Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[big jim]

Just a couple from yesterday, toton to mountsorrel then off to coleshill

 

running round in humberstone road

 

and back to coleshill

 

cement tonight, crewe to bescot 

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

Just a couple from yesterday, toton to mountsorrel then off to coleshill

 

running round in humberstone road

 

and back to coleshill

 

cement tonight, crewe to bescot 

 

66756 has just passed me - coming  your way......

[big jim]

And due to an issue with the loco that I was given a heads up about I suggested we stick another loco up front between crewe and bescot then on arrival uncouple and head back to crewe with the loco

 

66706 waiting for the other train to arrive

 

and on the train 

 

and back in crewe, same line but facing the opposite way round!

 

day off today and iport Saturday

[big jim]

Only took one pic today at the end of the iport job 

 

66708 and 60076 in decoy after leaving the 66 there 

[big jim]

Some from yesterday, cement from Landor st to crewe, arrival in crewe

 

something I’ve not seen in crewe Basford hall for a while an 08

 

and a wasp outside the depot

 

then last night MOD warrington to banbury, 18 fully loaded wagons

 

and into banbury

 

IM in the morning out of crewe to derby via Stafford , stoke and uttoxeter 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by big jim

[big jim]

And some from this morning 

 

37057 (again) crewe to derby via stoke and stafford

 

crewe

 

Stafford

 

 

Stoke

 

 

derby

 

And one for mick on deadman’s lane as special livery HST power car, both ends has the same branding, coaches were normal

 

Possession tomorrow near Tamworth and loco to Doncaster at the end of it 

[newbryford]

3 minutes ago, big jim said:

 

 

 

 

And one for mick on deadman’s lane as special livery HST power car, both ends has the same branding, coaches were normal

 

Possession tomorrow near Tamworth and loco to Doncaster at the end of it 

 

Ta for that.

There's also EMT 153 (302) with "EMR Regional" branding just to keep me on my toes....

[eastwestdivide]

That '11 years of EMT' pair of power cars was on a Leeds-Sheffield-Derby-London-Peterborough-Grantham-Nottingham-Sheffield-Derby staff day trip thing today.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J11312/2019/08/10/advanced

[newbryford]

3 minutes ago, eastwestdivide said:

That '11 years of EMT' pair of power cars was on a Leeds-Sheffield-Derby-London-Peterborough-Grantham-Nottingham-Sheffield-Derby staff day trip thing today.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J11312/2019/08/10/advanced

 

The other one is 43081

[big jim]

1 hour ago, newbryford said:

 

Ta for that.

There's also EMT 153 (302) with "EMR Regional" branding just to keep me on my toes....

 

saw a meridian with “EMR InterCity” on the side too, looked cheap and tacky tbf!

 

1 hour ago, eastwestdivide said:

That '11 years of EMT' pair of power cars was on a Leeds-Sheffield-Derby-London-Peterborough-Grantham-Nottingham-Sheffield-Derby staff day trip thing today.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J11312/2019/08/10/advanced

 

yeah thats what it was on 

[Gibbo675]

On 13/07/2019 at 23:59, big jim said:

For those who are wondering what the heck those of us in the know are on about below is part of an RT3185 for coal trains between various loading and discharging points 

 

you can see it is specific to types of wagons generating a specific RA (route availability)

 

Below that is a comprehensive list of routes that the train must take with a route letter next to it (a, b, c etc)

 

 

You can see on this page the route from Rugeley north jn to rycroft jn is shown (as part of route q)

 

 

you then cross reference the route letter with any restrictions shown in the next list, as you can see route m, n, o, p, q, r have no restrictions applied whereas other routes with restrictions give you the location, bridge number and speed or other restriction such as on the ironbridge line “only one train permitted on bridge at any given time” the bridge in question being the Bridge over the Severn (the restriction could have been removed a long time back  as the line was singled between lightmoor and the power station back in about 2010)

 

 

there are further RT3973s too

 

CON- container trains (so larger sized containers don’t hit tunnel walls, bridges or station canopies etc)

 

EXL- exceptional loads (things like side tipping point carriers and some cranes)

 

NUC- nuclear traffic (to keep to booked routes) 

 

then in top of that you have table upon table of locos, units and coaches in the sectional appendix listing where they cannot go, class 70 for example can go derby to stoke via uttoxeter but cannot go the opposite direction along the same route due to a bulge in the wall in meir tunnel!

 

hope that helps people understand the complexities of running different types of freight trains, it’s not just point and go! 

 

 

 

Hi Jim,

 

This is most interesting, however noting your photograph of 66 779 Evening Star a few post back I noted that it carries a GWR blue dot weight classification.

