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

[The Johnster]

The normal sequence from the bottom up was red, yellow, green, the opposite to a road traffic light, so that the first signal visible to the driver if he was approaching from under a bridge or similar obstruction was the more important red.  On a four aspect signal it would have been, again from the bottom up, red, yellow, green, yellow, the top yellow being the one illuminated in the 'double yellow' aspect.  

 

At Canton in the 70s I never heard yellow being called anything other than yellow; the term amber was never used although we used it as trainspotters.  I do not recall any 3 or 4 aspect signal ever having a different sequence to the above, which is of course a cue for an avalanche of photo proving me wrong; I suspect that diagram is simply drawn wrong.  The yellow signal needs to be seen under a bridge before the green.

[DaveF]

Some more photos from Ratcliffe on Soar on the Midland Main Line south of Trent for this afternoon.

 

They were taken over a 14 year period.

 

 

Ratcliffe on Soar A3 4472 Flying Scotsman Mystery Tour No3 St Pancras to Kings X March 69 J1564

 

 

Ratcliffe on Soar Class 45 St Pancras to Derby? May 75 J4319

 

 

Ratcliffe on Soar Class 37 up p w Oct 76 J5499

 

 

Ratcliffe on Soar Class 47 St Pancras to Sheffield Nov 77 J5859

 

 

Ratcliffe on Soar 2 Clas 20 up ballast Feb 83 C5941

 

 

David

Edited August 24, 2017 by DaveF

[Swindon 123]

A not so good view of Manningtree box diagram. I believe there will be a detailed photo in due course.

 

Manningtree.jpeg

 

I wonder if this colourlight was actually like this?

 

IMG_2002.JPG

 

The way it is drawn implies that reading from the bottom it was red, green then yellow. All others are drawn red, yellow, green.

The GE area had some very strange signalling in places. I did my MP12 handling over GE metals and came across some strange signals and signalling, some of which  I managed to photograph, so I wouldn't be at all surprised that the signal actually did show the aspects as drawn.

 

Paul J.

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the photo's of Ratcliffe on Soar. In particular, I like the last photo' of the two class 20's on an up ballast train in February, 1983. 

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[beast66606]

The normal sequence from the bottom up was red, yellow, green, the opposite to a road traffic light, so that the first signal visible to the driver if he was approaching from under a bridge or similar obstruction was the more important red.  On a four aspect signal it would have been, again from the bottom up, red, yellow, green, yellow, the top yellow being the one illuminated in the 'double yellow' aspect.  

 

At Canton in the 70s I never heard yellow being called anything other than yellow; the term amber was never used although we used it as trainspotters.  I do not recall any 3 or 4 aspect signal ever having a different sequence to the above, which is of course a cue for an avalanche of photo proving me wrong; I suspect that diagram is simply drawn wrong.  The yellow signal needs to be seen under a bridge before the green.

 

Plenty of examples, colour lights try and bring the red aspect to be nearest the drivers eye level so upside ones with the red at the top are quite common.  LMS 4-aspects were different too, with green and red transposed from todays standard and as Paul says the GER was full of interesting stuff before resignalling.

[DaveF]

Tyne and Wear Metro today with some photos taken at Gateshead Stadium and Heworth.

 

 

Gateshead Stadium T&W Metro South Shields to Bankfoot 1st Aug 85 C7009

 

 

 

Heworth T&W Metro 4070 St James to Heworth 1st Aug 85 C7020

 

 

Heworth T&W Metro to South Shields 1st Aug 85 C7023

 

 

Heworth T&W Metro 4068 St James to Heworth 15th Aug 85 C7130

 

 

Heworth T&W Metros 15th Aug 85 C7131

 

 

David

Edited August 23, 2017 by DaveF

[melmerby]

Those pictures of the T&W Metro show just how relatively unobtrusive lightweight OHLE can be.

