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

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I think there was a perception that a heritage line had to be in a tourist area to succeed, and indeed many of the successful ones are in such areas.  Even the SVR is well within daytrip range of the Birmingham/Wolverhampton conurbation and scenically attractive.  The GCR stands out as a mainline operation in not particularly scenic surroundings, showing that this aspect is not essential.  

 

The High Dyke operation was never going to be a large scale one, basically an industrial branch with no main line junction, but railways of this sort have proved successful, such as the Middleton, and Blaenafon and Pontypool, the latter associated with the popular Big Pit museum.  Nobody goes there for the scenery...

What's wrong with the scenery?

Tin sheds, Pit head, stone buildings, locos and wagons.

What more do you want?

 

Oh, and there's a nice bit of hillside in the background.

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by melmerby

[The Johnster]

It’s fine by me, I love that sort of stuff, but it’s not ‘conventionally’ pretty, in the way that potential backers of tourist railways prefer...

[corneliuslundie]

I thought for a second it was a model.

Jonathan

[DaveF]

3 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I think there was a perception that a heritage line had to be in a tourist area to succeed, and indeed many of the successful ones are in such areas.  Even the SVR is well within daytrip range of the Birmingham/Wolverhampton conurbation and scenically attractive.  The GCR stands out as a mainline operation in not particularly scenic surroundings, showing that this aspect is not essential.  

 

The High Dyke operation was never going to be a large scale one, basically an industrial branch with no main line junction, but railways of this sort have proved successful, such as the Middleton, and Blaenafon and Pontypool, the latter associated with the popular Big Pit museum.  Nobody goes there for the scenery...

 

 

Although the actual line was industrial it was also intended to have Flying Scotsman and Pendennis Castle based at Market Overton, with a connection to British Rail maintained at High Dyke.

 

When BR quoted a very high price for the connection to be retained plans were made to relay the ex Midland line to Saxby Junction to provide a connection.  Some tracklaying was done before the project was cancelled.

 

There were also plans for other attractions to be developed in the area over a period of time.

 

Dad managed the works at Sewstern (and the relevant ex ironstone lines) for the Buckminster Estate, who were the original landowners of the quarried land so he knew about the plans in detail.

 

David

[The Johnster]

As you say, not viable at the time, and a shame.

3 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

thought for a second it was a model.

I think that's one of Tomparryharry's Andrew Barclays in Melmerby's photo.  And he didn't get them from Hatton's...

[DaveF]

A few more photos from the Bowes Railway today.

 

 

Blackhams Hill wagons going down incline on rope 24th May 87 C8573.jpg

 

Blackhams Hill Barclay 22 27th March 89 C11743.jpg

 

 

Springwell Barclay 22 27th March 89 C11748.jpg

 

 

Blackhams Hill wagons at top of incline 27th March 89 C11740.jpg

 

 

Bowes Railway Blackhams Hill Barclay WST 7th April 85 C6783.jpg

 

 

Bowes Railway Springwell 7th April 85 C6786.jpg

 

 

David

 

[DaveF]

 

Back to Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh this afternoon with photos taken in August 1987.

 

 

Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens 47651 Perth to EdinburghAug 87 J9164.jpg

 

 

Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens 101360 Edinburgh to Dunblane Aug 87 J9165.jpg

 

 

Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens 47715 Edinburgh to Glasgow QS Aug 87 J9166.jpg

 

 

Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens 101362 Edinburgh to Kirkaldy Aug 87 J9167.jpg

 

 

Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens 101363 18th Aug 87 C9013.jpg

 

 

David

[tomparryharry]

19 hours ago, melmerby said:

What's wrong with the scenery?

Tin sheds, Pit head, stone buildings, locos and wagons.

What more do you want?

 

Oh, and there's a nice bit of hillside in the background.

