keefer

Love the first two Rugby photos for the 'out-of-the-box' Class 86s - even the roofs are spotless! J2948 is obviously a train aimed at the Business market with 3FO at the front, then an RK, then another FO (presumably for 2nd class diners). I wonder how many passengers were 'on expenses'? 🙂

Have always been fascinated by Weekday Cross - two divergent lines on viaducts meet at the junction then disappear into a tunnel, with the signal box perched up above.

That's some DMU lash-up,I didn't think the 118s ever escaped from the WR!🙂

Asking for trouble though if anything stops or derails - how would you reach it?!

Was going to suggest a relief/extra for 1S93 as I have an ScR WTT for 1976 and it doesn't appear. As 35A says, the highest number trains in that are 1S7x for some Sleepers. Another factor is that the (long) train is all Mk1 coaches.

Switched diamonds are used when the route speed is over 40mph and/or the crossing angle is shallow enough (i.e. less than 1:8) to cause large gaps in the crossing components of a diamond. Using switched rails eliminates the large gaps. Previous topic here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/19804-switched-diamonds/

Never seen a DMU with long-wheelbase bogies like that before!🤔 ☺️

I have linked to it before but here's the video of the erupting 37. (Did you film it, Jim?):

Had another look at Napier-Chronicles as I remembered it also has a 'timelines' page per year/loco. So under 1971 & 9021 we have: 19/1/71: 1X01 22:40 King's Lynn - Stirling, from Heaton 20/01 (ex D1528) (royal train - conveying HRH Queen Elizabeth). 20/1/71 1X01 15:35 Stirling - King's Lynn, to Heaton (D1528 forward) (royal train - conveying HRH Queen Elizabeth). Note: This move was originally credited as 21/01 from Larbert to Stirling only. D1528 is believed to be the train loco from King's Lynn to Heaton and return having worked light engine from Stratford according to the GERS archive." http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/21-71.htm (So the the info was updated on this page but hasn't been updated on 9021's page in the 'Locomotives' section, which I quoted above).

Presumably it had sat there for years, unmodified, while the other examples in everyday use got blue livery and had gangways removed.

Didn't want to go to the trouble of working signals so just plonked a fixed distant.

Presumably the loco was only added onto the train for the run into Stirling. Remember she was an ECML loco, so perhaps couldn't be spared for any longer than a quick run up to Stirling and back?

From Napier-Chronicles: 21.01.71 1X01 Larbert - Stirling (royal train - conveying HRH Queen Elizabeth). http://www.napier-chronicles.co.uk/9021.htm EDIT: At least part of the visit to Stirling was to inspect the restoration works on the Great Hall at Stirling Castle. These had commenced after the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders left the castle in 1964. HM made many visits to the Castle as She was Colonel-in Chief of the regiment.

Great pic Jim, never seen a pic of a 20 on it (or indeed any loco banking!). I had it in my mind that it was an MGR of HAAs that derailed. In later years, a cl.26 was sometimes added to 2x37 at Mossend North Yard. There are some great videos on YouTube of the Ore & MGR trains

They needn't be long enough for a whole Motorail rake. As at some other locations, the GUVs/TCVs might have been loaded separately from the other coaches and then just shunted on to them before departure.

I knew they were somewhere, I think they were mentioned in a YouTube video i'd seen (probably Jago Hazzard or Boogie's Trains) but I couldn't remember where. Good to know there are still a few stations with them.

Flickr image caption: "Heading for an open day in Inverness, 673 Maude approaches Drumochter summit.Taken around 5AM on 27/6/1986."

The London, Tilbury & Southend emblems were similarly 'busy' (but at least with the letters in the right order): LTSR by Roger Marks, on Flickr

Real life always comes first Dave, please don't ever feel obliged to post here every day. (Though we're all very appreciative that you do!)

Simply a case of parcels for Glasgow from various locations, shunted into the train at Crewe/Preston etc.? Just a guess as I don't know the general state of overnight services at the time.

Re: the hoppers at North Blyth, was this the last unfitted service on the Network?

J2351: 1S20 - SuX 10.10 KX-Edinburgh (SuO to Aberdeen except w/e 6 & 13/9, to Edinburgh) J2431: 1L13 - SuX 11.30 KX-Leeds & Harrogate

Many breakdown coaches had a 'platform' at one end, often with a girder protruding at roof height. Possibly used as a beam to hang tackle off. The one on the right looks like a steam-heat boiler van.

Couldn't resist plonking the loco on the layout before finishing the track

21p in 1969 is equivalent to £4.40 in 2023, so not that far off. The thing to remember is, even when sticking to £sd, 1/- in 1901 was not the same value as 1/- in 1945 or whenever. And surely the direct conversion between Imperial and Decimal (1/- = 5p) is only valid, value-wise, at or near Decimalisation. There are so many other factors that come into play with the Railways, especially since the late '70s/ early '80s(?) with the increasing use of different fare structures according to route/day/time of day etc. Normal return, day return, peak/off-peak, Savers/Supersavers (remember them?) I suppose another factor in pricing is seating capacity (or lack thereof). Passenger stock today is relatively limited in number and certainly tightly controlled/diagrammed to achieve maximum usage. There is simply not the stock available to run any extra/relief services if required, so capacity is limited - hence the emergence of the 'airline' booking model where your fare depends as much on demand & availability as on route/distance.