(Compare to the pictures I've been posting about the ongoing Barnt Green-Bromsgrove electrification)

 

Nice pictures as always Dave

 

Cheers

 

Keith

[DaveF]

Those pictures of the T&W Metro show just how relatively unobtrusive lightweight OHLE can be.

(Compare to the pictures I've been posting about the ongoing Barnt Green-Bromsgrove electrification)

 

Nice pictures as always Dave

 

Cheers

 

Keith

 

 

Remember it is 1500VDC which will make some parts different from 25kVAC overhead.

 

David

[The Stationmaster]

Plenty of examples, colour lights try and bring the red aspect to be nearest the drivers eye level so upside ones with the red at the top are quite common.  LMS 4-aspects were different too, with green and red transposed from todays standard and as Paul says the GER was full of interesting stuff before resignalling.

 

 

On the original 4 aspect signal heads with the lenses arranged vertically the second yellow was added below the red, not above the green, giving the appearance mentioned by Beast.  Signal heads of this type were common in the original GE lines early 1950s resignalling for Shenfield & Southend electrifcation and survived into the 1990s.  In addition the cluster style signal heads used by the Southern in the 1920s on gantry mounted signals and also used on some signals at Manchester Exchange had the two yellows arranged vertically in the middle with the red & green aspects sitting in the three o'clock and nine o'clock positions - again long lived signals some of which definitely made the 1960s and possibly later at Manchester Exchange. 

[62613]

On the original 4 aspect signal heads with the lenses arranged vertically the second yellow was added below the red, not above the green, giving the appearance mentioned by Beast.  Signal heads of this type were common in the original GE lines early 1950s resignalling for Shenfield & Southend electrifcation and survived into the 1990s.  In addition the cluster style signal heads used by the Southern in the 1920s on gantry mounted signals and also used on some signals at Manchester Exchange had the two yellows arranged vertically in the middle with the red & green aspects sitting in the three o'clock and nine o'clock positions - again long lived signals some of which definitely made the 1960s and possibly later at Manchester Exchange. 

Victoria West and Deal Street certainly into the 80s

[Southernman46]

Tyne and Wear Metro today with some photos taken at Gateshead Stadium and Heworth.

 

 

Gateshead Stadium T&W Metro South Shilelds to Bankfoot 1st Aug 85 C7009.jpg

Gateshead Stadium T&W Metro South Shields to Bankfoot 1st Aug 85 C7009

 

 

David

Great pictures ...........

 

Howay Man ! - I got married in Longbenton that very week !!!

Edited August 23, 2017 by Southernman46

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the photos of the Tyne and Wear Metro. It certainly was a very good system back in those early days. The modern liveries spoil the units these days, as is so often the case.

I agree about the relatively unobtrusive OHLE. If only all schemes could be as good as that.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[96701]

Hi, Dave. I like the photos of the Tyne and Wear Metro. It certainly was a very good system back in those early days. The modern liveries spoil the units these days, as is so often the case.

I agree about the relatively unobtrusive OHLE. If only all schemes could be as good as that.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

You wouldn't be referring to Great Western electrification, perchance? If so there are a number of very large differences, particularly a much higher voltage and linespeed.

[melmerby]

You wouldn't be referring to Great Western electrification, perchance? If so there are a number of very large differences, particularly a much higher voltage and linespeed.

One of the claimed benefits of using 25kV AC electrification was that it would provide lighter & less obtrusive equipment than 1.5kV DC then in use due to the much lower current draw.

As can be seen by modern projects that is just not the case anymore.

 

Penistone in the days of OHLE:

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/p/penistone/penistone(ma_king8.1969)old5.jpg

 

Keith

[Enterprisingwestern]

J4319.

Wrong headcode for a Sheffield train, they were 1EXX from St Pancras, unless it was mis-wound and you know different of course, you were there!

 

Mike.

[stovepipe]

J4319.

Wrong headcode for a Sheffield train, they were 1EXX from St Pancras, unless it was mis-wound and you know different of course, you were there!

 

Mike.

