Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[big jim]

only a few pics from yesterday, i've got some to post in the disused railways of the west midlands thread too though.....

 

starting in nuneaton, a pendo flies through the station

 

my train arriving, 66849, 10 autoballasters and 5 rail carrying wagons of some sort

 

car train heading the other way

 

signal check at water orton, this passed by

 

into bescot and on the depot for fuel

 

then i departed for banbury, at washwood heath at another signal check the GBRf S Stock move was sat opposite, driven by our own 'marcus37'.

 

running late he was routed out in front of me and i followed him all the way to dorridge where he went into the goods loop and i had my booked stop in the passenger loop, at my departure time i noticed the flashing tail light of his train leaving the loop in front of me which impressed me no end as marcus' train is 45mph max and i'm 60mph, so i followed him all the way to laemington where i was held in the centre road for a XC and chiltern to pass, as i aproached fenny compton i could see marcus' flashing tail light in the loop, finally, passed him at 60mph and gave him a merry toot as i did so, and on into banbury, only arriving 8 late, being as i knew the s-stock wasnt far behind i hung around and got a couple of pics of it, thing is the useless driver parked behind the station building so i couldnt get a decent shot, i dunno can't get the staff!!

 

bit of a blurry shot but here is my train about to leave after relief, 20 falcon wagons in tow

 

as he pulled out this came the other way, our portbury to ratcliffe train!

 

Arriva DVT

 

crew swap on the 20s

 

ended up giving marcus a lift home as he had missed the last train and we had a bit of a catch up en route!

[250BOB]

Hi Jim

We had the tanks through this lunchtime, hauled by a 56.   He brought the whole train to a pretty abrupt stop between the signal box and bridge when bound for Derby, quite pleased cos I got to savour the 56 for couple of mins.  It was then off again to Derby.

It returned only about 2 hours later around 2.30pm, which I thought was unusual.??  But powered off up the hill towards the Potteries making lots of wonderful noise.

Bob.

[big jim]

more bescot pics here

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/2848-forgotten-railways-of-the-midlands/?p=1243978

[big jim]

Hi Jim

We had the tanks through this lunchtime, hauled by a 56.   He brought the whole train to a pretty abrupt stop between the signal box and bridge when bound for Derby, quite pleased cos I got to savour the 56 for couple of mins.  It was then off again to Derby.

It returned only about 2 hours later around 2.30pm, which I thought was unusual.??  But powered off up the hill towards the Potteries making lots of wonderful noise.

Bob.

problems north of crewe yesterday morning meant it didnt get to derby in time to be unloaded so it got there (after the loco had a trip to DRS gresty bridge) and had to come back to crewe for stabling, its heading back in the morning though with any luck, unfortunatly for me i've copped for working it north from crewe to carlisle this afternoon instead of road learning/refreshing hereford

[beast66606]

56302 off to Sinful today

[big jim]

and a few from yesterday

 

nuneaton

 

153 about to head off to coventry

 

another pendolino

 

the car train again

 

nice reverse cant on the track

 

this passed by during a signal check at water orton (yesterdays freightliner train was waiting round the sorner on the sutton park line!)

 

and off to bescot, into the down side yesterday, blurry shot as it was just going dark

 

the train in the yard at 16:20

 

 

and 50 mins later

 

then i moved over to the up engineers siding and collected my train which last night was the point carrying wagons, this runs as an X classification as its an exceptional load, basically there are places it can't run, thankfully not too many but the accompinied paperwork tells you where on your route you have to avoid (platform 2 at hatton for example)

 

 

and thats that.

 

on the sinfins later, crewe to carlisle

[maudgca]

Hi

 

According to realtimetrains, today's Sinfins left Basford Hall at 06.35, 95 minutes late... and have now disappeared, there being no other times shown!! Most odd!!

 

Andrew

[big jim]

yes i'm trying to work that one out too, the only thing i can think of is its gone via lichfield TV and alrewas

 

whatever's happened its not looking good for me later

Edited November 29, 2013 by big jim

[beast66606]

It was reported passing Uttoxeter so all's well.

 

Edit :

It left Longton at 09:01, 155 late !

 

Stenson 09:35

 

It's not reporting on the realtime sites, happens occasionally, usually with STP / VSTP

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O42244/2013/11/29/advanced

 

Headcode is 6M65

 

The return, when it runs,

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O42268/2013/11/29/advanced

[big jim]

and now i've just been asked to work the logs from crewe to chirk instead of going to carlisle!

