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

[35A]

Sorry, but no they weren't. 

 

That's interesting, Jonny - because my memory of them was that they were more often than not in matched pairs. It gave me cause to revisit my notes from 1970 onwards and look more closely. Certainly, I was surprised to find that the occurrence of matched pairs in that year was lower than I recall (around 50%). However, all of my fairly frequent visits to the Grantham/Nottingham area in the next two or three years seemed to find the majority of them in pairs. For example, just taking a visit to Lincoln depot in 1971:  50011+56043, 50016+56016, 50024+56024, 50026+56026, 50027+56027, 50036+56036, 50040+56040, 50042+56042, 50044+56044, 50047+56011 plus orphaned 50006. The same day 50014+56014, 50032, 50038+56022 were in Doncaster Works.

 

So, overall, lower than I recalled - but perhaps 1971-73 were just a "good" period for keeping most of them matched?

[jonny777]

From looking at some of my notes from the late 1960s, it would appear that there were days when I saw almost nothing but matched pairs, and then others where I hardly saw any. It seems that winter months were more likely to see them matched, maybe because the Lincoln fleet was able to cope without too much trouble, but once the summer came and some coast bound services were increased to two or more units; the situation became more stressed and every available vehicle possible was pressed into service with whatever trailer car was available. 

 

Quite by accident, the set of notes I was referring to above came from late spring and the Whitsun weekend of 1968, and it was pretty obvious that things were getting tight. Even all of the Cravens they had were being used including E50378/E56143 which was one of the original batch. On 22nd May the mid afternoon local to Boston was formed of E51434 E59699 E51504 which must have been borrowed from somewhere, and on May 21st (pedant warning, this is not an error or me making things up) E56047 was paired with E50000 which had been officially withdrawn almost a year earlier. 

 

It is unfortunate really, that there is so little detailed info on the 114s mainly because they ran in a rural area not favourable with enthusiasts and they were such regular workings they became monotonous and no one really bothered to take much notice (me included). 

[DaveF]

As most of you know the High Dyke branch was built by the GNR to serve the iron ore quarries around Colsterworth, Sproxton, Buckminster and Stainby areas.

 

Today's photos starton the High Dyke branch a couple of hundred yards from the end of the BR line at Stainby. This made an end on connection with the ex British Steel lines which ran through Sewstern and headed south (as well as serving other quarries) to Buckminster Juncton where the line met the ex MR line from Saxby to Bourne.  The Saxby to Bourne section between Buckmister Junction and Paine's sidings was still in situ (and still owned by BR) at the time of these photos, it had been used to carry iron ore from the British Steel line to Market Overton.

 

The photos are from the short lived preservation era.

 

 

Stainby Class 03 D2381 and Hunslet light engines July 74 C1642

 

 

Sewstern Peckett 1158 ballast Stainby to Sewstern April 73 C1229

 

 

Sewstern Hunslet Primrose No 2 and Avonside Fred May 74 J3681

 

 

Sewstern weighbridge and ballast wagon Oct 73 J3430

 

 

Sewstern Merchant Navy 35029 Ellerman Lines Class 03 D2381 Feb 74 C1477   Ellerman lines is being shunted into the workshop to be sectioned for the NRM.  Dad, who managed the ex BSC lines and the industries at Sewstern, is on the left.

 

 

Thistleton Road bridge MR A3 4472 Oct 73 C1435  Flying Scotsman was on the way to its shed at Market Overton.

 

 

David

Edited July 8, 2018 by DaveF

[DaveF]

As most of you know the High Dyke branch was built by the GNR to serve the iron ore quarries around Colsterworth, Sproxton, Buckminster and Stainby areas.

 

Today's photos start on the High Dyke branch a couple of hundred yards from the end of the BR line at Stainby. This made an end on connection with the ex British Steel lines which ran through Sewstern and headed south (as well as serving other quarries) to Buckminster Juncton where the line met the ex MR line from Saxby to Bourne.  The Saxby to Bourne section between Buckmister Junction and Paine's sidings was still in situ (and still owned by BR) at the time of these photos, it had been used to carry iron ore from the British Steel line to Market Overton.

 

The photos are from the short lived preservation era.

