Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[big jim]

Had to pop back to crewe last night so rather than use my car and have to drive both ways I found a late job on the vacancy list and offered to work it so I could get the train down!

 

Royal Scot arriving into Carlisle 

 

66765 on the Stone train that I worked from crewe to bescot, then went home to do what I needed to do and back to Carlisle first thing

 

Next job is on Friday which I’m really looking forward to, Carlisle to Clitheroe cement via the S+C both ways, got a days route refresh beforehand too

 

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

Had to pop back to crewe last night so rather than use my car and have to drive both ways I found a late job on the vacancy list and offered to work it so I could get the train down!

 

Royal Scot arriving into Carlisle 

 

66765 on the Stone train that I worked from crewe to bescot, then went home to do what I needed to do and back to Carlisle first thing

 

 

Next job is on Friday which I’m really looking forward to, Carlisle to Clitheroe cement via the S+C both ways, got a days route refresh beforehand too

 

 

I'll be watching out.....

[big jim]

9 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

I'll be watching out.....

thought you might 

[big jim]

The joys of trying to get an avanti train on a Saturday morning with a bike, no bike spaces available so ended up going via Manchester airport and Bolton 

 

northern 323 crewe to the airport 

 

and a TPE from there to Carlisle 

 

 

got a job tomorrow night now too, carnforth to rugby with the rail miller on a transit move 

[Ian Smeeton]

Some Holiday,

 

Ever thought of becoming a busman?

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

 

[big jim]

3 weeks in a caravan with 2 kids and 3 cats, a few hours away from that is heaven 

[CovDriver]

On 14/08/2021 at 20:10, big jim said:

3 weeks in a caravan with 2 kids and 3 cats, a few hours away from that is heaven 

I can totally agree with you on that my other half and my 7yr old daughter have been in the caravan in Porthmadog for the past 3 and half weeks it's been absolute bliss.

 

Cheers 

Colin

[big jim]

I was supposed to work last night on a last minute job but it was cancelled, carnforth sidings to rugby with the rail milling machine, it’s on tomororw night though, only as far as crewe for me so a quick pop home to check everything is ok then back north to the caravan again (off to Beatrix potters gallery and house on Wednesday for the day!)

 

 

 

 

[big jim]

Couple of pics from earlier, there are more in my weight loss thread in wheeltappers 

 

went for a bike ride to have a look at the old solway viaduct site, you can see the old pier to the right of the picture 

 

and a ride along the bike trackbed to see the alignment and remaining pier 

 

the other side of the viaduct near Annan 

 

rhen riding back we crossed the old line to port Carlisle at Glasson

 

and in kirkbride we crossed the old line from drumburgh to silloth 

[big jim]

For completeness here are a couple of pics from silloth 

 

the old station masters house, this was for sale a couple of years back 

 

and the rugby pitch with the railway bridge carrying the road over the station throat, the station building is behind me to the left, the line split just under the bridge with a short branch to the convalescent hospital on the headland which also had its own platform, there was also sidings toward the docks 

[Ben B]

3 hours ago, big jim said:

For completeness here are a couple of pics from silloth 

 

the old station masters house, this was for sale a couple of years back 

 

and the rugby pitch with the railway bridge carrying the road over the station throat, the station building is behind me to the left, the line split just under the bridge with a short branch to the convalescent hospital on the headland which also had its own platform, there was also sidings toward the docks 

 

We used to go to Silloth a lot when we were at Uni in Carlisle, just had such a nice atmosphere, very quaint and laid back, but well kept. A proper 'bucket and spade' seaside resort without the tackiness of some places, kind of like they stopped the clocks when the railway shut. My other half got some pics of the old station, the building was still standing then. Have you been to see the remains of Port Carlisle Station? The platform used to still be there, near the breached sea wall and lock gates. And of course the old horse-drawn carriage survives at York

[big jim]

We went through port Carlisle last night but it was starting to get dark and we still had 6 mile to go so we didn’t stop 

 

some more from earlier today, fitted a new sprung seat post on the bike and went for a ride to test it out, absolutely brilliant, really takes the bumps away from your bum! 
 

a few more pics of the old line and the branch to the convalescent home 

 

rode out to blackdyke which is where the line crossed one of the roads to aspatria, the crossing house is behind the trees 

 

and turning the other way it ran alongside the road, handily telegraph poles follow the old line so you can see clearly where it was, you can also see the church spire in silloth in the distance 