 

1Pxx headcodes were for trains terminating at Derby. There doesn't seem to be any first class so possibly a bank holiday addtional service?

Edited August 24, 2017 by stovepipe

[DaveF]

J4319.

Wrong headcode for a Sheffield train, they were 1EXX from St Pancras, unless it was mis-wound and you know different of course, you were there!

 

Mike.

 

It's one of dad's photos, it could well be wrong - he'd have worked it out by looking at the likely passing times from a public timetable.

 

1Pxx headcodes were for trains terminating at Derby. There doesn't seem to be any first class so possibly a bank holiday addtional service?

 

 

That makes sense.

 

Thanks to both of you, I've altered the caption.

 

David

[DaveF]

Western Scotland today with some more photos on the West Highland line.

 

The Banavie photos were taken while on holiday, the others were taken on a WBHS (Whitley Bay Horticultural Society trip from Newcastle (and other stations) to Fort William and back in a day.

 

When we reached Bridge of Orchy it was clear that we would be held there for some time, many people got off the train and walked around the station and local area until the locos hooted to indicate we needed to get back on board.

 

 

Banavie swing bridge Aug 76 J5402

 

 

Banavie swing bridge Aug 76 J5403

 

 

Banavie swing bridge Aug 76 J5404

 

 

Bridge of Orchy 37259 and 37121 northbound 11th May 85 C6858

 

 

Glen Douglas 37037 Glasgow QS to Oban 11th May 85 C6901

 

David

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the West Highland photo's. It's always good to see lovely Scottish scenery. The bridge and cabin at Banavie would make a great model. They look so good in the photo's. And the 37's look good in the Scottish scenery. A great combination.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[Fat Controller]

I recollect the extended stop at Bridge of Orchy having something to do with either someone who had been on the run to  Mallaig missing the train, or someone having left their keys on the Mallaig train. Whatever it was, we had to wait for a taxi to arrive.

Brian

[67A]

Hi Dave,

 

Been catching up again and those shots at Glasgow Central really took me back as I (mis)spent most of my youth at the end of platform 11. The departure board system was as simple as it was brilliant now overtaken by some technological piece of junk that will last no time at all in comparison. I can well remember making a similar device for my own model railway layout  from bits of wood, cardboard and canvas, happy days, thank's for sharing.

[DaveF]

Almost a week ago I posted some photos on the way north from Grantham, ending at Dry Doddington.

 

We'll visit Dry Doddington again for today's images.

 

 

Dry Doddington Class 47 1989 down 1020 Kings X to Leeds Oct 70 J2429

 

 

Dry Doddington Class 55 09.20 Newcastle to Kings X Dec 76 J5556

 

 

Dry Doddington Class 47 47516 10.10 Kings X to Leeds Dec 76 J5559

 

 

Dry Doddington Class 254 HST up Oct 81 C5582

 

 

Dry Doddington Class 254 HST down May 82 C5674

 

 

David

Edited August 26, 2017 by DaveF

[Alister_G]

Hi Dave, love your photos of Bridge of Orchy, but something is terribly wrong!

 

You appear to have photoshopped blue skies and bright sunshine into them!

 

Please rectify this immediately.

 

Al.

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the ECML photos from Dry Doddington. The Deltic in J5556 appears to have a short nameplate, but the number is too blurry to read. I wonder if anyone can indentify which one it is?

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[96701]

Dry Doddington Class 55 Newcastle to Kings X Dec 76 J5556

 

Dry Doddington Class 254 HST down May 82 C5674

 

As a 21 year old working for the railway, but in Preston Division, that is exactly how I remember the thrill of travelling behind a Deltic in Mk 2 air conditioned stock hacking down the East Coast. It seemed much more exotic than hacking up and down the West Coast Main Line behind electric locos. Then I got a job in York, and welcomed the extra lie in that the HSTs gave me. Happy  days then, and who would have thought that I still use HSTs regularly on the run from South wales to Paddington 35 years later?