Lewes - Network SouthEast in 1987

[Roy Langridge]

Des anyone have any colour photos the CAPs? Espiy the inner ends........

Look at SEMG Online: http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class413_01.html

 

Roy

[acg5324]

http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com/search.html?q=4cap

No intermediate cabs though.

[Grizz]

South Central, Some more musings on Lewes workings etc.

 

The small sprinkling of the white cold stuff on Friday prompted yet another trip down memory lane and long chat with my son regarding the winter of 1986/7. That year I joined BR and it snowed over the winter period. There was a 6ft deep drift over Hamsey crossing and up in the cutting towards Cooksbridge, there were few if any trains running for a while, which for me involved long walks to Lewes and Cooksbridge. Units were losing shoes all over the place and a biting easterly wind blew the stuff all over the place like dust. During this time at Lewes the wall sidings had various units with burnt out traction motors and missing shoes.

 

Fortunately at this time BR still ran a real railway, where everyone worked for one company, so if you were unable to report to your depot or place of work, you reported to your nearest station for, if nothing else, snow clearing duties, clearing snow from points etc. As a youngster I thought this was great fun, not so sure some of the more grizzled old BR campaigners were so enammered of it though. As there was the BR internal phone network it was possible to call in if you were the only one there (my son still finds this a really funny concept - no mobile phone! ). The BR tea urn nearly burned itself out it was used so much over this time.

 

CEPs and EPB units were generally reliable as they had their power bogies at the outer ends of the unit. 4CIGs, VEPs and BIGs etc having the power bogies in the brake coach in the 2nd or 3rd were less able to perform well in heavy snow conditions. We obviously didn't have CEPs as a rule but as previously discussed here, we did get EPBs. But probably the best were the DEMUs, especially if they had been left running over night as the heat built up and they stayed hot. Arching off electric units was spectacular, especially at night, as it was reflected off of the snow. Some units looked as though they were on fire there was so much arching.

 

As I remember Lewes only had one Up and On Down London service at the time so if one train got cancelled it was a long wait for the next one in Travellers Fare ( again my son thinks this is funny.....one train to London? How did you manage?)

 

The best bit was that diesel locos, Class 33s mostly, that were regularly stabled at Brighton, Three Bridges, Redhill etc at the time and put in appearances randomly all over the place and as these were compatible with the electric units they could be used to haul in effect 'loco hauled services' when need, even though most them could only provide brakes not heating. When compared with these days, it really was a real railway. These days any excuse is used to wave the white flag under the banner of 'exceptional adverse weather' and as long as they notify the 'customer' in advance that there will be no services, then they can justify not running trains. This is a very sad situation IMHO, as the root of this issue is the incompatibility and available of suitable diesel locos to run with the modern units.

 

One day during this period I was at home at my my folks house in Hamsey, it was very eerily quiet, the kind you get when it snows, not many trains had run that day. The silence was broken as there was a noisy horn blasting from the Lewes direction and a DEMU could be heard working really hard up the bank. Oddly nothing came into sight for quite a while, then finally a 4CIG and I think a 4VEP came into view being 'spiritedly shoved by a 3D 207 Thumper. It must have been running at maximum power but it was only managing to do no more than 10mph. I didn't have time to get to the crossing to film it, but it really was the best I have ever heard from a DEMU. I don't know if it even got where it was going or if passengers where on board.

 

Following the snow the repair of these units took months and convoys of crippled ones were not uncommon across the Southeast.

That winter there were loads of 'weird' workings, including class 56s on EPBs in Kent.

 

Hope this trip down memory lane hasn't bored too many. It would make a cracking subject for a layout due to the random nature of possible stock and workings. Although it could prove somewhat boring if all services were suspended.

[Mike Storey]

South Central, Some more musings on Lewes workings etc.

 

The small sprinkling of the white cold stuff on Friday prompted yet another trip down memory lane and long chat with my son regarding the winter of 1986/7. That year I joined BR and it snowed over the winter period. There was a 6ft deep drift over Hamsey crossing and up in the cutting towards Cooksbridge, there were few if any trains running for a while, which for me involved long walks to Lewes and Cooksbridge. Units were losing shoes all over the place and a biting easterly wind blew the stuff all over the place like dust. During this time at Lewes the wall sidings had various units with burnt out traction motors and missing shoes.

