Chris Turnbull

Whilst rummaging through my photographs today I came across these two shots both of 81017 at Preston on 21st June 1978. These were taken just over ten years after the first and second photographs in post #163 and show the changes made on that time. I didn't realise that I had these otherwise I would have posted them earlier! Chris Turnbull

I think you'll find it's a trick of the light, Clive. Here's preserved D8233 at Mangapps Farm in the mid-90s which clearly shows it with a black cab roof. However, there is a colour photograph of this locomotive at Finsbury Park depot in 1969 on page 21 of Colin Boocock's "Railway Liveries: BR Traction 1948-1995" ISBN 0-7110-2737-4 which clearly shows it having a green cab roof. Whether this loco originally had a black cab roof when built and was repainted or the preserved loco has been incorrectly painted I don't know but the cab roofs weren't grey. Here's my 7mm model of a BTH Type 1 based the many photographs and measurements I took of the preserved D8233 complete with black roof. Colin Boocock's book wasn't published when I built this model so I based it on the information I had. If it is wrong it will remain wrong! The model is scratchbuilt from brass and nickel silver and the bogies are whitemetal castings made from my own patterns. It is powered by a Portescap RG7 motor mounted on one axle of the front bogie with a Delrin drive to the other axle of that bogie. It occurs to me that some of you may like to see some of the detailed photos I took of D8233. If you do then please let me know and I will make this the subject of future post. Chris Turnbull

What Eurotrack is referring to is the second photograph in post #9. I know there are lots of wagon experts out there so if anyone can help I would be most grateful. Eurotrack is a friend of mine from the Ely MRC and this is, I suspect, his first post as he has just joined RMWeb on my recommendation. So come on all you experts, help required please! Chris Turnbull

Whilst we are in preserved, sorry, heritage railway mode this is the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on 31st October 1970. At the time I was a member of the Newcastle University Railway Club and we had a society steam locomotive which we ran on the nascent NYMR. And this is her, an oil-fired industrial locomotive No.3 which is all I can remember or have noted. If anyone can shed more light on the locomotive I would be pleased to hear from you. At the time the railway was not open to the public but was running trains for members of the NYMR. Whilst not all of us university lads were members of the NYMR we were allowed to ride the trains as we were a affiliated society. This is Class Q6 63395 blasting up the grade from Grosmont to Goathland. The conditions were wet and slippery and the sanders on the locomotive were not working. The results from the locomotive were quite spectacular and some NYMR members had to resort to hand sanding to allow the train to get to Goathland. The Q6 did eventually arrive at Goathland and this is her awaiting departure on the return leg. And here she is again. No signalling in those days you'll notice. I assume it was "one engine in steam" working. 43 years later this is what the NYMR has become - one of the best preserved railways in the country in my opinion. No "one engine in steam" working on 5th October 2013 and featuring locomotives I never dreamed would be seen at Grosmont. Chris Turnbull

Yes, she did work under her own steam to Norwich but I think she was towed to Diss. I can't easily find anything on the internet and my old magazines of the period are in the loft. Chris Turnbull

It's about time we paid a visit to Bressingham, courtesy of Alan Bloom. At the end of August 1968 Alan invited the Bury St Edmunds MRC to put on a model railway display at his establishment and, as a railway-mad 16 year old, how could I not go along? Out in the gardens here's a narrow gauge 0-4-0ST "Gwynedd". I don't know much about narrow-gauge locomotives so if anyone can give more information then please feel free. Inside the shed where the club had its display, here's LTSR 4-4-2T "Thundersley" in all her glory. "Oliver Cromwell" had just arrived after having hauled the "15 Guinea Special". She was towed to Diss station where she was loaded on to a low-loader for transfer to Bressingham. There is a low bridge under the railway line at Diss and the only way she could get under the bridge was by letting the tyres down on the low-loader. Of course, there was no way I wasn't going to clamber all over 70013. Here is yours truly in the cab. Chris Turnbull

Sorry Eddie but that's something I never photographed. I know the Pullman you mean, I saw it regularly, but never thought to photograph it. If you want to post your photo then please do. Chris Turnbull

