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

[woodenhead]

I see Hathern station still survives

 

 

It's a B&B now image from Google

 

Considering it closed in 1960, a bit of a survivor.

[DaveF]

Electrics for today's replacements, this time 25kV main line ones.  The following notes are copied from my original post as not all of you will know the location.

 

There are actually only 3 trains in the photos, I thought it would be interesting to see how two photographers versions of the same train can look, using different cameras and film.

 

The location is Millmeece and Badnall Wharf.  Photos in the area are often captioned just  as Badnall Wharf.

 

For those who don't know it is north of Norton Bridge on the WCML between Stafford and Crewe.

 

There were various military installations in the area, together with a station and sidings.

 

Swynnerton was a shell filling factory, HMS Fledgling (usually known as Millmeece) which was a WRNS training establishment and seven other camps were originally for the ROF personnel but were later used as US Army camps. 

 

At one time 18,000 people worked at Swynnerton.

 

2 links to the ROF factory and its railways:

 

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/s/swynnerton_royal_ordnance_filling_factory/index.shtml

 

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/s/swynnerton_royal_ordnance_filling_factory/index2.shtml

 

 Now for the photos.

 

Millmeece and Badnall Wharf 310 076 up pass June 76_C2821

 

 

Millmeece and Badnall Wharf 310 076 pass to Stafford June 76  _J5328

 

 

Millmeece and Badnall Wharf 86232 down XP June 76_C2823

 

 

 Millmeece and  Badnall Wharf 86232 Euston to Kolyhead June 76_J5330

 

 

Millmeece and Badnall Wharf Class 85 up ex pas June 76_C2822

 

 

David

[corneliuslundie]

Yes, the difference in colour between the first two photos is really interesting.

The second says "Boots" film to me, though I am sure there were others with a bluish cast.

On the other hand, I used to feel that Kodak rendered reds too strongly.

Jonathan

[DaveF]

13 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

Yes, the difference in colour between the first two photos is really interesting.

The second says "Boots" film to me, though I am sure there were others with a bluish cast.

On the other hand, I used to feel that Kodak rendered reds too strongly.

Jonathan

 

 

My photo (image number prefixed C) was taken on Fujichrome 100ASA (ISO) slide film.

The other one (prefixed J) was Dad's, taken on Agfa CT18 (ISO/ASA50).  He was using a Soligor 75-260mm zoom, it always gave the images a cool slightly blue/green tinge.  It is more noticeable on a scan than on the original slide.  I gave up trying to fix it in Photoshop, too many colours changed!

I think both cameras were Pentax slrs, but I cannot remember which models we used - probably Spotmatics but mine might have been an old S1a.

 

David

Edited November 21, 2022 by DaveF

[Artless Bodger]

13 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

Yes, the difference in colour between the first two photos is really interesting.

The second says "Boots" film to me, though I am sure there were others with a bluish cast.

On the other hand, I used to feel that Kodak rendered reds too strongly.

Jonathan

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by Artless Bodger
Deleted irrelevant post due to Dave's reply.

[DaveF]

More photos at Morpeth this afternoon.

 

Morpeth Class 143 Alnmouth to Newcastle  Sept 86 J8688

 

 

Morpeth after canopy was slid back, completing the work Sept 89 J10519  The canopy had to be moved further back from the track to provide safe clearance for the OHLE.  The whole thing was slid backwards in one piece.

 

 

Morpeth 153358 Newcastle to Morpeth and DVT up Aug 92 J13294

 

 

Morpeth Class 142 Newcastle to Alnmouth Nov 93 J14502

 

 

Morpeth 91004 Kings X to Glasgow C 26th July 95 C20328

 

 

David

Edited November 22, 2022 by DaveF

[Market65]

Good evening, David. That’s a fascinating set of replacement photo’s of Millmeece and Badnall Wharf, on the WCML, between Stafford and Crewe, June 1976. The comparisons between your photo’s and your Dad’s are most interesting, and well explained. The first photo’ of 310 076, on an up passenger service, it is warmer and more natural than the following photo’ of the same train as taken by your Dad. Same results, of course, for the next two photo’s. The last photo’ is a good warm one of a class 85 on an up express. So your camera, as used back then, gives, to my eyes, the better overall results.