 

Fortunately at this time BR still ran a real railway, where everyone worked for one company, so if you were unable to report to your depot or place of work, you reported to your nearest station for, if nothing else, snow clearing duties, clearing snow from points etc. As a youngster I thought this was great fun, not so sure some of the more grizzled old BR campaigners were so enammered of it though. As there was the BR internal phone network it was possible to call in if you were the only one there (my son still finds this a really funny concept - no mobile phone! ). The BR tea urn nearly burned itself out it was used so much over this time.

 

CEPs and EPB units were generally reliable as they had their power bogies at the outer ends of the unit. 4CIGs, VEPs and BIGs etc having the power bogies in the brake coach in the 2nd or 3rd were less able to perform well in heavy snow conditions. We obviously didn't have CEPs as a rule but as previously discussed here, we did get EPBs. But probably the best were the DEMUs, especially if they had been left running over night as the heat built up and they stayed hot. Arching off electric units was spectacular, especially at night, as it was reflected off of the snow. Some units looked as though they were on fire there was so much arching.

 

As I remember Lewes only had one Up and On Down London service at the time so if one train got cancelled it was a long wait for the next one in Travellers Fare ( again my son thinks this is funny.....one train to London? How did you manage?)

 

The best bit was that diesel locos, Class 33s mostly, that were regularly stabled at Brighton, Three Bridges, Redhill etc at the time and put in appearances randomly all over the place and as these were compatible with the electric units they could be used to haul in effect 'loco hauled services' when need, even though most them could only provide brakes not heating. When compared with these days, it really was a real railway. These days any excuse is used to wave the white flag under the banner of 'exceptional adverse weather' and as long as they notify the 'customer' in advance that there will be no services, then they can justify not running trains. This is a very sad situation IMHO, as the root of this issue is the incompatibility and available of suitable diesel locos to run with the modern units.

 

One day during this period I was at home at my my folks house in Hamsey, it was very eerily quiet, the kind you get when it snows, not many trains had run that day. The silence was broken as there was a noisy horn blasting from the Lewes direction and a DEMU could be heard working really hard up the bank. Oddly nothing came into sight for quite a while, then finally a 4CIG and I think a 4VEP came into view being 'spiritedly shoved by a 3D 207 Thumper. It must have been running at maximum power but it was only managing to do no more than 10mph. I didn't have time to get to the crossing to film it, but it really was the best I have ever heard from a DEMU. I don't know if it even got where it was going or if passengers where on board.

 

Following the snow the repair of these units took months and convoys of crippled ones were not uncommon across the Southeast.

That winter there were loads of 'weird' workings, including class 56s on EPBs in Kent.

 

Hope this trip down memory lane hasn't bored too many. It would make a cracking subject for a layout due to the random nature of possible stock and workings. Although it could prove somewhat boring if all services were suspended.

 

I remember that winter well. I was at Brighton trying to clear the East and especially the West side Junctions, where snow had drifted into mounds about 6 ft deep over the tracks. Once the P/Way had cleared as much as they could (they refused to do any more without a full isolation, which in those days would have knocked out those parts that were still passable, but they were afraid of dying, the wimps), a fellow SM and I went around every set of points (snow was still several inches deep) with an industrial version of flame throwing weed killer guns, trying to burn the ice and snow from the mechanisms and stock rails, and then, if detection was still not achieved, wind over and clamp the points on the instructions of Three Bridges. How we did not get electrocuted or die some other horrible death, I do not know. I am not sure we did much good, as once a train got through, everything would ice, or even snow, up again and back we went. It would take over two hours to let a single train through. I guess it was better to be seen doing something, rather than nothing, but in retrospect, it was pretty silly. I would have Form 1'd me, if I had been the Area Manager. It was not like there any passengers left on them. They had mostly got off and headed back home at either Hove or Falmer (Moulescoomb was just as badly blocked).

 

Brighton was almost deserted apart from stranded crews and very hopeful taxi drivers. I guess you had a few of those at Lewes - we never heard from the SM there for 2 days (newbie chap, Paul somebody?) but he kept in touch with Three Bridges and Croydon somehow.

