Traffic returns to Eccles Road (Norfolk)

[Satan's Goldfish]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8AvTt0tFaI

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JTpifjXTPLs

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QsPBtR7hcv0

 

always hit and miss with embedding videos for me!

 

Video 1 has the wagons reversing off the mainline from its considerable overshoot!

 

Video 2 has the first cut heading up to the unloading point and struggling to get traction on the curve.

 

Video 3 has the departure from the sidings, I'm pretty sure when the 66 aims to pull forward out of the platform they initially forget to change it to the correct direction!

 

fun times. Interesting weathering on some wagons for anyone that's ever accidently spilled paint on theirs.

[beast66606]

 

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

Cheers Beast!

 

never had an issue embedding using pc/laptop but can't find the option on tablet.

[beast66606]

As you've probably guessed I was joined by Satans Goldfish on 18 Feb for the arrival of the stone, a bit of a party in a brewery.

 

23 Feb 2016

66054 on 6Z59, 20:30, Dowlow Briggs Sdgs - Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg (07:54) - loaded stone (15 KEA)

 

The train was held awaiting the shunters, the driver was a bit enthusiastic with the shunt forward to clear the points (not really an issue) and the previous loads had not been moved so things were a bit busy with stone at the unloading point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time, surely I'll get the 158 alongside the 66 ...

 

 

Nope

 

 

 

 

 

The digger driver arrived late and time ran out, so the train departed with one wagon still loaded.

 

66054 on 6M20, 12:15, Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg (07:54) - Dowlow Briggs Sdgs (19:34) - empty stone (15 KEA, 1 still loaded)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the crossover - the points are not driving as a pair, they are driving single ended

 

[beast66606]

The next working arrived 2 days later, bringing back the already loaded wagon seen departing above ^ ^

 

25 February 2016

66080 on 6Z59, 20:30, Dowlow Briggs Sdgs - Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg (07:54) - loaded stone (15 KEA)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The track alongside the field is a public footpath but I let the shunter know I was going to be there, I put on a high vis and stayed well clear, there was a woman walking a dog who was nearer to the train than I was

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unloading was more succesful today, in fact it was ready to go an hour early but wasn't allowed to run early, so it sat in the siding awaiting time until ...

 

66080 on 6M20, 11:50, Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg - Dowlow Briggs Sdgs (19:34) - empty stone (15 KEA)

 

 

 

 

 

[bennyboy]

Are the sidings a relatively modern addition as I've noticed that they aren't shown on older maps.

[beast66606]

Are the sidings a relatively modern addition as I've noticed that they aren't shown on older maps.

 

1985

 

http://www.johnstonlogistics.co.uk/our-history/

[Wayward Hayward]

Instead of leaving around lunchtime back to Dowlow or Toton, the empty working was booked to head for Middletons Tower during the night on Saturday morning. This allowed me a rare opportunity to capture 66060 and some very bright MMA wagons parked up in the sidings just off the mainline. The line runs alongside a popular dog walkers path to the station, meaning I could spend some photographing the train and wagons in detail.

 

66060 Eccles Road 20/05/16 - 66060 rests at Eccles Road siding awaiting it's departure to Middleton Towers on 20/05/16. The GM loco had arrived from Dowlow earlier in the day. Note the very bright and fresh MMA box wagons, a first to Eccles Road. by Ryan Hayward, on Flickr

[Fat Controller]

I wonder why it worked to Middleton Towers? Perhaps back-loading with glass sand to Merseyside, or is that too much like joined-up thinking?

The sidings were installed under a Section 8 grant for grain traffic via Speedlink; one of a number of such schemes.

[beast66606]

I wonder why it worked to Middleton Towers? Perhaps back-loading with glass sand to Merseyside, or is that too much like joined-up thinking?

The sidings were installed under a Section 8 grant for grain traffic via Speedlink; one of a number of such schemes.

 

Second week it's worked to MT and then to Arpley, for onward transit to Quinn Glass via the new connection at Helsby West Cheshire Jcn.

 

Reminds me, I must do an update to this thread - I owe 2 workings.

[AberdeenBill]

In picture 3 of post 155 from Beast, what is the shunter handing to the driver (or vice versa)? 

 

Maybe I've missed reference to it, but is there a track-plan of the sidings available?

 

Thanks,

Bill

[beast66606]

In picture 3 of post 155 from Beast, what is the shunter handing to the driver (or vice versa)? 

 

Maybe I've missed reference to it, but is there a track-plan of the sidings available?

 

Thanks,

Bill

 

A radio for communicating during the shunting moves Bill.

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hello all,

 

I have only just seen this thread and read it from the start.

 

Thanks very much to Das for the comprehensive survey of this working, and for a non-railway like me invaluable to get a step-by-step guide to how the real railway does things.

