Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[CovDriver]

I passed the return working this morning around Hampton in Arden as I was working a service to Northampton, I did wonder if you was working it jim ? 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

[big jim]

40 minutes ago, CovDriver said:

I passed the return working this morning around Hampton in Arden as I was working a service to Northampton, I did wonder if you was working it jim ? 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

yeah, that was me, same time same place tomorrow then?

[CovDriver]

Sorry Jim I'm double rest day tomorrow and Thursday back in Friday at 0527 I should be working the local 0545 off Coventry to New St.

 

[big jim]

Same but different last night, back to risborough with the miller 

bescot 

 

Locos ready to go on the miller

 

 

Stopped at banbury 

 

 

And in Risborough waiting for the machine to come back from

Work 

 

And then it did 

 

And back into Bescot, Evening star, morning sun!

 

Same again tonight but to Wycombe this time 

[big jim]

Forgot about last night pictures!

 

same old same old, but to Wycombe this time to turn back 

 

bescot 

 

 

 

High Wycombe 

 

 

 

West Wycombe, the Hellfire club caves are cut into the hills in the background 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellfire_Caves

 

 

 

And back to bescot 

 

same again tonight, last night of it 

 

[big jim]

Final night of it!

 

bescot again 

 

 

Stopping in saunderton to pick up the ground staff

 

The other side of the sign in high wycombe

 

And sat in the back cab of 66779 outside saunderton waiting for the machine to return to the loco to head back to Bescot 

 

Toton to bescot tonight 

 

[big jim]

Short job last night, should have been toton to bescot via Leicester but it got diverted and went via derby and direct to bescot via Burton so we got there over an hour early!

 

derby

 

And into bescot 

 

Running round 

 

 

back on the other end

 

Colas 70 

 

And 56 lurking 

 

Basford hall to Macclesfield via Warrington and Manchester tonight, next week is toton trippers and possibly learning class 69s the week after 

 

 

[big jim]

Just two from last nights job, crewe to north rode (between Macclesfield and congleton) via Warrington and Manchester 

 

basford hall

 

and a very wet north rode, just on the end of the viaduct before I walked back to the access point 

[Jack374]

Congrats on 300 pages Jim!!

 

On 05/02/2022 at 21:29, big jim said:

…next week is toton trippers and possibly learning class 69s the week after 

Thanks for the heads up, I’ll try and get out and see you on the Stenson-Sheet Stores line at some point.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[big jim]

Meant to mention the 300 page mark!

 

it will be Wednesday to Friday on the tripper if your about 

[cheesysmith]

Question? Why does the rail grinder need two locos, as when you detach from it, you are at a suitable point to run round anyway?

[TomScrut]

1 hour ago, cheesysmith said:

Question? Why does the rail grinder need two locos, as when you detach from it, you are at a suitable point to run round anyway?

 

I presume it is similar to the RHTT and PLPR trains where it is simpler to just swap ends, I presume the rail grinders are used in such a way that they do a lot of turning round?

[big jim]

It’s exactly that, it changes ends so many times or may leave a possession wrong line where there are no crossovers rhat it needs 2 locos 

 

just a couple from this morning, did a rugby to bescot then bescot to Hams hall 

 

bescot with the first train 

 

And the same loco moved over to couple up to another to head off to hams hall

 

short conducting job tonight, crewe to peak forest 

[Ncarter2]

5 hours ago, cheesysmith said:

Question? Why does the rail grinder need two locos, as when you detach from it, you are at a suitable point to run round anyway?

In addition to what others have said, for the Wessex route, it’s a requirement for it to be T’n’T. This is due to some of the locations it’s use on not being gauge cleared and there being no place to run round. Cant say it’s the same for other Routes, but it’s my understanding the contract for movement between GBRF and SCO is T’n’T. 

[big jim]

Some from last night before I go to sleep. 
 

should have been a conducting job crewe to hazel grove but I ended up working the train to peak forest and another one back 

 

90050 in basford hall 

 

Into peak forest, my train I bought in on the left and the one I’m getting on on the right, another one shunting in the middle!

