Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[big jim]

9 hours ago, SM42 said:

Bescot to Donnington ( assume this is the one near Telford)   might be a  long way round trip,  if you can even get there,  given yesterday's landslip 

it’s booked via crewe both ways anyway so I’ll get there, just been to Wellington shopping and the station car park is noticeably empty compared to normal so it goes to show how many people use the train into the likes of brum 

 

I’ve seen pics of the landslide and it’s pretty much where new Hadley station used to be, the whole area was a derelict wasteland until about 3 years ago, looked like old quarry workings, then surprise surprise it was developed into a housing estate with new roads and paved areas and low and behold a landslide happens! 

 

 

[gismorail]

16 hours ago, big jim said:

it’s booked via crewe both ways anyway so I’ll get there, just been to Wellington shopping and the station car park is noticeably empty compared to normal so it goes to show how many people use the train into the likes of brum 

 

I’ve seen pics of the landslide and it’s pretty much where new Hadley station used to be, the whole area was a derelict wasteland until about 3 years ago, looked like old quarry workings, then surprise surprise it was developed into a housing estate with new roads and paved areas and low and behold a landslide happens! 

 

 

It beggars belief that the people who come up with these plans for housing estates  and the planning authorities that then allow the building to take place still never seem to learn that this sort of thing occurs.  Maybe Network Rail should send the bill to the local planning authority for causing the land slip ………

[45156]

Readers of ERs and Night Mail will already know that I spent 10 weeks in hospital with a chest infection (actually pheumonia), was discharged after a week before it was fully cleared, and then readmitted for 9 weeks with pus on my left lung, the antibiotics they used were so strong that they left me vulnerable in other parts, resulting in two bouts of c diff, but also encephalitis, sepis, and a stroke - now recovering at home.  I am mainly posting this to let those who are only active here know how I'm getting on and why I've not been posting.

Stewart

[Budgie]

9 hours ago, 45156 said:

Readers of ERs and Night Mail will already know that I spent 10 weeks in hospital with a chest infection (actually pheumonia), was discharged after a week before it was fully cleared, and then readmitted for 9 weeks with pus on my left lung, the antibiotics they used were so strong that they left me vulnerable in other parts, resulting in two bouts of c diff, but also encephalitis, sepis, and a stroke - now recovering at home.  I am mainly posting this to let those who are only active here know how I'm getting on and why I've not been posting.

Stewart

 

Get well soon,

[big jim]

Back to it today, gt missenden to hinksey top and tail ballast train

 

66301 in gt missenden, we had to head south a bit to cross over and head back to Aylesbury 

 

66302 at the other end, we were signalled off the platform to allow us to get the back end behind signal to get to princes risborough 

 

Back to the other end again 

 

And changing again in risborough!

 

Heading north again! 

 

Into hinksey where the DB shunter took it off us and put it away

 

 

Pretty much doing the same again tomorrow 

[big jim]

Same(ish) again job, started in Aylesbury today though, access was via the carriage sidings 

 

Into the station again 

 

 

 

changing ends in risborough 

 

 

 

and into hinksey 

 

Donnington tomorrow 

 

 

Edited March 13 by big jim

[Iron Horse]

Is that the multi story car park in the background in the first picture behind 66735? When I was a kid one of the treats was to go to Aylesbury shopping centre (it did have a good Our Price!!!!) and I always remember looking out from it over the station in the hope of seeing a little class25 stabled in the station over the weekend which was always quite special and away from the normal stuff I would see at Oxford and Didcot. Thanks for the tones this morning, I'll try and catch you later 😎

[big jim]

10 hours ago, Iron Horse said:

 

Is that the multi story car park in the background in the first picture behind 66735? When I was a kid one of the treats was to go to Aylesbury shopping centre (it did have a good Our Price!!!!) and I always remember looking out from it over the station in the hope of seeing a little class25 stabled in the station over the weekend which was always quite special and away from the normal stuff I would see at Oxford and Didcot. Thanks for the tones this morning, I'll try and catch you later 😎

 

That’s the multi-storey that’s attached to the shopping precinct with a bridge over the A41

 

lookjng forward to seeing the vid from our return trip, told my trainee you’d probably be there! 
 

today was bescot to Donnington and back with just 4 empty wagons going in 

 

uncoupling 

 

running round 

 

didn’t take long to load so we were early and as the line beyond Wellington is blocked due to a landslide we had the line to ourselves so we went into the station for our break, road learned the route to the pick and mix stall in the market! 

 

ran round in crewe where we got the shock of our lives as our CEO John Smith appeared at our side window as we were waiting for the signal to continue the run round, had a brief chat before continuing the run round and coupling up, there are a couple of vids and pics on twitter 

 

LSL were testing 60532 “Blue Peter” within their yard and I’ve got to say it’s an absolute stunner, finished in express loco blue, blowing off nicely, managed to get to the end of the ramp and grab a piccie 

 

we headed off via Stoke for some reason to Stafford where I was supposed it get off and travel home to crewe due to the turn length but my relief didn’t bring my hire car back from bescot for me so I had to stay on board to go and collect it! 
 