 

It then crossed another lane, this is looking back toward the last picture 

 

And back toward silloth again

 

Over another lane at causewayhead, this is looking back towards blackdyke and the first  two crossings

 

and the crossing house looking toward silloth 

 

I then rode into the town and took a pic looking back toward the previous batch of photos, the line curves round to the right, again the poles showing the alignment nicely 

 

The smaller white building gable end to the right of the picture is the last crossing house in above pictures 

 

And looking back the other way, the station masters house is above the rugby club building and the station itself was where the houses behind the floodlights are 

 

The front garden wall is pretty much the old platform edge 

 

going back to the bridge, this is looking into silloth 

 

And the other way toward causewayhead and crossings, the line curving to the right 

 

Looks like some sort of railway infrastructure?

 

possibly a raised ground frame lever platform?

 

From there I rode out to what was the old convalescent home which is out past the docks, this was also rail served with its own platform!

 

The trackbed is now a road for a majority of the way before it slightly curves to the right back toward silloth, this picture is taken pretty much where the platform used to be 

 

Looking back toward the home the gap in the gorse is the old trackbed 

 

Which rejoined what is now the current road to the home 

 

before diverging back off and pretty much through the car park toward where the camper is parked and back toward the over bridge in the other photos 

 

As well as that line there was further line that diverged off the convalescent home branch which went to silloth battery, this picture is looking back towards silloth, beyond the home (as can be seen on the left), the cutting was the trackbed and siding, I’m actually stood in the 4ft in this pic

 

 turning 90 degrees looking south toward maryport the line continued for about another 1/2 mile to an army range 

 

hope those are of interest, check out this site for some pics of the convalescent home railway

http://www.cumbria-railways.co.uk/silloth_convalescent_home.html

 

Silloth station

http://www.cumbria-railways.co.uk/silloth_railway_station.html

 

hope they are of some interest while I’m away from normal work duties! 

 

[The Border Reiver]

 

 

 

Here is a photo I took of the last train to Silloth waiting to enter the station due to crowds demonstrating on the line by the station 6th September 1964

 

 

[big jim]

I’d have loved to have seen it, I’ve also found a picture on line of the final day with a class 26 on a long rake of coaches heading for silloth through drumburgh 

 

if you look in the foreground of your picture the ‘piece of railway infrastructure’ I took a picture of is next tot the end of the tender

 

apparently the local MP has been trying to rally support for the line from Carlisle to Silloth reopen, if it did happen (which let’s face it, it wont) it certainly wouldn’t be in my lifetime and I personally can’t see any real benefit of it reopening, it’s not like silloth is gridlocked with traffic like Keswick 

 

anyway I’m working tonight with that delayed rail Miller so expect some open railway line piccies later!

[big jim]

Some from earlier, carnforth bottom end sidings to Wigan, should have been crewe but my relief lives in Wigan so he got on there and for once I got an early finish! 
 

carlisle, the staycation express HST shunting into the wapping sidings to stable 

 

not sure how unusual this is but I wasn’t expecting to see a transpennine 802 in Carlisle, an ECS to craigentinny 

 

37610 on an IM train 

37219 at the other end 

 

DRS 66 in the middle road

 

My train arriving to take me to Lancaster, the bloke stepped into the picture just as I took it!

 

taxi back to carnforth where my train was waiting to be prepped and brake tested 

 

 

And away to Wigan where I got off and headed back to the caravan in a car 

that’s me until Friday now and onto the clitheroe tanks which I’m really looking forward to, never get bored of the S+C 

[5BarVT]

15 hours ago, big jim said:

not sure how unusual this is but I wasn’t expecting to see a transpennine 802 in Carlisle, an ECS to craigentinny 

I think they have stopped running as many north of Newcastle (initially COVID cuts, now as part of the ECML performance review) and use West Coast to get them back for exams.  I think there is one set on a Manchester Airport Edinburgh WC turn for the same reason.

Paul.

[newbryford]

According to a local gen group, they've been using the 802 for driver training purposes.

Today's diagram was 802207 Craigentinny-Preston-Glasgow-Preston-Craigentinny.

