PLD Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Yesterday a party from Hull MRS and Bridlington MRS visited the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society at their home at the Scunthorpe Steelworks. After a tour of various parts of the site including the TATA loco and wagon shops, assorted mills and stock yards, and dodging class 66s in the reception sidings we stopped off at the Society's sheds where much use was made of their refreshments/lounge car, and their ongoing restoration projects could be inspected, while the loco was watered. We then finished with a complete circuit of the perimeter track around the site including at one point pacing a train of loaded Torpedo wagons on a parallel track. I can thoroughly recommend a visit to this unusual operation which is totally different to the usual preservation schemes. In line with TATA Steel policy, no photos are available for publication of the steelworks and associated rail operations, but we are able to present a few photos of the preservation operation to record our thanks to the AFRPS. http://www.afrps.co.uk/ Our Train consisted of the Peckett Sadle tank and two brake vans. seen here at the Frodingham Platform at the start of the day. The Headboard is just slightly out of date, having originally been carried by the Flying Scotsman in 1969 and has been used on several Hull MRS trips since. The AFRPS yard and sheds. Our loco for the day: Peckett of 1912 seen in the AFRPS yard during the refreshment stop. Passenger stock for larger parties consists of 2/3s of a class 108 DMU however this is not able to access all the areas we went in the brake vans.. End of the day, we return to where we started. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Paul you must be the only person who takes notice of Tata's policy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted June 1, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 1, 2011 I seem to remember that trips can be accessed through the Lincolnshire Tourist Information service!! Very much a worthwhile and interesting trip but don't drink too much before you set off on the brake vans! P @ 36E Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 You book through Brigg Tourist Information - there's no charge as such, but they ask for donations. I suspect this is something to do with the legality of operating passenger trains on a very non-passenger railway (but some of the track is superb even I do say so myself!) or the arrangement the AFRPS has with its landlord. Either way, a decent donation is the right thing to do. Even if you put a tenner in, it's great value! There are some photos within the site in my thread here and various things on my blog. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 You book through Brigg Tourist Information - there's no charge as such, but they ask for donations. Thats correct for Individuals to book on 'scheduled' tours, though for a party/private train as we had, contact the AFRPS direct (details in their website). Based on what they quoted us, I suspect they don't have much of a margin after expenses on the actual rail operation, and probably took at least as much from our group in refreshement and souvenir sales! but some of the track is superb even I do say so myself!I could be cruel and point out a few areas still in need of your attention James... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I could be cruel and point out a few areas still in need of your attention James... I don't doubt that! Some renewals I worked on looked superb when first laid but the p-way takes a real hammering, far more so than any mainline work I've done. In other areas the time constraints were such that you had to work very quickly. So a broken rail beneath the blast furnances may have the broken section removed a short closure installed. So you could have rail lengths of just a few feet! It was a compromise as the furnances have to be worked continually otherwise there are big bills! Only when there was much planning could large sections be renewed, then it was full on! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Thanks for posting these Paul, looking at them a week on they're a nice reminder I can thoroughly recommend a visit to this unusual operation which is totally different to the usual preservation schemes Being bounced around in a brakevan, with the wind and smut in your face and almost within arm's length of hot torpedoes was certainly a refreshing change from the nannying that accompanies so many things these days. As can be seen in that last shot, we had an interesting chat with the loco driver/owner about the 'economics' of keeping even a wee Peckett in running order. As the saying goes, buying it is the easy bit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Singpoint Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Looks like a neat little set-up. Mind you I can't help noticing the peculiar signal in the back ground of the last photograph. F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Being bounced around in a brakevan, with the wind and smut in your face and almost within arm's length of hot torpedoes was certainly a refreshing change from the nannying that accompanies so many things these days. If you have proper access to the works there are huge numbers of rules and regulations - you can only go into areas after site induction and specific breifs. But you do feel all the rules are there for a reason - it's essentially common sense with the aim of going home in one piece at the end of the day. Hot tanks were nice when they went past on a cold day! Mind you I can't help noticing the peculiar signal in the back ground of the last photograph. [/size] It's the only 'signal' on the network - everything else is done by radio. There appear to be signals all over the place but they are only point indicators for the driver. They're lit by blue LEDs which looks most odd! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 If you have proper access to the works there are huge numbers of rules and regulations - you can only go into areas after site induction and specific breifs. But you do feel all the rules are there for a reason - it's essentially common sense with the aim of going home in one piece at the end of the day. No doubt James, and rightly so; I didnt intend to convey any impression that the Tata site isnt properly regulated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 No doubt James, and rightly so; I didnt intend to convey any impression that the Tata site isnt properly regulated. I hadn't thought you had - just made it sound rasonable! I suspect that a new facility wouldn't be the same - but for many jobs methods have evolved over many years. It was certainly a culture shock when I first went. The mainline is tightly regulated but Scunny was very different! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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