RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted November 8, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 8, 2021 1 hour ago, melmerby said: Interesting developments. BTW Birmingham & Black Country trams are/were 3' 6" gauge (IIRC the largest 'NG' network in the world!) with the possibility of running all the way from Birmingham city centre to Kinver, which did happen in the early years with single deck cars. I can remember, when a nipper, riding from Birmingham to Rednal for the Lickey Hills by tram. Maybe any more tram news should be in the West Midlands Metro topics I'll start a new one for the Brierley Hill Extension. And it would have been even more extensive if one town (I can't remember which one) hadn't opted for a different gauge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted November 8, 2021 Share Posted November 8, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, melmerby said: BTW Birmingham & Black Country trams are/were 3' 6" gauge (IIRC the largest 'NG' network in the world!) Very much doubt it, the Polish narrow gauge network (PKP) covered a substantial amount of the country and must have had a route mileage in the 1000's. Had a large fleet of B-B Maybach powered diesel hydraulics and 0-8-0 tender locos to run it too, on a gauge near as makes no difference the same as the Talyllyn... Edited November 8, 2021 by Titan 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted November 8, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 8, 2021 24 minutes ago, Titan said: Very much doubt it, the Polish narrow gauge network (PKP) covered a substantial amount of the country and must have had a route mileage in the 1000's. Had a large fleet of B-B Maybach powered diesel hydraulics and 0-8-0 tender locos to run it too, on a gauge near as makes no difference the same as the Talyllyn... Plus the Cape gauge in southern Africa, and networks in much of Australia and South America. I suspect @melmerby means NG trams, rather than NG in general. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted November 8, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 8, 2021 Then there's the Belgian Vicinal system. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted November 8, 2021 Share Posted November 8, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Nick C said: I suspect @melmerby means NG trams, rather than NG in general. Yes, good point. Mind you still a good excuse to post, might even be some level crossing content in the video at about 2:10, although if it was not for the signs you would never have known! Edited November 8, 2021 by Titan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahame Posted November 8, 2021 Share Posted November 8, 2021 5 hours ago, melmerby said: BTW Birmingham & Black Country trams are/were 3' 6" gauge (IIRC the largest 'NG' network in the world!) Western Australia has an extensive 3'6" NG network. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 I think that the longest single network is probably in Russia or one of it's minions, they can go for hundreds of miles sometimes! I'd have thought that there were some over China and the Far East that would also be rather long networks! I suspect some European metre gauge tram networks could give it a run for it's money as well! Suffice to say that the Black Country tram network was certainly the longest NG tram network in the UK (by a considerable distance!) which is what I'm sure Melmerby intended to say! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Smeeton Posted November 11, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 11, 2021 Back on Topic!! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-59246844 Regards Ian 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted November 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 11, 2021 18 minutes ago, Ian Smeeton said: Back on Topic!! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-59246844 "Network Rail said it was "not exactly sure" how the car came to be stranded on the tracks" This is code for "haven't the faintest idea". Martin. 2 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 Satnav said "Turn Right"... So they did... Simples... 2 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flittersnoop Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 Concentrating on the stupidity element of this thread: Presumably the Transport Police were filming just in case the wire snapped and they had a murder investigation on their hands? 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Jonboy Posted November 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 11, 2021 Slightly surprised to see workers crossing in front of the active dragging attempts at the end of the clip, I assume a strap snapping would have seen it lurch forward a fair way? 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted November 11, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 11, 2021 Also discussed on the 59003 Returns thread. The general consensus amongst my fellow train crew watching that was Whisky Tango Foxtrot with lots of jaws dropped. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 There is a saying, "it aint stupid if it works" However in this case I think there was a bit more luck involved than there should have been... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted November 12, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2021 13 hours ago, Titan said: There is a saying, "it aint stupid if it works" However in this case I think there was a bit more luck involved than there should have been... Nothing wrong with the recovery itself, using an elastic snatch rope like that is SOP in motorsport and 4x4 recovery, but there should have been nobody on the ground within at least two cable-lengths of the operation. