Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[Jack374]

10 hours ago, big jim said:

Just 3 from today, hams hall to toton 

 

toton

 

then it was onto a southbound service from toton back to hams hall where I sat for 4 hours before heading off to rugby with it 

Great pics as ever Jim...in the first you caught a Meridian, which was also diverted but for a different reason! The 'liners were running through Toton vice Peterborough due to the transfer of ECML signalling from the PSBs to the ROC. The Meridian however was running via the Erewash through Toton as north of Derby has been closed for a weekend possession.

 

Thanks for the tones and wave as ever, it was good to see you driving as you’ve been with trainees the last few times I’ve seen you. Also nice to see a fully loaded train, 36 flats with 55 containers...

 

 

Towards the back of the train there were some of the new WH Davis-built 'EcoFret 2' wagons which were recently moved to Worksop but are now earning their keep. The 3 sets you had on were still shiny...I’ve not seen any in other trains yet so must be one of their first trips?

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[iands]

In the video it also sound like one of the wagons had a bit of a flat. 

[dunwurken]

How are flats detected these days?   Visual inspection before departure / periodic examinations?  RMweb member by side of track?   

[5BarVT]

13 minutes ago, dunwurken said:

How are flats detected these days?   Visual inspection before departure / periodic examinations?  RMweb member by side of track?   

You missed one out - wait ‘til it derails and catches fire.

:-)

Paul.

[Fat Controller]

22 minutes ago, dunwurken said:

How are flats detected these days?   Visual inspection before departure / periodic examinations?  RMweb member by side of track?   

Mainly electronically. There used to be a system called 'Wheelchex'; the current one is WILD, I believe.

[iands]

28 minutes ago, dunwurken said:

How are flats detected these days...... 

WILD/WHEELCHEX systems should, but it depends where on the network they are positioned, and whether or not the particular wagon/train is routed over the detectors. 

[big jim]

@Jack374 it was a heavy train, 2200 ton and 2200 ft long too!

 

the train I had northbound also had the ecofrets in it (see the first pic) they are a strange wagon, initial break seems to do nothing then once you go past that they bite quite quickly

 

 

[big jim]

Some from Monday night/wednesday morning, ballast drop between princes risborough and Bicester 

 

brand new double slip fitted in Bescot 

 

Leading loco 

 

tail end charlie

 

Into risborough to change ends 

 

 

And once the job was done away to banbury for relief 

 

same job tonight but dropping ballast a bit further north nearer to Bicester north 

 

 

[big jim]

Same but different last night 

66750 this time

 

Into risborough

 

 

 

then once done it was into Bicester to exit the possession 

 

and relief at leamington

 

MOD train tonight 

 

[corneliuslundie]

That new double slip at Bescot seems to have overhead for only one route through it. How long before someone takes a wrong turn, as it is manually controlled?

Jonathan

[big jim]

Not quite sure what you mean?
 

You can go both ways from it from both ends 

[WessexEclectic]

17 minutes ago, big jim said:

Not quite sure what you mean?
 

You can go both ways from it from both ends 

 

And stay under the wires?

[JohnDMJ]

2 hours ago, big jim said:

Not quite sure what you mean?
 

You can go both ways from it from both ends 

 

With a pantograph up?

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

With a pantograph up?

You can go, but you won't get back without a tow/push.

[big jim]

aaah, i see what you mean, i didnt see/comprehend the word "overhead" in the original post!

 

i wont lie, ive never noticed the OHLE there before, if you look at the pic below it it only runs just past the points into No1 road so you wouldnt get far down there either

Edited April 28, 2021 by big jim

[newbryford]

18 hours ago, big jim said:

Some from Monday night/wednesday morning, ballast drop between princes risborough and Bicester 

 

brand new double slip fitted in Bescot 

 

 

 

 

 

Four levers for the slip.

I've heard these referred to as "English slips" before now.

I note that the two sets of blades at the opposite end are set for alternate routes

First time I've seen one in the UK [*]

 

 

[*] I've just checked a pic of one of the double slips at the RTC and it has 3 levers! Two at one end, and one at the other. This clearly shows the two sets of blades in the opposite direction in comparison to a single tiebar with four blades.

