Rail Blue TOPS late 70s

[Phil Bullock]

Time for some more late 70s action. You might recognise some of the locations again - but hopefully still of interest.

 

Firstly one for Keefer

 

 

A pair of 26s on a southbound working at Coaltown, just north of Thornton Junction. 4th vehicle looks interesting - is that a griddle car? More East Coast shots to come!

 

And then one of my all time favourites at Warrington Bank Quay

 

 

25323 and a fellow class member head north with Prestflows. Was it a cold frosty day or is that just powder on the wagons?

 

Further down the WCML at Crewe

 

 

A class 50 at the south end of Crewe. Given they were all on the Western by this time this must have been ex works.

 

Then we head off south of Shrewsbury, firstly to Church Stretton

 

 

That's 47135 on a southbound working. Then a bit further south to Ludlow racecourse

 

 

A crossing shot! Now that would not have been common here - traffic was not that busy, but see the yarn below at end of post. That's my chum John Howles with the Maxi and recording equipment....

 

Further south near Malvern

 

 

PWM650 slumbers in the headshunt at Newlands PW depot. This loco - or 654 - were often in the area. Then its over the border to Pantyfynnon

 

 

We saw her in an earlier shot but just found this better one - she has obviously been bulled up with her silver buffers and pipes, and has been up the Central Wales line as still has the headlamp attached. Nice 21 tonners in her train too.

 

Then back to Plymouth for another whizzo shot

 

 

1071 shows off her ventilation vent. Then to London for variety in front ends at Hither Green

 

 

Finally up the East Coast to Hull

 

 

Looks like 03112 has been through the washer a few times. And theres a Swindon Inter-City unit in the depot.....

 

Finally for tonight at York, its time for a Deltic.

 

 

Heres 55014 arriving from the north.

 

 

 

To close, heres the Ludlow Racecourse yarn. My piscatorial activities used to take me to various places in this area and further west, including Llandinam. Fishing there involved wading over the foundations of the railway bridge on the lifted Moat Lane - Llanidloes line but that's another tale. Returning from there one evening on approaching Onnibury level crossing on the A49 I noted the lights were flashing and the train was just clearing the crossing - empty 21 ton minerals with an LMS pattern van on the back. The road from there to Ludlow racecourse runs parallel to the railway and I was overtaking the train - it was going in to the loop so was going to catch up with the loco - which turned out to be 40001. That was great but even better within the next half hour 40152 headed north on a CWR train, two 25s on Class 1s passed together with a Peak on a van train. There are some interludes in my railway watching that stick vividly in the memory - this was one, but even better as it was totally unplanned and unexpected.

 

These trips gave me great pleasure at the time - looking back at these phots revives fond memories, hope you enjoy them too.

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

 

 

 

 

 

 

[keefer]

A pair of 26s on a southbound working at Coaltown, just north of Thornton Junction. 4th vehicle looks interesting - is that a griddle car?

 

diagram 31 griddle car, common on the longer distance ScR services like edinburgh/glasgow-aberdeen/inverness

given that it's got 2 x 26s, i'd guess it's an inverness-edinburgh via ladybank, the aberdeen-edinburghs were (i think) mostly cl.40, occasionally cl.47

 

thanks again for the great pics

 

EDIT: diagram of griddle is 31, not 30. coach nos. SC1103-5

 

Edited October 12, 2013 by keefer

[D1030western musketeer]

Any photo of a 52 is worth seeing,thanks for showing.

 

richard

[bodmin16]

How about some night shots?  A peak at St Pancras and a Class 50 at Reading, both locations now vastly different than they were in the 70s!

[Phil Bullock]

Thanks Bodmin

 

Spent quite a bit of time at Reading in 76 for the last year of the whizzos so fond memories there

 

Phil

Edited November 21, 2013 by Phil Bullock

[bodmin16]

Thanks Bodmin

 

Spent quite a bit of time at Reading in 76 for the last year of the whizzes so fond memories there

 

Phil

I think it was probabaly my second home.  Cross country train from Basingstoke about lunchtime and then return home on another later in the evening, and of course a few trips in Hampshire units.  i'll have to have a look through to see if i can find any more half decent pictures.

 

Alan

[Phil Bullock]

I have lots more to post in this thread but have actually been doing some more modelling lately so no time for more scanning just yet

Look forwards to seeing more from other posters too!