[Fat Controller]

The 'X' code is also to make sure the train doesn't deviate from the planned route; in this case so the points being carried arrive the right way round. You really don't want to turn an assembled sets of points in a confined space..

[big jim]

having worked the logs to chirk im now back at crewe waiting to head to stoke to work the sinfins back as far as warrington!

[big jim]

Oh dear!

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O42268/2013/11/29/advanced

[Richard E]

Crikey! How does that affect work hours, you're not driving but does the clock still tick when you are waiting for the train you are relieving on?

Edited November 29, 2013 by Richard E

[Gary H]

Crikey! How does that affect work hours, you're not driving but does the clock still tick when you are waiting for the train you are relieving on?

It varies a little between TOC's but technically he cant do more than 12 hours total shift time, this is the same on PW, brought in after the Hiden report aka, Clapham disaster. Got to have 12 hours rest between shifts also. These are the basics for safety critical work.

[big jim]

Its a one off today, due to earlier problems, unusual to work 2 different trains over on the freight but i only booked on at 12 so well within my hours, im only working it from stoke to crewe so the guy on i can get back to brum a bit earlier, a driver who was booked to go pass from crewe back north is working it after me

 

I dont mind mucking in a bit to keep things moving to be honest, i should be home before 9 with any luck as i notice its on the move now from derby

[Richard E]

Interesting, thanks guys.

[big jim]

Chaos at stoke earlier to add to the problems!

 

Failed train at wolves meant that some xc trains were running into stoke from the south and terminating, running out into the sidings and headin back south, i finally got back home at 20:30 so still not a long day really, a few days of now then back to it monday

 

A few phone pics from today...

 

 

After relief in chirk the driver sets back into the factory

 

At chirk the old glyn valley platfrom has been cleared a bit

 

Then it got dark and the iphone battery died!

[ews60002]

I thought I recognised the face in the 56 on the Chester line today, I was sat at the Texaco garage in Wardle with a camera ready for the picture and the bleeding thing wouldn't take the shot. I was in my brown van with my learner driver who was impressed with the load of trees you were hauling behind you. He said the loco sounds good and proper.......

 

Mathew

[class"66"]

More super pictures...

[250BOB]

He said the loco sounds good and proper.......

 

Mathew

 

Sounded just as awesome passing through Uttoxeter on the tanks earlier this week.

 

 

Pictures really great Jim.....thanks for taking the time to post........I'm sure they are really appreciated by everyone.

 

Bob

Edited November 30, 2013 by 250BOB

[big jim]

according to WNXX colas have bought some class 37s from preservation groups, not sure how true it is but would be nice if it is

 

numbers quoted are: 37116, 37175, 37216, 37421

[Mallard60022]

I know this is useless info but you (Big Jim), have a 'stunt double' who was at Retford yesterday when Bittern stopped for a drink. You would have been impressed with the load 66090 (I know, sorry - a 66)  62OS Scunny/ Dollands Moor had in tow as it was looped in P1 just after Bittern left. It had about 25 continental flats with 4 huge steel lumps on each section (8 per wagon?) That must have been some weight especially with Gamston Bank ahead following a standing start at 36E . Anyone know where this steel ends up?

Why this post, well I had to refrain from asking this chap several times if he was 'Big Jim' and it obviously wasn't   

P

Edited December 8, 2013 by Mallard60022

[big jim]

you (Big Jim), have a 'stunt double'

yep, and here he is.....

 

 

actually my wife has 'a thing' for will mellor off 2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps, there was one episode where gaz looks into the future and is over weight, when it came on both me and my wife both couldn't stop laughing as we both said at the same time "oh my god, its me!"

 

 

at least i know if i lose quite a lot of weight (probably over 1/2 my body weight) i'd look like will mellor!!

[Fat Controller]

I know this is useless info but you (Big Jim), have a 'stunt double' who was at Retford yesterday when Bittern stopped for a drink. You would have been impressed with the load 66090 (I know, sorry - a 66)  62OS Scunny/ Dollands Moor had in tow as it was looped in P1 just after Bittern left. It had about 25 continental flats with 4 huge steel lumps on each section (8 per wagon?) That must have been some weight especially with Gamston Bank ahead following a standing start at 36E . Anyone know where this steel ends up?

Why this post, well I had to refrain from asking this chap several times if he was 'Big Jim' and it obviously wasn't   

P

It runs to Ebange, near the French/Luxembourg border, where it's rolled into rail- during the construction of CTRL, some of this rail found its way back to Kent and Essex. Gross weight is about 1650 tonnes, the maximum allowed for two Class 92s through the Channel Tunnel.