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium phil-b259 Posted November 12, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2021 On 07/11/2021 at 21:21, Hobby said: Is it being rebuilt as a single line with the option of lay "heavy rail" alongside? I thought that was the intention, so they could re-instate the section across via Dudley Port to Walsall so SBJ to Walsall service could be re-introduced? Not so! There are no plans for it to feature as part of the national rail network in any shape or form. That said IF it was ever felt necessary to take mainline trains gain then there would be nothing to physically prevent it in terms of clearances, etc and the original route via Dudley Tunnel is still available - but you would need a mainline complaint signalling system installed as well as other specific interventions to turn it from a Tramway configuration to a 'Tram / Metro-Train' setup as in the Northeast or Rotherham. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartynJPearson Posted November 12, 2021 Share Posted November 12, 2021 The linked video at the end of the 59003 surely qualifies as the perfect example of level crossing stupidity - I suspect coupled with drink. NB - does contain bad language. 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcredfer Posted November 12, 2021 Share Posted November 12, 2021 18 hours ago, Flittersnoop said: Concentrating on the stupidity element of this thread: Presumably the Transport Police were filming just in case the wire snapped and they had a murder investigation on their hands? As Nick said, there should have been nobody anywhere near where that Snatch Rope might reach. Way back in the early 60s, two of us Army cadets were watching a Scammel Recovery truck, pulling a tank out of a bog. The guy doing it was perfectly happy with us being there, until it came time for the drag. He paced out a distance from the winch and told us not to get any closer. He was absolutely right, as the cable did let loose. It was incredibly fast and would have lashed clean through anyone within range, way before they even knew it had parted. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted November 12, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2021 I'm quite sure that the guys doing the recovery of the DMU in the tunnel would have carried out a suitable risk analysis before carrying out the procedure. Regarding the two blokes walking across in "front" of the loco, they are well over 200 feet away, but look nearer due to the telephoto of the camera. And it's not like the 59 will jump forward at the speed of an F1 car. It's all tabloid journalism IMO. 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted November 12, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2021 On 08/11/2021 at 19:03, Titan said: Very much doubt it, the Polish narrow gauge network (PKP) covered a substantial amount of the country and must have had a route mileage in the 1000's. Had a large fleet of B-B Maybach powered diesel hydraulics and 0-8-0 tender locos to run it too, on a gauge near as makes no difference the same as the Talyllyn... Doesn't look much like tram to me Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted November 12, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2021 On 08/11/2021 at 21:54, grahame said: Western Australia has an extensive 3'6" NG network. Using trams? I don't think so. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahame Posted November 12, 2021 Share Posted November 12, 2021 34 minutes ago, melmerby said: Using trams? I don't think so. Your claim was "(IIRC the largest 'NG' network in the world!)" not the largest NG tram network - hence very unclear. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted November 12, 2021 Share Posted November 12, 2021 (edited) On 08/11/2021 at 21:44, Titan said: Yes, good point. Mind you still a good excuse to post, might even be some level crossing content in the video at about 2:10, although if it was not for the signs you would never have known! 55 minutes ago, melmerby said: Doesn't look much like tram to me Guess your reading is somewhat selective. Besides is it not a bit inappropriate to complain solely about a lack of trams in a level crossing topic without even mentioning level crossings as you just did? At least the video I posted had level crossing content! Edited November 12, 2021 by Titan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted November 12, 2021 Share Posted November 12, 2021 To return that phrase to context, the wording was "BTW Birmingham & Black Country trams are/were 3' 6" gauge (IIRC the largest 'NG' network in the world!)" - so trams were definitely in his mind .... though maybe he left it open to misinterpretation !!?! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted November 12, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Wickham Green too said: To return that phrase to context, the wording was "BTW Birmingham & Black Country trams are/were 3' 6" gauge (IIRC the largest 'NG' network in the world!)" - so trams were definitely in his mind .... though maybe he left it open to misinterpretation !!?! Before a civil war breaks out here, can I just remind you all that Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice, so one should expect superiority in other forms of transport too. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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