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


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Hi, Dave. Love the photo's of Shireoaks. The class 114 DMU's were good units, but they could sway from side to side! I remember a journey back from Doncaster  to Hull in June, 1978, in which we swayed violently out of Doncaster to Hull - never been so terrified on a train!!

 

Please keep the photo's coming,

 

All the best,

 

Market65.

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Market, if you really want to be terrified on a train, then make sure you get a seat on a 143 dogbox which is being towed by a 158 with passenger accommodation locked out of use so no choice but to sit in the 143.

 

You will need to make sure that it is a very hot day, so that all available windows on the 143 are open as wide as possible.

 

You will also need to guarantee that the 158+143 is working a Cardiff - Bristol service, and board the train at either Cardiff, Newport or Severn Tunnel Junction.

 

The fun will start when the driver accelerates away from STJ station and towards the tunnel mouth. As the 158 picks up speed rapidly on the steep downgrade into the tunnel the 143 will begin to hunt from side to side violently. I don't know what speed we were doing in the middle of the tunnel, but the max of a 158 is 90mph. Maybe the driver forgot the max (75mph) of the unit where the passengers were, but all I know was that the combination of the violent lateral swaying and then vertical bouncing combined with the volume of noise coming through the open windows, had me convinced that the 143 had come off the track and was bumping along on the ballast.

 

And all this with blackness visible through all the windows. I began to wonder how long it would be before we tipped over and got hit by an HST coming in the opposite direction.

 

Believe me, swaying on a 114 across flat agricultural countryside is like being on the royal train in comparison.  ;)

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C3774. Those 16t minerals need a bit of weathering are they still look box fresh.Nicely modelled ballast and weeds though. :-)

 

There is just a bit of light weathering in evidence. Look at the chalk marks, the wavy panels and the start of rust patches. Also the mixture of axleboxes to be seen.

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Market, if you really want to be terrified on a train, then make sure you get a seat on a 143 dogbox which is being towed by a 158 with passenger accommodation locked out of use so no choice but to sit in the 143.

 

You will need to make sure that it is a very hot day, so that all available windows on the 143 are open as wide as possible.

 

You will also need to guarantee that the 158+143 is working a Cardiff - Bristol service, and board the train at either Cardiff, Newport or Severn Tunnel Junction.

 

The fun will start when the driver accelerates away from STJ station and towards the tunnel mouth. As the 158 picks up speed rapidly on the steep downgrade into the tunnel the 143 will begin to hunt from side to side violently. I don't know what speed we were doing in the middle of the tunnel, but the max of a 158 is 90mph. Maybe the driver forgot the max (75mph) of the unit where the passengers were, but all I know was that the combination of the violent lateral swaying and then vertical bouncing combined with the volume of noise coming through the open windows, had me convinced that the 143 had come off the track and was bumping along on the ballast.

 

The speed limit through the Severn Tunnel is 75mph so the ride was due to the "novel" suspension on the 143 rather than the driver forgetting it was there

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Cracking photos as always Dave. A little info on the diesel in J4969. It started life as an Avonside steam loco, 1913 of 1923, worked at ICI Tunstead Quarry and was converted to diesel in 1960 in ICI's own workshops. There's a photo of it at the quarry in this thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72947-ici-buxton-tunstead-etc-railways-in-the-1960s/?p=1070987

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This morning I went out for a drive and happened to stop near a couple of level crossings in Northumberland.

 

I was on an unclassified road heading west from Widdrington, just across the ECML at Felton Lane level crossing.  The photos show a Voyager heading north, the first two photos are each side of Felton Lane crossing.

 

The third and fourth photos show the train each side of Chevington Level crossing.   Chevington was the junction for the line to Amble.

 

 

post-5613-0-22992800-1424271595_thumb.jpg

Felton Lane Level crossing down Voyager 18th February 2015 DSC_5343

 

 

post-5613-0-66051100-1424271601_thumb.jpg

Felton Lane level crossing down Voyager 18th February 2015 DSC_5344

 

 

post-5613-0-30484900-1424271587_thumb.jpg

Chevington Level crossing down Voyager 18th February 2015 DSC_5345

 

 

post-5613-0-68040400-1424271591_thumb.jpg

Chevington Level crossing down Voyager 18th February 2015 DSC_5346

 

David

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This morning I went out for a drive and happened to stop near a couple of level crossings in Northumberland.