Now the latest Morpeth photo’s are superb, with J13294, of 153358, on a Newcastle to Morpeth service, and a MklV DVT leading an  up express train, in August, 1992, shows what appears to be a small dent, of some kind, just below the driver’s side window, on the DVT. 
 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[great central]

 

Hi Dave,

Minor correction j13294, the 153 is 308.

It must have moved from the north east further south at some point before privatisation, eventually turning up at EMT wearing black vinyls advertising some of the attractions of the South West!

When it was taken into works, done in house at Neville Hill if memory serves, it was found to be heavily corroded in places and there was also evidence of crash damage at some time in the past.

All this made the overhaul and repaint take somewhat longer than initially expected. Stagecoach were becoming a bit unusual at that time in doing full body overhauls to bare metal before repainting but it certainly helped staff morale rather than the bodge jobs that have become more common, the current EMR ones don't even get cleaned when sending them over from WM, seems something of an Abellio trademark.

Sorry if I've rambled a bit but I'm stuck in hospital so helps relieve the tedium a bit.

[great central]

3 hours ago, Market65 said:

Good evening, David. That’s a fascinating set of replacement photo’s of Millmeece and Badnall Wharf, on the WCML, between Stafford and Crewe, June 1976. The comparisons between your photo’s and your Dad’s are most interesting, and well explained. The first photo’ of 310 076, on an up passenger service, it is warmer and more natural than the following photo’ of the same train as taken by your Dad. Same results, of course, for the next two photo’s. The last photo’ is a good warm one of a class 85 on an up express. So your camera, as used back then, gives, to my eyes, the better overall results.

Now the latest Morpeth photo’s are superb, with J13294, of 153358, on a Newcastle to Morpeth service, and a MklV DVT leading an  up express train, in August, 1992, shows what appears to be a small dent, of some kind, just below the driver’s side window, on the DVT. 
 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

 

Dent on a DVT? Almost certainly a bird strike, they can make quite a mess and receive a massive headache for the privilege at 125mph!

[DaveF]

11 hours ago, great central said:

 

Hi Dave,

Minor correction j13294, the 153 is 308.

It must have moved from the north east further south at some point before privatisation, eventually turning up at EMT wearing black vinyls advertising some of the attractions of the South West!

When it was taken into works, done in house at Neville Hill if memory serves, it was found to be heavily corroded in places and there was also evidence of crash damage at some time in the past.

All this made the overhaul and repaint take somewhat longer than initially expected. Stagecoach were becoming a bit unusual at that time in doing full body overhauls to bare metal before repainting but it certainly helped staff morale rather than the bodge jobs that have become more common, the current EMR ones don't even get cleaned when sending them over from WM, seems something of an Abellio trademark.

Sorry if I've rambled a bit but I'm stuck in hospital so helps relieve the tedium a bit.

 

 

Once again my useless typing. Edit  Actually I was right for once.

 

David

Edited November 22, 2022 by DaveF

[Chris116]

8 minutes ago, DaveF said:

 

 

Once again my useless typing.

 

David

Your photos more than make up for any failure in your typing. This thread is always my first stop in RMweb.

[Davexoc]

Dave, I think that 153358 is the correct number. It appears that after initial conversion from 155s, 155308 which was comprised of vehicles 52308 and 57308, led to 52308 becoming 153308 and 57308 becoming 153358. 153358 some time later fell into line and adopted the set number within the vehicle number and became 57358.

I'm presuming this was due to the advent of the class 57s, which in the longer term it would have meant the Virgin Thunderbirds would not have been able to use those numbers.

 

The aforementioned 153308 in West Country black and gold livery on transfer to EMT - vehicle number 52308

 

[great central]

12 minutes ago, Davexoc said:

Dave, I think that 153358 is the correct number. It appears that after initial conversion from 155s, 155308 which was comprised of vehicles 52308 and 57308, led to 52308 becoming 153308 and 57308 becoming 153358. 153358 some time later fell into line and adopted the set number within the vehicle number and became 57358.

I'm presuming this was due to the advent of the class 57s, which in the longer term it would have meant the Virgin Thunderbirds would not have been able to use those numbers.

 

The aforementioned 153308 in West Country black and gold livery on transfer to EMT - vehicle number 52308

 

 

Ah! I stand corrected over my correction. Hope I haven't caused you too much confusion David.

