Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[Siggie in the east]

March could be a good route to have as news in this weeks media suggests that GBRf have taken over control of the abandoned sidings there on the up side to use for storage and repair of wagons for intermodal and engineering trains from Felixstowe, Whitemoor and other areas.

Felixstowe would be another good one now that they have pretty much finished the re-signalling of the branch and added the new Trimley Loop.

[big jim]

Just 3 from yesterday/this morning 

 

warrington bank quay, nice long train for a change, 18 wagons worth

 

Run round in bicester at 04:30

 

wagons deposited and waiting for the relief driver to take it onward light engine 

 

i believe next week is the final week of MOD trains to and from bicester before the flow switches to another depot 

 

should be road learning Peterborough again tonight but been asked to work a car train in the wcml instead, first one I’ve worked! 

[big jim]

Just one pic before I go to sleep, 66713 in rugby on the car train, it’s a long old thing, 2500ft long 

[Richard E]

On 19/06/2019 at 00:13, big jim said:

Road learning Leicester to Peterborough this week between jobs, had a first run out over it on an intermodal service to get the basics in, I have done a few trips over it with Colas being conducted in the past, seems like a straight forward route, lots of crossings though, absolute block signalling and even a single lower quadrant signal on the wrong side of the track!

 

Quite fancy getting March or Ely too at some point, maybe even Felixstowe

Ah yes, the lower quadrant Midland signal near Ketton.

 

[big jim]

That’s the fella, only managed a couple of trips over it in the end and gonna be a while before I get to do it again I recon as I’m busy next week

 

possession in Wolverhampton tonight, one back from rugby tomorrow night, Sheffield Monday night then 3 days in london working out of hither green exploring the south coast! 

Edited June 22, 2019 by big jim

[big jim]

Couple from last night, bescot to portobello jn on a ballast drop, 3 miles direct but had to go via perry Barr and soho, run round in Wolverhampton and back south to site 

 

ready to leave bescot

 

And run round in Wolverhampton 

 

in later with a rail delivery train returning from rugby to crewe Basford hall, not a bad little job really 

[big jim]

2 from last night, rugby to crewe, 66714 again

 

and into crewe 

 

landor st to Sheffield tonight 

[WessexEclectic]

5 hours ago, big jim said:

 https://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/s-type-driver/2019 Album/0C3EEFB3-8431-4F3D-84C3-0F8E342E0379.jpg

 

Has 86628 got lost? 

[big jim]

Only one from last night, should have been a rail delivery train returning to Scunthorpe but it was just light loco from Landor st to Sheffield via Leicester, looking at real time trains it seems to have disappeared after hexthorpe jn so I suspect it went straight to Roberts road or Doncaster decoy rather than going to Scunthorpe for nothing

 

66782 this time 

[big jim]

Some from last night, bear with me in this one, a complicated route to remember!

 

traction conducted a driver on the 37 and DBSO as he doesn’t sign them, shared the driving though as it was a long night 

 

started out in hither green

 

Loco for the night, 37057

 

Bo peep jn, st Leonard’s 

 

into hastings

 

 

changed ends and away to eastbourne

 

171 unit

 

 

 

 

 

and away to Brighton, stopped in lewes to let a unit past, stunning looking station 

 

Into brighton

 

From Brighton back to lewes and down to Newhaven and seaford 

 

 

 

then back to lewes and up to wivelsfield 

 

and that was it for pics but we then went back to lewes, Eastbourne again, Hastings, tonbridge and back to hither green!

 

back on it tonight, not properly looked at the job but we do london Victoria and Bognor Regis at some point! 

 

 

 

 

[big jim]

And some from last night

 

hither green again

 

 

Changed ends at orpington

 

 

round the houses and into Victoria 

 

 

All the way to littlehampton via Epsom, sutton, dorking, amberley, arundel 

 

 

into Bognor Regis, a really nice looking station there

 

Blue/grey 313 unit

 

 

 

 

back to littlehampton for a final change end and back to hither green via lewisham

to stable up

 

last one tonight, hither green to derby via Clapham jn, kew, Willesden jn, Camden road, Copenhagen tunnel, ecml to Grantham, Nottingham and derby then home

 

 

 

[Barry O]

you do get about a fair bit Jim.

Baz

[big jim]

Not as much as Colas but it’s nice to get jobs like this now and again to see other bits of the country (and a couple of west end shows as well!) 

[rob D2]

Nice,RE the Mod , I thought the plan was for donnington to take over most of the logistics ?

 

still you might get to take tanks to ashchurch ?

[big jim]

Not really sure about the MOD turns to be honest, I won’t be doing ashchurch as I don’t sign down there 

 

some from this morning, hither green to derby, dark until the op stop at Huntington 

 

 

then eventually into derby

 

 

and that was that until Monday 

[pinzaboy]

I really enjoy this thread and the insight into your world Jim. I was wondering, do you have to seek permission from your employers to post the pics and info or is it not an issue ?

 

[big jim]

i told them about the thread, showed the big boss and they were happy for me to continue it on from colas, the main thing is use a bit of common sense, don’t post anything derogatory, anything restricted or sensitive 

 

the end of the day its all good publicity

[corneliuslundie]

Interested to see that 313 in blue and grey.  I assume it is a "heritage" livery. It doesn't seem that long since I rode in them painted like that.

So when is your North of Scotland tour? There can't be many places you haven't visited.

Jonathan

[big jim]

4 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

 

So when is your North of Scotland tour? There can't be many places you haven't visited.

Jonathan

 

Go back a couple of years worth of pages and you’ll find my pics from a job up at mallaig, fort William and Oban! 

 

Never made inverness though 

[KeithHC]

11 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

Interested to see that 313 in blue and grey.  I assume it is a "heritage" livery. It doesn't seem that long since I rode in them painted like that.

So when is your North of Scotland tour? There can't be many places you haven't visited.

Jonathan

Have a look at the the Third rail EMU thread 

 Especially look at John Uptons posts as he drives them on the Coastway services. 

 

Also surprised Big Jim did not bump into him at Littlehampton the other evening.

 

Keith

[big jim]

I had littlehampton to myself at 03:00!

 

just 2 from today, iport job with 66741 

 

And into coleshill

[big jim]

Some from today, a quick trip crewe to toton with a couple of 60s 

 

 

Wichnor jn

 

 

into toton

 

 

And a passing gypsum train while I waited for the taxi

 

MOD tomorrow and a bit of road learning 

[big jim]

Only took one pic today, 66739 at fenny Compton waiting to head along the single line to kineton, first time I’ve done the line this morning, red pen out 

 

 

 

[Phil Mc]

I was cursing as you passed me !!!!!!  

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[big jim]

Whoops!