Chris Turnbull

Ah, so that was you! You caught me out with that move. I was expecting you to come through non-stop at a rate of knots and had the camera set to a shutter speed of 1/500. Instead you crawled down the platform, stopped right by the footbridge where I was stood and someone got out. A quick change to the shutter speed and I had several good shots. Thank you. Is that always a light engine move or do you sometimes have something to pull? Regards Chris

I was allowed to have a couple of hours on Stowmarket station this morning (30th September). Here's a small selection from my shots for your delectation. 745001 on 1P27, the 10.29 from Norwich to Liverpool Street. A few minutes later and 755415 arrived with 2W10, the 10.35 from Ipswich to Cambridge. Speeding through at 10.45 was 66703 on 4L02, Hams Hall to Felixstowe South. Hot on the heels of 66703 was 755418 with 2W11, the 10.47 Cambridge to Ipswich running five minutes late, at 10 52. As 755418 departed (on the left) 745008 arrived with 1P16, the 10.53 from Liverpool Street to Norwich (on the right). I was intrigued by working 0Z57, Norwich Crown Point to Willesden Brent. I waited expectantly and, at 11.05, this appeared; 57312. A cold but fascinatng couple of hours of which I have hardly scratched the surface. More to come at a later date. Chris Turnbull

I've been out-and-about with my camera today (28th September) exploring Ely North Junction and the surrounding lines. I started with the Kings Lynn line north of the junction and was just in time to catch 66761 on the 6E86, Middleton Towers to Monk Bretton Redfearns. In order to gain the line to Peterborough this freight takes the Ely West Curve thus avoiding reversal in Ely station. A few minutes later and 387302 (with 301 behind) came through with a Kings Lynn to Cambridge train. The first two photographs were taken from a Public Right of Way which then crosses the Peterborough line on a flat crossing. The top treadplate of the stile makes an excellent vantage point! Here we see 66590 heading westwards with the 4M81 Felixstowe North to Crewe Basford Hall. Over to the Norwich line where 755412 is seen on a Stansted Airport to Norwich service about to cross the River Ouse. A couple of minutes later and 158854 came through in the other direction with a Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street service. This will reverse in Ely station and return to Ely North Junction to take the Peterborough line. Finally I moved to Kiln Lane level crossing which is south of the junction but north of Ely station. This is 755421 on a Norwich to Stansted Airport working. All these photogaphs were taken from Public Rights of Way or from level crossings where I kept to the correct side of the barrier. Kiln Lane is at a bit of an angle which is why you can't see the half barrier. Chris Turnbull

The East Anglia Group of G1MRA has recently produced a webpage extolling the delights of Gauge One in general and our group in particular. It even features yours truly showing how to raise steam on my meths-fired Southern Pacific GS1 4-8-4. Here's a link; see what you think. https://eastangliagauge1.blogspot.com/ Some of you may notice that the station area is still pretty bare and is still waiting for the new station buildings. I am assured that the installation of these is imminent. As soon a they appear I shall take some photos and post them here. Chris Turnbull

Photos from the English south coast today. Brighton on 15th August 2015 with a couple of 387s in the platforms. Bournemouth on 11th September 2018 with 221122 in the platform. At least you can read the number on this one! Across the Solent to the Isle of Wight, this is 483002 (on the right) at Ryde on 1st August 1992. Back to the mainland, this is M54504 and M51933 at Swanage on 12th September 2018. 80104 approaches Swanage station on the same day. Chris Turnbull

As something a bit different today, I thought I'd show you a few of the detail shots that I took of Class 15 D8233 at Mangapps Farm in 1988. Bogie detail. More bogie detail Axlebox detail. Buffer beam detail. White disc closed. White disc open. Chris Turnbull

Thanks. I have found it on the second of the above photos but, sadly, the quality is not good enough to read it. Chris Turnbull

Some scenes from the East Midlands today. Class 222 "Meridian" at Leicester on 27th August 2005. Another unidentified class 222 at Leicester on the same day. Where are the numbers on these things? 170520 at Leicester on 22nd February 2008. Nottingham tram no. 205 (Bombardier Incento AT6/5) leaves Station Street on 2nd August 2006. 170110 and another unidentified class 222 at Nottingham on the same day. East Midlands liveried HST no. 43081 at Nottingham on 14th March 2009. Chris Turnbull

Time for more photos from Grosmont over the years. 80135 on 18th August 1999. 12139 on shed on 3rd June 2005. 69023 with 63395 behind on 2nd October 2010 60163 Tornado on the same day. Tornado alongside the USA 2-8-0 on 5th October 2013. 75029 on the same day. Chris Turnbull

My darling wife and I had a jaunt around Essex yesterday (22nd September) during which time she spent an hour or so emptying all the charity shops in Witham. This allowed me to visit the station, somewhere that I have hurtled through on a train but never photographed. Here's some of my efforts... "Aventra" 720550 on a Liverpool Street to Ipswich service. 321318 and 321217 then appeared on a Liverpool Street to Clacton service. 90048 and 90003 trundled through platform 4 with the 4L89 Crewe Basford Hall to Felixstowe North and came to stand a short way down the line. This allowed "Flirt" 745107 to overtake it on a fast non-stopping Liverpool Street to Norwich service. A high shutter speed was needed for this shot! 4L89 can be seen stationary in the other platform. As 4L89 was moving off 66956 came through with 4M63, a Felixstowe North to Trafford Park freight. All this action happened in less than an hour and I would have liked to have spent longer there but it was not to be. My beloved phoned to say that she had bought everything she wanted to and was ready to go. Chris Turnbull