DB 66 passing bescot as I got off

 

short job tomorrow Nuneaton to crewe

[lmsforever]

On 13/03/2024 at 19:54, big jim said:

Same(ish) again job, started in Aylesbury today though, access was via the carriage sidings 

 

Into the station again 

 

 

 

changing ends in risborough 

 

 

 

and into hinksey 

 

Donnington tomorrow 

 

 

Thanks for pics of Aylesbury liked the shot of the sidings  when the train reached Risboro did you run round to face Brum?

[big jim]

It was top and tail so just a change ends (Aylesbury and risborough) 

[Amnesiac]

11 hours ago, big jim said:

short job tomorrow Nuneaton to crewe

4M61 per chance?

[big jim]

1 hour ago, Amnesiac said:

4M61 per chance?

yeah, nice short job 

 

196 in nuneaton

 

66782 on our train 

 

and into crewe

 

in tomorrow morning early hours, thought it was oxley to Carlisle and back but it’s actually carnforth to Carlisle and back to oxley, doing the same pantograph test as the other week at alsager but somewhere near Tebay this time 

 

not sure what I’ve got next week apart from Sunday which is a possession at plumley 

[Amnesiac]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

yeah, nice short job 

 

196 in nuneaton

 

66782 on our train 

 

and into crewe

 

in tomorrow morning early hours, thought it was oxley to Carlisle and back but it’s actually carnforth to Carlisle and back to oxley, doing the same pantograph test as the other week at alsager but somewhere near Tebay this time 

 

not sure what I’ve got next week apart from Sunday which is a possession at plumley 

Did wonder if it was you I saw on Platform 2 with your trainee(?). 196003 was my service.

 

 

Shortly before getting to Nuneaton where you were

 

 

Grabbed this just before you two left, needed to nip to the toilet first so I couldn’t get a better position!

Edited March 15 by Amnesiac

[big jim]

Nice little job last night, 805 testing between oxenholme and Carlisle, met it at carnforth after it had already done one trip 

 

it was a timing run, not the pantograph testing I thought it was, I had to drive it to Carlisle and get there in 28 minutes!
 

Getting ready to go, waited for a freight in front to get into grayrigg loop before we set off 

 

and into Carlisle 

 

Class 57

 

 

But did I make it in 28 minutes? 
 

nope, 28 mins and 4 seconds! 
 

ready to head back, worked it all the way to oxley and job done 

 

 

Edited March 16 by big jim

[Iron Horse]

On 14/03/2024 at 19:45, big jim said:

That’s the multi-storey that’s attached to the shopping precinct with a bridge over the A41

 

lookjng forward to seeing the vid from our return trip, told my trainee you’d probably be there! 
 

today was bescot to Donnington and back with just 4 empty wagons going in 

 

uncoupling 

 

running round 

 

didn’t take long to load so we were early and as the line beyond Wellington is blocked due to a landslide we had the line to ourselves so we went into the station for our break, road learned the route to the pick and mix stall in the market! 

 

ran round in crewe where we got the shock of our lives as our CEO John Smith appeared at our side window as we were waiting for the signal to continue the run round, had a brief chat before continuing the run round and coupling up, there are a couple of vids and pics on twitter 

 

LSL were testing 60532 “Blue Peter” within their yard and I’ve got to say it’s an absolute stunner, finished in express loco blue, blowing off nicely, managed to get to the end of the ramp and grab a piccie 

 

we headed off via Stoke for some reason to Stafford where I was supposed it get off and travel home to crewe due to the turn length but my relief didn’t bring my hire car back from bescot for me so I had to stay on board to go and collect it! 
 

DB 66 passing bescot as I got off

 

short job tomorrow Nuneaton to crewe

 

Good God is that shopping precinct still there? Very 1960's concrete I seem to remember but the Our Price was always well stocked!!!!!

 

So apologies for the delay in posting the video, I was rambling around on the trains in Devon on Friday and have had the weekend with my daughter. Were you held up from Shrewsbury by the local stopper? Apologies for cutting the front cab off sometimes (in the winter especially) I never know whether to follow the wagons for modelling details or the loco, I went with the wagons but then felt it was a short train and tried to catch up with the loco 🤣 Thanks for the tones

 

 

[big jim]

A long short job yesterday!

 

Out of a possession at plumley and back to crewe but I got asked ‘can you just’ take it to bescot instead which wasn’t a problem but the train sat outside crewe station for 4.5 hours

 

At the boards at lostock gralam

 

outside crewe station. Handbrake on, taxi to another’s driver house to get my hire car, drove home, sold a car, had dinner then drove back!

 

into bescot 

 

 

some other stuff parked up on the walk back to the cabin 

 

 

 

back in tomorrow next. Fast show live in Stoke later which I can’t wait for! 

[Siggie in the east]

On 17/03/2024 at 10:55, Iron Horse said:

Good God is that shopping precinct still there? Very 1960's concrete I seem to remember but the Our Price was always well stocked!!!!!

I believe the car park was rebuilt around 1992 in conjunction with the shopping precinct being rebuilt/remodelled. It was also about the same time Chiltern remodelled Aylesbury Station and built the depot. I went there as a boy with my Dad and did a guided walk of the depot and station and Chiltern also held a model railway exhibition and trade stalls on the platforms. It does have a covered walkway over to the shops and then out into the town square. Been 21 years since I last visited there 😬

 

Hope that was useful. 