[Grizz]

I remember that winter well. I was at Brighton trying to clear the East and especially the West side Junctions, where snow had drifted into mounds about 6 ft deep over the tracks. Once the P/Way had cleared as much as they could (they refused to do any more without a full isolation, which in those days would have knocked out those parts that were still passable, but they were afraid of dying, the wimps), a fellow SM and I went around every set of points (snow was still several inches deep) with an industrial version of flame throwing weed killer guns, trying to burn the ice and snow from the mechanisms and stock rails, and then, if detection was still not achieved, wind over and clamp the points on the instructions of Three Bridges. How we did not get electrocuted or die some other horrible death, I do not know. I am not sure we did much good, as once a train got through, everything would ice, or even snow, up again and back we went. It would take over two hours to let a single train through. I guess it was better to be seen doing something, rather than nothing, but in retrospect, it was pretty silly. I would have Form 1'd me, if I had been the Area Manager. It was not like there any passengers left on them. They had mostly got off and headed back home at either Hove or Falmer (Moulescoomb was just as badly blocked).

 

Brighton was almost deserted apart from stranded crews and very hopeful taxi drivers. I guess you had a few of those at Lewes - we never heard from the SM there for 2 days (newbie chap, Paul somebody?) but he kept in touch with Three Bridges and Croydon somehow.

 

Happy Days by the sounds of it Mike.

 

I remember it being an adventure, I really enjoyed British Rail. At the time I didn't appreciate the training and the culture, and the inclusiveness of the railway as a whole entity. Probably because I was young.......I really miss it. It was an interesting place to work as there were so many things you could do. It probably sounds like rose tinted glasses as I know it wasn't perfect. But compared with what was to come......

 

It wasn't until we got down the dark path of privatisation with the infraCos, with the imported bad and dangerous working practices of the large construction companies that it was really hammered home what we had lost. Blame culture driven and promoted by the profit motive and the greed, corrupt corporate management and not leadership. The deliberate stripping away off the organisational structure that had taken years to build....

 

For me this all culminated in two separate incidents with people I knew and worked with at Clapham Junction PWay getting killed. This had been predicted locally because increasingly unscrupulous agencies were taking people straight off the street, given them a 'PTS' in two days and a 'COSS' three days later, with no railway back ground or grounding what so ever and then putting them out in the middle of Clapham Junction....... The arrogance of the 'Construction InfraCos' was breath taking. We had motor way managers brought in and appointed deliberately so that they could work 14 out of 14 shifts, so to use their language, to get round this 'Control of working hours, Justice Hidden B...S...'.

 

Fortunately for me I got out and went to work else where on the railway......

 

Also my memories seem to fall into two categories, disjointed photo shot, single images of places, people and events and then some of events clear like video footage. Sadly memory for names has always been and remains appalling....

 

That winter was great though.....it was so cold even the windows froze down of trains. The loos on the trains froze, and didn't the Eastern section loose a Crompton in a snow drift in a cutting for a few days?.....

[Lyddrail]

Des anyone have any colour photos the CAPs? Espiy the inner ends........

 

Do these help?

 

 

Cheers.

[Grizz]

Do these help?

 

K-280 AD Up 24-6-90 65430.jpg

K-281 AD Up 24-6-90 65430.jpg

K-756 AD DCS 7-9-90 61241.jpg

L-151 AD 1989 3304.jpg

 

Cheers.

LyddRail, they are really great photos. Thanks so much, it really helps when trying to explain to my son about the different types of units that ran on the Southern in BR days.

 

It's funny how my memory has remembered things, it really thought that the inner ends were black on Blue and Grey units......but now in know they must have been NSE units I jumped into at Brighton all those years ago.

 

It is fantastic to see how well people respond to questions and requests on RMWEB. Andy's websites always bring back so many memories.

 

One of the things I miss the most about train travel now is that the is only one up London train service from Lewes that has a real BR unit where it is possible, although with extreme care and co-operation from the crew, to stand by an open window. It is the Plastic Pig working from Eastbourne to London Bridge, 07:12 ex EBN, 07:40 ex LWS, it even stops at Cooksbridge at 07:44!!!

 

I plan to film it tomorrow morning, if I can, as it won't last much longer. Then we will end up with some piece of rubbish, quite possibly the hideously unsuitable but increasingly used 377120-377139 inner suburban junk or maybe we might get really lucky and get a 12 car 313!!! Would have been great to have had a 33/1 shoved on the front as a final farewell before it stops running. Again explaining to my son that most units on the Southern used to be able to couple, not all, but most. Also class 73s and 33s used to be able to couple to the and rescue them or haul them in the case of no juice. This all fell to bits when the 'Firm' was sabotaged in the run up to privatisation. Even sectorisation allowed this to continue as long as it lasted.

