Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[big jim]

Only the one from last night

 

sunderland vs man united 

 

Possession tonight on the chilterns then next week has MOD landor st to Donnington and forward to Hereford then a couple of evenings of MPVs and one short Trafford park job 

[45156]

On 28/10/2023 at 07:28, big jim said:

Possession tonight on the chilterns then next week has MOD landor st to Donnington and forward to Hereford then a couple of evenings of MPVs and one short Trafford park job 

Variety really does seem to spice the life of your above average GBRF driver

[big jim]

Quite an easy week next week really then I think im annual leave the week after

 

last night was a trip down the chilterns, rained a fair bit all the way but not too bad when we got there 

 

08 and 66 on bescot 

 

My lead loco, 66799

 

 

on site at the former ashendon jn on the chiltern line where the great central line diverged off the great western toward grendon underwood and onward to Manchester, really in the middle of nowhere, no light, no phone signal, no houses! 

 

changed ends into the rear loco, a filthy 66734 in royal livery, the freightliner manned high output ballast cleaner was alongside 

 

Nothing in front for miles

 

just ahead in the gloom is the former crossing of the ‘Brill tramway’ which went over the top of the main line (pink line on the map below) the above photo was taken at Dorton, my taxi took the road north from there that followed the tramway toward brill 

link to railmap on line so you can explore the wider area, quite a mish mash of lines and companies for such a remote place

 

https://www.RailMapOnline.com/UKIEMap.php?lat=51.82470&lng=-1.01163&zoom=13.0

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by big jim

[5BarVT]

3 hours ago, big jim said:

Nothing in front for miles

Was with a Chiltern driver down there once who said he got quite nervous in the long block sections because of the distance you could go without seeing a signal.  When you’re used to them coming up every one to three km it probably is unnerving.

Out in the more distant parts of Cornwall, West Wales and West/North of Scotland it’s normality.

Paul.

[Mark Saunders]

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

Was with a Chiltern driver down there once who said he got quite nervous in the long block sections because of the distance you could go without seeing a signal.  When you’re used to them coming up every one to three km it probably is unnerving.

Out in the more distant parts of Cornwall, West Wales and West/North of Scotland it’s normality.

Paul.

Similar quote about Paddington to Heathrow when Leeds Drives were getting handling time on 332's as the333's were late: 'we've got longer block sections' !

[big jim]

Landor st to Donnington and Hereford today 

 

66725 again!

 

signaller routed me into the platform at Wellington, I questioned it as it’s normally a run round in the middle road but he wanted me to go that way, anyway 2 signals passed at danger later (and another to come) I finally got back found to the front of the train again!

 

Loaded up and ready to go

 

197s

 

these have ertms fitted for the Cambrian 

 

made a friend while I waited to leave 

 

finally into Hereford some 90 minutes late 

 

that’s me until Wednesday now 

[big jim]

Only 3 from tonight, quite late getting into kings norton by car due to crashes on the M6 and M42, took me over 3 hours from crewe!

 

Birmingham International 

 

Rugeley 

 

and off at kings Norton

 

Short Trafford park job tomorrow 

[big jim]

Trafford park last night, got in in crewe, really rough with the storm happening at the time 

 

Trafford park 

 

 

stopped at Wilmslow to wait for a TFW service to pass 

 

That was about it for photos, worked it to coleshill and a drive home 

 

RHTT again tonight then a rest day work Saturday crewe to Liverpool Wapping sidings/tunnel to run round and back to weaver jn with a possession job 

[WessexEclectic]

On 30/10/2023 at 21:41, big jim said:

signaller routed me into the platform at Wellington, I questioned it as it’s normally a run round in the middle road but he wanted me to go that way, anyway 2 signals passed at danger later (and another to come) I finally got back found to the front of the train again!

Why the need to be 'talked past' on this occasion?

Edited November 3, 2023 by WessexEclectic

[big jim]

41 minutes ago, WessexEclectic said:

Why the need to be 'talked passed' on this occasion?

I assume it’s because of the flooding they had last week, it’s normally a fully signalled move 

 

someone I know in Wellington said another move into Donnington this week did the same move too

[big jim]

RHTT and a ‘can you just’ last night 

 

Kings Norton 

 

Ready to go 

rugeley

 

bescot 

 

Then when I got to bescot I got in a hire car and hot footed it to Trafford park for the intermodal back to nuneaton after the booked driver…..well let’s just leave it at that, I wasn’t happy! 

 

Nuneaton 

 

196 unit 

 

Possession train Crewe to edge hill to run round then back to weaver jn tonight then a week off, there are a couple of interesting conducting jobs later in the week but I’m not going to commit, see nearer the time if I fancy doing them 

Edited November 4, 2023 by big jim

[big jim]

Ballast drop last night, started in Basford hall 

colas 56

 

Gb 66 off somewhere else 

 

My loco, Maritime 66727 with 5 auto hoppers 

 

Off to Liverpool, stopped in south parkway (Allerton) station to wait for a Pendolino to pass which was heading to edge hill depot 

 

The run round took place in the Wapping sidings which is the old Liverpool and Manchester railway station, crown street tunnel is ahead of me where the line used to go to crown street goods, to the right behind the trees are Wapping tunnel and the Stephenson tunnel, I believe they are trying to open that side up as a tourist attraction of some sort 

 

Inside crown st tunnel. There used to be lights in here on a sensor but they didn’t come on, quite eerie!

