs.   West Yorkshire had actually negotiated a deal for another batch of 323's but the Government wouldn't guarantee the lease payments with privatisation looming so the 308's were drafted in and the Hunslet works turned into an electrical switchgear factory.

Another trip to London with Keith and the usual start at Wandsworth Road.  First what I think is a 60 being towed by two 73's though it could possibly be a 92.

Then a 60 appeared on a stone train.

And a blue 37 on an engineering train.

 

 

Jamie

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by jamie92208

[Davexoc]

46 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Another trip to London with Keith and the usual start at Wandsworth Road.  First what I think is a 60 being towed by two 73's though it could possibly be a 92.

 

I think you'll find that is three class 73s. Great selection as usual.

 

Regards,

Dave

[jamie92208]

Good morning all. Something a little different today.  One night at work I was perusing the teleprinter messages,(Yes we still had them) and noticed a report of a derailment in Dewsbury. It was, I think in January and the derailment caused no injuries so when I got up I headed down there. The derailment had occurred on the Headfield Branch which is the remains of a branch that used to connect the L & Y and GN systems but survived to serve a Goods Yard at Railway Street that closed in the 80's. It crosses the river Calder and the truncated remains still survive to give access to a cement terminal and act as a run round loop.  This was what I found when I got there.

The 60 nearest the camera, 60094 had apparently demolished the buffer stops beyond the run round loop and was being hauled back towards Healey Mills, topped and tailed by the other 60 (Christopher Wren) and the 56.

With the 56 bringing up the rear.

 

It was a very dull and overcast day and I was lucky to get pictures but here the convoy is departing for Healey Mills.

 

Here we are a little further up the branch beyond the run round loop looking back towards the cement terminal with the remains of the bufferstops in the foreground.

And now a final picture looking towards Dewsbury with the few remaining lengths of rail and the bridge over the Calder visible.

 

More tomorrow.

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning all.  A few more from 1997. This was probably April and some friends from the US were with us so we took them up to the dales and of course Ribblehead as they both liked trains.

We were lucky to see a Gypsum train heading north to Kirkby Thore

Then back to that fabulous spot, Wandsworth Road.  Another 60.

 

And then three for the price of one, a Eurostar a CEP, I think and a 37.

Next up the 60's cousin a 92.

I do think they are nice looking locos.

And finally a Networker.  My memory says that this service used to be 456's.

All in all a good day.   I must look back through my trackage log and see if I can fix an exact date.

 

Jamie

Edited August 5, 2022 by jamie92208

[Darius43]

Ribblehead to Wandsworth Road - there a step change or two in scenery.

 

Wonderful photos as always.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Darius43 said:

Ribblehead to Wandsworth Road - there a step change or two in scenery.

 

Wonderful photos as always.

 

Cheers

 

Darius

Thanks.  I'm just posting the photos as I find them as far as I can in chronological order.  I'm just glad that they seem to be appreciated.  I'm enjoying finding them.  By sheer coincidence i found the prints of the Ribblehead ones this evening and now know thst they were taken on 16th April 1997. We had met our American friends in 95 whilst on an Amtrak train.  We are still in touch and sadly Sally has just died. However the photos just before the Riblehead ones show both her and Dave. I'm going to send Dave a copy as a memory for him.  

 

Jamie

Edited August 26, 2020 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a sunny Charente. First, we had travelled from Wandsworth Road round to London Bridge and a good array of networkers was in evidence.  I presume that this photo would look rather different today.

Next, probably in June 97 I got an invite from National Power to attend a naming ceremony for a 59/2 at Ferrybridge depot.  I can't remember which loco it was but the sight was well worth it with almost all the NP fleet on display.

This was taken during the naming ceremony whilst 'the competition' came past on the main line.

Just as an aside, there were special working instructions in Ferrybridge signal box for MGR trains worked by 56's. They struggled up the connection from from Knottingley to Ferrybridge and they were only allowed to start if a clear road was set north. The 59's had no such problem.

 

Next we are at Preston with the Porterbrook liveried 47. 47817.

