Dave F's photos - ongoing - more added each day

[The Pilotman]

13 minutes ago, Market65 said:

Hi, Dave. I like the Grantham photo’s which are full of interest. In particular, J6965, of Deltic, class 55, 55022, on a  York to Kings Cross train in June, 1980. It’s an excellent shot showing the power and majesty of the powerful 55’s.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

 

And it’s only got six coaches on; must have gone like the clappers.

[The Johnster]

56 minutes ago, Market65 said:

Hi, Dave. I like the Grantham photo’s which are full of interest. In particular, J6965, of Deltic, class 55, 55022, on a  York to Kings Cross train in June, 1980. It’s an excellent shot showing the power and majesty of the powerful 55’s.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

I never thought the 55s were particularly majestic; if you were going to describe a diesel as that I'd think of the awesome sheer size of a class 40 first, and found Deltics rather ugly and bulbous in the blue livery.  At least the two tone green broke up the lumpiness a bit.  But I developed a liking for them the first time I saw one, accelerating hard towards Doncaster from Selby (I was visiting big sis who lived there at the time) outlined against the skyline up on the embankment.  It was that wonderful noise!  EE seemed to always come up with the goods when it came to diesel noises, and this was easily the best!

[DaveF]

2 hours ago, eastwestdivide said:

J6557 is the SR parcels van tail traffic on the DMUs? I like the lighting/signals in the dusk on that photo.

 

It might be but I don't think I have any photos of dmus with a van on the back on the Nottingham - Grantham - Skegness line - though it could have happened.

 

Perhaps they only ran like that after dark?

 

Does anyone know for ceratin?

 

David

[lmsforever]

  Watching a Deltic leaving the cross was a great experience  and       the noise and the hum as they passed at speed  wow.

[Oldddudders]

45 minutes ago, lmsforever said:

  Watching a Deltic leaving the cross was a great experience  and       the noise and the hum as they passed at speed  wow.

I was once on a Cravens DMU leaving the Cross at the same time, and overtaking the Deltic in the tunnel. One got the impression that the smoke from the exhaust was orange. 

[35A]

4 hours ago, DaveF said:

 

It might be but I don't think I have any photos of dmus with a van on the back on the Nottingham - Grantham - Skegness line - though it could have happened.

 

Perhaps they only ran like that after dark?

 

Does anyone know for ceratin?

 

 

Certainly, at the turn of the 1970s, tail loads were still a regular occurrence on the cross-country services between the Midlands and East Anglia (the Swindon Cross-Country units regularly ran on the Birmingham - Norwich/Cambridge axis with vans). I don't recall ever seeing any on the Nottingham - Skegness route, behind 114s, and no journey between Grantham and Nottingham that I took (fairly regularly at that time) ever conveyed one, BICBW. Even on the former route, though, tail loads had long since ceased by 1979 (in any case, class 31s and LHCS had taken over- but they had gone from the DMUs before that happened). Again ICBW but I think that there was a BR policy decision, fairly early in the 1970s, not to perpetuate the practice of hauling vans behind DMUs. I'm sure that I read it somewhere - but, of course, trying to find the relevant article might take some time! 

 

[St Enodoc]

11 hours ago, talisman56 said:

 

Very similar to those that knew about, and headed for the only second class compartment in a Big or Cig on the SR...

... as long as it wasn't in the leading or trailing car.

 

If you couldn't bag the compartment, the long trailer in the CIG was the place to be.

[DaveF]

 

Nearer home my today so we are in Northumberland looking at trains passing through Cramlington.

 

Cramlington is between Newcastle and Morpeth.

 

The trees have grown a lot since the photos were taken and the station building has been demolished.

 

 

Cramlington 47585 royal train 18th July 86 J8636.jpg

 

 

Cramlington 56116 up empties 13th April 88 C9442.jpg

 

 

Cramlington 43071 down 27th Aug 88 C11502.jpg

 

 

Cramlington 142518 Newcastle to Morpeth 2nd May 92 C16829.jpg

 

 

Cramlington 153319 Newcastle to Morpeth 24th Dec 92 C18199.jpg

 

 

David

[Fat Controller]

I remember getting off a Down train at Cram, and almost dislocating my shoulder, the cant was that great.

[jwealleans]

Which Royal was it?  Last time I bumped into Brian at Northallerton it was just a column of silver Range Rovers.

[DaveF]

3 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

Which Royal was it?  Last time I bumped into Brian at Northallerton it was just a column of silver Range Rovers.

 

 

The Queen.

 

David

[melmerby]

13 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

Which Royal was it?  Last time I bumped into Brian at Northallerton it was just a column of silver Range Rovers.

 

9 minutes ago, DaveF said:

 

 

The Queen.

 

David

Hence HMQ's Roller lined up to the red carpet.

[The Pilotman]

J8636 is interesting. I thought 47585 was a Stratford loco which would make it an interesting choice for a special train in the north east but it must have been one of the chosen locos as there are several pictures on Flickr of it on the Royal Train that year. And nice to see a Ford Granada “jam sandwich” parked outside the station.

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Cramlington photo’s. All are of interest. In C16829, with 142518, on a Newcastle to Morpeth service, on the 2nd May, 1992, you have captured very expertly, a view of one the Skippers that were transferred NE from the Devon and Cornish branch lines on being found to be unsuitable for the sharp curves and gradients to be found on those lines.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[Clive Mortimore]

On 17/11/2019 at 22:41, 31A said:

C19124 - interesting to see a picture of a 322 in their original short lived Stansted Express livery!

 

It looks like a 310 in front of the 322. I can just about make out the grille by the guard's doors which wasn't present on a 312. 