Nice picture of Sleaford which incidentally looks very smart in it's recently completed heritage refurbishment, at least it didn't finish up the purple, grey and yellow patchwork inflicted on many EMR stations. 

[St Enodoc]

13 hours ago, DaveF said:

HMS Fledgling (usually known as Millmeece) which was a WRNS training establishment

Very clever!

[DaveF]

Preston on 22nd May 1971 for today.  At the time I was at Manchester University taking my final degree exams. I found it was helpful to take weekends and relax off so tried to go out most weeks to look at railways.

 

Preston Class 45 68 Royal Fusilier down special 22nd May 71 C617

 

 

Preston Class 40 233 Empress of England up goods 22nd May 71 C621

 

 

Preston Class 104 down pass 22nd May 71 C623

 

 

Preston Class 50 421 up ex pass 22nd May 71 C627

 

 

Preston up ex pass 22nd May 71 C628

 

 

David

[corneliuslundie]

Interesting to see the work on the Morpeth canopy. A good job. Far better than just hacking it around as has happened so often elsewhere - or removing them altogether.

Jonathan

[woodenhead]

@DaveF Do you have any more images of the East Lancs side of Preston, that line was still open in 1971.  You can see it there in C628 curving away and the north end in C627.

[DaveF]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

@DaveF Do you have any more images of the East Lancs side of Preston, that line was still open in 1971.  You can see it there in C628 curving away and the north end in C627.

 

I think this is the only other one.

 

 

Preston Class 105s, left is for Colne, East Lancs side of station Nov 71 C771

 

 

David

 

[DaveF]

Northumberland again today, this time at Southside.

 

 

Southside 43083 Kings X to Inverness Mar 90 J10662

 

 

Southside 43096 up 16th Nov 91 C16623

 

 

Southside 60077 down July 92 J13368

 

 

Southside Class 91 down 23rd Sept 95 C20550

 

 

Southside 91003 at rear and DVT up 13th Jan 96 C20728

 

 

David

[Market65]

Good evening, David. That’s a fascinating set of replacement photo’s of Preston as on the 22nd May 1971. In C621, with class 40, 233, Empress of England, on an up goods service, it’s great seeing the weathering on those 16 ton wagons. It’s all of help when it comes to weathering models of them.

The photo’s of Southside, on the ECML in Northumberland, are excellent and in C16623, with 43096, leading an up HST, on the 16th November, 1991, it can be seen that 43096 was in a bit of a state with the cantrail grills a bit worn, and a grill missing, unless I’m seeing things. The power car is really quite dirty too.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[Davexoc]

11 hours ago, DaveF said:

Preston Class 50 421 up ex pass 22nd May 71 C627

 

 

 

No shortage of BRUTEs and interestingly there is one with diamond mesh in the last shot, didn't know there were any like that. The previous photo has one in it's natural habitat near the platform end, but devoid of spotters.....

[SHMD]

11 hours ago, DaveF said:

 

Preston Class 50 421 up ex pass 22nd May 71 C627

 

David

 

That's a fantastic signal to model at the end of that platform !

 

 

Kev.

[35A]

14 hours ago, DaveF said:

Preston on 22nd May 1971 for today.  At the time I was at Manchester University taking my final degree exams.

 

My 13th birthday. Whilst you were photographing around Preston that day, I was in the Sheffield area - seeking out class 76s and the like.  🙂

[DaveF]

Sellafield in August 1975 and 1979 for this morning's replacements.

 

 

Sellafield 40172 down freight Aug 75 J4625

 

 

 Sellafield 40172 shunting flask wagons Aug 75 J4626

 

 

Sellafield Class 108 Lancaster to Carlisle Aug 75 J4627

 

 

Sellafield Class 40 shunting wagon with hot box Aug 79 J6607

 

 

Sellafield Class 108 Carlisle to Lancaster Aug 79 J6608

 

 

Sellafield view south from BNFL sidings Aug 79 J6609

 

 

David

 

 

 

[eastwestdivide]

J4625 and J4626 are the same train aren't they? In J4625 you can just see the first empty flask wagon behind the van and the shock open (presumably those are there as barrier vehicles).

I stayed on that coast once, just down the line at Seascale - strange place, hovering between desolate and beautiful, depending on the weather!