ParkeNd Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 (edited) Whilst there is a risk that this post may stop some folk seeing the earlier post today at Whitecroft I am posting the arrival of the train at Lydney Junction, the loco running around and being prepared to leave again back to Norchard. I got to St Mary's Halt in time to see it pass through there, but I was unprepared for the very rapid acceleration and the speed it went through the station - especially since numerous folk crossed the line to get to the park lake whilst I was there. The new camera with it's 36MP resolution could detect the buffers were not staying in focus so I might not post those pics - will take a second look at them. Edited June 11, 2015 by ParkeNd 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 I might as well finish the postings today - three in all today. I found two photos from yesterday I feel happy about using as the train thundered through St Mary's Halt - I was sitting on the wooden platform hard against the fence and it was quite frightening - not like an A4 thrashing non-stop through Brentwood Station in the 50's mind. So here are those two photos, plus crossing the road at Parkend, and three photos in the forest with just trees and birds around. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Excellent, as always. I'm glad that you posted those at St. Marys, nice to see a train there and not so often photographed these days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted June 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11, 2015 Did the WHR flat crossing at Porthmadog get the green light because there were different criteria in place when it was being planned or is it that the Cambrian Coast line is not typical and different considerations apply? Long story that, Neil.... I think it would struggle to happen again today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Pics of 5541 always remind me of how I spent ages tracking down a Lima Small Prairie, trying to tweak it to run half-decently, stripping the body, repainting it, spending ages doing the lining with transfers, varnish & finally nice etch numberplates "5541". Only months later Bachmann announced they were going to make the small Prairie tanks..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Excellent, as always. I'm glad that you posted those at St. Marys, nice to see a train there and not so often photographed these days. Thanks Arthur. Whenever I am there I keep looking for a man with a dog - but no luck as yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted June 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11, 2015 Long story that, Neil.... I think it would struggle to happen again today. Thanks Tim, I did wonder if that might be the case. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted June 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2015 Those in the forest shots show how lovely this branch is. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 Those in the forest shots show how lovely this branch is. Phil Not everyone views the trees the same way. Riding behind 5541 just after Christmas I was sat across from a couple from Birmingham who, as the train left Parkend and the trees closed in proclaimed "Oh no there's nothing here". Not until we arrived at Lydney Town did they breathe a sigh of relief and dash off the train presumably to hug a building. Which gives me an idea where to photograph next. I usually blot the bits without trees from my conciuosness - I even find it disturbing to visit my home county of Essex after 42 years here because there are no hills. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted June 15, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2015 Poor Brummies; they worship the Gods of Concrete and Tarmac. P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) The plan this morning was to do something about the almost total absence of photos of Lydney Town Station by taking some new ones myself - leastways that was the plan. Finding it was easy despite the fact that when I am in Lydney I am usually driving staring dead ahead willing the level crossing gates not to close just because I am being forced by the speed limit to be doing 20 mph max - so I have never actually seen it before. I was totally beaten by the inability to park within 300/400 yards of the station by double yellow lines, a fire station, and what looked like rationed parking outside peoples houses. So I had to abandon and retreat since there was only a 20 minutes window with trains. Next problem - what do we do now? Went to Norchard which was (but I know this is good for the DFR) awash with 3 coach loads of OAP's less mobile than me, and poor Wilbert burdened with 5 carriages mostly carrying Reserved stickers in the windows. Picked up a copy of the new Summer 2015 DFR Magazine (which is a 20 page belter by the way) and headed for Whitecroft which still has that air of exclusivity if I can use that phrase - I can be selfish and do what I want. Took a few photos of Wilbert arriving and leaving including some from the elevated side of the shop which is still not open again. I'll post a few photos in a day or two - but enough to say that with even a small loco like Wilbert, it passes so close to your shoulder that (if you were so disposed) you could kiss the fireman on the way past. Left for home via Parkend and took a couple more photos despite being frightened off the platform by an old lady in a Reserved Seat who gave me a look strong enough to kill through a carriage window. Edited June 17, 2015 by ParkeNd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Remind me not to come on a day like that! Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) It wasn't that bad really Brian - just not what I planned to do. Here are 5 of the photos I took as "compensation" to avoid a wasted trip. The story goes like this. After a piercing wheeze from Wilbert's whistle four sheep sunning themselves on the running line decide to head for cover. Wilbert struggles into view with 5 carriages. After a few minutes, making a lot of smoke, Wilbert trudges across the level crossing and passes very very close to the shop. I'm getting quite fond of Whitecroft. Edited June 17, 2015 by ParkeNd 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Yeah, there's no obvious parking right by the station. I'll have a scout around next time I'm there but some options are Tescos car park, a hundred yards or so on the left, up the A48 towards Chepstow. Going in the same direction you can turn right before Tesco, signposted Bream, up there 50 yards and there's a car park on the right, Pay and Display I think. That would be the closest proper parking to the station, no more than 50 yards I should think. People do park on the road up to Parkend, is that evening only? There's the Co-op car park, on the main road back towards the town centre, on the left. It's free but patrolled, you'd be fine there for twenty minutes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Thanks once again for that Arthur. The DFR man on duty at Whitecroft suggested Sunday is easier for Lydney Town so I will try a couple of your suggestions this Sunday morning. The station building viewed from the fire station is very "dolls house" in size. How closely does this mirror any original? