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

[talisman56]

I believe that the line on the right in J6739 a goods loop, possibly associated with the branch down to Dungeness power station, which goes off to the left in the middle distance, where the crossover is.

[russ p]

It can't have anything to do with the dungeness branch as that goes off to soon for a crossover to a loop

[Oldddudders]

J6682 Lyghe! Excellent older spelling! I haven’t seen it spelt like that in railway terms in more than 50 years, Dave! But it did indeed at one time call itself Lyghe Halt. These days it is simply Leigh.

 

I was on the other side of Kent - Dartford - at the time of the Appledore pics, and know nothing about the up siding. It was about then that Tokenless Block was installed on the Ponderosa, as colleagues were wont to call it. And a couple of years later that level crossing by the signalbox was converted to AOC(L) - Automatic Open Crossing (Locally Monitored). Basically, the approaching driver should get a white light, displayed on a background of a St George’s Cross, to tell him the crossing is operating correctly, with red lights to road users. There are no barriers. If he does not get the white light he should proceed with caution ready to stop short of the crossing if traffic is visible. On the day of the official inspection, the Inspecting Officer - probably Kit Holden - asked for the white light to be disabled for an approaching train - and the driver sailed straight across as if nothing was amiss......

[iands]

I believe that the line on the right in J6739 a goods loop, possibly associated with the branch down to Dungeness power station, which goes off to the left in the middle distance, where the crossover is.

 

Looking at the SRS website it looks like it was a siding (or two) rather than a 'loop', but that was in the 50s/60s. I feel confident that someone will have information earlier than this to confirm if there was ever a loop there first?

[The Lurker]

Like the SR photos - I'd started catching the train to school in 78 so they bring back memories - particularly of a train very like the one you show at Cuxton that came off the Maidstone West branch and to Tonbridge; the 8.20 from Paddock Wood was the last train I could catch and still be on time.

 

I was going to make the same point as Olddudders re Leigh. Pronounced "Lie", so I guess the older spelling gives more of a clue.

 

EDIT - and the unit on the Tonbridge- Reading train was slightly unusual as a lot of the units I saw were 3 car DEMU units; I don't know enough to recall whether they were the same units as used on the Tunbridge Wells West trains.

Edited October 30, 2018 by The Lurker

[Oldddudders]

Like the SR photos - I'd started catching the train to school in 78 so they bring back memories - particularly of a train very like the one you show at Cuxton that came off the Maidstone West branch and to Tonbridge; the 8.20 from Paddock Wood was the last train I could catch and still be on time.

 

I was going to make the same point as Olddudders re Leigh. Pronounced "Lie", so I guess the older spelling gives more of a clue.

 

EDIT - and the unit on the Tonbridge- Reading train was slightly unusual as a lot of the units I saw were 3 car DEMU units; I don't know enough to recall whether they were the same units as used on the Tunbridge Wells West trains.

 

In 78 the Tonbridge - Reading service was run with 3-R sets, a hybrid of two Hastings-gauge cars and a Restriction 4 driving trailer from an EPB set. As a result of that wider vehicle, these could not run beyond Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells, due to gauge restrictions on that route. 

[The Johnster]

Hi, Dave. I like the Southern photo’s which are so atmospheric, and full of interest. J6683, at Cuxton, with a class 416, shows how faint the internal lighting was. Certainly not as bright as on the Bachmann model. And you have a good view of the station canopy, level crossing gates and signal box at Appledore in the first photo’ - a great composition which reveals all that was good about the station back then on Boxing Day, 1979.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

 

Lighting on model railways is one of my soap box triggers; always very much too bright and usually the wrong colour cast.  Add inappropriate lit tail lights on loco pulling trains, or pre 1980s double tail lamps on dmus, flickering, signal and loco lights that would burn out retinas at 20 miles if they were scaled up but might be useful for melting your way through snowdrifts, and people who insist on cameos involving road works, RTAs, buildings on fire and wotnot, so that they can have lots of overbright flashing lights to show how clever they are, look at my lights everybody, look, and they flash as well, aren't they bright!!!, look, look.

[DaveF]

Today we visit the Newcastle to Carlisle line, heading west from Stocksfield.

 

 

Stocksfield July 83 C6099

 

 

Hexham Class 101 Newcastle to Hexham 9th March 85 C6740

 

 

Hexham Class 101 Carlisle to Newcastle 2nd Feb 85 C6692

 

 

Warden Class 101 Newcastle to Carlisle 9th June 84 C6505

 

 

Warden 9th June 84 C6527

 

 

David

[eastwestdivide]

Great pictures David, is that a goods loop at appledore?.

You can't really tell there was any track there now

Looks more like a long siding - if you enlarge the photo, there's a horizontal white bar (buffer stop?) near the far signal

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Newcastle to Carlisle photo’s, which are fascinating and so nostalgic. In C6740, at Hexham with a class 101 DMU, on a Newcastle to Hexham service, on the 9th March, 1985, you have a clear view of how tall the starting signal was, and then the other signal is really quite short. It shows what was needed for drivers sighting purposes.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[The Johnster]

Hi, Dave. I like the Newcastle to Carlisle photo’s, which are fascinating and so nostalgic. In C6740, at Hexham with a class 101 DMU, on a Newcastle to Hexham service, on the 9th March, 1985, you have a clear view of how tall the starting signal was, and then the other signal is really quite short. It shows what was needed for drivers sighting purposes.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

 

Indeed, and this wasn't a particularly high speed line.

