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

Continuing with our trip along the NYMR to Pickering all taken on 29th July 1998.

It's a stiff climb from Grosmont to Goathland but the WD 2-10-0 has made it with little trouble.

After Goathland the line drops down to Levisham where we see 44767 on a train to Pickering.

Just outside Pickering is Newbridge.  There is no station here, just a level crossing which the WD 2-10-0 has just crossed.

Towards Pickering a minor road parallels the line.  This is 30926 Repton  approaching Pickering, the end of the line.

And here we are at Pickering with 5029 Nunney Castle.

Just to show that I used the train to travel up and down the line this is 44767 between Levisham and Goathland.

Chris Turnbull

A visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway today.

One of the better ways of getting to the NYMR (if not the most convenient) is by train.  Here is 156468 at Grosmont on 3rd June 2005.

Over to the NYMR station, this is J72 69023 and Q6 63395 about to depart on 2nd October 2010.

And here they are departing.

The NYMR is host to a large number of locomotives, some permanent residents, others transitory.  Heres 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley on 5th October 2013.

And on the same day this is the USA 2-8-0.

Of course the NYMR is more than just Grosmont.  Here is Standard 76079 working hard upgrade at Beckhole.

We'll continue along the line tomorrow.

Chris Turnbull

Time for another jaunt around East Anglia in days gone by.

60025 at Ely on 26th August 2004

Ten years later and 365512 is at Ely on 2nd August 2014.

Over to Norwich where we see 170202 on 3rd September 2005.

37405 at Norwich on 11th July 2015.

153314 at Ipswich on 13th March 2004.

And finally, 170271 at Ipswich on 11th July 2015 with the loco yard behind.

Chris Turnbull

1 hour ago, 31A said:

Looks like Actual Rain on the road when you were at Haughley!

Yes, we had very little rain at Felixstowe but there was a lot more further west.  It was drying up by the time I got to Haughley.

Chris Turnbull

This morning I thought it would be fun to take a few shots at my local station, Soham.  Checking Real Time Trains (RTT) I saw that four freights were due between 9.30 and 10.15.  Jumping on my bicycle I pedalled furiously to the station...

The 4L02 Hams Hall to Feixstowe was the first train scheduled at 9.32.  I waited and I waited, checking RTT from time to time, and noting that it was getting later and later.  Eventually at 9.48 66770 appeared.

Next was 4L03 Tinsley Yard to Felixstowe.  This was scheduled for 9.48 but 66725 didn't appear until 10.01.  Taken by carefully poking my camera through the spear fencing.

4M81 Felixstowe to Crewe Basford Hall was next, scheduled for 9.55.  66953 appeared at 10.05 and I suspect this had been held at signal CA491 just out of sight round the bend.

Finally there was 4M79 Felixstowe to East Midlands Gateway.  This was due at 10.13 and that is when 66116 appeared - also taken through the spear fencing.

And to show you what the site looked like before the new station was built here it is 28 years ago in August 1994.  As I have said before, this photo was taken under the supervision of the PW gang.

Chris Turnbull  

Here's a couple of links you may find of interest.  The first one is my photo thread and you will have to rummage through it to find steam related stuff.  The second is more related to your question.

Chris Turnbull

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/91758-chris-ts-photo-archives/

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/129814-50-years-since-the-end-of-br-steam/#comment-2988717

Whilst away I have been snapping some of the local trains.  Here's a selection all taken this year.

On 10th June 66758 leaves Felixstowe South with the 4M02 to Hams Hall.

On 25th August 755424 arrives at Woodbridge with the 13.17 to Ipswich.

A few minutes later 755421 arrived with the 13.31 to Lowestoft.

After Woodbridge I wandered over to Haughley, one of my youthful trainspotting stamping grounds.  It is, of course, much changed and the station and its platforms are long gone so all photos have to be taken from the level crossing.  Here is 755414 with the 5Q54 Colchester to Crown Point on 25th August.

Travelling at speed in the opposite direction is 745005 with a Norwich to Liverpool Street express.  The building to the right is the only bit of the station still extant.

The workers at Felixstowe Docks were on strike the week of the 25th so very few freights were running.  This is one that was: 66775 on the 6A32 North Walsham to Harwich tank train.

Chris Turnbull

After a short break away I'm back in front of my PC for another couple of days.  Kicking off with some of London over the last 20 years.

168214 at Marylebone on 13th February 2016.

The disused control panel at Mount Pleasant on 15th March 2003.

London Bridge on 12th July 2008.

Liverpool Street on 17th April 2004.

313113 at Highbury and Islington on 15th December 2007.

Earls Court on 2nd August 2012.

