keefer

@Rugd1022 So the Dudding Hill line is still semaphore then, Nidge? Have watched a lot of cab-ride videos of the area (admittedly filmed a few years ago now) and while the NLL/WLL have colourlights and electrification for their modern trains, the DH line still looked like a '60s line with its mechanical 'boxes and semaphores. Does it see much traffic these days or is it still a kind of 'forgotten' alternative route?

No way I would be there but I was reading about the cars in 1978, first year I'd seen & bought the Daily Express Guide to British Cars. I don't think it was a direct tie-in but I'm sure it came out in time for the Motor Show. An A-Z of all cars with a photo, description & tech. spec., with some topical articles as well.

The barrow behind the car looks like one of those old-fashioned hand carts with the large wooden-spoked wheels (á la rag & bone man etc.), tipped up on its front end

Had a quick search and there is a fuel depot on Normand Road, Dysart listed in a 1943 Admiralty Fleet Order as an approved supplier of petrol and/or diesel 'into the tanks of Service Vehicles' - so, a commercial fuel supplier approved for use by HM Forces, hence demand which may justify a regular delivery by rail. Later on, perhaps the Forces' supply was removed (hence lower demand) and the rail delivery/siding was no longer required. Link to PDF download: https://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/5050.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiprc2L9viCAxUDTkEAHfzDByUQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2ZDyOhMsUzgCIlpOk5yvQT

Don't think so. Looks like a small depot (not necessarily linked to the colliery, road haulage yard or fuel supplier maybe?) with tanks next to it, so maybe there for fuel/oil delivery - looks long enough for a couple of tank wagons. The spur has gone by the time of the 1963-64 map, so whatever is in the tanks in the yard is now being delivered by road.

Just behind the camera there was a level crossing with groundframe (from year?) and NBR gates. Pics of this, and others at: https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/F/Frances_Colliery/ Assuming it's moving towards the camera, the train is heading towards the (East Coast) main line - it will go over the level crossing then past the exchange sidings. Connection to the main line was at Dysart station (signalled with a not-too-common yellow disc) with a signalbox on the Down (Northbound) side EDIT: To add map and link Photo was taken around the red X, facing to the right (eastwards) (From 1950 OS 1:2500) 1949-59 (pub. 1962) 1:2500 map sheet, which thoughtfully covers all of the the branch! : Link to NLS Maps (zoom out for full sheet).

The ferry at Burntisland was the world's first roll-on/roll-off - the moveable 'linkspan' enabled loading at any tide and was devised by Thomas Bouch (yes, that one).

Test/running-in runs would be useful for new locos though obviously not possible for a lot of NBR export product given the gauge/size of them.

I think this one came up before - if it was Aberdeen-Edinburgh it would be a 1Gxx headcode and more likely be on the 'North' lines (on the right) 1Sxx means it has originated down South somewhere and come to Edinburgh via Carstairs. I think it turned out 1S39 was a Manchester train.

with apologies to the OP for going off-track but this is something I've heard Mike mention before and find quite amazing. In that, in the late '60s when BR was supposedly outdated, slow, wasteful & generally hopeless, they developed a Comms network which (from examples Mike has given previously, IIRC transmission of complete Timetables etc.) totally outperformed contemporary Networks, up to & including very recent Broadband. Any chance of a brief potted history Mike?

When you've weathered your loco and just bought some wagons to go with it.

The second pic with the cl.90 is interesting for showing how the Up (loco pushing) trains were run - the GUVs went behind the loco as they were not fitted with RCH/TDM cables. On Down services, they would just be in the train as normal, TDM not required as the loco was hauling the train.

Brian Daniels Flickr also has a class 45 details set: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjv4m2BR

Such a cliché, couldn't resist placing it in the middle of a van train for maximum effect ☺️

The leading Newspaper GUV will be gangwayed as I think this was part of the conversion, as well as fitting a toilet.

Didn't some locos get letter/number codes on the roof or am I misremembering that? Would be maybe late '80s/early '90s, not sure if it was SO19 but something similar.

Platform 5 books, i forgot to check mine. 1979: M12140 - BT7, M12093 - BT15 1986: 12056 - BT7, 11032/12062/12093 BT15 1988: As 1986 but 11032 is missing (converted to RFM 10215) Sorry if I've missed it previousy but have seen mention of BT7 being the loco-hauled stock equivalent of the BX1 EMU bogie (cl.313-315)

@ISW ah, you meant the coach number. I missed the RO reference about BT15. Apologies.

@MattR glad to help! Quite pleased i managed to find the correct notice, sometimes can't quite manage to find the exact working. Of course, the actual train may differ from the booked formation - either coach types or the order they are in.

@MattR The split portion forming Preston-Liv.Ex is six coaches as listed. The train originated in Glasgow, three coaches from Edinburgh were added (probably at Carstairs) and this then travelled to Preston where the rear 6 coaches (3 from Glasgow and the 3 from Edinburgh) were detached to form the Liverpool train. EDIT: (Courtesy Robert Carroll's io.group) Full train: Preston-Liverpool Exc. portion:

But BT17 is correct according to the posts above? i.e. BT15 had rubber units only but BT17 had coil springs with rubber units inside the coils. Apologies if I'm misunderstanding what you mean.

What time of day was the train? I think i may have found it. 17.26 Glasgow (17.20 from Edinburgh) - Manchester Victoria (between 22nd June - 7th September). Liverpool portion detached at Preston. Then runs as 21.25 Preston-Liverpool Exchange. Formed TSO CK BSK CK BSK SK (First three coaches are from Glasgow, last three from Edinburgh) This is the only train where the detached portion goes to Liv.Ex. There are a few Glasgow-Liverpool trains but with those, the detached portion goes Preston-Manchester. They are also earlier in the day.

Robert Carroll's LHCS io.group might have a relevant LMR Carriage Working book for the period. This would give the booked formation for the service. https://brcoachingstock.groups.io/g/main (Requires membership)

I think when the HST vehicles were renumbered into the 40/41/42/43xxx series it was possibly the largest block of unused numbers and they were effectively numbered as multiple-units (even though they did not work sets in multiple with each other so let's not even go there). The use of class 43 was a convenient stand-alone reclassification while still using the original numbers. Regarding how enthusiasts often get het up about these things, I've seen some reference/arguments to 'Class 82' DVTs, which is nonsensical as they are not locos and the numbers are simply in the existing loco-hauled NPCCS series.

I knew about the T/P difference but hadn't occurred to me the about the B/C. Fits in with the prototype CP1 bogies on 56042 which led to the CP3 on the cl.58.