coronach

I remember working on the project to enable BR locos to work into Westoe colliery from the exchange sidings and the withdrawal of the electrics. The NCB had installed barrier level crossings where the line crossed the colliery entrance and exit roads but had used car park control technology which BR wasn’t happy with. The York drawing office had to quickly cobble together (design and commission) a replacement system that was more reliable. I think I remember seeing the electric locos parked but not operational

Some already exist :)

The Mark 5 vehicle CAF product is clearly flawed - a lightweight design built down to a competitive price which has resulted in structural issues and poor riding quality compared with contemporary vehicles from other suppliers. It may be the case that the use of lightweight bogies combined with a stiff suspension to minimise track forces and accommodate the UK loading gauge simply transfers stress and vibration into the body shell resulting in excessive vibration and forces that cause cracking. I understand that all CAF vehicles are experiencing similar issues. The integrity of a train should be considered in the context of the infrastructure that it operates on- if the vehicle is designed without a good understanding of this then it is not surprising that things go wrong. Similarly with the Hitachi vehicles, the implications of a novel aluminium design combined with a 26m vehicle length might not have been appreciated. Of course, suppliers will supply what has been asked for. BR engineers had a better understanding of these things through research. Of course they were replaced by consultancies with a profit motive

Great pictures of Peckfield colliery. I remember looking out for the steam engine from a passing train every time we journeyed between Leeds and York. This must have been one of the last operational steam locos in Yorkshire

That’s all the video I have, the most recent being that of the V2 taken year or so ago. Watching them on here, I agree they add an extra dimension- I was a little worried that they might remove some of the mystique by revealing too much but I think that is not the case. I look forward to getting back into modelling when I am over this awful covid pneumonia- I need to avoid dusty environments at the moment. I have the two new locos to run in but only after I have cleaned the track and vacuumed the layout.

Thank you for the link. I’ve ordered the book.

Yes, they would be. Interestingly, they aren’t shown in the RCTS stock book. Do you have details of them? My grammar school in York participated in a language exchange programme with schools in Dijon. Although the organisers made arrangements for transport by coach and ship, my Dad decided that he would take me by train on the Night Ferry - 1977. We changed trains at Doncaster, caught the afternoon Hull Pullman to Kings Cross paying a 50p supplement and headed for Victoria for the departure at about 10pm I think. I have an image of in my minds eye of the twin sleeping compartment as seen from from the bottom bunk - chrome fittings and a yellow melamine decor. It was early spring and there were only three or four sleeping cars in the train. I remember being shunted onto the train ferry at Dover, loud voices and and the sounds of the vehicles being chained to the deck of the ship. The compartment was very warm - I think each vehicle was heated by an anthracite stove but I might be wrong. Fascinating to wake in the morning approaching Paris on SNCF infrastructure - at that time every station has an operating goods yard. So different to the UK.

This must have been at the very end of its operating life. I think there were a few ex GW sleeping cars operating until the end of the 60s. Maybe this was transferred as a substitute vehicle to cover a withdrawal

Yes absolutely. Hundreds of vans remained in service up to the end of C&D parcels in 1980 and the end of newspaper traffic shortly afterwards. Mostly ex SR and LMS vans but I recall seeing LNER and GWR vans. My interest in coaching stock arose from buying the 1976 edition of the RCTS stock book and realising the variety of vehicle types that remained. A highlight of a Saturday morning at York station would be the arrival of the parcels from London into platform 16. A complete smorgasbord of vans of all shapes and sizes. Ex LNER vehicles were becoming rare and it was a highlight to see a 6-wheel LMS or Thompson van. GWR vans were few and far between as were the ex blue spot fish vans. Once unloaded, the vans were loose shunted into the fan of sidings behind platform 16 - providing entertainment in between the passenger trains.

Wouldn’t it be fascinating to have access to a list of pre nationalisation passenger vehicles that remained in service after 1967. The RCTS lists show that at the end of 1971, there remained in service a handful of Pullman cars in the southern, several ex LNER buffet cars and the LMS sleeping cars that remained in service until the mid 70s.

And here is said Bullied open second, the second vehicle in the formation of the KX to FW sleeper departing from Rannoch in May 1967. The front portion of the train incorporating the Bullied was attached at Glasgow Queen St with a restaurant car, and formed the 6am departure. I guess that by 1970, this coach was out of use or withdrawn. Obtaining spares for maintenance and repairs would be an issue. For sure, according to the RCTS 1972 coaching stock book, no Bullied passenger coaches remained in service after 1971. Photo credit WJV Anderson Diesels in Scotland.

A helicopter shot of a train climbing through Slitrigg station.

Another one from 8 years ago. This time an A3 rolling it’s train of SR stock down the gradient towards Slitrigg

A shot of a diesel hauled fully fitted cresting the summit at Whinburgh South. An Ivatt 2MT simmers in the down refuge siding.

And finally (!) a shot of a passenger train passing Whinburgh station.

A weighted Bachmann Jubilee reaches the summit at Whitrope with a southbound relief to the Waverley.

Finally, for now, a shot from eight years ago of a Derby Lightweight DMU crossing the viaduct. This illustrates well the audible effect of ‘notching’ the rails to replicate the sound of 60ft rail joints.

And here is one of a V2 climbing south from Slitrigg.

I think I have worked out how to share videos of the layout. I have uploaded several onto YouTube- here is a sample link to see if it works. This one is a shot of a NBL type 2 passing Whitrope on a northbound fully fitted freight.

That concurs with a photograph I have seen of a maroon Bullied coach within the formation of a west highland line train at Rannoch. I will see if I can find it and post it. My guess is that the Bournemouth line electrification in 1967 meant that good quality coaches became available for use elsewhere. Maybe this coach was transferred to Scotland to replace an ex LNER Gresley vehicle.

Unattended wagons can be stabled only in sidings or on the Up Goods, in which case passenger trains on the running lines are protected by trap points. Wagons coupled to an attended brake van can be stabled on a goods line or a passenger line away from a gradient, in the case of Whinburgh, this means the station platforms. What I can’t do is park unattended wagons in a platform whilst the engine runs round.

Had an interesting discussion with my son about the conundrum that is shunting the Yards at Slitrigg and Whinburgh, both of which would be served in the southbound direction by a daily pick up goods from Hawick to Carlisle. Any northbound traffic from Carlisle to Slitrigg would need to be worked through to Hawick the day before and attached to the southbound pick up; any northbound traffic from Slitrigg would be worked south to Whinburgh, arrive in the Up Goods, be detached and stabled in the Up Refuge. Later in the day the vehicles would be attached to the northbound pickup goods that runs from Carlisle to Hawick. The conundrum is how to attach the vehicles stabled in the up siding to a northbound goods train that has arrived on the down main or is stabled in the down refuge. Lots of back and forth and running round movements I think. There are rules to be obeyed about stabling unfitted vehicles on passenger lines and on gradients.

I’ve also picked out a few of my favourite photos of the layout.

Parcels trains and NPCCS were a fascinating part of the traditional railway, trains seemingly made up of an ever random selection of stock. I have tried to replicate the traffic on my layout.