About a month ago I promised Mr Ingram some photographs of Chesterton Junction (post #27). I have been most remiss for which I apologise, travelling all over the country, but we are finally back in East Anglia and our first port of call is this junction. For those of you who are not familiar with Cambridge, Chesterton Junction was the junction for the St Ives line and lay a couple of miles north of Cambridge station. There was also a permanent way depot there cunningly called Chesterton Permanent Way Depot. All these photographs except the last were taken on 15th September 1974. This is Class 47 47023 on an Up passenger passing Chesterton Junction signalbox for which I am sure LNERGE probably has the signalling diagram and which will appear shortly. The line to St Ives diverges to the left and the photograph was taken from the Fen Road level crossing. Taken from more or less the same vantage point here's 37014 and 31326 heading past on the Up line. The PWay yard can be seen in the background to the left. And here's the PWay yard shunter, 03016, resting between duties. LNERGE probably has the shunt signal as well! Taken from Moss Bank, this is a Norwich-bound service crossing Fen Road level crossing. In the background can be seen the substantial bridge over the river Cam. And here is an unidentified Class 37 crossing that bridge on 26th February 1975. In between Chesterton Junction and Coldhams Lane Junction lay Barnwell Junction, the junction for the Mildenhall line. The line itself closed many moons ago but a record of a trip to Mildenhall behind an ex-GE E4 was made in the 1950's and may be found at:- http://lode.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/cambridge-to-mildenhall-line-2 Chris Turnbull

For today's offering we are at York on 29th August 1969 Class 40 278 heads south past a couple of trainspotters on the platform At the north end of the station Class 20 8302 leaves with a freight. Could that actually be a 16 ton mineral wagon I see at the front of the train? Class 46 D170 stands at what is now Platform 5 although I'm not sure if it was in 1969. This is the nameplate of Class 45 no.89. Class 47 D1987 with a northbound passenger And here's the obligatory "Deltic" D9008 "The Green Howards" A couple of years ago my wife and I were watching "University Challenge" trying to understand the questions let alone get the answers. Then came a starter and three bonus questions on British Army regiments of which "The Green Howards" was one of the answers. I actually got all four right and she looked at me in amazement. "You certainly know your regiments," she said, stunned. I didn't let on that they were also names of railway locomotives! Chris Turnbull

Staying in the northeast, we now move to Saltburn, the end of the line, on 27th August 1969 Looking towards the buffer stops there is a Met-Camm. on the right. I don't know what the other unit is but I'll bet that someone can tell us! Turning round we now look down the track towards Middlesbrough. I am intrigued to see a tandem turnout on what looks like a running line as I thought these things were usually confined to goods yards and loco sheds. Obviously they are not And this is how I know it's a Met-Camm. unit; E50222 but I don't know the number of the other car. Lastly, inside the gloomy trainshed. Clearly picking up litter was not a priority. I haven't been back to Saltburn since I took these photos so I have no idea what it's like today. Is the trainshed still there or is it long gone? Perhaps someone can tell us (Jonathan?) and if anyone has any "now" photos then please feel free to post them on this thread. Chris Turnbull

Probably, but that was my mother's problem. I didn't notice or care! Coming from the flat, sugar beet covered lands of East Anglia the hills and industry were so different and exciting. The different coloured flames coming out of the chimneys of the ICI works at Billingham on a summer's evening were quite spectacular. Like all children there were certain things we had to do like have a trip on the transporter bridge - or walk over the top which you could do then - and build dams in the streams up on t'moors to name but two. Happy days! One Sunday morning my father took my brother and I to Thornaby MPD where we tracked down the foreman, cash exchanged hands, and we had a guided tour of the sheds. This was before I had a camera so no photographs sadly. Chris Turnbull

I went through Thornaby on the train a few years back and was very saddened to see what had happened to the old station. The brickwork of the station buildings included some ornate decorative bands which you can see at the top right of the fourth photograph by the "Gentlemen" sign. Its a shame the building couldn't have been restored like Bury St Edmunds but, I suppose like many things, it was cheaper to knock it down and build a bus shelter. Chris Turnbull

