Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[big jim]

12 hours ago, SM42 said:

I might see you then. 

 

Might not.

 

Depends if you go in the loop. 

 

Andy

never went in the loop, nor rowley Regis so got back to bescot 3 hours early! 
 

Worcester tunnel jn

 

bescot loop changing ends to head back into the yard 

 

 

into the yard, Shunters taking it away for me 

 

 

Back home and in bed at the time I should have been sat in rowley Regis loop! 

[SM42]

Job and knock. 

 

Can't beat it sometimes. 

 

I think you were somewhere round Smethwick when the first hint of speculation that I might finish work soon began to cross my mind. 

 

Andy

[big jim]

Possession train from valley to crewe

 

started by cascading the rear loco from my train to the one behind

 

 

Back to the pointy end of my train, brake tested and ready to roll and head toward the worksite marker boards 

 

The boards were at Ty-Croes where we had to wait for a while before being able to leave 

 

 

The signal box is only a crossing box now, not a block box so the section across Anglesey is from gaerwen to valley 

 

 

 

We then set off for the possession boards at Bangor and as we were a bit early we had the chance of a quick stop on the Britannia bridge for a pic!

 

Don’t get a chance to get a pic like this every day!

 

Next quick stop was Chester 

 

 

 

and into basford hall where someone took the train from us and we got away 

 

a week of 805 testing to Carlisle then another valley job on Saturday 

[Davexoc]

23 hours ago, big jim said:

Don’t get a chance to get a pic like this every day!

 

 

Nice one Jim. Probably never get a chance to repeat that....

[big jim]

2 minutes ago, Davexoc said:

 

Nice one Jim. Probably never get a chance to repeat that....

 

until next weekend! 
 

taking one to site next weekend so hopefully get a better pic at the other end which is a bit more open 

[big jim]

Night one of avanti testing, turns out it was an 807 not 805 

 

331 in crewe 

 

my unit to Stafford 

 

changing ends 

 

North end 

 

another 805 came in on another platform 

 

Varamis parcel train heading south

 

A brief stop in crewe where another 805 turned up, a different one to the unit seen in Stafford! 

 

Awful colour to get a pic of at night!

 

Then it was away to oxenholme ready to do a timed run to carlisle

 

And into Carlisle, made it in time, 4 seconds under the required time

 

Ready to head back to oxenholme for run 2 

 

had us away early back north to Carlisle, different platform this time

 

but amazingly exactly the same time, 4 seconds under!

 

DRS 57

 

156

 

Once that was done it was a bit of a break and a sleep before heading back to oxley

 

Changing ends in Wolverhampton 

 

and done 

 

same again tonight 

Edited Tuesday at 06:49 by big jim

[Ray M]

Can i ask, 

How much time difference will they allow 

when these trains are fully loaded.

[big jim]

6 hours ago, Ray M said:

Can i ask, 

How much time difference will they allow 

when these trains are fully loaded.

not a clue! 
 

These runs are really ‘pushing it’ braking and acceleration wise, I think the in service runs will be slower than the time I have to do it in (I hope!) 

[mikejames]

are you more or less promised greens all the way?

[big jim]

20 minutes ago, mikejames said:

are you more or less promised greens all the way?

pretty much, ring the box and tell them what your doing so they know to signal you right into the station at Carlisle

 

we check open train maps at oxenholme to see what’s ahead on the signalling diagrams to get a clear run, last night there was a class 4 (75mph) freight in front of us that we waited until it had passed though Penrith before we set off 

 

 

[CazRail]

Here you are passing Llanfairpwll crossing on Sunday evening. 

 

 

 

[big jim]

Much of the same last night but with a power pack isolated to see how it does with reduced power 

 

crewe 

 

stafford

 

Varamis unit again 

 

Off to oxenhome and then away to Carlisle 

 

Back to carnforth and back again to Carlisle 

 

Then just before the final trip back to oxley this rolled in and we ended up behind it all the way to winsford, as well as a GB service so it was a drag of a trip back 

 

Into wolves to change ends 

 

and into oxley 

 

same tonight, if it goes well then we won’t need to go out on Thursday, I’ve got more testing next week to Holyhead though

[big jim]

Couldn’t really be bothered with pics last night 

 

Couple from the day when I drove into town, 37108 en route to the NEC for the @Accurascale stand

 

 

First trip ready to leave oxenholme, the moon peeping through the trees 

 

2nd trip the full moon higher in the sky

 

A stop in crewe on the way back 

 

And done 

 

should be cancelled tonight as we got it all done but I may have to go in to take it crewe to oxley, had a look at the mileage for the week, I was doing about 550-600 miles a night which is a fair old whack as quite tiring both physically and mentally!

[big jim]

A short run back to oxley tonight

 

Former Scottish observation 101 saloon sat at the back of LSL sidings next to the horse landing 

 

197

 

Into Wolverhampton for a change ends 

 

 

and done 

 

mixed bag next week, possessions to and from valley again Saturday and Sunday, something I don’t know on Monday then 805s to Holyhead Wednesday /Thursday and something intermodaly on Friday by the looks of it 

[mikejames]

a bit back you said you did the oxenholm carlisle with a power pack isolated for comparison purposes

but you didnt say how much difference it made.

did it have much affect?

regards

 

Edited 6 hours ago by mikejames
spelling

[big jim]

18 minutes ago, mikejames said:

a bit back you said you did the oxenholm carlisle with a power pack isolated for comparison purposes

but you didnt say how much difference it made.

did it have much affect?

regards

 

Don’t really want to put too much info out there as it’s probably industry sensitive!