Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[gismorail]

18 hours ago, big jim said:

And the pics from today

 

66797 up front 

 

Into Dee marsh and backed in, a long train today, 25 wagons but mostly BRA type so a good 50ft longer than usual as I found out in the headshunt when I had to drive through the bushes at the top end to clear the points behind it!

 

Picked up the fresh traffic to head south, while I was doing that the internal shunter came along with another rake of wagons, first time I’ve managed to photograph it

 

It’s called ‘Gavlar’

 

Shorter train back, just 12 wagons so flew along!

 

Passenger train passing by

 

And into hereford 

 

Same tomorrow then a varied week, possession Sunday, scrap train Monday, road learning loco Tuesday, class 69 test/moves on Friday then the toton tripper on Saturday 

 

And as for what I bought……

If only the power’s that be hadn’t sold it what amazing preservation locomotive it would have been 👌

Edited August 19, 2023 by gismorail
Mispell

[45156]

Were you running a bit late this morning - I was in the antique centre which backs onto the line, restocking my cabinet about noonish when a quite heavy freight came past going South, I think.

 

Like the new acquisition - never saw the prototype myself.

[big jim]

10 hours ago, WessexEclectic said:

Are the wagons loaded both ways? Can't recall what the specific steel traffic is.

They’re loaded going north and normally empty going south but the last couple of days there have been a couple of loaded wagons going south, I think they go to shotton for coating of some sort 

 

8 hours ago, 45156 said:

Were you running a bit late this morning - I was in the antique centre which backs onto the line, restocking my cabinet about noonish when a quite heavy freight came past going South, I think.

 

Like the new acquisition - never saw the prototype myself.

yes I was late today, going good until shrewsbury then late running TFW services knocked me for 10 minutes, I then had to stop en route to wait for the train in front to clear various sections so I was about 20 late into hereford
 

hereford 

 

230 passing dee marsh 

 

Waiting at Bromfield for the late running passenger train to clear Ludlow 

 

Into hereford 

 

Possession train tomorrow stone to bescot then bescot to rugby 

 

this always made me smile in wrexham; the old lamps at croes newydd remind me of Bender from futurama!

 

[big jim]

Possession yesterday, the worksite was actually cancelled so the wagons went back loaded, started in stone

 

north staffs railway station

 

 

My train sat at the junction, the line to Stafford to the left and colwich to the right 

 

Goods shed 

 

Looking south, there are only platforms on the Stafford side now 

 

My train of auto hoppers. Had to fire it up and brake test it etc 

 

Once sorted I dropped down to the crossing which was under local control, 66731 on a train going the other way 

 

Once he was ready to move the crossing was operated manually and the driver given permission to cross it, the crossing attendant is giving a green light to show its safe to proceed, I had similar when I set off too

 

And into bescot 

 

On to another train, this time going to rugby, rear loco 

 

Lead loco 

 

66732 with a weird addition of black window surrounds, seems to be painted with some sort of mottled paint, at first I thought it was dirt!

 

Into Rugby 

 

supposedly a scrap train later but it’s a bit up in the air as to whether it’s running, then after that it’s a slate train crewe to bescot so I’m hoping the scrap isn’t running so I don’t have to drive to hams hall for the loco

Edited August 21, 2023 by big jim

[Fat Controller]

The platforms on the Col;wich line at Stone went years ago; certainly by the time  I moved to Stoke in 1977.

[big jim]

Scrap train saltley to crewe, picked the lock up from hams hall, same one as I took for wheel turning last week, all sorted now 

 

 

Saltley

 

 

into crewe

 

and literally up on the platform and straight onto the llandudno jn to bescot slate train!

freshly named 66798

 

Seems to be a powerful loco, 2400 tons behind it and got a good turn of speed toward Madeley compared to most 66s 

 

Into bescot 

 

the road learning loco today is cancelled so hopefully I can be left spare and head to the caravan later 

 

[gismorail]

23 hours ago, big jim said:

Possession yesterday, the worksite was actually cancelled so the wagons went back loaded, started in stone

 

north staffs railway station

 

 

