Prototype for everything corner.

[nightstar.train]

When you are strictly modelling the WCML, but you can't wait for the Oxford Rail Mk3s and Hornby 87s to come out...

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/neil_harvey_railway_photos/6208464965

 

Wild Boar Fell

Strictly speaking they did (still do?) operate on the WCML everyday, between Carstairs and Glasgow Central. Not what most would think of when you say WCML, but it is.

[roythebus]

It often amazes me, how a potentially boring looking photo which appears at online auction sites, (and has no bids because no one wants one which does not have a loco front three quarters as the main subject), can turn up trumps from a modelling point of view.

 

This is a steam hauled military train heading well away from the camera on the ECML, said to be at North Mimms, in 1963.

 

 

north mimms military 6:63.jpg

 

 

However, zooming in on the image, there is a fascinating amount of detail in the make-up of the train. About half way along the line of GUVs seems to be a requisitioned Anglo-Sottish Car Carrier vehicle, possibly for larger vehicles - I don't know.

 

north mimms 6:63.jpg

 

Any extra info on the wagons, military vehicles, and their availability in model form would be welcome. Also, I can't identify the class of loco. At first glance I thought it might be an A4 from what appeared to be a curve above the wheels but that is probably just my eyes playing tricks.

 

The line through North Mymms (note correct spelling though there is a North Mimms park nearby) runs roughly north-south in that area with gentle curves. with the shadows from the telegraph poles, this would suggest the photo was either taken in the early morning with the shadow falling with the sun in the east/south east, or late afternoon with the sun west/south west! Maybe other pics of the ECML will show whether the poles are on the up side or the down side. I used to work on the line but can't remember! A pal of mine was in REME at that time, maybe he could shed some light on the train consist.

[Coryton]

Strictly speaking they did (still do?) operate on the WCML everyday, between Carstairs and Glasgow Central. Not what most would think of when you say WCML, but it is.

 

True.

 

I used to find it interesting seeing the East Coast and West Coast trains at Central side by side, both heading to (almost) the same place, but taking very different routes.

 

I also found the ECML train a good way of getting back from Glasgow to Edinburgh in the evening. I wasn't in a rush, and it meant I got a table to myself with power and (at the time) free wifi, as opposed to being crammed onto a table without much legroom with three other people on a 170.

[big jim]

Flat bottom to bullhead rail joint at Sutton bridge

 

[BR(S)]

If you want a Scotrail DBSO when Bachmann release it, but you don't model Scotland: https://www.flickr.com/photos/37190-dalzell/8664340209/in/photolist-ecD1u2-esXcYV-oHauEe-oHaG5j-cNJnRQ-ont6GR-KSsUBj-Svf9vR-HusKY9-BrvkAC-QojawK-K6nAaa-kRMHbB-N6QohT-Nbjtx7-N49Brm-MgKk3C-9vTuWU-9vQrVt-knxLVW-9vQsYc-qvxDAe-dt8UCD-DPQMkN-NEvyWx-NmjVPT

Edited July 4, 2017 by BR(S)

[Trog]

Flat bottom to bullhead rail joint at Sutton bridge

 

 

In the old days we tried never to change the rail and sleeper types in the same bed, so as to try and avoid creating an unnecessary discontinuity in the track. We would have finished off the flat bottom track with a couple of Pan11 hardwoods so the change in sleeper type and resilience was not in the same bed as the change in rail behaviour. But going by how out of square those transition rails look I don't think those who installed them care very much about that sort of thing. There also do not appear to be any nylons between the clips, housings and rails on the concrete sleepers, which means inaccurate rail gauge and a risk of track circuit failure.

Edited July 4, 2017 by Trog

[The Stationmaster]

In the old days we tried never to change the rail and sleeper types in the same bed, so as to try and avoid creating an unnecessary discontinuity in the track. We would have finished off the flat bottom track with a couple of Pan11 hardwoods so the change in sleeper type and resilience was not in the same bed as the change in rail behaviour. But going by how out of square those transition rails look I don't think those who installed them care very much about that sort of thing. There also do not appear to be any nylons between the clips, housings and rails on the concrete sleepers, which means inaccurate rail gauge and a risk of track circuit failure.

 

I wonder if it is in a siding or loop (daft tho' that might sound) - there can't be much in the way of WR chaired concrete sleepers left in normal running lines?

[big jim]

It's in Sutton bridge up goods loop

[Trog]

Scrub comment about Pan11 sleepers was looking more at the sleeper ends and missed the dip in the 4' that shouts concrete.  Dohh.

[HillsideDepot]

We've all seen the cliche bus on a railway bridge, but how about a jet fighter under a railway?

 

 

 

Photos from Royal Air Force Cosford's facebook page, which adds the comment:

 

 

We moved some training assets around today at Royal Air Force Cosford...those training assets were Jaguars and Tornados. The aircraft were moved to make better use of them throughout our apprentices' training syllabuses. Some Jaguars moved from the domestic site to the airfield with the Tornados coming the other way.