The  doubleslip further on only has one lever at each end and all four blades are set the same way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by newbryford

[big jim]

But how do I wire it for DCC? 

[ajwffc]

11 hours ago, big jim said:

Same but different last night 

66750 this time

 

 

love the stop board to stop trains from falling off 

[WessexEclectic]

14 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

You can go, but you won't get back without a tow/push.

 

14 hours ago, big jim said:

I wont lie, ive never noticed the OHLE there before, if you look at the pic below it it only runs just past the points into No1 road so you wouldnt get far down there either

 

Is that section of catenary a leftover and no longer energised then?

[big jim]

21 hours ago, WessexEclectic said:

 

 

Is that section of catenary a leftover and no longer energised then?

Not sure, I certainly don’t want to be finding out the hard way, it is still connected to the main line wires 

 

here we go again, another ballast drop

 

bescot

 

I was booked to go to princes risborough to change ends again but the possession was being taken north of Bicester so I stopped there and changed ends as there was nothing behind heading south, I waited for the last northbound service to pass then entered the possession 

 

 

and once done it was onward to banbury for relief 

 

Short job tonight, bescot to Tyseley 

 

 

[Courtybella]

On 28/04/2021 at 11:42, corneliuslundie said:

That new double slip at Bescot seems to have overhead for only one route through it. How long before someone takes a wrong turn, as it is manually controlled?

Jonathan

I very much double much, if anything electric uses it anymore. 92s are like hens teeth in Bescot Yard, 86s all stored, 90s again rare as on time West Midlands Train.

Id expect a BTEC is in place in most of bescot yard now as well.

 

There is  afully motored brand new double slip installed at Bristol Stoke Gifford a few years ago.

Edited May 2, 2021 by Courtybella

[CovDriver]

11 minutes ago, Courtybella said:

I very much double much, if anything electric uses it anymore. 92s are like hens teeth in Bescot Yard, 86s all stored, 90s again rare as on time West Midlands Train.

Id expect a BTEC is in place in most of bescot yard now as well.

 

There is  afully motored brand new double slip installed at Bristol Stoke Gifford a few years ago.

Oi every  West Midland Train I drive is on time or dare I say it actually early....

[big jim]

Some from the other night, bescot to landor st with an engineers train bound for Gloucester, royal Scotsman 66 up front 

 

 

should have been in yesterday doing small Heath to bescot but @Marcus 37ended up being stuck in that as I wa s needed today to conduct a cement train from shrewsbury to hereford,

 

I’m actually headed to shotton to relieve it there as the other driver lives in Prestatyn so he can get off early, only thing is the Chester to crewe line is shut so I’ve go to go via liverpool and bidston!

 

Next week is a week working away in london on IM trains out of hither green, the usual turn, visiting Hastings, eastbourne, Brighton, Bognor, seaford etc, the one night it’s not running I’ve been put on the possession in kings cross as site driver, should be a good week if somewhat long, not home until next Saturday! 

[big jim]

EDIT: posting went funny while uploading!

Edited May 3, 2021 by big jim

[big jim]

Some from today, had to get to shotton and had to go via liverpool and bidston 

 

Lime st underground station, a soon to be replaced 508 unit

 

I changed trains at hamilton square and very nearly missed my connection as I didn’t realise there were 2 platforms heading out toward the Wirral and I was on the wrong one! 
 

anyway got the train to bidston with seconds to spare, and into another soon to be replaced unit

 

Off at shotton 

 

And I rolled my train, 66707 up front which is quite appropriate as it’s named ‘Sir Sam Fay, Great Central Railway’ and the high level line through shotton was a great central line, (the box at Dee marsh is actually an LNER design I think)

 

 

It then went all wrong, track circuit failure at chirk Kronospan ground frame so I couldn’t go anywhere until the P way came out and clipped the points so I sat in cross newydd loop for almost 2 hours 

 

And off at hereford, just as the train home left from the other platform

 

 

and that was that, derby to hither green tomorrow night via the ecml