RMweb Gold Popular Post beast66606 Posted June 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2015 On Saturday 20th June a train conveying stone in 16 JRA wagons ran to Johnston's siding at Eccles Road - on the Ely -> Norwich line. This was the first train to run, aside from a passenger special on 09 May 2015, since 2008 when the potato traffic ceased (thanks to Colin Makcrow for this info) - I've been in Norfolk for over 4 years and nothing freightwise has ventured inside during my time. And so it came about that early - 05:30 - on Saturday 20th June I arrived at Eccles Road station to see the first arrival for many a year. The DBS ops guy from Cambridge - I didn't catch his name - heads towards the station to find out what's happening. He was most impressed that I could tell him exactly where the train was (I had the mimic Cambridge panel on my phone so was watching it step along the signals). Presently, and after an amusing conversation between the driver, signalman and the shunter (as I'll call him, no disrespect to his actual grade but for this day he was helping shunting !) where the driver was asking the signalman to ask if the shunter was there, even though he had the brightest orange HV imaginable and the sun was shining on him ! After a brief discussion, the train ran forward, prior to setting back into the sidings EN 8158 got another chance of glory, for the second time in it's working life of several years it was called to action - the stencil reads ES - Eccles Sidings presumably The train then set back I wander over to the sidings (via the public route and checked with the guys that they were happy with me being there, they were (I had a HV on)) The guy on the left - John - and I had a lot in common - we both love a good pork pie ! The method of working was to run round the train and then propel the load back into the single siding serving Johnston's but the driver (a Peterborough man) had experience of this and suggested it would be better if the loco hauled the train out, the siding was sharply curved and uphill, and propelled back and so 66101 set itself to the task. Unfortunately the best laid plans of mice and men ... The 66 slipped to a stand, well it would have if there wasn't anti-slip controls, but basically it got partway around the first curve and that was that So, the train was split, the 66 taking 8 wagons in the first load, leaving 8 behind The train tackles the second (right hand) curve - notice the check rail - I was walking faster than it and the track was grumbling loudly Journey's end approaches and a grabber awaits the unloading Unloading commences - I couldn't get any nearer as it was private land, and the guys to ask were on the other side of the train ! At this point I nipped home, for a brew and some brekkie, and to wash my arm - I'd had a fight with some thorns and lost, my arm looked like I'd been slashed to bits, it was covered in, and dripping, blood, when cleaned up it was a couple of small scratches ! I returned to find the first portion still unloading The loco was drawing the train forward, one wagon length at a time. I then went back to photograph the remaining wagons. The first portion eventually reappeared, propelled by 66101 The empties were dropped in siding 1 And the second rake of 8 loaded wagons collected Once again 66101 put at the bank I followed Unloading commenced and again, I went and photographed the rest of the wagons. I took a wander around to find a spot to photograph the departure whilst the second portion was unloaded Having circumnavigated the area, I went back to find the last wagons being unloaded, the expert grabber driver was making short work of the job. Unloading finished, the second half returned, preceeded by the DBS shunter in a van This portion was shunted onto the end of the 8 wagons unloaded earlier. The 66 was uncoupled and ran around the wagons, the train was to propel out of the sidings onto the main line and then head back towards Ely and beyond to Peak Forest. Breath in ! and onto the - now - front of the train Brake test, paperwork and the train was ready to depart. I returned to the station Bang on time the points went over and propelling commenced. Unfortunately the driver only came back far enough to clear the signal, but a factory unit alongside the platform has a car park which, although heavily "treed", gave a view And off we go ... And it was still only 12:30 ! A great day, my thanks to all concerned for tolerating a crank asking daft questions - and to Johnston Logistics for using rail. Edit Some minor editing as a photo was out of sequence and a bit of text was in the wrong place for some reason. 74 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Thanks for the photos, it's nice to see an operation from start of finish. Regards, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayward Hayward Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Top work Dave, fantastic story. I look forward to joining you at some point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I agree with the others, thanks for putting the time, effort and blood into getting the complete sequence for us, really good description as well. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Many thanks, Dave! Most interesting. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Agree with all the above comments. Good to see Dave recording this for posterity. My favourite photo is #22 with the Cl.66 and train disappearing round a sharp curve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted June 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 21, 2015 Agree with all the above comments. Good to see Dave recording this for posterity. My favourite photo is #22 with the Cl.66 and train disappearing round a sharp curve. Looks like 2nd radius to me............... Cheers, Mick 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 21, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 21, 2015 I took a lot of photos of the wagons - JRA - is it worth a thread to post them ? Edited to change KEA to JRA = thanks Martyn 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwicksfinest Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Well the driver was Peterborough's No1 The ops manager I believe is now from Ipswich Can't see who the groundstaff is !! Pleased all went well, hopefully another job for our depot 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 21, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 21, 2015 The groundstaff guy was, I believe, from the London area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Back in ye olden days, many private sidings had "BR engines must not psss this point" boards. Remember the story in one of the Thomas the Tank Engine books when the loco (or was it the crew) ignored this? Many private sidings had their own small shunter to collect the wagons from the exchange sidings and move them around the site. But nowadays, are locos able to fully access these small siding set-ups? Presumably someone from Network Rail (or DBS - or both) checked the sidings before this traffic flow began? Just wondering..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwicksfinest Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 The groundstaff guy was, I believe, from the London area. I wouldn't be surprised, definitely not a Peterborough or March guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 good to see. i often wondered where those sidings went. back of the race circuit somewhere? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 21, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 21, 2015 good to see. i often wondered where those sidings went. back of the race circuit somewhere? Yep - Johnston logistics - http://www.johnstonlogistics.co.uk/ Which has an entry dated 1984 and 1985 (!) stating the siding was laid in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Fascinating, and well written and presented, thankyou. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkea1 Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Thanks for documenting this! Is it likely to be regular traffic? Secondly, how do you get a panel mimic on your phone? Cheers Al Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I took a lot of photos of the wagons - KEA - is it worth a thread to post them ? A minor point, they are JRA, KEA are the ex TML concrete section carriers. Great set of pics though and excellent to see some new traffic too. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I took a lot of photos of the wagons - KEA - is it worth a thread to post them ? Well, I'd like to see them; those Tiphook wagons have become very tatty. Who owns them these days? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 31A Posted June 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 21, 2015 Thanks for posting this information and photographs; having been a passenger on the previous train to Johnston's siding and having passed the Eccles Road sidings on numerous occasions prior to that, it's good to see some use being made of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Interesting story, well told, thank you. In the photo of the brake test are the blue chairs to mark the location of the uncoupling magnet? cheers 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Well, I'd like to see them; those Tiphook wagons have become very tatty. Who owns them these days? I think it's GE. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 22, 2015 I think it's GE. I took a lot of photos of the wagons - KEA - is it worth a thread to post them ? I'll post some photos later Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 22, 2015 Thanks for documenting this! Is it likely to be regular traffic? Secondly, how do you get a panel mimic on your phone? Cheers Al Weekly initially but at the moment it's unknown how long it will run for, hopefully a long time. Railcam.uk - and BT shared broadband from one of the local premises - provide the diagrams. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 22, 2015 Interesting story, well told, thank you. In the photo of the brake test are the blue chairs to mark the location of the uncoupling magnet? cheers Yes, they weren't at first but once we got the position right we marked the spot for future use. 37slu are clear both ends at that point iirc. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 22, 2015 I think it's GE. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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