Chris Turnbull

Well, my new router arrived today and, full of excitement, I installed it.  Initially it was fine but then I made the mistake changing the generic Wifi password and it siezed up.  A third router is on its way to me...   

Anyway, enough of my troubles.  Back to railways and preserved lines in the north of England.

On 3rd May 2009 my darling wife and I visited the Keighley and Worth Valley.  I had suggested that we get off at Haworth and have a short stroll over the moors to Oxenhope to which she agreed, much to my surprise (she is not a rambler).  This is our train, Derby Lightweight M50928 and M51565 (at least that's what it says on their website).

All went well until we got to Oxenhope - even the walk over t' moors was well-received.  I knew it was too good to last.  At Oxenhope we waited and we waited but no train.  The locomotive had failed (the Ivatt Class 2 tank) so we had to wait in the loco shed (see photo).  This was no chore for me but my wife's patience was wearing thin and I was left in no doubt about her thoughts on preserved railways in general and the K&WVR in particular.

Eventually 20031 appeared with a rake of coaches and we were able to complete our journey.  She has never gone back - but I have!  This is 20031 running round it's coaches at Oxenhope.

On a happier occasion the Railway Study Association visited the Lakeside and Haverthwaite.  This is Hunslet 3698 Repulse at Lakeside Haverthwaite on 9th May 2007.

No appreciation of preserved railways is complete without a couple of shots of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.  This is Grosmont on 29th July 1998.

A few years later on 5th October 2013 I was, once again, at Grosmont where I was surprised to see this locomotive from one of our ex-colonies; USA 2-8-0 No. 6046.  Magnificent!

Chris Turnbull

Diversions at Ely today. 

Up until the ECML was electrified in the 1980s the lines through Cambridge and Ely were often used as a diversionary route especially on a Sunday.

30th July 1979 was one such Sunday and 254004 speeds past West River signalbox at Little Thetford.

The flat bleak fenland countryside is evident in this shot of an unidentified HST at the same location.

Some years later in 2004 Ipswich tunnel was blocked to allow the track to be lowered and the tunnel widened.  Services were diverted through Ely which meant that it was exceedingly busy and a Mecca for railway photographers.  This is Ely on 26th August with 66539 and 66236 plus a host of photographers.  I felt quite at home!  

Passenger trains to Liverpool Street were diesel hauled between Norwich and Ely.  Here is 47818 piloting 90006 on 17th July.  I am not sure where the 47 came off but I don't think it was Ely.

Throughout all this normal services had to be maintained.  On 26th August 365538 was on a Kings Lynn service with 66708 and 66236 in the background. 

The river bank at Ely was also well-frequented by photographers.  Here is a class 170 with the famous cathedral as a backdrop.

Chris Turnbull

Another disaster with the internet yesterday.  Everything I read I am advised to create a new administrative password for my router so I thought I'd have a go.  This is supposed to be easy but is it?  No way.  After a long chat with my ISP this morning a new router is on its way to me for the price of postage and packing.  I have managed to temporarily reinstall my old router so at least I have some internet access.  Ho-hum.

Anyway, now I'm up and hobbling, I though another visit to Ireland is in order.  All these photos were taken in May 2008 when the Railway Study Association organised a visit thanks to the good offices of Dick Fearn who was then CEO of Iarnrod Eireann.

Portlaoise on the 20th.

Inside Portaoise Train Care Depot on the same day.

Athlone on the 21st.

The Clonmacnoise & West Offaly Railway also on the 21st.

Foynes on 22nd.

And Ennis on the 23rd.

Chris Turnbull 

It's been a glorious day here in Felixstowe.  Sitting in the late afternoon sunshine I suddenly thought it would be fun to take a succession of shots of a freight crossing the level crossing at Beach Station Road.  Checking Real Time Trains, 4M02 to Hams Hall was due in 20 minutes at 17:36 so I grabbed my things and strode swiftly to the crossing to catch it.  It was a good job I can walk fairly fast as I was just in time - the train was early.  Here's the result; 66710 Phil Packer BRIT at Felixstowe Beach Station Road crossing at 17:28 today (10th August).

Chris Turnbull

Another selection from various perserved / heritage / tourist railways today.

The Audley End Miniature Railway on 23rd November 2019.

SECR class O1 No. 65 at Sheffield Park on the Bluebell on 30th October 2010.

Caley No. 419 (ex 55189) at Bo'ness on 7th May 2006.

No. 2 at Pontsticill on the Brecon Mountain Railway on 23rd may 2010

B12 No. 8572 at Holt on the North Norfolk Railway on 9th July 2014.

The magnificent signal gantry at Grosmont on the North York Moors Railway with J72 69023 in the platform on 2nd October 2010.

Chris Turnbull

It's been a while since we went to Scotland so here's a few more from that great country.