 

About the wagons being used....

 

Is there any pattern to the use of wagons on these trains? Are they specific rakes, selected each time from a pool or randomly marshalled at the quarry from whatever is in the sidings?

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

[beast66606]

Hello all,

 

I have only just seen this thread and read it from the start.

 

Thanks very much to Das for the comprehensive survey of this working, and for a non-railway like me invaluable to get a step-by-step guide to how the real railway does things.

 

About the wagons being used....

 

Is there any pattern to the use of wagons on these trains? Are they specific rakes, selected each time from a pool or randomly marshalled at the quarry from whatever is in the sidings?

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

 

Hi Ben,

 

I assume there is a pool of wagons and within that pool semi-permanently coupled rakes exist, but it's not always the same rake, we've had JNA, MBA and on Friday we had brand new MMA - probably all from the aggregates pool but certainly not the same rake each time.  However there was a long gap in the traffic (from  25 Feb to 12 May) would give time for the wagons to go for other duties anyway.

 

As mentioned above, the rake has gone to Middleton Towers for sand use for the last two weeks (annoyingly departing at 01:49 so no photographs possible), this is then taken to Arpley and then to Helsby or St Helens, not 100% clear yet, I think St Helens is more likely than Helsby.

[beast66606]

No updates for a while but there was a gap in traffic from 25 Feb to 12 May so nothing to report.

 

And so it came about, Thursday 12 May found me rushing to get dressed and down to Eccles Road as I'd more or less given up on the train and took my eye off the ball - meaning I awoke and checked the signalling diagram and noticed a 6xxx freight heading down the line, clicking it showed it was heading for Eccles so off I went - it turned out to be an eventful day for the train.

 

Eccles Road

12 May 2016

66047 on 6Z59, 20:30, Dowlow Briggs Sdgs - Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg (07:54) - loaded stone (12 JNA, 2 JXA)

 

The boys wander over to hand over the radio and chat to the driver to make sure all is clear and well.

 

They commented that they were worried the train had been cancelled as I was so late arriving.

 

A couple of minutes later the train ambled into view.

 

 

 

Points over ? - check

 

signal off ? - check

 

Set them back driver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All going well so far ...

 

I returned at 12:00 for a quick look to find the first half of the train was still unloading - mmm, not good, the train is due to leave at 12:15

 

 

 

I returned at 14:00 to photograph the Trowse stone and things hadn't moved on - so a very late departure was looming.

 

By 17:30 the second half of the train was being unloaded, the first half was in the siding.

 

 

 

Eventually, at just after 20:00, the second half was unloaded and propelled back to the siding to join the first half.

 

 

 

 

Wondering what was going to happen and with the light fading, I checked the on-line timetable systems which showed a new VSTP move for the engine to return to Peterborough (for fuel presumably)

 

66047 on 0Z20, 21:30, Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg - Peterborough L.I.P. (23:18) - light engine

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't wait for the engine to depart as the light had all but gone when I took my last photos and it stil had a further 30 mins to wait, meaning pitch black - literally out here in the country. The yard lights don't work.

 

The engine returned at 01:00 on Saturday 14th May and took the wagons to Middleton Towers.

 

 

 

 

 

[AberdeenBill]

Great shots    How do they do a crew change in the middle of nowhere (relatively speaking) when the train is hours late?

 

Thanks,

Bill

[beast66606]

Great shots    How do they do a crew change in the middle of nowhere (relatively speaking) when the train is hours late?

 

Thanks,

Bill

 

Taxi - the original driver was relieved on site and the replacement driver took the engine to Peterborough (which is where the drivers are based I think)

[Fat Controller]

In picture 3 of post 155 from Beast, what is the shunter handing to the driver (or vice versa)? 

 

Maybe I've missed reference to it, but is there a track-plan of the sidings available?

 

Thanks,

Bill

There's one in Quail;

The siding that trails off the main line splits into two roads, with a crossover between them at the far end, which serves as a run-round loop. A point at the main line end leads to a pair of sidings, which originally served grain silos. From what I can work out from the photos on here, the train stops on the Down Main at the station, then sets back into the sidings. Once the wagons are clear of the points, the loco runs round, then being able to propel its train towards the unloading siding. Once all the wagons have been unloaded, the loco draws the train back to the reception sidings, then, when a path is available, sets back on to the Down Line. Once a path is available, the train then runs through the main-line crossover on to the Up Main.

I notice that, in one of the latest photos, there is a second aggregate train, formed of recently delivered grey bogie opens- is this heading to Norwich?