[russ p]

1 hour ago, Western Aviator said:

J8636 is interesting. I thought 47585 was a Stratford loco which would make it an interesting choice for a special train in the north east but it must have been one of the chosen locos as there are several pictures on Flickr of it on the Royal Train that year. And nice to see a Ford Granada “jam sandwich” parked outside the station.

 

David managed to catch a lot of interesting vehicles in his pictures there is a lovely SD1 Vanden plas and a manta GT/E in the same picture 

[RANGERS]

20 hours ago, 35A said:

 

Certainly, at the turn of the 1970s, tail loads were still a regular occurrence on the cross-country services between the Midlands and East Anglia (the Swindon Cross-Country units regularly ran on the Birmingham - Norwich/Cambridge axis with vans). I don't recall ever seeing any on the Nottingham - Skegness route, behind 114s, and no journey between Grantham and Nottingham that I took (fairly regularly at that time) ever conveyed one, BICBW. Even on the former route, though, tail loads had long since ceased by 1979 (in any case, class 31s and LHCS had taken over- but they had gone from the DMUs before that happened). Again ICBW but I think that there was a BR policy decision, fairly early in the 1970s, not to perpetuate the practice of hauling vans behind DMUs. I'm sure that I read it somewhere - but, of course, trying to find the relevant article might take some time! 

 

Tail traffic was still alive and well in East Anglia in 1980 at least, there was a daily van tagged to the back of a Norwich to Yarmouth unit, usually a Cravens set, which was detached at Yarmouth by the 03 station pilot. I believe there was an equivalent service to Lowestoft. I’m not certain about it elsewhere but I think there was a working from Lincoln which might have run to Grimsby, I’ve a vague recollection of seeing a photo of one at Barnetby in the mid-70s.

[Signaller69]

6 hours ago, russ p said:

 

David managed to catch a lot of interesting vehicles in his pictures there is a lovely SD1 Vanden plas and a manta GT/E in the same picture 

A nice late Mk.2 Ford Granada Police motor too, B reg (1982?) was the last year they made them I think with the Mk.3 coming in by 'C' registration.

[DaveF]

 

 

Today's photos are of Brockley Whins (formerly Boldon Colliery) and East Boldon, both on the line from Newcastle to Sunderland.

 

 

Boldon Colliery Class 101 Middlesbrough to Newcastle April 86 J8518.jpg

 

 

Boldon Colliery 143029 driver training April 86 J8519.jpg

 

 

Boldon Colliery Brockley Whins A4 4468 Mallard 50th anniversary of speed record 16th July 88 C9614.jpg

 

 

East Boldon 142025 Sunderland to Metro Centre 27th March 93 C18390.jpg

 

 

East Boldon 142019 Metro Centre to Sunderland 27th March 93 C18392.jpg

 

 

David

[The Stationmaster]

On 20/11/2019 at 14:59, Fat Controller said:

I remember getting off a Down train at Cram, and almost dislocating my shoulder, the cant was that great.

You should have tried getting a suitcase over that blasted footbridge - not recommended at all.

22 hours ago, Market65 said:

Hi, Dave. I like the Cramlington photo’s. All are of interest. In C16829, with 142518, on a Newcastle to Morpeth service, on the 2nd May, 1992, you have captured very expertly, a view of one the Skippers that were transferred NE from the Devon and Cornish branch lines on being found to be unsuitable for the sharp curves and gradients to be found on those lines.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

The real reason the Western got shot of them was their failure to reliably operate track circuits - they rapu idly developed a very nasty habit of 'disappearing' at quite a number of locations in the West of England.  When some research as carried out on the Exmouth branch the reason for it was quickly brought to light - the suspension was designed to give a good ride and what they led to was wheels being out of contact with the track for a lot of the time on jointed track hence the track circuits were failing wrong side.  So the trains were banned on the WR due to some very real safety fears.

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Brockley Whins and East Boldon photo’s which are full of interest. The first photo’, at Boldon Colliery, with a class 101 unit on a Middlesbrough to Newcastle service in April, 1986, shows what was originally a four car set which had been reduced to three cars by the removal of the trailer second.

That is most interesting about the class 142 Skippers and the track circuiting. Many thanks, The Stationmaster, for giving out the real reason for the removal of those 142’s from those branch lines in question.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

 

 

[iands]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

You should have tried getting a suitcase over that blasted footbridge - not recommended at all.

The real reason the Western got shot of them was their failure to reliably operate track circuits - they rapu idly developed a very nasty habit of 'disappearing' at quite a number of locations in the West of England.  When some research as carried out on the Exmouth branch the reason for it was quickly brought to light - the suspension was designed to give a good ride and what they led to was wheels being out of contact with the track for a lot of the time on jointed track hence the track circuits were failing wrong side.  So the trains were banned on the WR due to some very real safety fears.

It begs the question Mike, was there anything significantly different with  the WR track circuits (and/or jointed track) to what was being used elsewhere on other regions? 

[The Johnster]

And they seem to have worked fine elsewhere on the WR, being a staple of the South Wales Valley Lines for many years and the SWML between Cardiff and Newport.

[Geoff Endacott]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

- the suspension was designed to give a good ride...

 

That didn't work very well did it?

 

Geoff Endacott

[Fat Controller]

23 minutes ago, iands said:

It begs the question Mike, was there anything significantly different with  the WR track circuits (and/or jointed track) to what was being used elsewhere on other regions? 

In the North-East, they also had track-circuit detection problems; my recollection is that they fitted something called a Track Circuit Actuation Device. It was not just Pacers that had the problem, but the 150s and 156s. Neither is it uniquely British problem. SNCF are selling off a class of virtually brand new Diesel Railcar, as they have not been able to get 'Shuntage' to work on them.