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

[ianwales]

Time for some more late 70s action. You might recognise some of the locations again - but hopefully still of interest.

 

Firstly one for Keefer

 

Class 26s Coaltown cropped.jpg

 

A pair of 26s on a southbound working at Coaltown, just north of Thornton Junction. 4th vehicle looks interesting - is that a griddle car? More East Coast shots to come!

 

And then one of my all time favourites at Warrington Bank Quay

 

25323 Warrington Bank Quay resized.jpg

 

25323 and a fellow class member head north with Prestflows. Was it a cold frosty day or is that just powder on the wagons?

 

Further down the WCML at Crewe

 

Class 50 Crewe.jpg

 

A class 50 at the south end of Crewe. Given they were all on the Western by this time this must have been ex works.

 

Then we head off south of Shrewsbury, firstly to Church Stretton

 

47135 Church Stretton resized.jpg

 

That's 47135 on a southbound working. Then a bit further south to Ludlow racecourse

 

Peak and Class 25 Ludlow Racecourse.jpg

 

A crossing shot! Now that would not have been common here - traffic was not that busy, but see the yarn below at end of post. That's my chum John Howles with the Maxi and recording equipment....

 

Further south near Malvern

 

PWM650 Newlands cropped.jpg

 

PWM650 slumbers in the headshunt at Newlands PW depot. This loco - or 654 - were often in the area. Then its over the border to Pantyfynnon

 

37177 Pantyfynnon resized 2.jpg

 

We saw her in an earlier shot but just found this better one - she has obviously been bulled up with her silver buffers and pipes, and has been up the Central Wales line as still has the headlamp attached. Nice 21 tonners in her train too.

 

Then back to Plymouth for another whizzo shot

 

1071 Plymouth resized.jpg

 

1071 shows off her ventilation vent. Then to London for variety in front ends at Hither Green

 

73112 Hither Green resized.jpg

 

Finally up the East Coast to Hull

 

03112 Hull cropped.jpg

 

Looks like 03112 has been through the washer a few times. And theres a Swindon Inter-City unit in the depot.....

 

Finally for tonight at York, its time for a Deltic.

 

55014 York resized.jpg

 

Heres 55014 arriving from the north.

 

 

 

To close, heres the Ludlow Racecourse yarn. My piscatorial activities used to take me to various places in this area and further west, including Llandinam. Fishing there involved wading over the foundations of the railway bridge on the lifted Moat Lane - Llanidloes line but that's another tale. Returning from there one evening on approaching Onnibury level crossing on the A49 I noted the lights were flashing and the train was just clearing the crossing - empty 21 ton minerals with an LMS pattern van on the back. The road from there to Ludlow racecourse runs parallel to the railway and I was overtaking the train - it was going in to the loop so was going to catch up with the loco - which turned out to be 40001. That was great but even better within the next half hour 40152 headed north on a CWR train, two 25s on Class 1s passed together with a Peak on a van train. There are some interludes in my railway watching that stick vividly in the memory - this was one, but even better as it was totally unplanned and unexpected.

 

These trips gave me great pleasure at the time - looking back at these phots revives fond memories, hope you enjoy them too.

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

 

Hi Phill

 

Realised after I had written the following on your Abbotswood thread it would be better placed here - ref 37177,  Pantyffynnon box is just out of shot to the right, the train having come from Swansea Burrows or Margam and has just turned off the Central Wales on to the Abernant branch, incidentally, the headlights were a permanent fixture to about half a dozen 37's

 

Ian

[geoffwba]

I also went on the S&C trip with 40109 - the date was 18 September 1976.  Here are my photos of the 40 at the Garsdale stop. I wonder if anyone recognises themself ?

[Owd Bob]

Cor Blimey! Did we all look like that before Punk Rock arrived?  A few late '70's 110 snaps from me taken at SP. 40 027 stands next to a pile of coal that was used for the steam crane. 47 272 & 40 082.

 

[brushman47544]

The 47 is ETH so not 47272 unless your records refer to the one that can be seen poking out of the shed building.

[brushman47544]

16 hours ago, brushman47544 said:

The 47 is ETH so not 47272 unless your records refer to the one that can be seen poking out of the shed building.

 

The 47 might actually be identifiable. The dominos are smaller than standard and there’s what looks like the 3 pin (?)  adaptor to the left of the ETH jumper for Royal Train working.