 

Post privatisation I remember having an insane conversation with an 'Engineer' from a private train builder who was attempting to justify why each new type of train train build needed to have a 'New and Unique' coupling system and unique software (Financial incentive for each company seemed to be the real answer). But I then asked about 'dooms day Tuesday', when on a given Tuesday at a certain time of day on the Brighton Redhill London route of the central division there were potentially up to nine different train types one behind the other, none of which could be coupled to any of the others in the event of failures. His answer was 'in the future trains won't fail so there isn't ever going to be the need for rescue or thunderbird locos and each unit type will be route specific so they won't run all over the network. His whole idea for efficiency was that each route and branch line would have its own dedicated train type and there would be no need to run anything else. Train crew numbers and training could then be cut as they would only need training on the one train type they actually worked. How successful this has proved.......not. We got Southern 377s that couldn't b coupled to SE 375s, and that was just the start........

 

The Brighton mainline is Signalled for limited bi-directional working, therefore having a rescue loco or thunderbird would still have merit. But how much easier it is for the governing bus company to wave a white flag and cancel trains. Also the engineers trailing crossover points have been all but removed except at a few locations, so crossing trains past failed units is now almost impossible.

 

Q1 does anyone remember when a Seacow hopper bogie snapped in half a Three Bridges in platform 2 (I think) and derailed all over the place? (Late 1980s to very early 1990s).

 

Q2 does anyone remember the train of 16 ton mineral wagons derailing at Balcombe and ripping up the platforms and most of both roads (mid to late 1970s).

 

Sorry this is slightly of subject but it seems like we are on a roll here getting answers to questions.......

 

Cheers Grizz

[phil-b259]

The Brighton mainline is Signalled for limited bi-directional working, therefore having a rescue loco or thunderbird would still have merit. But how much easier it is for the governing bus company to wave a white flag and cancel trains. Also the engineers trailing crossover points have been all but removed except at a few locations, so crossing trains past failed units is now almost impossible.

 

 

The signalling on the BML has not changed since the early 1980s schemes that saw control transferred to Victoria and Three Bridges power boxes. What HAS changed is the sheer number of trains the TOCs run in response to public demand - which is way beyond what the signalling was designed to cope with. Thus the 'bi-directional signalling' originally* installed south of Balcombe is actually pretty hopeless as it is of the 'Simple' type that only allows a single train to run 'bang road' / wrong line through each section at a time.

 

* A recent upgrade to the Balcombe Junc - Copyhold Junc section has fitted some additional signals (but not as many as there are for right direction moves) and now allows up to 4 trains to be accommodated within the section when wrong line working is in place. The Haywards Heath - Keymer Junc and Keymer Junc - Preston Park still retain their original '1 train' restriction

[acg5324]

I remember the Balcombe derailment, that's why the southbound platform is still a lot shorter than the northbound one.

There was also a derailment at Hassocks in July 1981 which I remember which mucked up a journey to Tenby for a weeks holiday.

I was using the Brighton to Cardiff train and changing there to pick up the York to Tenby SO service. The Cardiff train was diverted to Barnham via Horsham, just managed to catch it after getting a Portsmouth train from Brighton. Priv rate holiday with Golden Rail....those were the days.

 

The BI-DI on the Brighton mainline was calling SIMBIDS.....simplified bi directional signalling.

One evening peak shortly after the 442s had been introduced on the extended Gatwick Express service we had a southbound 10 car sit down at Burgess Hill with door interlock issue. With a queue of trains rapidly building up behind we decided to send the next train via the up line. Just as the train passed the poorly Piggies the fault was rectified. Once the diverted train has crossed back over at Preston Park the signaller couldn't get the direction of flow to switch back to northbound running so we were stuck with both lines southbound only for the rest of the evening. My relief in the Control lived locally so at least I could get home, well passed midnight I remember.

[Oldddudders]

When the Brighton Main Line goes seriously wrong things snarl up very quickly. One morning about 46 years ago an up peak service froze up on black ice at Balcombe. The queue got impressively long. The Divisional Manager went into Haywards Heath box, where he was perceived to take charge but in fact did very little. Control felt it was up to him as the man on the spot. He found himself in a new job days later....