I thought we'd head for Teesside tonight. My paternal grandmother lived in Middlesbrough so this was where we spent every summer holiday in the 1950s. Consequently I hold fond memories of the area. This is a selection of photographs taken on 30th August 1969. Class 25 5163 passes Dock Hill signalbox against a typical Teesside skyline. Moving to Thornaby where I spent many happy hours on the platform savouring the delights of a succession of steam-hauled freights entering Teesside yard in the early '60s. Taken a few years later, this is Class 47 1579 and Class 37 6771 plus one of the ubiquitous brake tenders that abounded in that period. Here's Class 37 6826 with a train of mineral wagons. I hesitate to say that they are 16 ton versions but I think most of them are this time although I am sure that Clive will correct me if I am wrong! This is a Darlington bound train in Thornaby station, presumably the 11.40. Note the faded orange coloured "Gentlemen" sign, orange being the regional colour of the Northeast Region of BR. A couple of years previously, 29th August 1967 to be precise, we find Q6 63407 and WDs 90677 and 90254 on shed at West Hartlepool. Note the dilapidated state of the shed roof. Finally here's a close-up of the same trio Chris Turnbull

One line I had never travelled over but had always wanted to was the Settle and Carlisle but in February 2013 a visit of my wife and I to relatives near Skipton gave me the perfect opportunity - and I was given special dispensation for a trip on Saturday 23rd. Of course, being in the Pennines it was snowing but that was par for the course for us rough, tough southerners. This is 333012 at Skipton. Not only was it snowing but it was also foggy which rather spoilt the view. However, the train was surprisingly full which I found encouraging as did the fact that the driver went slowly over Ribblehead viaduct so we could all enjoy the view. Oh, and branded coffee cups and the like. Superb marketing I thought. Arriving in Carlisle there was yet more first-class marketing, not only for the Settle and Carlisle but also the Newcastle line. It wasn't long before I started to notice that I wasn't the only "gentleman of a certain age" on the platform. I soon found out why. Here's Class A4 60009 "Union Of South Africa" alongside a Pendolino; the old and the new you might say although having travelled from Euston to Glasgow (first class) only a short time previously I know what I would prefer whether or not it was steam hauled. Here she is again prior to disappearing off to be turned. An hour or so later she returned and coupled to the other end of the train ready to depart back over the Settle and Carlisle. I followed her down the S&C on the next service train which was formed by 158855 This wasn't the first visit of an A4 to Carlisle. Here's 60007 "Sir Nigel Gresley" masquerading as 4498 entering Carlisle from the south on 27th August 1967 Four months later on 28th December 1967 this is English Electric type 4 D235 "Apapa" entering Carlisle from the north. And finally here's the station pilot in August 1964, "Jinty" 47295 taken by a young 12 year-old in seventh heaven. Chris Turnbull

And for a "Then and Now" comparison, here's Edinburgh Waverley on 19th May 2013 Chris Turnbull

We've been to Wales and spent a lot of time in England so I thought that it's only fair that we should now visit Scotland. This is Edinburgh Waverley on 26th August 1969 Here's Class 17 D8607 either running into or out of Waverley, I'm not sure which. Class 08 D3877 basks in the sunshine in between duties. Class 40 D358 awaits departure to the north (?). No ladder on this one! To the backdrop of Arthur's Seat Class 47 D1760 enters Waverley from the south Chris Turnbull

Goodness, I had no idea that Class 40s were so complicated. You do live and learn, especially on RMWeb! Chris Turnbull

This evening we travel back to 8th April 1969 to visit Sandy on the ECML where the LNWR line from Oxford to Cambridge crossed the GN main line. An unidentified Class 47 tears through with a Down express on the ECML. The LNWR line used Platforms 3 and 4 to the far left but the line had closed the previous year. By this time tracklifting was underway. Class 47 D1574 heads in the Up direction with another passenger train. Sandy was a two-track bottleneck in an otherwise four-track section. The slow lines resume on the far side of the road bridge. Class 40 D253 heads north with a class C freight. The sidings to the left of the train were transfer sidings between the LNWR and GN. To the north of the road bridge we see Class 47 1775 (no "D" prefix) with its lovely two-tone green livery displayed to advantage in the evening sunlight. The LNWR line can be seen behind on an incline, rising up to pass over the ECML about half a mile further on to the north (left). Our day wouldn't be complete without at least one "Deltic". This is D9000 "Royal Scots Grey". Finally we see Class 08 D3688 on tracklifting duties whose driver is probably having a chat with the signalman. In happier times this was a popular station for trainspotters who were always made welcome but were banished to Platform 4 behind the 08, well away from the main line and the faster trains. Chris Turnbull

