Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[big jim]

Such a manic day yesterday I only managed one pic!

 

 

after my night in Doncaster I was up bright and early to get the set back to bescot, all ready to roll at 07:30 only to get a path in for 09:15 arriving into bescot at 13:35! Over 4 hours to do about 100 miles, managed an early start only to be held en route a number of times arriving into bescot late!

 

a check of the machine and away we went to nuneaton to pick up the original path of the RHTT only for us to get 2 minutes into spraying before the generator went pop again, got as far as rugby where the train was cancelled and moved back to bescot later in the evening by another driver, whether it runs today I don’t know but I’m supposed to be conducting it Rugeley to Macclesfield and back after I do a job out of rugby first which has also gone pear shaped and is currently about 2-3 hours late which could knacker me for the RHTT 

 

off to Tenby tonight for the weekend for a well deserved break before I go back to the RHTT next week 

 

 

[big jim]

Just a few from today, rugby to bescot, the train left london 2 1/2 hours late but picked up a bit of time en route so was only about 90 late when it got to me, grabbed a few pics while I waited at rugby

 

ghostolino 

 

voyager

 

pendolino coming in to stop while my train approached 

 

my train top and tailed with 66757 and 66777

 

and into bescot where Marcus37 son dealt with the uncoupling 

 

i was then supposed to conduct the RHTT train ton Macclesfield but yet again it was cancelled so I caught a passenger train back to Rugeley for my car, while I was waiting on bescot station the locos off my delayed engineers train passed back through on the Toton tripper!

 

and that’s that, work phone off for the weekend 

[big jim]

Back to the RHTT again today and we actually made it to Macclesfield!

 

bescot depot 

 

into rugby 

 

 

and away to Macclesfield 

 

And back to rugby

 

going to swap the locos round tomorrow so the big cabs are on the outer end of the train, much more room for us if I do that, only takes a couple of shunt moves to do but one of those jobs where you wish you had the hand of god to just lift the loco from one end to the other! 

 

[pinzaboy]

Well! I had no idea the cabs were different sizes. You learn something new everyday!

Tim

[iands]

As pinzaboy says, you learn something new everyday! So I guess the question is, what design criteria determined that one cab ended up being bigger than the other?

[mikejames]

hi

out of interest

it sounds as if YOU have decided to move the locos around.

I'm sure its sensible but do You decide

or do you need someone's say so?

regards

mike james

[big jim]

Regards the cabs I believe the smaller cab was in fact an addition as being like a lot of American/Canadian locos they were designed to have one cab and work in multi so the 2nd cab was added late on!

 

as for moving the locos about I checked the locos were staying on the train all week and checked it was ok to move them about, all control need to know is the train formation once I’m done.

 

The move is needed as there will be 3 of us in the cab on Wednesday and quite simply there isn’t enough room in the small cab for 3, the big cab cab for my camping chair in for the 3rd guy 

[big jim]

Did the shunt with the locos so the big cabs were at the outer end then set off with the RHTT again!

 

 

 

same again tomorrow 

[newbryford]

You only swapped them round to even out the weathering...............

[big jim]

Not bothered with many pics this week as it’s been RHTT again but got a few today, been assessing another driver on the route and due to my start time tomorrow had to get off at Rugeley to get to bescot for my car (thats been sat there for 2 weeks!)

 

Macclesfield 

 

rugeley

 

 

changing trains at Walsall one of our 66s passing through 

 

trafford Park tomorrow and RHTT again next week amongst other things 

 

[wombatofludham]

That was brave leaving your car at Bescot for two weeks.  Was it still there and did it still have four wheels?

[Craig1989]

Out of interest does your rhtt do the dc lines into Watford junction aswel? 

[big jim]

8 hours ago, wombatofludham said:

That was brave leaving your car at Bescot for two weeks.  Was it still there and did it still have four wheels?

it was locked away in the yard next to the 24/7 manned office, wouldn’t risk it in the station car park, the lucky thing is now in saltley depot until Thursday!

 

8 hours ago, Craig1989 said:

Out of interest does your rhtt do the dc lines into Watford junction aswel? 

not sure tbh, it does Bedford and St Albans though

[CovDriver]

I see you was on the RHTT i passed you at Stechford this morning I did say hello at Rugby before you boarded the Virgin service back north but I was being asked some stupid questions by the fare paying passengers.

 

Cheers

 

Colin 

[big jim]

Yes I did spot you, was having a conversation with my boss at the time! 

[Davexoc]

On 11/10/2019 at 23:00, Craig1989 said:

Out of interest does your rhtt do the dc lines into Watford junction aswel? 

No, it does different lines on alternate nights. RTT has it doing Bletchley to Bedford and back on the way into Euston on the slow every weekday, then doing St Albans with either slow or fast lines beyond Watford depending on the night.

[cheesysmith]

As for the question of why the different sized cabs, the answer is the larger cab has all the electrical control cabinets to the rear of it.

[big jim]

Some from today, RHTT again

 

early morning start in bescot 

 

I actually washed the loco this morning before we set off 

 

350 desiro in the new london north western livery with a class 37 lurking

 

which was dragging an anglia unit somewhere or other 

 

Day off tomorrow then back to the RHTT on Wednesday

 

 

 

[JDW]

14 hours ago, big jim said:

 

 

I actually washed the loco this morning before we set off 

 

 

Did you take any pictures after you'd washed it though...?  

 

I have visions of you with a bucket of soapy water and a long-handled mop. "Won't take long, 10-minute job,..."

[Siggie in the east]

The ROG 37 was 5P98 to crown point via Ilford depot.

Cheers

[eldavo]

6 hours ago, JDW said:

 

I have visions of you with a bucket of soapy water and a long-handled mop. "Won't take long, 10-minute job,..."

 

I seem to recall a couple of years back we had photos of exactly that though I think he only got one side done!

 

Cheers

Dave

 

[big jim]

25 minutes ago, eldavo said:

 

I seem to recall a couple of years back we had photos of exactly that though I think he only got one side done!

 

Cheers

Dave

 

 

yeah, cleaned a filthy Colas loco at chirk, as you say only managed one side though!

 

 

[MarshLane]

Great insight into the real railway Jim - as ever, many thanks.

 

Rich

[big jim]

just one pic from today, shrewsbury to Washwood heath, had to run round in coton hill where I got the pic before sunrise

 

got to cemex only for the plant to be declared a failure so I’ve had to leave the train there for someone else to discharge 

 

nice little loco move tomorrow, Toton to longport with a 66, conducting an intermodal and working the RHTT on Saturday before a few forced days off to recharge my batteries 

 

 

[big jim]

some from today, thought the job was just moving 66736 from Toton to longport but it was actually moving GBRf’s latest addition to the fleet to EMD to be converted for use in the UK

 

as it was late I went to mexborough to meet it 

 

144 pacer stopping in the station 

 

then my train rolled in

 

run round in alsager

 

 

The run round involves a move into alsager station and back past the loop

 

 

And into longport

 

then waiting for the train home a 153/156 combo in the now defunct east mids trains livery 

 

all sorts of jobs on the card tomorrow!