[big jim]

Nice little hams to crewe job today, pass to Birmingham from crewe

 

37405 on the back of a ballast in crewe 

 

pendo to new st

 

Voyager and 170 in new st 

 

My loco in hams hall

 

Coupled up and drawn out to run round 

 

Ready to go

 

Into crewe basford hall

 

and some of the things on the walk back to the car 

 

line up of 37 in the coal sidings 

 

as that was all that was in there I snuck a piccie through the fence mesh! 

 

db 66 on the car parts train 

 

and into the station where a brand new 805010 was sat waiting to go to Holyhead, first time I’ve seen that one 

 

bit of a run around job tomorrow, crewe to landor st, rugby to crewe then crewe to bescot! 

 

[5BarVT]

20 hours ago, big jim said:

into the station where a brand new 805010 was sat waiting to go to Holyhead,

First one I’ve seen with the branding on.  Is it just the end cars with all the others still white?

Paul.

[big jim]

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

First one I’ve seen with the branding on.  Is it just the end cars with all the others still white?

Paul.

there are quite a few around now, all the coaches are vinyl’d up 

Edited March 20 by big jim

[big jim]

Lots of pics today as I was all over the place!

 

started in basford hall and worked a train to landor st 

 

Drove from there to rugby in a car where I picked up my next train, pics of a few things passing through 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And in came my train, 66751 

 

Into crewe

 

 

a walk down to basford hall, the pride Pendolino came in while I was walking down, I’d beaten it from rugby as it had gone via the west mids and new st to get to crewe! 

 

Picked up a pair of 66s 

 

and took them to bescot 

 

A walk to tame bridge for a train home 

 

 

Went via rugeley trent valley 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Train to crewe 

 

Into crewe and another walk to basford hall for my car 

 

 

 

 

Walked just over 4 miles today! 
 

Off tomorrow then a job to ribblehead on Friday 

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

You wouldn't have taken that many photos 30 years ago.

Many thanks for all the pics you post. Very informative of the current railway. 

But they don't make me want to model it.

Jonathan

[newbryford]

Jim in charge of 6F69 Ribblehead-Tuebrook today.

 

 

A nice wave from Jim passing - grabshot from video below.

 

 

 

Edited March 22 by newbryford
typo

[big jim]

As mentioned by mick, today was a job to ribblehead 

 

drove my hire car to hellifield to meet it, not the most enticing of entrances to a station!

 

 

Old bay platform at the south end, trains toward clitheroe used it mainly 

 

Nice detail in the restored canopy (although some of it is looking a bit aged again)

 

 

Carnforth bound train

 

 

Leeds bound train

 

this wasn’t far behind another Leeds bound service (one from Carlisle the other from Lancaster) so it had to wait for  it to clear the section ahead, there is a stop signal part way along the platform protecting the exit to the goods loop which the unit has to clear to get the doors on the active part of the platform, however the section signal is still on because of the other train, a potential spad trap!

 

once the other train is out of section the signal is pulled off to depart (the right hand one takes you to clitheroe)

 

In rolled my train with 60087 up front 

 

 

and away to ribblehead where we backed into the sidings, as we had 22 wagons we had to split the train into 2 roads

 

While that half was being loaded I went for a walk, it wasn’t raining but there was a very cold string wind! 
 

artifact in the station yard 

 

 

Station building, unfortunately the cafe doesn’t open until the 1st April and the free wifi wasn’t working! There is no mobile signal at all in the area!  

 

Ribblehead viaduct from the station yard 

 

And a walk to the other side of the line, you can’t appreciate how remote the place is until you see it like this!

 

 

 

158 heading to Carlisle 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the other side below the pub

 

a walk back to the train, made some new friends, I suspect the farmer wears an orange hi viz as when they saw me they came over bleating and started following me!

 

Did a shunt to move the empty wagons to the loading pad 

 

at this point you can connect to the starlink WiFi/internet in the cabin and my phone started to ping with missed messages and a mornings worth of emails, you’ve guessed it ‘can you just’!

 

Could I work it back to Liverpool instead of getting off in hellifield!

 

158 heading south 

 

DB 66 with a new biggin to tees yard service, this surprised me as it was a train of MEA box wagons, I didn’t realise they were still in use!

ready to go but had to wait for a couple of passenger trains to pass 

 

walked up to the ground frame to speak to the shunter while we waited 

 

 

 

And away, I have to run round in blea moor to head back south so 2 trips over the viaduct!

 

Had a good run at it until golborne jn when I got held to time, into tuebrook where I had to jump off and someone else put it away as I was right on my day and still had to drive home (and was going out for the evening too!)

 

And that was that, back in Saturday night, possession at plumley again, then 805 on Monday, route refresh Tuesday and 805 to rhyl on Wednesday and Thursday night 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 23 by big jim

[5BarVT]

Do you have to arrange for the hire car to be returned when you get a changed turn at short notice?  Or do Control do Road vehicles too?

Paul.