 

 

The Blaenavon that you're looking at is a heavily landscaped modern view. The ground level is some 15-20 feet higher than that, as it lines up with the tops of the furnaces Underneath ground level, are tuyeres, tunnels, walkways. and general detritus generated by 150 years of industry. From the photographers aspect, you can draw a direct line from pit top, straight through between the viewers feet, to the drift mine entrance 1/4 mile away. The 2 locomotives are Andrew Barclay 'Nora' from Big Pit, and the Hudswell Clarke No 10, which (I think), came from the Cambrian Colliery, and also Coedely. There is very little physical resemblance between the real Big Pit, and what you see today. Sure, you can go underground, but the entire area, and all of the exhibits, have been 'sanitised'. 

[Market65]

Good afternoon, David. I like the Bowes Railway photo’s which are all full of interest. In C11740, at Blackhams Hill, with a rake of wagons at the top of the incline, on the 27th March, 1989, in the four foot of the adjacent track is a strange looking thing. I wonder what is was.

The Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens photo’s, from August, 1987, are as full of interest and charm as ever. In the first one, with 47651, on a Perth to Edinburgh service, the formation is most interesting. Two Mk1 BG’s followed by an air con TSO, then three air con FO’s, and a Mk1 BG again. Indeed, that seems a quite unusual train, and I wonder if it might be an ECS working?

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[DaveF]

28 minutes ago, Market65 said:

Good afternoon, David. I like the Bowes Railway photo’s which are all full of interest. In C11740, at Blackhams Hill, with a rake of wagons at the top of the incline, on the 27th March, 1989, in the four foot of the adjacent track is a strange looking thing. I wonder what is was.

The Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens photo’s, from August, 1987, are as full of interest and charm as ever. In the first one, with 47651, on a Perth to Edinburgh service, the formation is most interesting. Two Mk1 BG’s followed by an air con TSO, then three air con FO’s, and a Mk1 BG again. Indeed, that seems a quite unusual train, and I wonder if it might be an ECS working?

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

 

I think the structure in C11740 on the Bowes Railway may have been designed to deflect the rope as it is detached from wagons but cannot be sure.

Although I saw the incline working I cannot remember the details.

 

The Edinburgh photo could have been empty stock, but it was taken at about the time there should have been a train from Perth.  The formation has always looked odd to me.

 

David

[The Pilotman]

27 minutes ago, Market65 said:

The Edinburgh Princes Street Gardens photo’s, from August, 1987, are as full of interest and charm as ever. In the first one, with 47651, on a Perth to Edinburgh service, the formation is most interesting. Two Mk1 BG’s followed by an air con TSO, then three air con FO’s, and a Mk1 BG again. 

There’s a GUV there too and all 4 coaches are first class. 

[drjcontroller]

14 hours ago, DaveF said:

 

I think the structure in C11740 on the Bowes Railway may have been designed to deflect the rope as it is detached from wagons but cannot be sure.

Although I saw the incline working I cannot remember the details.

 

The Edinburgh photo could have been empty stock, but it was taken at about the time there should have been a train from Perth.  The formation has always looked odd to me.

 

David

 

That's correct David, have a look at this fabulous film of the operation shot in 1975, there's a brief clip at approx 21 minutes showing how it works. Worth watching the whole film though.

 

 

 

Douglas

[DaveF]

 

Back to the Tyne and Wear Metro for this aftrenoon.

 

 

Ouseburn viaduct Metro Dec 82 J7763.jpg

 

 

Ouseburn viaduct T&W Metro Dec 82 J7765.jpg

 

 

Howdon viaduct Metro Dec 82 J7779.jpg

 

 

Shiremoor Metro 4073 Pelaw to St James Jan 89 J9730.jpg

 

 

Monkseaton 4069 and 4007 St James to Pelaw 4th Jan 92 C16668.jpg

 

 

David

[Market65]

Good afternoon, David. I like the latest Tyne And Wear Metro photo’s. All are of interest and nostalgia. The first two show interesting aspects of the Ouseburn Viaduct. An impressive structure for a relatively modern design which contrasts well wuth the much older viaducts. In J7779, of the Howdon viaduct, with a Metro running over it, in December, 1982, you have a great photo’ which shows the viaduct off perfectly, as it crosses wasteland along with industrial buildings.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[woodenhead]

On 13/04/2020 at 09:00, drjcontroller said:

 

That's correct David, have a look at this fabulous film of the operation shot in 1975, there's a brief clip at approx 21 minutes showing how it works. Worth watching the whole film though.