If you were travelling by rail between Shrewsbury and Birmingham a little after lunch today, you might have experienced a surreal moment as your train passed over a fast jet!

Well done to the team for moving the aircraft so successfully. Thanks to Senior Aircraftwoman Alexa Thompson for capturing the images.

 

[LMS2968]

Flying under bridges, especially Tower Bridge, was a common stunt before WWII

 

But that's cheating!

[PatB]

I'm reminded of the scrapyard, somewhere near Sheffield IIRC, which had what looked like the nose and cockpit of a Vulcan or similar clearly visible from the railway. This was in the mid-1980s. Does anyone else remember it?

[Metr0Land]

Flying under bridges, especially Tower Bridge, was a common stunt before WWII

 

But that's cheating!

Somewhat OT but here's a reconstruction of the final known attempt. The remarkable thing about this one is that the pilot approached Tower Bridge from the central London side whereas I think all previous flights came up the river where Tower Bridge was the first bridge on route

 

http://www.aerialcombat.co.uk/2016/04/seven-seconds-the-tower-bridge-hawker-hunter-incident.html

[Metr0Land]

Need an excuse for a Class 303 in the North West? (I think some came to the MAN area in blue-grey days but not as new as this in plain blue?)

 

Leeds Wortley Junction. by Keith Long, on Flickr

Edited July 14, 2017 by Metr0Land

[Signaller69]

Need an excuse for a Class 303 in the North West? (I think some came to the MAN area in blue-grey days but not as new as this in plain blue?)

 

Leeds Wortley Junction. by Keith Long, on Flickr

Brilliant! That could be just what I'm looking for once I get round to building a DC Kits 303, and having no wires for it to run under.

 

Many thanks for posting!

 

Martyn.

[Banger Blue]

Bus on a bridge - modelling cliche!

 

47701 at Glasgow Queen St in Sept 82 https://flic.kr/p/WGNzkZ

 

What's that above? : D

[leopardml2341]

Bus on a bridge - modelling cliche!

47701 at Glasgow Queen St in Sept 82 https://flic.kr/p/WGNzkZ

What's that above? : D

Looks like an Alexander bodied Atlantan to me

[Kelly]

Brilliant! That could be just what I'm looking for once I get round to building a DC Kits 303, and having no wires for it to run under.

 

Many thanks for posting!

 

Martyn.

 

with the right translator/barrier vehicles you could run any electric layout (within reason) from various parts of the country to another (LUL S stock from Derby iirc, and units from Doncaster etc)

[melmerby]

with the right translator/barrier vehicles you could run any electric layout (within reason) from various parts of the country to another (LUL S stock from Derby iirc, and units from Doncaster etc)

London Underground stock used to be delivered down the ex GWR line from the Birmingham area (mainly MetCam)

In steam days something like a Grange up front.

 

Keith

[Kelly]

London Underground stock used to be delivered down the ex GWR line from the Birmingham area (mainly MetCam)

In steam days something like a Grange up front.

 

Keith

 

 

The current system is a pair of 20s and former tank wagons iirc taking and delivering as old and new get swapped etc.

[leopardml2341]

The current system is a pair of 20s and former tank wagons iirc taking and delivering as old and new get swapped etc.

Thursday's working was a pair of 20's at each end and, as you say, a pair of TEA type tanks - again at 'each' end.

 

Rgds,

[melmerby]

The current system is a pair of 20s and former tank wagons iirc taking and delivering as old and new get swapped etc.

I wonder what speed they go at these days?*

 

In the (good old?) days of steam haulage they normally used to go through Tyseley on the up main at a fair lick.

They certainly weren't like the usual plodding freight with a 28XX/8F/9F up front front on the slow lines.

How were they braked?

 

Keith

 

EDIT

*Just found 7X09 from Litchurch Lane to Ruislip is timed at 60mph.

Edited July 16, 2017 by melmerby

[Swindon 123]

Thursday's working was a pair of 20's at each end and, as you say, a pair of TEA type tanks - again at 'each' end.

 

Rgds,

As in this formation, although minus the underground stock, at Derby a couple of months ago.

05-17-[img_0617] by Paul James, on Flickr

 

Paul J.

[Metr0Land]

Or for a variant you could have the very first train which was a single 20 either end, with 2 x JNA and 1 x TEA for brake force. 20Oct09 running as 8X09 in those days. Based on this initial run they decided that although a single 20 could pull the load if the other failed, a single 20 couldn't maintain timings, so it became pairs of 20's plus TEA at either end.

 

[46011]

I'm reminded of the scrapyard, somewhere near Sheffield IIRC, which had what looked like the nose and cockpit of a Vulcan or similar clearly visible from the railway. This was in the mid-1980s. Does anyone else remember it?

 

 

Hi Pat, sorry for the delay in posting this, it took me ages to find the slide.

My records show this to be taken from 45149 on 1E27, the 10:40 Poole to Newcastle train which I took from Sheffield to Leeds where 47423 took over to York.

This was on Saturday 29th September 1984, so that tallies in with what you thought.

I seem to remember a number of 76's getting scrapped here too.