Tank wagons used for carrying fuel oil for shipping.

[Fat Controller]

3 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

Here's the kind of "fuel oil" I would prefer.

 

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/ermeferwine

 

Some might say "hazardous", depending on volume consumed.

What my French colleagues used to call 'pinard' People such as steel workers used to receive a daily allowance (3 litres was commonplace. The military likewise got a daily quota; that's how my grandfather ended up driving lorries on detachment to the French army in Greece during WW1. Their own drivers were in the bottom of ravines.

 

[Simon Lee]

1 hour ago, hmrspaul said:

Brian did say at the end...  so he means late 1980s and early 1990s. 

 

It took us a while to realise that after 'doing' Hoo Junction on a Sunday it was an easy run down to Dover where I can never remember anyone objecting to us wandering around the ferry reception sidings (some of you know what these different yards were called, I don't). And lots of unusual ferry wagons were to be found. At least inbetween all the hazardous loads were sufficient bottles of water to put out any fires 😅 

 

https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/ferrywagons

 

Certainly Sodium, nuclear and phosphorus call all be seen together, alongside Butadiene, methyl trichlorsan and many others. 

 

09s Shunting in the yards https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/br0809/e3261e08a   https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/br0809/e29368aa0

 

and class 33/2s used for transfer to the ferries https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brcwclass33/e3bda7d92  https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brcwclass33/e347b9354  https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brcwclass33/e233a05b9

 

Paul

 

33203 is stabled on Bulwark siding, the gates to the BP oil depot, can just be seen on the right of the photo.

 

Guess you would be in Dover Town yard, between the beach and the main line accessed from the foot crossing by the station. We had regular visits from The Leicester Railway Wagon Society who always gave me copies of their publications. 

 

 

 

[Simon Lee]

1 hour ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

In the 1970s was it?

Ye Gods! 

Imagine having to fill in a Risk Assessment for that now.

That why we have the Pink Pages in the Working Manual, plus the back stop of TOPS train list gave the final check on compatability before you put your name to the train list.

 

We also had the added complication of meeting maritime segregation requirements which might differ from land requirements, including certain chemicals "Dangerous on water but not on land" 

 

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

22 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

In the 1970s was it?

Ye Gods! 

Imagine having to fill in a Risk Assessment for that now.

Dangerous Goods wagons were conveyed on the train ferry from Dover right up until the end.  In fact at one stage there was an intention to retain the Dover - Dunkerque train ferry service (which also carried HGVs ) for Dangerous Goods after the Tunnel had opened but that never carried on.  From what I saw on my trip on the (freight) train ferry in 1992 any DG wagons were very carefully placed adjacent to the loading end of the train ferry deck.  Presumably the rapid loss of HGV traffic from the train ferry hastened the decision to cease.  

 

One big selling point about the train ferry was that it offered what was probably the best food available on the short sea routes as it was carefully targetted to suit and attract the HGV drivers - so superb steaks at ridiculously reasonable prices.

[The Stationmaster]

21 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

What my French colleagues used to call 'pinard' People such as steel workers used to receive a daily allowance (3 litres was commonplace. The military likewise got a daily quota; that's how my grandfather ended up driving lorries on detachment to the French army in Greece during WW1. Their own drivers were in the bottom of ravines.

 

SNCF loco Drivers and Firemen also received a daily ration of wine and wine on-tap was available in their mess rooms.  It was all cut out after the end of steam - apparently to the disgust of more than a few cheminots,  And things had gone full circle by the mid 1990s with SNCF starting to crack down on staff drinking alcohol while on duty.

[Fat Controller]

38 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

SNCF loco Drivers and Firemen also received a daily ration of wine and wine on-tap was available in their mess rooms.  It was all cut out after the end of steam - apparently to the disgust of more than a few cheminots,  And things had gone full circle by the mid 1990s with SNCF starting to crack down on staff drinking alcohol while on duty.

Before the tunnel opened, I remember Lynne going on a signalling course at Lille, and being shocked that wine was served with meals in the station canteen. We still have an empty 'Cuvée des cheminots' bottle on the mantle-shelf.

A bigger problem were the 'bottle of pastis in the bottom-drawer' drinkers, who would start drinking with the debut of the morning shift.

[The Stationmaster]

12 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

Before the tunnel opened, I remember Lynne going on a signalling course at Lille, and being shocked that wine was served with meals in the station canteen. We still have an empty 'Cuvée des cheminots' bottle on the mantle-shelf.

A bigger problem were the 'bottle of pastis in the bottom-drawer' drinkers, who would start drinking with the debut of the morning shift.

The excellent management staff dining room at Paris Nord (overlooking the platform ends) was another place where wine was automatically served unless you said 'no' and it was just the same in the SNCB salaried staff dining room at Bruxelles Midi.  However the NS staff dining room in the new (mid 1990s) signalling control centre building at Amsterdam CS seems not to have been inclined that way, certainly no alcohol was automatically offered there.   

Edited June 21, 2022 by The Stationmaster

[teeinox]

On 21/06/2022 at 12:42, Fat Controller said:

Before the tunnel opened, I remember Lynne going on a signalling course at Lille, and being shocked that wine was served with meals in the station canteen. We still have an empty 'Cuvée des cheminots' bottle on the mantle-shelf.

A bigger problem were the 'bottle of pastis in the bottom-drawer' drinkers, who would start drinking with the debut of the morning shift.

Here is my Lima Class 92 023, “Ravel”.  Our driver has a bottle of “Cuvée des cheminots” on the driver’s desk.  It’s a present for a mate of his at Dollands Moor for services rendered.

 

[Morello Cherry]

On 21/06/2022 at 13:55, The Stationmaster said:

The excellent management staff dining room at Paris Nord (overlooking the platform ends) was another place where wine was automatically served unless you said 'no' and it was just the same in the SNCB salaried staff dining room at Bruxelles Midi.  However the NS staff dining room in the new (mid 1990s) signalling control centre building at Amsterdam CS seems not to have been inclined that way, certainly no alcohol was automatically offered there.   

 

That is the Dutch for you. No fun whatsoever. (I say this as someone who lives in the Netherlands).

 

Slightly flippantly  this is the difference between Catholic and Protestant Europe. Having lived before in Austria with wine for lunch at work and with the third most holidays in Europe - and where no one works the 'bridging day' (ie if a holiday falls on a thursday then clearly you don't open on friday because that would be just silly) to the Netherlands no wine ever and which has the least holidays in Europe.

 

I was once allowed in to look around a depot in Romania 'because it is friday and a saint's day'