 

I was on an unclassified road heading west from Widdrington, just across the ECML at Felton Lane level crossing.  The photos show a Voyager heading north, the first two photos are each side of Felton Lane crossing.

 

The third and fourth photos show the train each side of Chevington Level crossing.   Chevington was the junction for the line to Amble.

 

 

The same train in all the photos. How did you move that fast? :O

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The same train in all the photos. How did you move that fast? :O

 

 

They are all taken from the same spot with a 18-200 zoom lens on a Nikon D80, DX format, crop factor of 1.5 so in 35mm terms the equivalent of a 27 - 300mm lens

 

The only problem was finding the gap in the hedge to take the photos through -fortunately it was next to a flat bit of verge to park on.

 

David

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Lovely class 40 shots especially the one shunting ,have you been to the crossing on the road from Lucker to Bambourgh interesting crossing also the road south out of Lucker parrelelled to the railway can give some views If I remember .

 

There are some very good places all round there for photography - it's usually summer when I go up there.  

 

David

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As many of you will remember 1975 was the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, as part of the celebrations there was the big exhibition at Shildon.

 

In June of that year Mum and Dad went on a Railway and Canal Historical Society weekend tour of the Stockton and Darlington and other early railways in the area, led by Ken Hoole.  Tonight we have a few of the photos he took, more will follow from time to time.

 

One of the photos is mine of a more modern train at Shildon.

 

 

attachicon.gifea Darlington North Road Kitchings works May 75 J4418.jpg

Darlington North Road Kitchings works May 75 J4418

 

 

attachicon.gifea Darlington North Road goods shed May 75 J4425.jpg

Darlington North Road goods shed May 75 J4425

 

 

attachicon.giff Heighington up platform May 75 J4466.jpg

Heighington up platform May 75 J4466

 

 

attachicon.giff Heighington rear of down platform May 75 J4467.jpg

Heighington rear of down platform May 75 J4467

 

 

attachicon.giff Heighington left remains of S&D Aycliffe Lane station, right down platform May 75 J4468.jpg

Heighington left remains of S&D Aycliffe Lane station, right down platform May 75 J4468

 

 

attachicon.gifg Shildon prototype HST 252001 24th Aug 75 C2315.jpg

Shildon prototype HST 252001 24th Aug 75 C2315

 

 

David

Any idea why such a long platform shelter was provided at Heighington? Was there an ROF or similar close to?

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Any idea why such a long platform shelter was provided at Heighington? Was there an ROF or similar close to?

 

It was an ROF factory.  The factory employed around 17,000 people and was served by stations at Heighington, Simpasture and Demons Bridge.  The last two were stations opened on the former Clarence Railway.

 

The factory is now the site of Aycliffe Industrial estate, some of the original buildings survive.  This map at  https://sites.google.com/site/waggonways/nz/25/nz2520  shows the site of the factory and the three stations.

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Lovely photos...nice to see real trains, even the Holyhead train got ten coaches..not FOUR! Virgin take note!

 

Virgin have taken note - they don't have any four car 220/221's in their fleet. Only FIVE car 221's.......................

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Hi David

 

Please no more Harton stuff, it will get me thinking about building the Low Stathies again. I did plan a layout of the Low Stathies with the layout viewing side being from Ferry Street and Commercial Road. Mainly so that there was some control over the gravity shunting from the temming shed and so that the wagon loads could be removed through a hole in the back of the shed. It was when I said to my mate we would have to wear waders as we would be stood in the Tyne his co-operation seemed to wane :scratchhead: :scratchhead:

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Hi David

 

Please no more Harton stuff, it will get me thinking about building the Low Stathies again. I did plan a layout of the Low Stathies with the layout viewing side being from Ferry Street and Commercial Road. Mainly so that there was some control over the gravity shunting from the temming shed and so that the wagon loads could be removed through a hole in the back of the shed. It was when I said to my mate we would have to wear waders as we would be stood in the Tyne his co-operation seemed to wane :scratchhead: :scratchhead:

 

The Harton system especially the Low Staiths would make a good prototype especially as there is plenty of bridges and Tunnels for scenic brakes!

 

At least all the 21t wagon steel types have been measured and drawn by David Monk-Steel ready for building models!

 

Mark Saunders

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