[dseagull]

My biggest memory of Balcombe is one night in 2007/8 - the weather had been awful for days, but one night it chucked it down more than usual. I had hassle enough leaving work in London, but by the time we got to Gatwick there were floods and all stopped. Our 377 was the first train allowed through the tunnel, and we absolutely crawled through, with flood water practically up to the third rail, superb pyrotechnics and arcing as we went through! Got home about 11 that night, as I wasn't driving at the time and missed the bus connection for Hailsham at Polegate (1 an hour!)

[Grizz]

I remember the Balcombe derailment, that's why the southbound platform is still a lot shorter than the northbound one.

There was also a derailment at Hassocks in July 1981 which I remember which mucked up a journey to Tenby for a weeks holiday.

I was using the Brighton to Cardiff train and changing there to pick up the York to Tenby SO service. The Cardiff train was diverted to Barnham via Horsham, just managed to catch it after getting a Portsmouth train from Brighton. Priv rate holiday with Golden Rail....those were the days.

The BI-DI on the Brighton mainline was calling SIMBIDS.....simplified bi directional signalling.

One evening peak shortly after the 442s had been introduced on the extended Gatwick Express service we had a southbound 10 car sit down at Burgess Hill with door interlock issue. With a queue of trains rapidly building up behind we decided to send the next train via the up line. Just as the train passed the poorly Piggies the fault was rectified. Once the diverted train has crossed back over at Preston Park the signaller couldn't get the direction of flow to switch back to northbound running so we were stuck with both lines southbound only for the rest of the evening. My relief in the Control lived locally so at least I could get home, well passed midnight I remember.

 

 

ACG5324 the derailment at Balcombe that I remember involved BR 16 tonners and a Class 47 I think. The reason I remember it is that is was in a local Sussex paper with photos, I was very young, probably too young to read. It must have been in the early seventies as I remember sitting at our dining table and my dad reading it to me and we looked at the pictures.

It was the pictures that interested me the most. Some cell of my memory seems to remember it being on the UP road and as you say it destroyed one of the platforms.

 

Does anyone have any photos of it???

[Gwiwer]

 

 

Q2 does anyone remember the train of 16 ton mineral wagons derailing at Balcombe and ripping up the platforms and most of both roads (mid to late 1970s). 

Only too well.

 

I was attempting a Worthing - Victoria journey on a day already affected by some sort of problems - possibly engineering works - on the coast.  There were no through Littlehampton - Londons so I waited for the next Brighton which would connect with the up "non-stop" (which I think still was a non-stop at the time) only to have that turn up around 5 late due to heavy loading account the missing direct trains.  So the connection was missed at Brighton. Annoyed at that I sauntered off into the town - remember the platform barriers didn't allow "inside" connections in those days so you were outside the gates to change trains anyway - and strolled up in good time for the next train only to find a derailment at Balcombe had closed the line.

 

In due course the "non-stop" left having shunted around the Hove triangle to platform 2 and I returned through Worthing almost 2 hours after departing, found myself being reversed at Littlehampton then running almost non-stop via Crawley to Victoria.  And for what it was worth arriving ahead of those who were on the train I should have caught but who had first to be returned to Brighton before completing their circular tour of Sussex.

 

Most of Balcombe's down platform, which was an Exmouth Junction-style concrete extension of the short original, was totally destroyed and with some pieces sent crashing onto the lane below.  The up platform was repaired but not the down which remains only a 4-car length.  Its minimal use determined that a full rebuild was not justified.

[phil-b259]

 

 

Most of Balcombe's down platform, which was an Exmouth Junction-style concrete extension of the short original, was totally destroyed and with some pieces sent crashing onto the lane below.  The up platform was repaired but not the down which remains only a 4-car length.  Its minimal use determined that a full rebuild was not justified.

 

Its actually 8 cars long on the down (if you exclude the really narrow bit extending under the road bridge) - otherwise the 8 car 319s that Thameslink used to use would have caused a few issues what with them lacking SDO and inter unit gangways.

 

I had always wondered why the down platform was shorter than the up though - now I know.

 

Of course with SDO available on all trains serving the station, and the low number of users there is no need to increase the Down platform in future.

