Grantham - the Streamliner years

[Bazza]

We were all offered a bottle of water and a pack of biscuits once off the train. I gave my biscuits away as I was hoping for my Standard Premier meal on Eurostar which I actually nearly didn't get.

[5BarVT]

6 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

In nearly 50 years of travelling regularly by train, this is the first time I've ever been evacuated from one😏

I managed it after 32 1/2 years on 23 Feb 2007 just north of Lamrigg crossovers.  23%g deceleration is not comfortable (based on estimated speed and approx distance travelled) though most of the discomfort was mental wondering what will happen next.  Don’t particularly want to do that again. 
Paul. 

[31A]

1 hour ago, Bazza said:

We were all offered a bottle of water and a pack of biscuits once off the train. I gave my biscuits away as I was hoping for my Standard Premier meal on Eurostar which I actually nearly didn't get.

 

My heartfelt thanks to Bazza for his biscuit-packet sacrifice as I omitted to collect one in all the excitement, and didn't qualify for a Standard Premier meal on Eurostar.  But was just glad to have made it onto the last train to London.

 

My own photographic effort from within the bendy bus, with Jonathan trying to hide behind a pole (other nationalities are available):

 

 

A first time for evacuation from a train for me too despite extensive travelling; not a thing I'd want to do too often.  And as the others have said, many thanks to Graham for arranging a very enjoyable trip, and generally herding us in the right direction.

 

[LNER4479]

15 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

I managed it after 32 1/2 years on 23 Feb 2007 just north of Lamrigg crossovers.  23%g deceleration is not comfortable (based on estimated speed and approx distance travelled) though most of the discomfort was mental wondering what will happen next.  Don’t particularly want to do that again. 
Paul. 

Yikes😲 Can't really think of anything else to add other than to comment that our disruption pales into insignificance compared to something like that.

[5BarVT]

21 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Yikes😲 Can't really think of anything else to add other than to comment that our disruption pales into insignificance compared to something like that.

16 years ago now (doesn’t time fly!) so memories have faded.  A former colleague of mine was involved in Great Heck and one of his travelling companions didn’t survive, another colleague was in the buffet at Clapham that had the side ripped off, so both far worse than anything I experienced.  I had been visiting St Pancras to see the HS1 signalling on a day off and had sneaked out to catch an earlier train . . .   Fortunately, being a day off, I wasn’t in the first coach where I normally sat (the one which cartwheeled) but in the comfy seats at the back of the train.  Interestingly, I felt a slight jolt just before the heavy deceleration and remember thinking “what’s that”. Then the ballast started rattling around beneath me so I just held on tight to the table as laptop and other stuff went for a trip forwards.  After reading the RAIB report I wonder if the jolt was when the first coach got to the narrowing gauge before the wheels were sprung upwards.

 

For a while afterwards, if travelling on a unit with deep windows, I found my mind saying “I wonder if they would break if we came off?”.  Even now, if there is a sudden and prolonged emergency brake application from full speed (e.g. a TPWS trip) I find myself thinking “now what’s happening”.  It soon passes when there is no ballast rattle.

Paul.

[5BarVT]

Another anecdote from a couple of weeks ago.  We stopped at Green Lane on the way out of Liverpool on one of the trains that’s not booked to stop there.  Now I know that is the last train stop fitted signal.  After a couple of minutes (long enough to be instructed to pass the signal) we set off very gently (as you would with a train stop) so I knew exactly what was coming.  What was interesting was the look on the other passengers’ faces when we got the sudden stop from no more than 2mph.

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Another anecdote from a couple of weeks ago.  We stopped at Green Lane on the way out of Liverpool on one of the trains that’s not booked to stop there.  Now I know that is the last train stop fitted signal.  After a couple of minutes (long enough to be instructed to pass the signal) we set off very gently (as you would with a train stop) so I knew exactly what was coming.  What was interesting was the look on the other passengers’ faces when we got the sudden stop from no more than 2mph.

Paul.