Now we are probably in September and back at Ferrybridge. By this time they had obtained a bubble car for road learning.  I went in one day and was whown it and ended up having a drive up and down the yard, under strict supervision.   Only the 2nd standard gauge vehicle I've ever driven. The other was a fireless loco at Carrs of Carlisle in 1966.

Another shot of the bubble car.

More to come another day.

 

Jamie

Edited August 5, 2022 by jamie92208

[roundhouse]

12 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Good morning from a sunny Charente. First, we had travelled from Wandsworth Road round to London Bridge and a good array of networkers was in evidence.  I presume that this photo would look rather different today.

 

Someone has stolen the third rail

 

Looks more like Marylebone.

[kryten65]

On 20/08/2020 at 14:50, jamie92208 said:

Good afternoon.  Some more pictures to share still in 1996 on my cab ride. First off a shot looking back from the cab at the loading bunkers.

And as we left there was another train coming in to fill up.

After we climbed off above the depot this shot suggested itself.

I tried to get an arty night shot during a night shift.  This was the best I could do.

And one afternoon later in the year a steam special going past Wakefield Europort with rather too little backlight correction.

I think ti was the 8F that had just been named in honour of the Gauge O Guild.

 

Jamie

 

 

More interesting pictures, especially as a work visit took me to the sidings at Gascoigne wood to look at at uplifting a 142, the only remnants of the massive loading bunkers is the control room standing folornly over one of the tracks. 

[cheesysmith]

love the photos, even the most recent ones are history now with the way thing keep changing on the network.

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a sunny Charente. First up, one that got missed from 1994 due to the unsorted films. Taken in France but of a TOPS registered loco that did run in the UK.  A French Class 222XX modified for use through the Channel Tunnel when the 92's weren't approved.  They were coded Class 22 on TOPS and had the nickname of " Yellow Submarines" as they had to have yellow ends to operate in the yard at Dollands Moor.  This photo was taken at Calais Frethun depot.

Somewhere I do have a photo of one taken at Dollands Moor and will post it when it surfaces.  They only ran in 1994 and 1995. 

Next rather closer to my home and the lovely array of semaphores at Castleford, sadly no longer there. A class 144 setting off for Knottingley.

Next a tamper heading towards Burton Salmon.

Followed by a 59/2 probably to Gascoigne Wood but I'm not sure where from.

Finally some more variety from Wandsworth Road.  First a class 325 probably working towards Tonbridge.

And a 47 hauling two 92's down to Dollands Moor.  I think that at this time (Late 97) they still weren't allowed on the main line network.

 

More in due course.

 

Jamie

Edited August 5, 2022 by jamie92208

[The Pilotman]

An interesting mix of pictures today. Re. the French loco in the first shot; I don’t know if they are still running in France but they are still in use in the Netherlands. Whenever I take the InterCity train to Amsterdam, one of the NS versions of this loco always takes over from a DB Class 101 at the Germany/Netherlands border. I think they’re really great looking locos.
PS. There’s three 92s in that last shot 

Edited August 30, 2020 by Western Aviator

[jamie92208]

6 hours ago, Western Aviator said:

An interesting mix of pictures today. Re. the French loco in the first shot; I don’t know if they are still running in France but they are still in use in the Netherlands. Whenever I take the InterCity train to Amsterdam, one of the NS versions of this loco always takes over from a DB Class 101 at the Germany/Netherlands border. I think they’re really great looking locos.
PS. There’s three 92s in that last shot 

Thanks, I must learn to count.  Yes the 222xx's are still very much in use in France. Agood few of them are now painted all over yellow and used by the Infrastructure sector. I saw a pair last week.

 

Jamie

Edited August 30, 2020 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, Western Aviator said:

An interesting mix of pictures today. Re. the French loco in the first shot; I don’t know if they are still running in France but they are still in use in the Netherlands. Whenever I take the InterCity train to Amsterdam, one of the NS versions of this loco always takes over from a DB Class 101 at the Germany/Netherlands border. I think they’re really great looking locos.
PS. There’s three 92s in that last shot 

I've just realised that there are some recent photos of the 222XX'Ss on my current French scene thread. There are some on pages 2 and 3 including the Infra ones. Hopefully this link should work.

 

Jamie

Edited August 30, 2020 by jamie92208