[beast66606]

There's one in Quail;

The siding that trails off the main line splits into two roads, with a crossover between them at the far end, which serves as a run-round loop. A point at the main line end leads to a pair of sidings, which originally served grain silos. From what I can work out from the photos on here, the train stops on the Down Main at the station, then sets back into the sidings. Once the wagons are clear of the points, the loco runs round, then being able to propel its train towards the unloading siding. Once all the wagons have been unloaded, the loco draws the train back to the reception sidings, then, when a path is available, sets back on to the Down Line. Once a path is available, the train then runs through the main-line crossover on to the Up Main.

I notice that, in one of the latest photos, there is a second aggregate train, formed of recently delivered grey bogie opens- is this heading to Norwich?

 

Not quite Brian.

 

The train propels back into the siding (there are two, as you say, with a crossover at the far end) off the mainline and then the train is split in half, the first half is pulled to the siding for unloading (only 1 useable siding left at Johnstones). Once unloaded it's propelled back and put into the empty siding, the loco then runs forward and sets back onto the remaining wagons, these are then also pulled to the siding for unloading. Once unloaded the wagons are propelled back onto the first half of the train, the loco then runs round ready for propelling out and departing.

 

It would make a great little model, a slight change to the signalling could introduce terminating passenger trains and the passing traffic can be whatever is imagined.

 

The JNA formed aggregates are the empties off Trowse heading back to Mountsorrel (loaded at Mountsorrel, unloaded at Norwich Trowse) - these are also new. We've also - once - had the new HOAs, the old PGAs have also been down and the JNAs have twice had an old JNA in the rake - quite a mix for the last few weeks, annoyingly mainly worked by 66158, no loco variety. The train has been running daily, and also with some Saturday trains - I think this is because the Northern Perimeter road at Norwich needs volume of materials.

 

Track plan (rough)

 

[Fat Controller]

Thanks for that. Were there any facilities at the site before the 1980s? 

[beast66606]

Thanks for that. Were there any facilities at the site before the 1980s? 

 

I believe the remains of the goods yards (there was one each side) still had track but were probably oou.

The old sidings on the opposite side of the main lines tp the current siding were in use into the 1970s at least - I regularly chat with a guy who remembers them in use. I think the sidings on the same side as the current siding (but opposite the box) had probably fallen out of use around the end of steam time - but, this is supposition and not based on documented fact, just heresay.

[beast66606]

Bringing things up to date.

 

20 May saw the last working, and to my surprise was formed of MMA wagons - only a few weeks old.

 

Eccles Road

66060 on 6Z59, 22:27, Dowlow Briggs Sdgs - Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg (07:49) - loaded stone (16 MMAs)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knowing the train was going to stable until 01:49 Saturday (the next day) morning, I didn't expect to see the train until the evening, but shortly after the Trowse stone had passed the loco appeared propelling some of the MMAs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A visit to the field to catch the loco positioning itself ready for the overnight departure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst out for the empties to return from Trowse I spent a while photographing the train, the public footpath making access easy.

 

66060 on 6Z86, 01:49 (Sat), Eccles Rd Johnston's Sdg - Middleton Towers (05:13) - empties (16 MMAs)

 

 

 

 

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hi Das,

 

Thanks for taking the time to post these images, a fascinating read.

 

I can't be the only one thinking that the track layout you've added above makes for an almost perfect small layout project.

 

* Includes small station

* Scenic break at each end (over bridge at one, high trees at the other)

* The two sidings needn't be that long with a typical train of 14 wagons split in half - ie 7 in each plus run-around crossover.

* The industry is "off scene" so instead of aggregate wagons you could shunt tankers, vans, or timber carriers.

* Because industry is off scene, wagons could arrive loaded and leave empty, or vice versa.

* The scenic treatment could be relatively straightforward.

 

Provided you were happy for the station platforms to be long enough for 4-car units only, in N I think you could make a decent fist of this one in 10' without too much compression, and with a bit of squeezing get fit it into 8'.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

[Fat Controller]

Looks like someone decided these wagons needed weathering:- https://www.flickr.com/photos/barkingbill/27261497995/in/dateposted/

Not the same working, but from the same pool, I suspect.

[beast66606]

Hi Das,

 

Thanks for taking the time to post these images, a fascinating read.

 

I can't be the only one thinking that the track layout you've added above makes for an almost perfect small layout project.

 

* Includes small station

* Scenic break at each end (over bridge at one, high trees at the other)

* The two sidings needn't be that long with a typical train of 14 wagons split in half - ie 7 in each plus run-around crossover.

* The industry is "off scene" so instead of aggregate wagons you could shunt tankers, vans, or timber carriers.

* Because industry is off scene, wagons could arrive loaded and leave empty, or vice versa.

* The scenic treatment could be relatively straightforward.

 

Provided you were happy for the station platforms to be long enough for 4-car units only, in N I think you could make a decent fist of this one in 10' without too much compression, and with a bit of squeezing get fit it into 8'.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

 

Thanks Ben.

 

The platforms are only about that long on the prototype !