Ghosts in the Machine.

[D6150]

On 05/12/2023 at 20:51, D6150 said:

A bit further South I was in an equally cold Insch, where the base for the water tower is still there 60+ years after the end of steam in NE Scotland. Sun shining on Dunnydeer Hill 👍

 

Does anyone know when regular steam workings finished in NE Scotland? I think 61A Kittybrewster was almost entirely switched to diesels in the very early 60's?

 

Thanks 

Ken

Ok have done some Googling, and it appears Kittybrewster closed to steam traction in 1961, so presumably the majority of services passing through Insch from that point on would have been diesel hauled. 

[Wickham Green too]

Yeah - but they'd have been steam heated for a good few years after that and the diseasels could have needed topping up ! 🙄

[D6150]

12 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Yeah - but they'd have been steam heated for a good few years after that and the diseasels could have needed topping up ! 🙄

A very good point. Any idea how often they needed to be topped up? Assuming the heating boiler was working of course....

 

Thanks 

 

Ken

[TheSignalEngineer]

Must have been quite often. Early classes like the EE Type 4 had scoops. When Newbold troughs were taken out in the 1960s it was common to see them at Rugby station with the bag in through a door half way along the side topping up the tank.

The water capacity was 800 gallons and the boiler could produce 2000Lb of steam per hour, so if being used flat out on a long train it would only last about 4 hours. 

[keefer]

The cl.26 & 27 had a bodyside window which hinged inwards IIRC to allow the filling of the boiler water from a column.

[Stoke West]

5 hours ago, keefer said:

The cl.26 & 27 had a bodyside window which hinged inwards IIRC to allow the filling of the boiler water from a column.

Theres a phot of a 26 In Bylines i think doing just that at Aberfeldy

[jamie92208]

IIRC when the Flying money pitdud it's non stop run to Edinburgh there were still several sets of troughs on the ECML but there were problems using them as certainly at one place the level had been lowered and they didn't pick much water up. I can't remember which year that was, possibly 1970.

 

Jamie

[rodent279]

8 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Must have been quite often. Early classes like the EE Type 4 had scoops. When Newbold troughs were taken out in the 1960s it was common to see them at Rugby station with the bag in through a door half way along the side topping up the tank.

The water capacity was 800 gallons and the boiler could produce 2000Lb of steam per hour, so if being used flat out on a long train it would only last about 4 hours. 

Did someone say EE type 4?

 

 

Here's the green goddess being topped up on the SVR in Oct 2021. I knew this happened,  but had never actually seen it.

[big jim]

Here’s an unusual ghost in the machine, the tape measure I still use at home from railway wagon builders C.C.Crump 

 

the phone number on it is for the old connahs quay Address (without the 1 in the area code), iirc I’ve it since the late 80s if not earlier 

[Andy Kirkham]

In West Mall, Clifton, Bristol. One also comes across lamposts made by Avonside.

[Wickham Green too]

Something to make for stock when locomotive orders were slack, perhaps ?  -  fag ends optional.

[adb968008]

4 hours ago, Andy Kirkham said:

In West Mall, Clifton, Bristol. One also comes across lamposts made by Avonside.

Not looking bad for a something made by a company that closed in 1935.

 

A couple of years ago, very early morning I got off the M6 at Knutsford, saw random cars close together with hazards, at odd angles but seemingly unrelated. and drivers on mobiles… about 2-3 in succession.

When I returned later I saw Police / AA trucks..

 

turned out scrotes had nicked the manhole covers leaving gaping holes in the road and cars had pitched through the gaping hole invariably knackering the wheels.

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by adb968008

[Matt37268]

On 10/12/2023 at 08:19, rodent279 said:

Did someone say EE type 4?

 

 

Here's the green goddess being topped up on the SVR in Oct 2021. I knew this happened,  but had never actually seen it.

Have several similar photos from my Dad! 😀

[adb968008]

On 10/12/2023 at 08:19, rodent279 said:

Did someone say EE type 4?

 

 

Here's the green goddess being topped up on the SVR in Oct 2021. I knew this happened,  but had never actually seen it.

 

reminds me of Bewdley safari park… Giraffes taking food from visitors car windows.

[rodent279]

18 hours ago, Andy Kirkham said:

In West Mall, Clifton, Bristol. One also comes across lamposts made by Avonside.

I'll keep an eye out, not yet spotted anything cast by Avon side, despite living within 2 miles of the works in Fishponds 

[railsquid]

I assume this is well-known, if so apologies for duplication, but I would just like to record my fleeting delight at spying this NSE remnant at Marylebone when passing through earlier this month.

 

[D6150]

Hello. So plenty of ghosts at the new Beauly Station outside Inverness. The original station closed in 1960, and a lot remains, including the main building and platforms. 

 

The new (2002) station is tagged on to one end of the original western platform. 

 

The road overbridge immediately north of the Station is a bit of an oddball. It looks like a new concrete structure has been built over and around the original sandstone arch. I don't think I've seen one quite like this before....

 

Thanks 

 

Ken 

[PhilJ W]

It looks as if the road was widened. There are a few bridges like that near me only the 'extension' is an entirely separate bridge butting up to the original.

[D6150]

2 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

It looks as if the road was widened. There are a few bridges like that near me only the 'extension' is an entirely separate bridge butting up to the original.

Hello. Thanks for this, that would make sense,  seems to be quite a busy road. I'm a bit surprised they didn't do away with the original bridge entirely, unless it's some kind of listed structure. It certainly looks different. 

 

Ken 

[Wickham Green too]

I think Phil was trying to imply that the new bridge only supports the footway .... it certainly looks to be a lot lighter - hence cheaper - structure than would be required for compete replacement.

[MidlandRed]

1 hour ago, Wickham Green too said:

I think Phil was trying to imply that the new bridge only supports the footway .... it certainly looks to be a lot lighter - hence cheaper - structure than would be required for compete replacement.

But with the addition of a parapet to modern containment standards also? 

[PhilJ W]

9 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

But with the addition of a parapet to modern containment standards also? 

The bridges locally are to a similar design, one, in Timberlog Lane, Vange is even more substantial. 

[rodent279]

Another couple that aren't quite in the machine as in the modern railway, but definitely ghosts:-

 

 

Signal post bases on the Bristol-Bath cycle path, formerly the Midland route into Bristol via Mangotsfield. The first is located on the Up (left side facing Bristol) about ½ mile south of the former Fishponds station.

 

The second is about ½ mile further on, near what is now Whitehall pedestrian crossing. This is at or near there point where the Clifton Extension Railway joined. There are several of these at various points on the Bristol-Bath cycle path.

[The Stationmaster]

11 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

But with the addition of a parapet to modern containment standards also? 

The extension is underneath a widened foot path.  There are footpaths on both sides of the road and the fencing appears to have replaced the original parapets (or on one side is inside the original parapet).  There is Armco barrier on both sides of the road on the gradient up to the bridge (Google Maps is our friend).

[Rugd1022]

A recent discovery amongst the flotsom and jetsom of life...