Had one of those in Melbourne a few years ago, after a visit to @Gwiwer of this parish. The train operator was very good and explained over the PA exactly what was going to happen, including the fact that we were going to run at restricted speed until we passed the following signal. I told his CEO (a personal friend) about it and I think the TO got a well-deserved commendation as a result.

[The Stationmaster]

On 11/05/2023 at 19:14, LNER4479 said:

Nice suggestion, Mike - and I have been to Zittau once before, but quite a hike over to that corner of Germany from the Harz ... not to mention the journey back (by train).

 

I did it as part of my 'Grand Tour  which included two nights in Wernigerode (which meant I couldn't do all of the Harz) , two nights in Dresden for two lots of n.g linres, then on to Jenbach for two nights  - giving a full day to do the two n.g. lines.  From there to Tirano in Italy for two nights giving a whole day to do some parts of the RhB I hadn't covered previously.  Then on into Switzerland with overnights at two places there before coming back via Basle to Brussel to join the Eurostar.   But that was pretty intensive going with a lot of time spent on trains and not much time to look around in some of the places.  

 

Train timekeeping in Germany was atrocious including one missed connection in Munich and a total failure to regain, and actually lose even more time, on a train that had been diverted on SBB because of engineering work.  Alas even back in 2003 DB punctuality had already descended to a state that wouldn't have been tolerated in earlier years and is certainly something I would build-in extra margins for in the future.   (However on the first day Lübeck to Wernigerode was 100% right time, which was more than could be said for O'Leary Air - which I definitely wouldn't use again.)

[LNER4479]

Been a-travelling again 😎

 

Italian Lakes? Salzkammergut?

 

Hell no - the good 'ol Highlands of Scotland! And when conditions are like this, why go further than your own back yard? (relatively speaking!)

 

First base was the lovely loch-side setting of Ballachuilish ... where the former station buildings survive as a doctor's surgery(!)

 

Of course, no trip to the West Highlands is complete without the 'Jacobite' steam train along the 'Road to the Isles'. We called in at Neptune's Staircase, with the aim of seeing the morning train crossing the swing bridge ... and were surprised - and delighted - to see an additional train! 45407 seen here returning to 'The Fort' from what appeared to have been an additional, early morning charter.

 

20 minutes later, and 44871 duly appeared with said morning Jacobite service, the skies clear enough to reveal the great Ben in the background.

 

Our actual day on the Jacobite coincided with the only rainy day(!) However, this did have the advantage of disposing with the 'fire risk' diesel that had (apparently) been a constant companion for the previous few weeks (both the previous trains featured actually had a diesel on the back ... but I've spared you that).

 

And it kept on raining! Didn't cause the Black 5 any problems however and here she is, crossing Glenfinnan on the return, spot on time.

In case you hadn't figured it out by now, this was another GRJ tour - 'Edinburgh, the Highlands and Islands'. I mainly had Americans and Aussies in the group and they all got along famously. That's a couple of them in the foreground, almost enjoying the rain and the 'Scotch mist' conditions - the sun shone most of the time. Could have done without the midges, though🤨

 

Believe it or not, it's actually raining here as well (see the drops on the water?) But I spotted the light skies in the west at our hotel and dashed outside with the camera, just in time for the sun to appear briefly between the clouds and the horizon.

 

I always look forward to my trips to the West Highlands 🤗

 

 

 

[LNER4479]

A few more, non-railway ones:

 

Tobermory, Isle of Mull.

 

Ben Nevis, seen from Loch Linnhe boat cruise.

 

Glencoe.

 

The ruins of Urquhart castle, by Loch Ness.

 

The very much rebuilt - but iconic - Eilean Donan castle, at the eastern end of Loch Alsh. The Americans LOVED this one!

 

[gr.king]

Went there too, in May, before the late May bank holiday tourist invasion and the explosion in midge population. The roads hadn't been washed away or covered by landslides at that stage either. It was nice to be there while it was still "quiet" (even if very noticeably busier than it was 17-18 years ago) and while it was possible to go outside, gather in groups, and stay still, with skin exposed, without being driven to despair by midge bites. A beautiful area, especially suitable if you don't mind long slow journeys.