My train sat at the junction, the line to Stafford to the left and colwich to the right 

 

Goods shed 

 

Looking south, there are only platforms on the Stafford side now 

 

My train of auto hoppers. Had to fire it up and brake test it etc 

 

Once sorted I dropped down to the crossing which was under local control, 66731 on a train going the other way 

 

Once he was ready to move the crossing was operated manually and the driver given permission to cross it, the crossing attendant is giving a green light to show its safe to proceed, I had similar when I set off too

 

And into bescot 

 

On to another train, this time going to rugby, rear loco 

 

Lead loco 

 

66732 with a weird addition of black window surrounds, seems to be painted with some sort of mottled paint, at first I thought it was dirt!

 

Into Rugby 

 

supposedly a scrap train later but it’s a bit up in the air as to whether it’s running, then after that it’s a slate train crewe to bescot so I’m hoping the scrap isn’t running so I don’t have to drive to hams hall for the loco

Hi Jim you mentioned a slate train to Bescot just as a matter of interest where does this train start from ?

[big jim]

19 minutes ago, gismorail said:

Hi Jim you mentioned a slate train to Bescot just as a matter of interest where does this train start from ?

llandudno jn sidings, goes to walsall after a recess in Bescot 

[ruggedpeak]

Hi Jim, superb photos as always. Could I ask where this shot was taken please, very modellable track layout.

 

Thanks

Tony

 

[big jim]

6 hours ago, ruggedpeak said:

Hi Jim, superb photos as always. Could I ask where this shot was taken please, very modellable track layout.

that’s hams hall reception, the yard tk the right and a spur off to the mainline on the left beyond the scissor 

 

the road learning loco was cancelled so I was spare but managed to work a train from crewe to carlisle which was handy as I was going to the caravan so j used it as a taxi!

 

66708 

 

As there was major disruption due to a signalling fault earlier in the day and a lot of passenger trains were cancelled I was right away crewe, first stop carlisle!

 

TPE stabled up 

 

My train to wigton

 

that’s me until Friday now, class 69 moves from longport 

[Reorte]

On 21/08/2023 at 12:40, big jim said:

Once he was ready to move the crossing was operated manually and the driver given permission to cross it, the crossing attendant is giving a green light to show its safe to proceed, I had similar when I set off too

 

 

That's such a wonderfully atmospheric picture.

[big jim]

29 minutes ago, Reorte said:

That's such a wonderfully atmospheric picture.

must admit I was pleased with than one when I took it 

[SM42]

24 minutes ago, big jim said:

must admit I was pleased with than one when I took it 

 

A bit sad for me

 

What's missing is my first signalbox that was on the right of the picture and the pub was called The Talbot in my day

 

Is the tamper siding still in the car park?

 

Andy

[jamie92208]

18 hours ago, big jim said:

llandudno jn sidings, goes to walsall after a recess in Bescot 

I'm glad that that traffic has taken off.  It was discussed for years with possible loading from Blaneau Ffestiniog, but a lot of infrastructure would have needed upgrading.  I did see a video of a trial loading at Llandudno Junction some time ago.   Good to hear that things are moving by rail. 

 

Jamie

[5BarVT]

13 hours ago, big jim said:

As there was major disruption due to a signalling fault earlier in the day and a lot of passenger trains were cancelled I was right away crewe, first stop carlisle!

Your relief continued to make good time . . .

to Carstairs: 99E arrival RT away.  So near and yet so far!

Paul.

[big jim]

18 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

 

Is the tamper siding still in the car park?

 

Andy

 

yeah that’s still there, still in use as well

 

dodged a bullet yesterday working that train to carlisle as in the afternoon there was a SPAD in Stafford which blocked the lines to Birmingham so trains were having to be diverted via Stoke, cannock even Wolverhampton to shrewsbury and onward to crewe, had I been home and spare I’d have no doubt ended up working some of those! 
 

 

[SM42]

Stone was a bit of an odd one in some respects. 

 

Controlled  by Stoke PSB, but the Colwich line wasn't. 