 

 

Stainby Class 03 D2381 and Hunslet light engines July 74 C1642

 

 

Sewstern Peckett 1158 ballast Stainby to Sewstern April 73 C1229

 

 

Sewstern Hunslet Primrose No 2 and Avonside Fred May 74 J3681

 

 

Sewstern weighbridge and ballast wagon Oct 73 J3430

 

 

Sewstern Merchant Navy 35029 Ellerman Lines Class 03 D2381 Feb 74 C1477   Ellerman lines is being shunted into the workshop to be sectioned for the NRM.  Dad, who managed the ex BSC lines and the industries at Sewstern, is on the left.

 

 

Thistleton Road bridge MR A3 4472 Oct 73 C1435  Flying Scotsman was on the way to its shed at Market Overton.

 

 

David

Edited July 8, 2018 by DaveF

[eastwestdivide]

...

I have recently developed poor proof reading skills - and I should really know better, at one time I proof read and tested identification guides for plants and animals.

...

The cat roosts in dark places and uses echolocation to find its prey.

[Ian Smeeton]

Lovely shots around Sewstern.

 

I actually work at a factory on the site. I must take some pics for a 'then and now'

 

There are still some rails on the concrete around and inside some of the buildings.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[The Johnster]

The cat roosts in dark places and uses echolocation to find its prey.

 

I once had a cat that did exactly that; it's favourite game was to lurk unseen and ambush me, biting my toes when I was barefoot. If I brought I lady home for the night (I was single then) she would be entranced by how cute he was, and he would invariably repay her affection by sh*tting in her shoes.

[jonny777]

I do hope you called your cat Cato. 

[DaveF]

Back to the north east now on the line from Newcastle to Middlesbrough.  As usual we see several Class 101s.

 

 

Boldon Colliery Class 101 53265 and 51233 Newcastle to Middlesbrough 2nd April 86 C7353

 

 

East Boldon Class 101 Sunderland to Newcastle 23rd June 84 C6536

 

 

Tile Shed crossing Class 101 Newcastle to Sunderland 23rd June 84 C6539

 

 

Middlesbrough Class 101 Darlington to Mioddlesbrough 2nd Aug 86 C7815

 

 

Middlesbrough 143008 2nd Aug 86 C7817

 

 

David

[LNERGE]

Love the interlaced track on the weighbridge. How did these work? Was the loco diverted over the non weighing track and the wagons over the weighing? How far out of line would the buffer be?

Edited July 8, 2018 by LNERGE

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the photo’s of the High Dyke branch. As always so full of interest, and it’s good seeing, in C1229, at Sewstern, Peckett 1158, on a ballast train from Stainby to Sewstern, in April, 1973.

The Newcastle to Middlesbrough photo’s are just so nostalgic, and I love seeing all those class 101 DMU’s. The first photo’ at Boldon Colliery, a class 101 unit, 53265 and 51233, is a power twin, on a Newcastle to Middlesbrough service on the 2nd April, 1986. There is some brake dust visible on the front of the DMSL.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[DaveF]

Love the interlaced track on the weighbridge. How did these work? Was the loco diverted over the non weighing track and the wagons over the weighing? How far out of line would the buffer be?

 

 

I think it was done so it could be used as a running line when the wagons did not need weighing.   I think that when wagons were to be weighed the whole train would be worked over the weighbridge rails one wagon at a time ..... but it's a long time since it was explained to me.

 

It was on the British Steel system, so the largest loco would be a 0-6-0T  (or an ex BR Class14).

 

Davvid

[Fat Controller]

Love the interlaced track on the weighbridge. How did these work? Was the loco diverted over the non weighing track and the wagons over the weighing? How far out of line would the buffer be?

The wagon would indeed travel on one pair of rails, the loco on the other. The deviation between the two pairs of rails would be about six inches or so, so about half a buffer width. Other weighbridges had only one set of rails, but a locking mechanism (sometimes operated by something like a point lever) would hold the weighing deck steady whilst locos passed over.

[The Johnster]

I do hope you called your cat Cato. 

 

Should have done, jonny, but he was actually called Cooking Fat in a sort of spoonerist attempt at humour; perhaps the attacks were revenge for this outrage.

Edited July 11, 2018 by The Johnster

[DaveF]

In the summer of 1970 Mum and Dad decided to have a walk along part of the trackbed of the Leek and Manifold railway.

