Dave F's photos - ongoing - more added each day

[mikes]

Hi, Dave. Excellent photo's of  the line to Blaenau Ffestiniog. In the one, C5730, at Dolwyddelan, which is a very atmospheric view, the units are class 120 and class 108(those four character headcode boxes can make them look a bit like a class 107 at a distance). Also note in photo's C4706 and C4703, the way in which the cab end of the class 108 DMBS has been badly bashed by the air-pipe. This was an apparently common problem with the class 108 DMU's.

Anyway, another terrific set of photo's, and please keep them coming.

 

All the best,

 

Market65.

 

Edited to remove a word.

Dave

 

Excellent photos as always, please keep them coming as i am really enjoying this thread. With regard to the air pipe bashing the class 108, this is/was very common on the class 104's too, caused by the pipe swinging around at higher speeds.

 

Mike

[SHMD]

Hi Dave,

 

I just Loved the MV pics.

 

The 104, in C11687, has (just about) both tail lamps lit and shows why I don't bother with lighting on loco's, DMUs etc, as in normal operational daylight - you just don't notice them! (Then that is!)

 

These particular tail lamp lights are lit with low wattage bulbs and are hidden behind a good layer of historical grime and neglect. Even the overcast Mancunian daylight doesn't help bring them out.

 

 

Yet another example of yours (and your dads) absolute gold mine of railway historical visual everyday typical-ness.

 

 

Just keep the photos coming - we can't get enough of 'em.

 

 

Kev.

[DaveF]

Tonight's are on the WCML at Kilsby tunnel (both ends) - assuming my PC lets me upload them, it is copying files to a new external hard drive and is running very slowly as a result.

 

 

Kilsby Tunnel Class 86 E3157 up parcels March 67 J836

 

 

Kilsby Tunnel Class 85 down parcels June 75 J4368

 

 

Kilsby Tunnel 86205 Blackpool to Euston June 75 J4370

 

 

Kilsby Tunnel Class 86 Euston to Wolverhampton June 75 J4371

 

 

Kilsby Tunnel Class 87 Euston to Glasgow June 75 J4372

 

 

David

[hmrspaul]

As others have said the van is an ex GWR Toad converted for the use of the crane crew. I was invited into one once, there was a bunk bed, table and small cooker. All very cosy but not many folks would tolerate it nowadays.

 

I have photos of several based at Leytonstone, this one, although some years later does have a  number of similarities http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrbrakevan/e346d8270 including the unusual yellow stripe beneath the cantrail, and it is written to work with a crane. This is the other end http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrbrakevan/e286c45d9

 

Paul

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. These are excellent photo's of Kilsby Tunnel on the WCML this evening. I particularly like that one J4370, of class 86, 86205 on the Blackpool to Euston, June, 1975. Please keep these wonderful photo's coming, and I hope that the new external hard-drive that you have will not be slowing things down for too long.

 

All the best,

 

Market65.

[DaveF]

Hi, Dave. These are excellent photo's of Kilsby Tunnel on the WCML this evening. I particularly like that one J4370, of class 86, 86205 on the Blackpool to Euston, June, 1975. Please keep these wonderful photo's coming, and I hope that the new external hard-drive that you have will not be slowing things down for too long.

 

All the best,

 

Market65.

 

There's only about anther 1TB to copy, but I think it will take until after I go to bed!

 

David

[edward66]

I believe the man shoveling something with Bronllwyd is Alan Bloom, the man himself, I think this was a favourite loco. of his.

 

Edward

[talisman56]

Another few SR Vans 'under the wires' there...

[DaveF]

Some more photos of the High Dyke branch today.

 

We'll start at High Dyke Junction and then head towards the quarries in the Sproxton area.

 

High Dyke Class 47 arriving on iron ore from the quarries July 72 C1015

Some of the grass mat isn't very convincing!

Very often the loaded  wagons were shunted into the sidings until a path was available on the ECML.

 

 

Easton Class 31 5671 down empty iron ore June 72 C0986

 

 

Skillington junction Class 31 5858 up iron ore Aug 71 C678

 

 

Notice how neat and tidy everything is on a freight only line.

Drift crossing view east to Skillington junction April 72 J2963

 

 

Drift crossing view west to Sproxton April 72 J2964

 

 

Skillington and Sproxton Road level crossing Class 31 5675 wagons loading June 73 J3218

 

 

David

Edited July 29, 2014 by DaveF

[lmsforever]

Dave how many quarries were their on the High Dyke branch ,great photos that permanent way pic shows how far things have slipped,thanks.

[Hugh Flynn]

Hi David

Thanks for sharing great photos.

Do you know on google earth where last photo taken and if anything left or all gone.

Hugh 

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I love these photo's of the High Dyke branch. I find myself agreeing with lmsforever about the way things have slipped, regarding the state of the permanent way up-keep, on freight lines in this day and age. I have also noticed the Austin in photo' C678, with class 31 5858, August, 1971. Please keep the photo's coming.

 

All the best,

 

Market65.

[DaveF]

Dave how many quarries were their on the High Dyke branch ,great photos that permanent way pic shows how far things have slipped,thanks.

 

It's not a very easy question to answer as the quarries were constantly added to as they were worked out, but here goes. 

 

Buckminster - at various times 16 quarries were worked.

Thistleton Mines (from 1958), prior to that ore went out via the Midland route

South Witham quarries some ore left via High Dyke.

Colsterworth Quaries 1, 2, 2 extension, North, 4

Cringle Quarry and extension quarry

Sproxton 1,2,3, Sproxton outcrop.

 

According to Eric Tonks books.