We left the GN & GE Farewell tour at Lincoln so we'll start part two from there. Lincoln station looking north from where we return southwards towards Sleaford. And here's two shots of Sleaford station Skegness, where our two-car DMU is dwarfed by the size of the station facilities. Skegness signalbox. Note the fine bracket signal with stays both sides. I wasn't the only one taking photographs; perhaps you're reading this? It's now about 4.00 p.m. and the sun is setting over Skegness. In an hour's time we shall depart, follow the last service train and be the last passenger train to use the GN & GE Joint between Spalding and March. As we entered March there must have been at least a dozen detonators fixed to the track. It was a fitting if somewhat poignant finale to a trip that we shall never be able to take again. Chris Turnbull

Thirteen years after the last set of photographs were taken the GN & GE Joint was closed between March and Spalding. On the final day of operation, 27th November 1982, the Fakenham & Dereham Railway Society organised a GN & GE Joint Farewell tour from Cambridge to Skegness via March and Spalding, the train spending over two hours at Skegness to allow it to follow the last service train from Sleaford to March. This is the itinerary, typewritten in that pre-digital age. No Microsoft Word and emails! Here's our train, Class 105/2 / 141 Cravens units E50379 and E56433, entering Platform 1 at Ely on a foggy November morning. My 1979 Combined Volume shows these two units as different classes and I don't have 1982 edition so I guess that at some time they were reconfigured. Here we are in Platform 5 at March... ...with the "right away" to Spalding. Having a good nose around Spalding (not that there was a great deal to see) And this is looking north from the footbridge. Having avoided Sleaford we have arrived at Lincoln. It was on this trip that I made the acquaintance of my MP, Clement Freud. He worked hard for his constituency and, living at Mepal, was often to be seen out and about in the area. If you had a problem he held a regular Parliamentary Surgery in Ely, not that I went but it was nice to know he was accessible. The fact that he was on this train demonstrated his commitment, I felt. Tour concludes tomorrow, same forum, same thread. Chris Turnbull

Whitemoor Prison bisects the solum of the GN & GE Joint and is off to the left in the first photo. Photo 2 is looking towards the town of March. Chris Turnbull

I trust we'll all be invited to the inauguration ceremony?

It's now 1969 and I have bought the latest Ian Allan Combined Volume. For the first time there are no steam locomotives but, more to the point, the "D" prefix has been dropped and a new classification has been introduced: "With the withdrawal of standard gauge steam locomotives in 1968, the "D" prefix has been discontinued. A classification code was introduced at the same time; this is shown in the heading to each class, together with the type designation, principal manufacturer, wheel arrangement and coupling code." So, armed with the new Combined Volume and on a steep learning curve with the new class types, I think it's time to visit March and the vast Whitemoor yard. All the following photographs were taken on 8th March 1969. Looking north from Norwood Road bridge the flatlands of the Fens stretch away before us with the vast Whitemoor yard to the west. Class 31 (ex-Brush type 2) D5529 traverses North Junction on its way into the yard. Beyond North Junction is Whitemoor Junction where the GN & GE Joint and Wisbech lines part company, the GN & GE Joint heading northwestwards towards Spalding and the Wisbech line heading straight on towards, er, Wisbech. This is the view from the other side of the bridge with Class 37 D6808 coming from the Peterborough direction, signalled for Whitemoor yard. The lower bracketed arm is for the Wisbech line, the taller for the GN & GE Joint. I am not sure if the DMU in the background is a service train or is stabled in the siding. And here's Class 31 D5579 coming round the eastern leg of the triangular junction again signalled for the yard. The fine array of semaphore signals replicate those on the western leg of the junction. March station is in the background. Around the corner in Hundred Road we see an array of Class 31s including what looks like a newly outshopped 5631 (no "D" prefix). Chris Turnbull

I've dug out a couple more photographs of Cambridge taken from Hills Road bridge which may be of interest. This shows what I think was the Great Eastern goods shed to the rear of Cambridge South signal box. You can just see the roof of the Great Northern goods shed behind. And this is a later view taken on 31st March 1980. The Great Eastern goods shed has been demolished by this time and you can clearly see the Great Northern goods shed in the background albeit with a pole in the way. The building with the water tank behind it was the Great Northern locomotive shed. The locomotive is 37114. Chris Turnbull

Jonny777 has very kindly done some colour correction to the photograph below. Looks much better, I think. Many thanks to Jonny777 Chris Turnbull