 

 

Waiting for time while the DB loco did a shunt 

 

And back to basford hall

[big jim]

Some from today, bescot to toton 

 

didn’t get any pics at bescot but did at toton 

 

66751 was the loco 

 

We then did a run to chesterfield to get some light loco hours in for my trainee 

 

Back to toton

 

And onto the train in the old bank 

 

Cut down hya wagon

 

and went for a look round the dumped 60s

 

Amazed how many have nameplates still on

 

 

 

 

 

 

And that was that and back to bescot, same again tomorrow 

[big jim]

Couple of pics I forgot to put in yesterdays post 

 

DCR 60 in Burton on trent 

 

GBRf 47 passing clay mills while we waited in the loop 

 

and on to today, same job tonand from toton but we didn’t get to chesterfield this time 

 

bescot 

 

toton

 

colas 66

 

Our train and db 66

 

we took the loco off and ran back down to the traffic 

 

Vast nothingness of the yard 

 

 

And back into Bescot 

 

same again tomorrow and a stockport to small heath on Saturday then annual leave next week that I’d forgotten about so I’m off to Llwyngwril for a couple of days with my bike on the roof rack (weather permitting) so I’m far enough away from the ‘can you come in and work this train’ phone calls as I need a few days away, but I will be riding across Barmouth bridge and to penmaenpool etc 

 

[Jack374]

Cheers for the wave Jim! Quite a turnout at the 'usual' Barrow bridge (including a pole-user in my shot), but the road was closed leading up to it from my way so I had to settle for the next one along...

 

 

 

Cheers,

Jack.

[big jim]

That pole is like a scaffolding rig! 
 

some from today, last day of it, back to 66751 again 

 

bescot 

 

Into toton

 

 

And away to chesterfield 

 

Chesterfield ready to head back south 

 

Back in toton

 

One wagon to take back, a bit if a blast from the past, transrail livery OBA 

 

The end!

 

last day in Tomorrow before annual leave and I’m having the week off (despite there being a class 47 job on the vacancy list on Thursday!) 

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

A wise decision to flee to the Cambrian coast away from temptation. Have a good break.

Jonathan

[Markwj]

Have a great break Jim and thanks for the thread.

Quick question you seem to predominantly drive class 66 ~ do you get bored of them and hope for something else or are you quite happy with them? I think you had a bit more variation with Colas?

cheers

mark

[big jim]

Don’t mind 66s, run of the mill work but I do get a fair bit of variety both traction and routes so I can’t complain, hopefully I’ll have 69s added to my card in a few weeks as wel as possibly putting 67s back on 

 

some from today, stockport to small heath, had some time to kill at stockport, amazing rhe variety of units you get through there!

 

150

 

Onto the viaduct 

 

Stockport No2 box

 

150, 185 and 323

 

And of course planes heading into Manchester airport 

 

185 and 158

 

 

323

 

175

 

 

331

 

Pendolino

 

 

769

 

A380

 

 

60021

 

 

 

Another plane 

 

Pendolino

 

And my train

 

The reason I was in it today is the train was booked via Birmingham New St station and there aren’t many of us you sign it, I must admit it was a bit touch and go as to whether I’d get up soho bank with just shy of 2000 ton but it crept up at about 8mph!

 

New st 

 

 

 

And run round in Tyseley ready to go to small heath 

 

and that’s me for the week 

[Chris116]

Have a great week away from work and enjoy yourself doing whatever you have planned. Thank you for all the very interesting photos you bring to us.

[TheSignalEngineer]

21 hours ago, big jim said:

The reason I was in it today is the train was booked via Birmingham New St station and there aren’t many of us you sign it, I must admit it was a bit touch and go as to whether I’d get up soho bank with just shy of 2000 ton but it crept up at about 8mph!

 

I remember an oil train getting stuck on there some years ago after a signal stop. The driver had trouble holding the train and getting started on the curves from Soho Road through Handsworth Park. He put the power on, the front end started moving but the brakes at the back hadn't released properly. A couple of tanks in the middle of the train fell over.

 

Up out of the tunnel at Park Street to Proof House is a bit steep (1 in 51?) but at least the train is on the downhill before you hit it. I bet it squealed a bit round the corner at Exchange Sidings. Is that still 10mph? Before it was completely reballasted and relaid in 1966 it was only 5mph.

[5BarVT]

34 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

round the corner at Exchange Sidings. Is that still 10mph?

15 when we resignalled Water Orton in 2009.

Paul.