This is very simplified!

 

I remember being told that right up to the end of quarrying (April 1973) up to 35,000 tons of iron ore could be quarried a week.

 

If anyone really wants to know the details (and they are fascinating you need Eric Tonks books - The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands, published by Booklaw - there are 9 volumes in all covering specific areas as well as an overview.  Each book is usually well over 200 pages.

Edited July 29, 2014 by DaveF

[DaveF]

Hi David

Thanks for sharing great photos.

Do you know on google earth where last photo taken and if anything left or all gone.

Hugh 

 

Hugh,

 

I'm not very good at linking to bits of Google Earth, but I can tell you where it is.

 

Find Sproxton and Skillington, about half way along the road between them you can see the trackbed running across the fields.  Just to the south east of where the trackbed crosses the road there is a rough looking area at the north end of a block of trees.  That is what remains of the loading bank in the photo.

 

The road crossing is at 52 49'05.11N , 0 42'18.76W

 

Quite a lot of the High Dyke line and the quarries are still traceable, but less so as time goes on, a lot of restoration work has taken place over the years and the roads have moved about as the quarries were worked so you will need both old and new maps, especially in the Colsterworth area towards Buckminster.

 

David

[DaveF]

Hi, Dave. I love these photo's of the High Dyke branch. I find myself agreeing with lmsforever about the way things have slipped, regarding the state of the permanent way up-keep, on freight lines in this day and age. I have also noticed the Austin in photo' C678, with class 31 5858, August, 1971. Please keep the photo's coming.

 

All the best,

 

Market65.

 

That was Dad's car at the time.

 

David

[Clive Mortimore]

In J3218 it looks like it will take a long time to fill the wagons up just using the top box of the Lambretta SX.

 

 

Coat

 

Hat

 

Dooooor............

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Who'd have thought some of the High dyke branch was laid with flatbottom track?

 

Another excellent set of pictures David, from my old stomping ground. Trouble is I never stopped to take any pictures of the branch as I was always in a rush to see the Deltics on the mainline. We all thought everything would last forever.....

[LNERGE]

Who'd have thought some of the High dyke branch was laid with flatbottom track?

I've found some GN 1906 chairs, treenail type, when walking the line. They pre date the line somewhat suggesting second hand track was used when the line was built. I wonder if the elastic spike sections were a carry on of the tradition of using good secondhand material on the line?

Edited July 30, 2014 by LNERGE

[Fat Controller]

I've found some GN 1906 chairs, treenail type, when walking the line. They pre date the line somewhat suggesting second hand track was used when the line was built. I wonder if the elastic spike sections were a carry on of the tradition of using good secondhand material on the line?

Elastic-spike track panels would be easier to shift around than chaired track, I suspect; there'd be a lot of relatively-new wood-sleepered flatbottom track spare as the ECML was being fettled up with concrete sleepers.

[cheesysmith]

Freight line quite often got flat bottomed rail, and CWR before other lines due to the matainence savings when the heavier axle loads moving over them. On some lines, you would find only one line relaided because that would be the direction of the loaded trains, with old rail in the opposite direction. iIRC the Barnsley branch had CWR flat bottomed rail in one direction, and sectioned bullhead rail for the other running line.

[LNERGE]

Elastic-spike track panels would be easier to shift around than chaired track, I suspect; there'd be a lot of relatively-new wood-sleepered flatbottom track spare as the ECML was being fettled up with concrete sleepers.

What we need is a photo of this section of line where we can read the date on the baseplates then a dated photo of the same location. If the baseplate is say 1959 and we can find a 1961 photo with bullhead we'll know it's secondhand. Simples.

[Mallard60022]

Freight line quite often got flat bottomed rail, and CWR before other lines due to the matainence savings when the heavier axle loads moving over them. On some lines, you would find only one line relaided because that would be the direction of the loaded trains, with old rail in the opposite direction. iIRC the Barnsley branch had CWR flat bottomed rail in one direction, and sectioned bullhead rail for the other running line.

Exactly what happened west & east of Okehampton & east of Exeter on the LSWR on the 'up' as that is where the Meldon ballasts ran!

Phil

[jonny777]

An excellent overall view of High Dyke sidings. I am not surprised that the grass is not doing too well in the July 1972 picture, as that summer was one of the worst ever in England, and maybe still holds that record as far as temperatures go. In many areas the maximum on the Summer Solstice that year was less than the maximum had been on the previous winter solstice in Dec 1971.

[DaveF]

Back to the ECML north of Newcastle this evening.Dudley is to the north of Newcastle, a short distance south of Cramlington.

 

Most of the photos were taken on summer evenings during the time I was using some cheap slide film.  The quality is quite poor but they do show some of the more interesting evening trains of the period.

 

 

Dudley 143022 Newcastle to Morpeth 31st March 86 C7350

 

 

Dudley 56134 down dolofines 19.41 30th June 86 C7600

 

 

Dudley 47270 up Speedlink 19.50 30th June 86 C7601

 

 

Dudley 47227 down parcels 20.01 30th June 86 C7602

 

 

Dudley 37264 up Speedlink 20.09 30th June 86 C7603

 

 

Dudley 37029 up Speedlink 20.25 14th July 86 C7624

 

 

David

 

 

 

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. Well, in spite of the slide film quality, there are some good photo's to see here this evening. In C7602, 47 227, down parcels, 30th June, 1986, I see that the third GUV in that train has its 'Express Parcels' branding.

 

Also, the last photo' is a good example of a train running through the landscape.

 

Please keep the photo's coming.

 

All the best,

 

Market65.