[ess1uk]

Hopefully managed to knock the goods traffic deliberations on the head, with the arrival of this today:

 

 

...and there's a heck of a lot more than I expected! For the layout, the freight traffic up for modelling extends to:

 

(pass Lewes 0837)                         0730 MSX           Norwood Down Yard - Galley Hill oil tanks ('Q' path)

(call Lewes 0932 - crew change)    0919 MWTHO    Newhaven Hall Aggregates - Crawley New Yard RMC 

(pass Lewes 1035)                         1001 FO             Crawley New Yard - St. Leonards West Marina TMD departmental

(pass Lewes 1150)                         1138 SX              Newhaven Hall Aggregates - Crawley New Yard RMC ('Q' path)

(pass Lewes 1219)                         1040 SX              Willesden - Newhaven Marine freightliner 

(pass Lewes 1337)                         1144 MSX           Galley Hill - Norwood Down Yard oil tanks ('Q' path)

(pass Lewes 1359)                         1315 MWTHO    Crawley New Yard RMC - Newhaven Hall Aggregates hoppers

(pass Lewes 1405)                         1353 SX              Newhaven Marine - Willesden freightliner

(pass Lewes 1510)                         1225 FO             Tolworth - Newhaven Hall Aggregates hoppers (electro-diesel)

(pass Lewes 1515)                         1346 FO             St. Leonards West Marina TMD - Crawley New Yard departmental

(pass Lewes 1559)                         1515 SX              Crawley New Yard RMC - Newhaven Hall Aggregates ('Q' path) 

(pass Lewes 2108)                         2055 THO           Newhaven Hall Aggregates - Clapham Yard hoppers (electro-diesel)

 

Apart from the two workings annotated for class 73 haulage, all the above are timed for diesel traction - presumably a 47 (subclass?) for the Newhaven Marine freightliner and 33s for everything else.

 

As for the wagons now added to the workbench wishlist, well i've already come clean about my complete lack of knowledge about goods rolling stock! A rake of RMC orange-livered JGAs for the aggregates trips will evidently be essential (modified Bachmann JGA to the first design spec seems most likely), along with a rake of battered and bruised Grampus for the Friday departmentals. If someone could identify what type of tank wagon might have been running to/from Galley Hill, that would be a big help. And as for what type of freightliner container flat I might need to model...search me!

 

PS. As an aside, this freight timetable makes for fascinating reading in the context of the modern day freight desert we have nowadays on the Sussex coast. This edition - section WK - covers everything from Weymouth right across to Ramsgate and up to London, so if anyone's planning an 80s layout on the Southern region and is curious about freight, i'll happily have a search for you - like me, you might be surprised how much you can model!

Excellent.

Might be in touch about a few workings

[Siberian Snooper]

In the above post, there are several references to Crawley New Yard, can someone tell me where this is/was please.

 

Thanks.

[phil-b259]

In the above post, there are several references to Crawley New Yard, can someone tell me where this is/was please.

 

Thanks.

 

Between Gatwick Airport and Three Bridges on the Up side. As its name suggests it was built in the early 1950s to serve 'Crawley New Town' and lies adjacent to the main industrial area. Originally equipped with 4 long sidings (including one servicing a transshipment warehouse), as with many freight yards general goods traffic declined with the remaining two serving two large Aggregates depots that have been opened on the site at some stage.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Day+Aggregates/@51.1358892,-0.1625313,364m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x44e97024c0c6111a!8m2!3d51.1364877!4d-0.1621221

[Grizz]

When I was a youngster my grand parents lived in Wood Field Road, Northgate, Three Bridges, just off of the Hazelwick round about with the fly over. I used to stay with them quite a lot especially during school holidays. My grandad and I used to walk up the wide grass verge along side the duel carriage way that goes from the Hazelwick round about to the M23, to the bridge over the main line. On the London side the bridge sits over the head shunt of Crawley New Yard and has a really good view.

As Phil-B259 says there used to be a trans shipment warehouse. I remember 47s on ferry wagons, bogie Trans Waggons types, Fisons bogie Vans ( They were based in the adjacent Manor Royal industrial estate, my grandad was an engineer for them). Loads of 33s, 73s, 16 tonners, HEAs on domestic coal, grampus. Shame that the sidings were reduced because some years ago the builders merchant that is there now in the old transshipment area asked Railtrack if they would reconnect the warehouse, but surprise surprise the cost was eye wateringly prohibitive..........

 

It was possible in the mid 90s to go to the bridge, climb over the Armco barrier at the side of the bridge and sit on the grass bank on the east side of the Down Fast. I filmed class 60s in New Yard from there plus 59s etc.