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by newbryford

[big jim]

My wife went into Workington to have her hair done today so I hung around for a bit and got some pics of the old trackbed through town, this line went through the middle of the town rather than at the bottom of the hill nearer the coast as the current one does 

 

the road next to the car park is the trackbed 

 

turning 90 degrees it went under the road

 

and further down under another

 

before heading out of town over the river

 

noticed the bollards in town next to the old station have a bit of local heritage attached, Workington being a former producer of rail 

 

I then went to the docks and noticed the tank train moving forward to exit so had a drive to the terminal just as it was preparing to leave 

 

70801 up front, the shunter who I worked with for 5 years at kingmoor didn’t recognise me stood on the bridge at first as I’ve lost so much weight! 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2021 by big jim

[Siggie in the east]

Theres been an implication at a UWC near March this morning with 4L02.

Tractor and trailer stuck on crossing. Driver is ok. Loco and some wagons derailed.

 

It appears the farmer mistook the green aspect on the signal as an ok for him to cross and disregarded the red/green miniature warning lights at the crossing. He also failed to call the signaller.

 

Thanks

Edited August 19, 2021 by Siggie in the east
Update

[Courtybella]

On 14/08/2021 at 16:51, big jim said:

The joys of trying to get an avanti train on a Saturday morning with a bike, no bike spaces available so ended up going via Manchester airport and Bolton 

 

northern 323 crewe to the airport 

 

and a TPE from there to Carlisle 

 

 

got a job tomorrow night now too, carnforth to rugby with the rail miller on a transit move 

Wow Jim, what a transformation! Huge congratulations mate.

[newbryford]

On 14/08/2021 at 11:07, big jim said:

thought you might 

 

And I was!

 

[corneliuslundie]

Nice video. With that station a pity though it wasn't a Midland Spinner and some nice Crimson Lake carriages.

Jonathan

[big jim]

And my pics from today, Carlisle to clitheroe and back with the cement 

 

kingmoor

 

Colas 70

 

My train

 

Carlisle station

 

And into clitheroe castle cement, you propel the train along the branch and into the plant 

 

 

Then when loaded draw it out and run round before propelling out to the mainline and heading north 

 

 

Stopped at Kirkby Stephen due to sheep in the line, you don’t get that in small Heath!

 

Leg stretch in Carlisle 

 

And into kingmoor 

 

Job done 

 

Nice to get across the S+C again, a lovely run but a long day 

 

[45156]

On 19/08/2021 at 14:47, big jim said:

 

A touch of deja vu here, Jim, as I had already been alerted to this video and viewed it on YouTube before I caught up with your thread.

Edited August 21, 2021 by 45156

[big jim]

Last day of annual leave today so went for a trip out to the telford steam railway as it was their gala with 08757 and 37263 running, I don’t normally ‘do’ galas or indeed heritage lines But it looked a nice day and I thought I could combine it with a bike ride so I put the bike on the roof rack and headed off, it’s only an hour from home but somewhere I’ve never visited!

 

08757 in Horsehay and Dawley station 

 

37263 was on the rear, the train goes up the line then heads back into the other station which is pretty much adjacent to the first one, the line is basically on a Y junction 

and into the other station at spring village 

 

There is a 5 inch gauge miniature railway there too

 

 

 

37 departing on the rear of the train, it was declared a failure after this trip with low oil pressure so I never got to ride behind it, not a huge problem as I’ve driven it mainline anyway! 

 

As it was a failure they had to get the 108 unit out which I quite enjoyed travelling on up and down the line 

 

Lawley village station

 

And back at Horsehay

 

37 receiving attention

 

I then drove down to Ironbridge and got on the bike for a ride to Bridgnorth, I went via the old trackbed, now called the Severn valley way, nice ride and glad I got the sprung bike seat pole last week as it was a gravel track most of the way 

 

Ironbridge 

old crossing gates

 

Linley station

 

And into Bridgnorth 

 

Went over to the SVR but as it was late in the day there were no return trains available, one was about to depart but first stop Bewdley, had it stopped at Highley I’d have gone to there and ridden back 

 

Taw Valley

 

Pannier 7714

 

filthy bike!

 

Went for a ride round the town, unfortunately I couldn’t take the bike on the cliff railway so I rode up the hill instead to see it from the top 

 

 

 

I then rode back to Ironbridge via the hills rather than the trackbed but also rode part of the trackbed from the bridge toward Buildwas Jn hoping to get near the bridge to the power station but it was a dead end so I turned back to the car

 

in later tonight with a loco move basford hall to bescot, should have been moving a SWT unit out of Alstom Widnes tomorrow morning too but that’s been cancelled 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2021 by big jim