 

over the points and ready to head back light loco toward edge hill

 

And back onto the train

 

That’s it for pics as the rest of the shift during the down time was in absolute darkness, not a street light to be seen for miles! 
 

one little job next week, got to refresh part of the route digitally via video and remind myself of the speeds in a few places using the sectional appendix, watch this space! 

[gismorail]

Thanks for the pictures of Crown Street Tunnel fascinating area and very historic 

[Craig1989]

Great pics as always Jim and does this mean we will be seeing you on the biomass trains out of Liverpool docks to tuebrook? 
 

cheers Craig 

[beast66606]

50 minutes ago, Craig1989 said:

Great pics as always Jim and does this mean we will be seeing you on the biomass trains out of Liverpool docks to tuebrook? 
 

cheers Craig 

 

Jim used to drive the coal into / out of Liverpool Docks (quite) a few years ago

[big jim]

1 hour ago, Craig1989 said:

Great pics as always Jim and does this mean we will be seeing you on the biomass trains out of Liverpool docks to tuebrook? 
 

cheers Craig 

nah, as beast says I used to go there years ago with fastline and it’s still on my route card, just like where I’m going on Thursday I’ve known it for 20+ years just not been over the whole route for a while so need to refresh myself for it to update the route card 

[jamie92208]

18 minutes ago, big jim said:

nah, as beast says I used to go there years ago with fastline and it’s still on my route card, just like where I’m going on Thursday I’ve known it for 20+ years just not been over the whole route for a while so need to refresh myself for it to update the route card 

I seem to remember that you had to get some class 70's out of the docks whilst they still had wheels. 

 

Jamie

[big jim]

Spent a morning refreshing the route for my job on Thursday, doing it Friday as well now 

 

I’ve watched the videos of the route in both directions as well as reviewing maps and the sectional appendix to make sure I remember the speeds etc, downloaded the maps just in case I have a moment and forget something! 

 

 

should be an interesting couple of days 

 

[CazRail]

7 hours ago, big jim said:

Spent a morning refreshing the route for my job on Thursday, doing it Friday as well now 

 

I’ve watched the videos of the route in both directions as well as reviewing maps and the sectional appendix to make sure I remember the speeds etc, downloaded the maps just in case I have a moment and forget something! 

 

 

should be an interesting couple of days 

 

Ill keep an eye out, I'll be working further up the line on Thursday and Friday. 

[big jim]

10 minutes ago, CazRail said:

Ill keep an eye out, I'll be working further up the line on Thursday and Friday. 

You worked it out then! 

[ess1uk]

That looks like the causeway between Valley and Holyhead 

[big jim]

18 minutes ago, ess1uk said:

That looks like the causeway between Valley and Holyhead 

yeah, got a couple of days of class 805 testing between crewe and Holyhead, looking forward to it, pics to follow of course

[CazRail]

2 minutes ago, big jim said:

yeah, got a couple of days of class 805 testing between crewe and Holyhead, looking forward to it, pics to follow of course

Didn't want to give it away in my earlier post, saw it running today.

 

If all goes according to plan, I'll be working between Talacre and Tyn-y-Morfa tomorrow and Friday.

[big jim]

21 hours ago, CazRail said:

Didn't want to give it away in my earlier post, saw it running today.

 

If all goes according to plan, I'll be working between Talacre and Tyn-y-Morfa tomorrow and Friday.

Didn’t spot anyone trackside today in that area but did see a cherry picker working on an under bridge near the old talacre box? 
 

as eluded to I worked an 805 to Holyhead and back today, one of the latest, 007, got on at crewe 

 

Was a bit late as there were a few late runners around so waited in Chester for a Birmingham service to leave, another new unit, a 777 was on a Mersey rail service in platform 7 

 

Llandudno Jn

 

And into Holyhead

 

 

After a break it was a good run back south, stopped at Rhyl while the train in front cleared Prestatyn 

 

Another stop in Chester 

 

and safely back to crewe 

 

 

same tomorrow but an earlier run as it’s going onto the shed at Holyhead for fuel (I think) 

 

[adb968008]

6 minutes ago, big jim said:

Didn’t spot anyone trackside today in that area but did see a cherry picker working on an under bridge near the old talacre box? 
 

as eluded to I worked an 805 to Holyhead and back today, one of the latest, 007, got on at crewe 

 

Was a bit late as there were a few late runners around so waited in Chester for a Birmingham service to leave, another new unit, a 777 was on a Mersey rail service in platform 7 

 

Llandudno Jn

 

And into Holyhead

 

 

After a break it was a good run back south, stopped at Rhyl while the train in front cleared Prestatyn 

 

Another stop in Chester 

 

and safely back to crewe 

 

 

same tomorrow but an earlier run as it’s going onto the shed at Holyhead for fuel (I think) 

 

Considering its a day time move youve done well to make all that lot devoid of any passengers on any platform at all in every station !

its like looking at pictures during covid.

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by adb968008