 

The blue dot was for a maximum axle loading of  17 Tons 12 CWT, the class 66 total mass is 142 Tons 18 CWT over six axles, assuming all equal, that is 23 Tons 16.25CWT. The GWR King class had an axle loading of 22 tons 10 CWT and carried a double red dot weight classification as should 66 779 !

 

Gibbo.

[The Stationmaster]

1 hour ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi Jim,

 

This is most interesting, however noting your photograph of 66 779 Evening Star a few post back I noted that it carries a GWR blue dot weight classification.

 

The blue dot was for a maximum axle loading of  17 Tons 12 CWT, the class 66 total mass is 142 Tons 18 CWT over six axles, assuming all equal, that is 23 Tons 16.25CWT. The GWR King class had an axle loading of 22 tons 10 CWT and carried a double red dot weight classification as should 66 779 !

 

Gibbo.

I think you'll also find that not only does it have a blue Route Availability 'dot' but it is also carrying a '9F' marking above the number.  And of course the '9F' is just as irrelevant and totally meaningless on today's railway as the blue RA 'dot' - they're there because they  go with 'the look' of the lined panel on the BR green background.

[Gibbo675]

2 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

I think you'll also find that not only does it have a blue Route Availability 'dot' but it is also carrying a '9F' marking above the number.  And of course the '9F' is just as irrelevant and totally meaningless on today's railway as the blue RA 'dot' - they're there because they  go with 'the look' of the lined panel on the BR green background.

Hi Mike,

 

I also note that its exhaust port is not copper capped but decided noting that would be a bit far fetched even just for fun of it !

 

Cheers,

 

Gibbo.

[rob D2]

On 10/08/2019 at 09:55, Gibbo675 said:

Hi Jim,

 

This is most interesting, however noting your photograph of 66 779 Evening Star a few post back I noted that it carries a GWR blue dot weight classification.

 

The blue dot was for a maximum axle loading of  17 Tons 12 CWT, the class 66 total mass is 142 Tons 18 CWT over six axles, assuming all equal, that is 23 Tons 16.25CWT. The GWR King class had an axle loading of 22 tons 10 CWT and carried a double red dot weight classification as should 66 779 !

 

Gibbo.

It’s ... not really ...a ... kettle 

 

[Gibbo675]

2 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

It’s ... not really ...a ... kettle 

 

And here was me thinking it was actually a long lost Bulleid Leader painted up all wrong !

 

Twenty years at Riley's in Bury wasted then, just fancy that.

[big jim]

Let’s get back on track shall we!

 

possession at elford

 

away to Toton and shunted away and another loco picked up

 

off to Doncaster with them 

 

60085 parked up too

 

[big jim]

Couple from yesterday, Toton tripper again

 

return working with 66748 and 66188 

 

db 66 and matching wagons

 

we had fun on the way back near burton as it was reported there were a couple of swans in the 4ft and sure enough there were so we had to stop and get a block on the line and try and shoo them away off the line, i ended up corralling them toward a bridge using my coat like a matador to get them moving which was a bit scary as the bigger of the two kept turning back and hissing at me, took us about 10 min but we got them off the track and to safety! 

[big jim]

Some from today, covered a couple of jobs again

 

First up the cement north from Landor st to crewe, just one poor pic at crewe 

 

then it was a walk across the yard to pick up the southbound service which was something different, an MOD service from Elgin to Warminster, top and tail to bescot where we ran round the lead loco to depart back north toward Walsall, no pics until a stop at small heath though

 

and into leamington

 

A video of the train departing, certainly an interesting load!

 

And a chiltern service heading north

 

[5BarVT]

3 minutes ago, big jim said:

A video of the train departing, certainly an interesting load!

And including a bad ‘flat’ on about wagon 3. And the flashing lights on a 68 when videoed. 

Paul.

[Guest JiLo]

2 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

And including a bad ‘flat’ on about wagon 3. And the flashing lights on a 68 when videoed. 

Paul.

I dont think the lights are actually flashing, something to do with frequency of the LED's etc

[Steadfast]

Saw this at Bradford Junction, plenty of flats on various wheelsets as it went by! Was your relief on it all the way to Warminster Jim?

 

Jo

[big jim]

2 hours ago, Steadfast said:

Was your relief on it all the way to Warminster Jim?

 

Jo

 

I Think so

[SR Chris]

Brilliant video, made my windows rattle!

[big jim]

Only 2 from last nights job, drive down to West Hampstead and bought a train back from there (conducted to Leicester)

 

DBSO leading 

 

and 37521 on the rear (thankfully as the compressor end was the outer end and it’s got a very noisy one!)

 

possession tonight between wrexham and Chester 

[big jim]

Some from Saturday night, possession between Chester and wrexham

 

started in Basford hall, a few freightliner locos

 

 

66747 up front 

 

 

And in the morning near Chester just as the sun rose 

 

 

2 weeks off now!