Yes. You start looking at Gauge One. Here's my live steam Black 5 on my local group's layout. Chris Turnbull

Thank you. It's a scratchbuilt point made from Peco components. The clamp-lock mechanism is just bits of brass, Plasticard and a cocktail stick. You can see the operating wire from the Tortoise point motor poking through the bottom flange of the right-hand switch blade with a hole through the baseboard below. Chris Turnbull

I use one powered bogie for my single and two-car units (classes 153, 150/2 and 156) and two powered bogies for my three-car class 170/2s. I find this more than adequate provided you don't fill the carriages with white-metal passengers... Chris Turnbull

Yes, absolutely fine. Here's a photo of a gauge 0 point on my layout powered by a Tortoise point motor. The only thing you may have to do is to use a slightly thicker gauge of wire than that supplied. This is twenty years old and still going strong. Chris Turnbull

Some Wherry Line photos today. 156407 calls at Brundall with what is probably a Lowestoft service on 14th June 2008. Ten years later and 156402 forms a Norwich service at Brundall on 16th July 2018. On 12th April 2003 150227 waits at Great Yarmouth for departure to Norwich. Some years later on 26th April 2022 755335 waits at Great Yarmouth with a similar service. And finally Lowestoft, where we see 156422 on 7th March 2009. On 11th July 2015 156412 waits at Lowestoft with either an Ipswich or, more probably, a Norwich service. Chris Turnbull

A visit to the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways today. On a wet and dismal 7th May 2016, this is Portmadog. And this is looking in the opposite direction. Portmadog in August 1977. At that time there was little indication that the Welsh Highland would turn into the railway it is today. The next day (8th May) I was at Carnaervon where the weather was far nicer. South African Railways NGG16 No. 87 is about to depart. And here we are en route to Beddgelert. At Beddgelert I was able to get a better shot of this magnificent Garratt. Chris Turnbull

Just got back after a few days away in (a dry) Yorkshire. I had hoped to get some shots of a working up the Grassington branch to the quarry near Rylstone but, sadly, nothing was scheduled when I was there. So instead I decided to pay a visit to a railway I have never been to before, the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. I would have liked to have travelled on the train but one was leaving just as I arrived and the next one would not have allowed me to meet my better half in Skipton for lunch. I had to content myself with a few shots of Embsay - and, yes i did purchase a platform ticket! This is Beatrice, an ex NCB 0-6-0 from a Pontefract colliery arriving with the return working of the train I had missed. Here she is running through the platform. And here she is running round her train. At the other end of the train was a beautifully restored coach about which I can find nothing on the railway's website. Perhaps someone can fill me in with some details? The 0-6-0 has just replenished its water supply from the column in the siding next to the 08. As there is no direct connection from that siding to the train Beatrice has to run across the single slip then back onto the main line. And here she is ready to depart back to Bolton Abbey. As you can see she has been beautifully restored and is a credit to all concerned. I bet she didn't look like that in NCB ownership! Chris Turnbull

Another visit to Scotland today. 66430 at Dundee on 19th May 2013. 45407 climbing away from the Glenfinnan Viaduct on 6th September 2017. 380016 hiding away at Gourock on 18th May 2013. 380006 at Wemyss Bay on the same day. 380103 at Glasgow Central on 17th May 2013. 45407 ready to depart from Malliag on 6th September 2017. Chris Turnbull

A selection from Yorkshire today. A class 333 at Skipton on a miserable 23rd February 2013. 66769 takes the line to Rylstone on a much nicer 29th September 2021. 333013 at Skipton on another miserable day, 6th April 2022. 195123 at Hebden Bridge on 5th April 2022. 195013 approaches Hebden Bridge on a wet 5th April 2022. There are some nice days in Yorkshire and this was one of them. 144023 approaches Whitby on 31st July 1998. Chris Turnbull

I've looked long and hard at the original and that's certainly a strong contender. Chris Turnbull

A few more from Carlisle Kingmoor in August 1967. 70023 Venus on the 24th. 92233 also on the 24th. 44677 headed north on the 25th. 70011 Hotspur on the 25th. 70045 Lord Rowallan on the 25th. 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley on the 27th. Chris Turnbull

I have posted this before but, since you ask... August 1958 taken by my Dad. Chris Turnbull

Having travelled to darkest Haughley Junction, here's a few from Norwich, capital of East Anglia. 150229 on 12th April 2003. 90036 0n 17th February 2007. 90006, 90014 and 90012 on 28th July 2012. 156418 on 11th July 2015. A general view of an empty Norwich on 24th March 2017. 755417, 755328, 158788 on 22 March 2022. Chris Turnbull

A journey down the GE main line today into darkest East Anglia. Starting at Shenfield on 11th August 2007. 90009 at Colchester on the same day. 66557 passes Belstead, just south of Ipswich, on 19th August 2022 with the 4M93 Felixstowe to Lawley Street. 66557 again, in the yard at Ipswich on 29th June 2018. 755418 calls at Stowmarket on 1st July 2022 with an Ipswich to Peterborough service. Finally, this is 745006 passing Haughley Junction with an up express from Norwich to Liverpool Street on 25th August 2022. Chris Turnbull

A few shots from York and Newcastle for today. This is the scene from the viewing platform at the NRM, York on 28th September 2014. A mile or so north of York station is Skelton Junction which 66033 is passing on 20th August 1999. A Class 91 at the same location and on the same date. Another shot on the same day with classes 60, 66 and 156. A couple of black and white shots of Newcastle in the 1960s. This is 9016 Gordon Highlander on 26th June 1969. And this is 6951 on the same day. Chris Turnbull