 

The level crossing shown in the picture was controlled  by Meaford Crossing SB. ( at the end of the drive at Stone Station  and a few miles from anywhere also called Meaford)

 

The first up signal was about 50yds or so north of the crossing   towards Stoke. 

 

South of the crossing was a crossover. 

 

The box also controlled a CCTV crossing further south at Church Rd and monitored Aston by Stone AHB crossing to the south of that  

 

The next box to the south was Colwich. 

 

Down trains required a slot from Stoke PSB before trains could be signalled over the crossing outside the box  towards Stone Jn

Likewise the ground signal on the up for reversing moves was also slotted as was the signal out of the tamper siding. 

 

Machines  entering the tamper siding didn't have a signal. They had to drop past the points on the up and check the points were set before they set back.

I just hopedI i got them over first time and didn't need a second go.

A wave from the box to the driver was an option but it would be your fault if it dropped off the road. 

 

The siding had a gate across it  and any machine going in required the gate open and it then proceeded into the car park,. 

 

Fun place to work ( 8 trains a shift, maybe the odd MGR as well) and quite a few Parkside wagons have emerged from the Meaford Wagon Works. 

 

The best was when you could deal with an up and a down train at  once.

 

Get out of the chair, close Church Rd en route to the far end of the box to close the barriers outside, once done turn round, pull 25 to lock the crossing, 24 to clear across Church Rd on the down, pull 23 to get all the down line pegs off and walk to the North end to clear 3 and 5* signals, neatly arriving back by your chair. 

 

On its last day of operation the box closed around midnight. By 6am it was a pile of rubble. 

 

Sorry for the slight diversion. 

 

Andy

* some levers number may have been changed to protect my fading memory. It was 27 years ago you know. 

[big jim]

Back to it today, class 69 test run, caught the train down from the caravan for it 

 

A very wet wigton 

 

mix and match NR test train 

 

TPE unit 

 

69010 this time, first time out on the mainline 

 

66714 for assurance, looks like someone has changed the body and not painted the chassis to match! (Also wrong font numbers)

 

Into bescot 

 

and run round 

 

Back as far as kidsgrove to change ends again, it was booked to alsager but there is a good margin to do it in the platform 

 

once back in longport I dropped off the 69 and collected 66725 to take back to bescot 

 

 

Trip working tomorrow but no traffic currently so hopefully an early finish unless I get a ‘can you just’ 

 

 

[Steadfast]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

66714 for assurance, looks like someone has changed the body and not painted the chassis to match! (Also wrong font numbers)

How strange does that look. An ex bug eye machine fitted with latest style BMACs

 

66729 has the same look since its collision repairs, with the new BMACs on the larger back box, but is a low emission machine.

 

Jo

Edited August 25, 2023 by Steadfast

[big jim]

Only 2 from today on my trip home, no traffic on the tripper so a ‘keep your phone on’ day, left the hotel and get a train home from Wolverhampton, changed at Stafford off a pair of consecutive numbered voyagers 

 

and onto a Pendolino to crewe 

 

Coming up tomorrow i have a possession northwich to bescot, Monday driving a road learning loco around new st and down to Bromsgrove, Tuesday hams hall to east mids gateway and back to crewe then thursday-Saturday hereford to dee marsh again 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by big jim

[45156]

2 hours ago, big jim said:

thursday-Saturday hereford to dee marsh again 

 

Getting to be a bit of a habit coming down this way

[big jim]

1 hour ago, 45156 said:

Getting to be a bit of a habit coming down this way

it is isn’t it, must resist the model shop…..must resist the model shop……must resist the model shop! 

[Chris116]

2 minutes ago, big jim said:

it is isn’t it, must resist the model shop…..must resist the model shop……must resist the model shop! 

Resist the model shop? Whatever for, you know you don't want to, so don't.

[big jim]

I’m actually having a bit of a eBay cull tonight with locos I’ve got duplicate liveries of as I’m running out of display cabinet space and walls to put more cabinets on! 

[GWRPhil]

3 hours ago, Chris116 said:

Resist the model shop? Whatever for, you know you don't want to, so don't.

I agree. You can never have enough trains.