[SED Freightman]

Dave, Thanks for posting the Southern photos.  The siding at Appledore once formed the headshunt for the goods yard but by the time of your photo the yard had been lifted and the siding was used by the engineers.  I do not recall any use of the siding in connection with the flask traffic from Dungeness, although it may perhaps have been used in the days when aggregate traffic was forwarded from Lydd.  The view looking north east from Cuxton is interesting as it shows both the  Up Goods Loop and Down Siding which appears to have a wagon stabled at the far end.

[DaveF]

On the Great Eastern today with photos from a Stratford MPD open day and Chappel and Wakes Colne on the branch fro Marks Tey to Sudbury.

 

All the photos date from 1979.

 

 

Chappel and Wakes Colne Class 105 Marks Tey to Sudbury May 79 J6469

 

 

Chappel and Wakes Colne Class 105 Marks Tey to Sudbury May 79 J6470

 

 

Stratford Open Day 08223 08264 08315 July 79 C4635

 

 

Stratford Open Day 313033 July 79 C4642

 

 

Stratford Open Day Class 105 July 79 C4644

 

 

David

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Great Eastern phot's, which includes an open day at Stratford. In the first photo' at.Chappel and Wakes Colne, with class 105 DMU on a  Marks Tey to Sudbury service, in May, 1979, the DTCL, seems to have the first class yellow stripe, but no first class stickers on the windows. In C4642, at the Stratford Open Day, with a great photo' of the cab end of 313033, in July, 1979, it's a reminder that the Great Northern units are to be taken out of service soon and replaced with class 717 units.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[73c]

J6470 The maroon coach on the right I believe is the TPO Stowage vehicle which is now the Post Office museum coach on the GCR

[DaveF]

I think I've managed to get both the month and date right today!

 

It's back to Swayfield today, on the ECML just south of Stoke summit.

 

You can enjoy finding out if I've got the loco numbers right today.

 

 

Swayfield Class 47 up April 70 J2088   07:50 Bradford/08:25 Leeds-KX

 

 

Swayfield Class 40 No 257 down Oct 72 J3115  13:10 KX-Leeds/Bradford

 

 

Swayfield Class 31s 31404 and 31401 down Sept 76 J5444  12:15SO KX-Newcastle

 

 

Swayfield 37033 down parcels May 78 J6130

 

 

Swayfield 55014 Hull to Kings X June 80 J6982  10:50SO Edinburgh-KX

 

Many thanks again to Mark54 for identifying the train workings.

David

Edited November 2, 2018 by DaveF

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. What a fascinating set of photo's from Swayfield. In J3115, with class 40 number 257 on a down service in October, 1972, three discs can be seen to be open, when there should only be one above each buffer. 

In J5444, with class 31s, numbers 31404 and 31401 on a down service in September, 1976, it must be a Deltic or 47 substitution.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob 

[trisonic]

Nice Great Eastern stuff as per usual, Dave. Little known fact is that wonderful guy and musician Jack Bruce lived in Sudbury. Much missed.....

 

Best, Pete.

[DaveF]

ECML again today but this time in Northumberland at Cramlington and Damdykes crossing, which is to the south of Cramlington station.

 

As you all know by now Cramlington is between Newcastle and Morpeth.

 

 

Damdykes Class 101 Newastle to Morpeth Sat 8 Feb 86 C7296  The field in the foreground is now a wood.

 

 

Damdykes gates closing 2nd Jan 91 C15567  My car is parked on the left, just out of the photo.

 

 

Damdykes 43085 up 5th Jan 85 C6683  

 

 

Cramlington Class 254s 9th June 86 C7577   Damdykes crossing is in the distance.

 

 

Cramlington track relaying 19th Feb 84 C6511  after a derailment

 

 

Cramlington 143010 Newcastle to Morpeth 19th April 86 C7438

 

 

David

Edited November 2, 2018 by DaveF

[Alcanman]

Wonderful photos Dave, particularly the HST 43075 at Damdykes

 

Damdykes looks like a great photo location but I'm struggling to think of the exact location.  Is it on the road from Cramlington to Arcot Hall?

 

 

Mal

[talisman56]

J6130 - don't the late 70s parcels/newspapers trains look boring without the odd SR PMV or other grouping stock inserted...

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Dam Dykes and Cramlington photo’s, which are most interesting. In particular, C6511, at Cramlington with track relaying taking place, on the 19th February, 1984, after a derailment. I’m just wondering exactly what the yellow machinery is on the line undergoing the relaying.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

[DaveF]

Wonderful photos Dave, particularly the HST 43075 at Damdykes

 

Damdykes looks like a great photo location but I'm struggling to think of the exact location.  Is it on the road from Cramlington to Arcot Hall?

 

 

Mal

 

 

It is indeed.  I usually park on the east side of the crossing on the south side of the road. 

 

There is no view to the south because of the "new" woodland but the field on the east of the line gives a good view in the mornings, there is a view from the road west of the crossing in the afternoon.

[The Pilotman]

J6130 - don't the late 70s parcels/newspapers trains look boring without the odd SR PMV or other grouping stock inserted...

Yep. Not even a single BG to break up the rake of GUVs.

[The Johnster]

Hi, Dave. I like the Dam Dykes and Cramlington photo’s, which are most interesting. In particular, C6511, at Cramlington with track relaying taking place, on the 19th February, 1984, after a derailment. I’m just wondering exactly what the yellow machinery is on the line undergoing the relaying.

 

With warmest regards,

 

Rob.

 

I believe it is a carrying frame for craning pre-assembled track sections off the Salmon wagons in the background, but the crane is out of shot.