 

I have a few photos taken in the same places in the Spring of 1971, though I don't really remember the day - it couldn't have been very exciting. One of the photos posted today from 1971 was taken by Dad, so we must have gone together - which is quite likely as I didn't have a car until August of that year.

 

So today's photos are just snapshots of pleasant days out, as usual a number of Dad's photos have Mum in the shot.  

 

Mum and Dad never made up "family albums" of photos, but slides with Mum or I in them normally ended up in a separate box.

 

 

Butterton Leek and Manifold July 70 J2146

 

 

Butterton Tunnel Leek and Manifold April 71 C530

 

 

Ecton Leek and Manifold bridge over River Manifold April 71 J2555

 

 

Ectonl Leek and Manifold July 70 J2145

 

 

Welton Mill Leek and Manifold July 70 J2143

 

 

Welton Mill Leek and Manifold July 70 J2143a

 

 

David

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Leek and Manifold Railway photo’s. What outstanding scenery it traversed, and C530, of Butterton Tunnel is fascinating. It looks like a narrow bore, with a fairly restricted height. The trains running through it must have had to be to a restricted loading gauge. I admit I don’t know too much about that one time line.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[uax6]

It must have standard gauge clearance, as standard gauge wagons on transports passed along the line...

 

Andy G

[Suddaby]

Hi, Dave. I like the Leek and Manifold Railway photo’s. What outstanding scenery it traversed, and C530, of Butterton Tunnel is fascinating. It looks like a narrow bore, with a fairly restricted height. The trains running through it must have had to be to a restricted loading gauge. I admit I don’t know too much about that one time line.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

Hi Rob, as Andy G says, standard gauge wagons traversed the line aboard a transporter wagon. Couldn't find one near the tunnel, but this illustrates the point. On delivery, they were usually pushed onto a short piece of standard gauge track for unloading.

Edited July 10, 2018 by Suddaby

[uax6]

There's also a photo that I've seen (Maybe in LMS Miscellany?) showing a van on one of the transporter wagons....

 

Andy G

[DaveF]

Northumberland today with photos taken at Alnmouth and Berwick on Tweed.

 

Once again some slides were not in as good condition as others.

 

 

Alnmouth Class 254 HST down Aug 82 C5834

 

 

Alnmouth 16th June 84 C6525  Taken before the new station building was erected.

 

 

Berwick on Tweed Class 47 up ex pass Aug 77 C3519

 

 

Berwick on Tweed May 74 J3706

 

 

Berwick upon Tweed Class 101 in siding 1st Aug 86 C7782

Edited July 10, 2018 by DaveF

[Fat Controller]

I like the two (differently-liveried) Freightliner containers on the platform within the engineers' compound at Alnmouth.

[31A]

C7782 - the siding at Berwick where the 101 is has been rail less for several years, but retains overhead electrification!  Evidently easier to leave it there than to take it out.  I do remember once seeing a Pacer sitting there in the TWPTE yellow livery, but even that must be going back some time now.

[Fat Controller]

There's also a photo that I've seen (Maybe in LMS Miscellany?) showing a van on one of the transporter wagons....

 

Andy G

In 'The Manifold Valley and its Light Railway', published by Moorland Publishing, there is a photo of a GWR Mink A on a transporter wagon. Another view shows a brace of 5-plank opens, whilst a shot of Hulme End shows a standard gauge van on a siding.

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Alnmouth and Berwick on Tweed photo’s. C3519, in August, 1977 with a class 47 on an up express passenger train, is formed of Mk1 stock, and it can be seen that the only first class is in the CK in the middle of the formation. J3706 in May, 1974 is a good view which shows some of the sidings, and what appears to be a headshunt.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[DaveF]

Staying in Northumberland today, this time looking at the Blyth and Tyne not far from Ashington.

 

 

Sleekburn viaduct River Wansbeck 56132 northbound empties 10th April 85 C6793

 

 

Sleekburn viaduct River Wansbeck 56132 northbound empties 10th April 85 C6794

 

 

Ashington view east 25th May 87 C8529

 

 

66722 Woodhorn 20th November 09

 

 

Lynemouth Class 37 empties to Lynemouth Aug 80 C5151

 

 

David