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipbadger Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 (edited) Thanks once again for that Arthur. The DFR man on duty at Whitecroft suggested Sunday is easier for Lydney Town so I will try a couple of your suggestions this Sunday morning. The station building viewed from the fire station is very "dolls house" in size. How closely does this mirror any original? There is a free car park beside the old registrars office. Down the road beside The Swan and the boarded up motorcycle clothing shop, past Mills & Walkers garage and straight over as if going to the football club. It's the road that is almost straight ahead if you are returning from the Norchard where I suspect you normally turn right to head out of town. It's accessed by a one way road so on leaving you'll come out a different way emerging beside Motorworld and Stuff. It's a short walk back to Lydney Town from here. Must admit I thought there was still some parking by the station but haven't looked since McCarthy & Stone put up the retirement flats so it may have changed. You could also park in the Park and walk back from there. Just go up the road beside the fire station, access is just after the road swings round to the right. I much appreciate your photos so hope this helps. Tony Comber Edited June 18, 2015 by shipbadger Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 There is a free car park beside the old registrars office. Down the road beside The Swan and the boarded up motorcycle clothing shop, past Mills & Walkers garage and straight over as if going to the football club. It's the road that is almost straight ahead if you are returning from the Norchard where I suspect you normally turn right to head out of town. It's accessed by a one way road so on leaving you'll come out a different way emerging beside Motorworld and Stuff. It's a short walk back to Lydney Town from here. Must admit I thought there was still some parking by the station but haven't looked since McCarthy & Stone put up the retirement flats so it may have changed. You could also park in the Park and walk back from there. Just go up the road beside the fire station, access is just after the road swings round to the right. I much appreciate your photos so hope this helps. Tony Comber Thanks for the suggestion Tony. I plan to keep the photos coming. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Down the road beside The Swan and the boarded up motorcycle clothing shop, past Mills & Walkers garage and straight over as if going to the football club. It's the road that is almost straight ahead if you are returning from the Norchard where I suspect you normally turn right to head out of town. Tony Comber If you do park there, just opposite is the track/footpath which runs down, alongside the Lyd, to St Marys Halt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Of no. A few more photos from yesterday. This time down at Parkend. With a 5 carriage train obscuring the water crane, I got down on the same level as Wilbert (he's pretty big seen from that viewpoint) and caught him running around the train and hitching up - and finally pulling out a bit easier than from Whitecroft. Next photos - Lydney Town Station. Thanks for all the directions for parking. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted June 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 22, 2015 That fifth photo of the prairie in the forest is a real winner. I might just print it out on A3 and frame it for the model railway room. Mind yopu I like most of the photos though I would rather see a more appropriate loco than Wilbert - but I am not paying the bills. Jonathan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 That fifth photo of the prairie in the forest is a real winner. I might just print it out on A3 and frame it for the model railway room. Mind yopu I like most of the photos though I would rather see a more appropriate loco than Wilbert - but I am not paying the bills. Jonathan Hi Jonathan, I think most people (even the DFR folk) would prefer something other than Wilbert, but only one loco is on roster per day, and that's just Wednesday and Sunday at the moment. Thus whatever is running gets in the photos - or you give up an go home. What I would like is for there to be a resident Hall or a Manor - but I never get what I wish for. Even a re-appearance of the 14xx with an auto coach would make a change. On my layout of Parkend I run all the DFR and Severn and Wye locos ever run there - and then locos I just plain like. Naughty but nice. Here is some compensation :- 5541 approaching Norchard And a Class 31 in the "forest" but not in EWS colours. On my layout. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Walters Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I read somewhere that the DFR has the last engine to run out of Ross on Wye, that wouldn't have been 5541 would it ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted June 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 23, 2015 Another very nice photo. Thanks. Of course what would be REALLY nice would be a 20xx saddle tank and a rake of MR carriages. I run that on the Lydbrook Junction Trainsim route. But all the 20xx became panniers long ago and all have gone. How about that as a new build project rather than yet another express loco? Jonathan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 On my layout of Parkend I run all the DFR and Severn and Wye locos ever run there...What, even the 19th Century Broad Gauge ones..??!!?? Only kidding. Cracking shot of the 31 on your layout. A real "guess the scale" photo (if it's not mistaken for reality at first). I bet if someone didn't already know the scale of your layout, they'd never guess it was N, from that picture! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) I read somewhere that the DFR has the last engine to run out of Ross on Wye, that wouldn't have been 5541 would it ? This really needs Tony Comber to answer. A quick blast on Google shows that 6412 was the last loco run at Ross and this is on the West Somerset. The West Somerset have 5542 and this is the only tenuous link I can find although I am not much of a historian. Edited June 23, 2015 by ParkeNd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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