Alan76

There was something in rules and regs about vacuum braked trains always having the 'assisting engine' (the term used in BR's WTTs) at the front of the train. Curiously, air-braked trains were permitted to be assisted in the rear. On loose coupled trains the idea was not that some couplings should be taut and others slack, but that the banking engine would 'bunch up' the train, keeping buffers in contact at all times. Where banking was a regular occurrence, and the incline was irregular, there would be places where the train engine would ease off, allowing more load to be taken by the banker so the train did not become strung out. Alan

Slightly off-topic, but there was an incident in 1972 where a Sheffield-Huddersfield DMU suffered a partial failure at Sheffield, losing one of the two power cars on a three car set. Staff realised that it would not make the climb to Penistone (at this time the Huddersfield trains still used the Woodhead line to Penistone, rather than today's route via Barnsley). The unit was run to Woodburn Junction and a Class 76 buffered up and banked it to Penistone. It was then able to struggle through the Huddersfield. Alan

Quote: For solder constructed track the rail needs to only be relieved of some of its curve, if the rails are soldered with the curves in opposite directions then the tension in the track is evened out. I suspect that curved rail doesn't work well in plastic track bases. Absolutely right Nigel! In the early days of Easitrac I saw someone struggling with coil rail - the stuff he was turning out looked as though it was for a model rollercoaster. Not long after that the association went back to supplying 50cm straight lengths. Alan

Just in case anyone out there is interested, the two ex Great Central locos are the work of John Greenwood. I was never going to get the time to build them myself and John's locos are a joy to own. I asked my family to chip in towards CXhristmas presents. I'd rather have this one small, delightful object than half a dozen packs of Homer Simpson underpants and matching handkerchiefs or whatever. I have this vague long term plan of doing MSW electric locos in black to run alongside them. You don't see many steam/electric models around. The Q4 0-8-0 was a Barnsley engine in the late 40's/early 50s (strictly speaking all had gone by the time the MSW system was energised) used mostly for colliery trip work while the 04 2-8-0 was a Mexborough engine - the MSW 'Tommies' did a lot to put it and its fellow 'Mexborough Pacifics' out of work. With Jerry's indulgence, next time we might try a passenger engne..... Alan

A bit off topic, but regarding the posts about the atate of the A628, you might be interested to know that when the Highways Agency published its plans for the now shelved Hollingworth-Mottram-Tintwistle bypass, they actually included traffic lights that were intended to deliberately cause delay, to dissaude more people from trying to use the road. The theory is that, when the bypass was finished it would shorten journey times. So more people would want to drive over Woodhead. You put them off by holding them at a red light that's not there to regulate traffic, just to hold you up so you carry on using your old route instead of congesting the A628 even more than it is today. Sounds mad, but that's where we are.... Alan

A couple of bits of info regarding the above: Trans-Pennine DMU sets were regular winter weekend visitors to Woodhead for the last four or five years before it closed. They had been reformed into four-car hybrid sets by this time with a 'full windscreen' cab at one end and a corridor connection cab at the other - the idea being that they could be coupled together maintaining the corridor throughout the train. Most of us can probably think of a dozen ways in which the full windscreen ends would be facing each other within days... AC electrics certainly were hauled over the Worsborough Branch. The loco or locos - I never saw more than two - were sandwiched between brake vans. I saw them several times and photographed them once, at Glasshouse Crossing. If I knew how to scan slides I would post a couple of images - though of course I would also have to know how to post images.... sorry guys. Also, you saw most diesel classes at one time or another over the branch, let alone the main line. I recall 08 (on the pantograph train), 20 (on engineering trains) 24, 25, 31, 37 (the Wath workhorse) 45, 47. I have also seen pictures of a class 40. They were mostly on colliery trip workings, but occasionally, a shortage of 76s would see diesels used on 'proper' trains. I have a picture (see apology above) of a two tone 47 with full yellow ends on MGR empties heading to Wath at Wentworth Junction. Alan

No need for OHLE for this one - it's a diesel, and there's the clue about the stir it caused! And what's wrong with BR Blue? I can never decide whether the 76s looked best in blue or the original black. My next two will be in black to match the 'Tommy' I built last year. ANd finally, I bet I can have Kim converted by the end of the weekend! Alan

Arriva proposed both Guide Bridge and Penistone as park and ride stations as part of their bid for the Trans-Pennine franchise. They wanted to run four trains an hour between Manchester and a re-opened Sheffield Victoria (or something nearby). They reckoned they could manage an end-to-end time of 35 minutes or so using Adelante (Class 180) type stock. The current proposals for Guide Bridge are by Alliance Rail Holdings. They are based in York and the man behind them is Ian Yeowart who set up the open access operator Grand Central. Alliance want to do two or three quite separate groups of open access services including some originating in West Yorkshire, running to Euston via Huddersfield, Guide Bridge and Stockport. Their proposals are, I believe, currently with the Office of Rail Regulation. Alan

Quote: The last true loco operated service (GE main line) Surely not. The ECML Class 91 + Mk IV sets are every bit as true loco hauled as the GE - a completely separate power unit, cabs at each end, capable of being operated completely independently of the stock, used to haul or propel fixed rakes and operated via a DVT when in propelling mode. Alan

Still winding my jaw off my chest Jerry. That's going to look really, truly, incomparaby good when it's finished. Now, how about a fantasy 2mm Expo? This, Fencehouses, Ynysarwed Sidings (didn't know I could spell that), Copenhagen Fields, Wansbeck Road..... Alan

There were two or three memorable runaways down the years. The one that you're thinking of prompted the installation of heavy-duty sand drags at Dovecliffe, where the gradient steepened down to Wombwell Main Junction. There was an entry in the sectional appendix requiring all loose-coupled trains to stop and pin down brakes. I have vivid memories of hearing brakes banging away as the trains were powered away from Wombwell towards Wath Yard. Dovecliffe Station itself was also a gem with a crazy three-storey signalbox tacked onto the end of the station buildings. One day I'll get off my backside and model it!

It is a bit of a mystery - in the case of the Barnsley-Sheffield line (I know this is off topic!) I suspect the issue was that the Worsborough Branch was just over the way and there you had the sight of heavy trains (with up to four locos) ascending the bank to Penistone and the Woodhead main line. There was also the U1. But at the Northern end, the Barnsley-Sheffield line ran within eyeshot of the Worsborough branch. I've often wondered why more photogaphers didn't walk the four hundred yards or so to rattle off a few frames. The line was a delight. Trains were mostly colliery trip workings but with largely intact closed stations. Often thought there's a cracking model in there somewhere! Alan

Not just around Manchester.. try finding pictures of the GC Barnsley-Sheffield line. There are just a handful that I've been able to find including the views of stations at Dovecliffe, Birdwell and Chapeltown that you'd expect - but very few of trains on the move and the ones that do exist are almost all of specials and excursions. Very little of the workaday operations and absolutely nothing from the last five years or so when the line was diesel operated. Alan

I feel almost guilty returning this thread to boring sensibleness, but on the subject of tiebars, Keith Armes does a rather clever one, using a PCB sleeper on its end with wire wrapped around and soldered to the blades. Rugged bit of kit with only the edge of the PCB sleeper on show. You do have to cut a groove for it in your baseboard top, but that's a minor issue. I'd also echo Jerry's comments about moving sleepers. In 2FS you need to look hard to spot what's going on. Alan

Not sure about the minimum clearance, but the contact wire could go down to 13' 9" about rail level. It might be possible to work something out from that. Alan