 

7 minutes in, the chap dancing along the track with a big stick and then manhandling the cable over whilst the wagons are dropping down the incline.   How life has changed, this was only 1975 and probably a practice that had existed 100 years.

 

Not to mention the age of some of the men chasing the wagons and pinning them down.

 

It's such a different world to now.

Edited April 14, 2020 by woodenhead

[DaveF]

A move to York for today with photos from 1987 and 1992.

 

 

York 142074 Leeds to York via Harrogate July 87 J9048.jpg

 

 

York 43048 down 13th July 87 C8693.jpg

 

 

York 47363 up ICI tanks July 87 J9074.jpg

 

 

York 141106 York Harrogate Leeds 3rd June 92 C16891.jpg

 

 

York 13th Oct 92 C18110.jpg

 

 

David

 

[Market65]

Good evening, David. I like the latest York photo’s which are so interesting and full of nostalgia. In J9074, with 47363 on an up ICI tanker train, in July p, 1987, you can see very clearly just how the trackwork has been simplified from the date of the photo’, and, of course, the scene is now complicated by the OHLE. 

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[deltic17]

Love the recent Tyne & Wear Metro photos. I just think the original livery suits those Metrocars so much better than recent attempts

[Southernman46]

12 hours ago, deltic17 said:

Love the recent Tyne & Wear Metro photos. I just think the original livery suits those Metrocars so much better than recent attempts

Indeed - Four Lane Ends will always have a place in my heart 

[DaveF]

Another set of photos heading north along the ECML from Darlington.

 

 

Darlington 142050 Bishop Auckland to Saltburn 12th May 90 C14456.jpg

 

 

Darlington 253052 Edimburgh to Plymouth 21st Feb 87 C8208.jpg

 

 

Sunderland Bridge Class 82/2DVT up IC Glasgow to Kings X 24th Oct 95_C20566.jpg

 

 

Croxdale Class 91 down 16th Oct 93 C19109.jpg

 

 

Bensham Class 143 Newcastle to Hexham Aug 86 J8659.jpg

 

 

David

Edited April 15, 2020 by DaveF

[Clagsniffer]

Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an HST as dirty as in C8208!!

 

More excellent pictures, thank you.

 

Rich.

[seahorse]

Hi - ref 9074 at York - baseboards are for track, and scenery goes on the bits where you can't sensibly put more track!

 

A good B&B just to the right of the Church

 

regards

Peter

[luckymucklebackit]

1 hour ago, seahorse said:

Hi - ref 9074 at York - baseboards are for track, and scenery goes on the bits where you can't sensibly put more track!

 

A good B&B just to the right of the Church

 

regards

Peter

 

Got my car stickered for parking down beside that chirch one, it was a devil to get off

 

Jim

[Market65]

Good evening, David. I like the photo’s of the ECML north from Darlington. All are of interest, and how things have changed. In the first one at Darlington, C14456,  the class 142, 142050, on a Bishop Auckland to Saltburn service, on the 12th May, 1990, is now just a memory, no longer being in service. Indeed no 142’s will be seen at Darlington anymore, so thank goodness for these photo’s which are of the greatest of value.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[The Johnster]

4 hours ago, Clagsniffer said:

Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an HST as dirty as in C8208!!

 

More excellent pictures, thank you.

 

Rich.

Looks like it’s just come off shift down t’pit.