Definitely a part of the country where it pays to be aware that some establishments charge ludicrously loaded tourist prices though. Obviously distribution costs, the need to attract staff, and none of the benefits of economy of scale, handicap the local business anyway, so some price loading is inevitable, but its definitely a place where we needed to "shop around" as much as possible and find out the costs before saying "yes".

[jwealleans]

Something's stirring.

 

 

... and it's mobile again.

 

 

[gr.king]

7 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

Something's stirring.

 

 

 

 

... and it's mobile again.

 

 

 

 

 Ooo.errr, Matron.  You'll be showing that knob again soon I bet.

 

Do I spy a Foden?  Don't let Mathewsons know about that.

[jwealleans]

Do I really need to say that my knob was the first item out of storage and into the trailer?

 

Fodens'R'us, as you'll see when you call.

Edited August 11, 2023 by jwealleans

[5BarVT]

Not seen a ball hook on a forklift before.  Some of those mechanical types are quite clever and inventive.

Suppose that makes them Engineers.

Paul.

Edited August 12, 2023 by 5BarVT
Missing letter.

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Some of those mechanical types are quite clever and inventive.

Some.

[Clive Mortimore]

On 25/06/2023 at 22:09, LNER4479 said:

A few more, non-railway ones:

 

Tobermory, Isle of Mull.

 

Ben Nevis, seen from Loch Linnhe boat cruise.

 

Glencoe.

 

The ruins of Urquhart castle, by Loch Ness.

 

The very much rebuilt - but iconic - Eilean Donan castle, at the eastern end of Loch Alsh. The Americans LOVED this one!

 

My sister-in law and her family lived in the Highlands. When ever we went to see them we would go in the local shops with them and we were always told "You should have been here last week the weather was lovely". After exiting the shop my sister-in-law would indicate that the shop keeper was mistaken or had forgot what the weather was like the week before.

[LNER4479]

So ... it's up!

 

For a couple of weeks at least. For  improvements, testing, photography etc. All in preparation for forthcoming season, starting with Newcastle in November.

 

 

Inevitably, with the rough and tumble of exhibition life takes its toll. So it's repairs first of all.

 

More soon

 

[gr.king]

Deux Fodens.

[jwealleans]

10 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Not seen a ball hook on a forklift before.

 

 

"The device" as it's always been known is far and away the best of the many things my late father left behind.   It makes parking trailers so much easier than twisting your neck over the back of a tractor.   I've seen a few variants but none quite as good as this which he made himself.   Here it is in action a few years ago:

 

 

 

 

 

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, jwealleans said:

 

 

"The device" as it's always been known is far and away the best of the many things my late father left behind.   It makes parking trailers so much easier than twisting your neck over the back of a tractor.   I've seen a few variants but none quite as good as this which he made himself.   Here it is in action a few years ago:

 

 

 

 

 

A late friend here had a towbar/ball on the front of his 4WD as well as the back, for the same reason (launching and retrieving boats, in his case).

[Jesse Sim]

On 12/08/2023 at 03:22, jwealleans said:

Something's stirring.

 

 

... and it's mobile again.

 

 

Love the protective cage, much better then that rickety pallet we used last time 🤣

[jwealleans]

2 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

much better then that rickety pallet we used last time

 

It's all to do with the expendability of the staff......

[gr.king]

The strangest "front coupling" I ever saw on a road vehicle was in the Vancouver BC area, possibly Coal Harbour, a float-plane launching facility. The planes were shunted to and from the water (across a public road) by what appeared to be the converted remains of some sort of pick-up truck (or ute, in antipodean parlance) with a long front bar which (I think) coupled to the nose wheel gear of the amphibious planes - but... memory suggests that everything to the rear of the cab of the truck had been removed entirely, including chassis and therefore the rear wheels!  How could such a thing balance, or be handled, when not coupled to a plane? I presume it was "front" wheel drive.  I wish I had a picture to hand to prove the point.

[LNER4479]

The internet, as ever, is your friend: