Titan

Oh I dunno, plenty of shenanigans in the 1990's, including shoe paddle cricket...

Think it all seemed to die out when BR was privatised.

Reminds me of my time changing brake blocks on 309's at Clacton.  You never let two units out together that had just had their blocks changed, as it took a little while for the new blocks to bed in. So a freshly changed unit always went out with a part worn so the reduction in brake power on the first couple of applications was not too significant. Wonder if the drivers ever noticed that the brakes could often be a bit less strong until you got past Thorpe-le-Soken? There was mind you an incentive to do it right as often my train home was the one I had just re-blocked!

Carrbridge being another one.

There have been a number of accidents in the UK due to inadequate brake power that would have been discovered if the driver had carried out a running brake test properly, but the brakes passed a stationary continuity test, and indeed would have passed a stationary continuity test after the accident if the train had not been spread all over the tracks...

Possibly, but have noted similar effect when marker lights have been cleaned with a mop and bucket and the ample fluid used washes everything below it too.  Looks like someone washed the whole glass rather than just the dots on this occasion.

I think I used 5 amp diodes on mine - they only have to sustain momentary current rather than continuous, but even so and with diodes being cheap I would much rather fit and forget as it were.

On 28/12/2023 at 10:32, adb968008 said:

I myself have travelled at (a claimed) 60mph run on a preserved railway in the 1980’s behind a preserved diesel with a 25mph line speed, but its hushed up because it was verboten.

 

I think I may have been on the same train, at least I hope so or it happened more than once!

Easiest way is a diode matrix. One stud for each direction and the appropriate solenoids for each direction fire simultaneously. No need for normalisation or any switching, but a CDU will almost certainly be required if you have not already got one.

Clapham happened shortly before I joined BR. It might not have had the highest death toll in history, but in terms of it's effect on the railway it is certainly up there as one of the most historically significant. The shockwaves were reverberating around for many years afterwards, arguably until this day.

From what I understand is that they were white.

Here is some rare footage of one flashing, unintentionally caught on camera whilst filming "The Plank"

45 minutes ago, Dagworth said:

The last page has left me feeling distinctly like Lister on Red Dwarf!

 

Andi

So you're a waffle man!

3 hours ago, kevinlms said:

Yes, its raw bread that goes in and toast is the finished product!

Raw bread is just dough. Don't think you would get toast out if you put that in a toaster!

It's always good to have your R's to fall back on.

3 hours ago, rodent279 said:

So a related question, that may have been asked on here before-why did the Metro-Vick type 2s use the unusual Co-Bo arrangement?

Like wise the Brush type 2 - why use A1A-A1A, why not use 3 smaller traction motors in a Co-Co arrangement?

(There are also some Japanese Co-Bo diesel locos, more for shunting & short trip work I think.)

Probably maintenance costs. 4 larger motors are cheaper to maintain/buy than 6 smaller ones.  It is notable that the Co-Bo's were the only type 2 with more than 4 motors, and then only just! This however meant that they also had the highest TE of any type 2.

22 hours ago, Edwin_m said:

Are/were there any Bo-Bo-Bo diesels?  If so, where do they put the fuel tank?

There are quite a few BR locos that don't have fuel tanks below the solebar, e.g. class 20 - between the cab and the engine room.  There were some locos that had a boxed in underframe to form a tank - think peaks and 31's had this arrangement, no doubt someone will correct me if I am wrong!

On 25/11/2023 at 12:39, Rugd1022 said:

Photo by Ian Charles : Thornaby on 7th April 1979...

 

 

Photographer unknown : D5567 at York on 7th January 1961...

 

Did not know you could turn the first digit of the headcode up to 11!

39 minutes ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 Because they are reflections from outside .

If they are reflections, why isn't the writing reversed?

I wonder if the MTK cab fronts are supposed to be identical or whether it is another packing error? I notice that you have gone to the trouble of removing the low roof seam that was only on the Motor coach following relocation of the pantograph. I think these units also only had jumpers on one end. Whilst not a problem in normal service, you would have to be careful about sending one to St. Botolphs (as was)

So, were class 309's officially allowed at 100mph before either the Deltics or the WCML electrics? The first section of 100mph track on the GE was the stretch between Chelmsford and Colchester, which I thought was 100mph from their introduction in 62/63.

Whilst you can name a racehorse almost anything you like, there are some restrictions regarding obscenity and vulgarity.  However there are some that will try it on, and occasionally one will get through.

Hoof Hearted was one such, which somehow seems quite appropriate for a Deltic. Dunno if he won anything though.

4 hours ago, Southernman46 said:

Everybody must remember this ......................... "oh my wheels"

 

I remember it well, although in this case Thomas was not the banker, he was the station pilot who had brought in the ECS and they forgot to uncouple, as with many of the original stories based on a real event (or two).

17 hours ago, Tim123 said:

It is strange bearing in mind the range of words that rhyme with Orange.

It's been a long day today.

On 19/10/2023 at 04:51, The Johnster said:

 

I meant the use of 'my dearer' with dearer meaning more expensive as well as a rather poor pun on Madiera, not the lower hemispherical general knowledge of the existence of Madeira cake and it's common antipodean availability.  Unless of course you mean that your wife would object to paying £3 instead of £2 for my dearer cake, and who could blame her in these straightened times.  This is getting a bit surreal now...

 

I'm quite partial to a nice slice of Madiera, my dear, but not if it's too dear.  Oh dear!

Would it still be too deer if it cost you two bucks?

14 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

20/20 Heinz sight?