great central

Meadow Lane crossing in Nottingham was like that for years until the resignalling 5 years ago.

Pedant mode: Not EMT ones, EMT (Stagecoach operated)) didn't come into being until 2007, presumably MML operated by National Express? A couple of years later I travelled down for a day in Dawlish several times on an MML HST which was going to Newquay.

Not wishing to hijack the thread so I'll try to be brief. It's fairly well recorded that the GC was deliberately run down following the transfer of most of it to the LM region, study of the relevant Yeadon volume and contemporaray photos shows ex LNER O1s condemed en masse at Annesley to be replaced by ex LMS 8Fs. Many of those O1s were fairly recently overhauled including one which was condemned only a couple of weeks after a Heavy General, I wonder if it ever actually worked again afterwards? That the Scots were at the end of their lives without major works attention isn't in doubt, indeed one was condemned immediately on arrival such was it's condition. Another episode concerns a small batch of Britannias, still relatively new then but in dire need of works overhauls, transferred in. The local fitters managed to batter them into some kind of shape and at least make them fit for the work required, only to have them transferred away again! I agree that around this particular period in time things certainly looked neglected and dirty, as much as anything due to a lack of cleaners, Chris Ward notes at the beginnning of his website being taken on as a cleaner at Annesley and the foreman not knowing what to do with him it had been so long since they'd had a cleaner. But what does stand out to me in many photos and cine film of the era that most locos although filthy were reasonably steam tight so I think it only right that we should acknowledge the hard work (very hard, dirty and unpleasant work often in appaling conditions) of the 'backroom staff' at the sheds. Fitters, boiler washers, blacksmiths, boilersmiths, carpenters and the myriad other tradesmen who took a pride in their work, satisfied that they were doing their bit to keep the wheeels turning. Edit: Just after pressing post a small anecdote came to mind. Whilst walking around the preserved GC shed at Loughborough over 20 years ago some 'choice words' were uttered from under a nearby loco, followed by a figure in oil stained overalls emerging from the pit between the rails. Seeing me there he said fairly loudly 'don't ever let anyone tell you this is romantic, it's ****** filthy, hard work!' Given that preserved locos are cossetted and kept pretty clean it's difficult to imagine what it must have been like 'back in the day'

From a diesel perspective, recovery with a similar unit may be the only option, quite regularly have to cancel one train to act as a thunderbird for another. Can be a real pain sometimes, in the same way a 153 is no use whatsoever if a 1000 ton plus freight has sat down in front of it with the rescue loco and crew 100 miles away!

Only on the (Black) Sabbath

Looks more like T&A to me

Not that I keep an eye on such things I really wonder what £25.5 million has been 'spent' on in Nottingham???? I know I can Google such info but I deliberately put it as 'spent' I am from Nottingham by the way although now live some miles away from the city (thankfully), just amazed at some of the seemingly hare brained schemes they come up with!

If it goes down that route expect something like operator specific fares like on the East Coast from Peterborough. There's one fairly regular traveller from Spalding buys a day return from Spalding to Peterborough, a GN only peak single from Peterborough to Kings Cross and an any permitted single back to Peterborough. Cheapest combination for a working day in London

Wonder if you get a full size Flake in a 99 with that flavour?

Brackley on the GC had it's ticket office at street level, indeed I believe it may still be there and a bridge out to the island platform. Carrington just north of Nottingham Victoria had it's ticket office at street level and a fairly long ramp down to the platforms with a footbridge between them. Burton on Trent has it's fairly modern ticket office on the overbridge with steps down to the platform. Hunts Cross has the ticket office at street level again, now a pub possibly, only get a fleeting glimpse but I think there's a load of beer barrels in a cage on the platform. Really should take more notice! This one is quite a difference in height with a retaining wall. Then of course there's the big example of Nottingham Victoria with ticket office, many other offices and a hotel at street level. The station itself being in a massive cutting behind including two long island platforms with bays set into either end with buildings including refreshment rooms, signal boxes and many other offices

Brackley on the GC had it's ticket office at street level, indeed I believe it may still be there and a bridge out to the island platform. Carrington just north of Nottingham Victoria had it's ticket office at street level and a fairly long ramp down to the platforms with a footbridge between them. Burton on Trent has it's fairly modern ticket office on the overbridge with steps down to the platform. Hunts Cross has the ticket office at street level again, now a pub possibly, only get a fleeting glimpse but I think there's a load of beer barrels in a cage on the platform. Really should take more notice! This one is quite a difference in height with a retaining wall. Then of course there's the big example of Nottingham Victoria with ticket office, many other offices and a hotel at street level.with the station itself in a massive cutting behind including two long island platforms with bays set into either end

Not necessarily, if the last change in our franchise is anything to go by the incoming operator isn't allowed on the premises until they take over. The only chance we had to meet our new bosses, MD, director level was to go to a meeting in a nearby hotel in our own time. This was, I understand, a specific requirement of the changeover. No idea if it's different now. Agree with Covdriver's comments above about people from outside the industry who know it all. We're strictly prohibited from saying much that we would like to by company rules

37414, 420 and 429 were withdrawn and scrapped in RR livery

Seen on a 'chip' stall at Nottingham Christmas market: Genuine original French Fries,.......from Germany????

They already do Birmingham-Stansted on a daily basis. Our 158s and occasionally 156s do Nottingham-Liverpool-Norwich-Liverpool-Nottingham or a variety of combinations of the round trips every day.

There's no spare anything unless someone hangs up many miles of electric string in the next couple of months

A very wild card, this is causing a certain amount of bad language and frustration. Bought a while back from another forum member, in the days of the classifieds. Didn't know it was EM so a certain amount of rebuilding, now not sure the motor is up to the job. I'll keep at it though the Next, something else causing frustration. Blast beaten to it, but one picture is topless, so something frustrating to follow please

The first two are ex BR MK2a coaches I believe, the wrap around door of later MK2s started with 2bs. Originally in blue/grey livery, I'm afraid I can't remember who they were owned by at that time, but I think they were also used on either Cardiff valley lines services or in the Bristol area. The catering car is a MK1 although I'm afraid that is as far as my knowledge goes without turning to a reference book, which is almost impossible to get to at the moment

Not unique to the bus business

Doesn't at least one part of everyone's anatomy stink! Hat, coat, profuse apologies for lowering the tone

If anything like the nut jobs running around here following their 'country sports' surprised there's anything without shot in it!

That's the whole point, keeps the 'government' and it's departments looking good because they can hide behind the companies and, of course, the comapnies aren't allowed to say anything which would upset that balance.

As I recall 60031 was remarkable for receiving the yellow stripe. The stripe denoted that the loco was not to work south of Crewe due to reduced clearance on the OHLE. As an aside Austerities with WR top feeds also received the stripes as it put them outside the 'new' loading gauge, I found this out while trying to find a suitable number for a WR modified Ozzie allocated to Colwick or any other shed in the former ER Nottingham area. The only one fitting the bill was 90466 so that had to be the one. Some of Annesley's Scots also got the stripes or were at least prepared for them, there are photos of them with a clean strip down the Cabside, but maybe they were withdrawn instead, absolutely kna**ered would be the polite term for them by the time they were sent to Annesley

It's flat AND the other side of the country from the WR Edit: spelling

Couldn't resist this one, also fits with the very flat request Hat, coat, the Rolls Parker