66430 at Dundee on 19th May 2013

380115 at Paisley Gilmour Street on 18th May 2013.

334010 and 156506 at Glasgow Central on 5th May 2006.

The rear view from a class 170 somewhere north of Glasgow Queen Street (I think) on 6th May 2006.

08568 at Springburn Works on 6th May 2006.

A new scissors crossover being installed at Edinburgh Waverley on the same day.

Chris Turnbull

1 hour ago, DaveF said:

Before I post today's photos I thought I'd say something about the "missing photos" from earlier years.  As time passes I suspect it becomes less likely that they will return.  I have checked and in my photo threads there are over 20,000 photos no longer visible.

 

Realistically there isn't any likelihood of my managing to replace that many in the posts, even though I do have copies of them all.

 

So I think the best thing is for me to do new posts and put the old photos in them so they can be seen.  It will take a long time but it would be a lot easier than trying to match up the photos to the original posts.

 

I will start in due course.

 

Now for today.  We go back again to the early 1950s, this time at Grantham, in black and white.

A good idea - and your thread will last even longer!

I don't envy you.  I replaced all mine which was hard work and I have but a fraction of what you do.   I look forward to seeing all your photos again. 

Chris Turnbull

Although retired from the exhibition circuit Cromer is enjoying a new lease of life training what I hope will be the next generation of model railway enthusiasts.  This is my youngest grandson who has taken quite a liking to the layout.

Chris Turnbull

A trip down the ECML from Kings Cross to Peterborough over the years.

Kings Cross on 30th July 2012

60019 Bittern at the Cross on 29th April 2010.

An HST at Sandy in June 1978.  They had only just been introduced on the ECML at this time and I was very keen to see one.  This meant an evening drive to Sandy but June should have been OK.  Unfortunately it was delayed and the light was fading fast by the time it came through but at least I did get a shot, if not a very good one.

47712 Artemis at Peterborough on 5th May 2006.

And on the same day, this.

16 years later on 12th March 2022 and 66731 heads northwards with a freight.

Chris Turnbull

A few photos from the National Railway Museum at York for today, all taken on 23rd September 2014.

Where better start than the replica of the Rocket.

As I am sure you all know this sectioned locomotive was once 35029 Ellerman Lines.

Another famous (or iconic as the media would call it these days) locomotive, City of Truro.

I was intrigued by the Archimedes screw on the Chinese locomotive.  I have seen one working on the film The Last of the Giants but not in real life.  Not familiar with this this film?  Then check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4BWsYbJROQ

And, of course, its not just steam locomotives.  This is the Yorkshire Engine Company 0-4-0 (later class 02) D2860.

Nor is it just locomotives.  This is a lovely GNR somersault.  I don't know when the last one was removed from the BR network but I can remember them in 1967 when I travelled to Carlisle: Bury St Edmunds to Newcastle on the Glasgow train routed via the GN & GE Joint and then to Carlisle via Haltwhistle.  Great, apart from the wheel flat all the way to Newcastle!

Chris Turnbull

To make up for yesterday's debacle, here's a selection of shots from Carlisle and Derby.

On 23rd February 2013 my wife and I were staying with her brother and his wife near Skipton.  I had never travelled over the Settle and Carlisle before so this was an ideal opportunity to do so.  This is Carlisle on that day when I was transported back in time to 1964 when, as a train-mad 12 year-old, I was transfixed watching a Jinty shunt wagons about at this spot.

And this is the view in the other direction.  Ah, memories...

I noticed that "gentlemen of a certain age" (i.e. like me) were starting to congregate on the platform and the reason soon became apparent.  This is 60009 Union of South Africa".

On 26th January 2005 I was at Derby.

Here is HST 43073 entering the station on the same day.

On 1st March 2014 this is 153379 at Derby.

Chris Turnbull 

When my darling wife and I got home on Sunday afternoon we found a new router waiting patiently for us on our doorstep.  Of course, I just had to fit it, didn't I?  Twenty four hours later I had succeeded in getting everything back to what it was before but by that time I had lost the will to live.

Tuesday morning and after a night's sleep I'm bright-eyed and bushy-tailed so I thought another visit to Stratford would be in order.

A general view of Stratford on 10th February 2009.  In the distance the Westfield Shopping Centre is under construction.

Three months later on 7th May this is the view from the top of building D3, the one in the centre background of the last photo.  To the right the Olympic Park is also under construction.  I wasn't involved with the Park itself but was involved with its conversion to West Ham footbal stadium.

Meanwhile, down on the platforms on 7th May.

321334 on 25th February 2010.

317501 on the same day.

Pudding Mill Lane, DLR, with B90 no. 44 at the platform.

Chris Turnbull

Yesterday (29th July) my better half and I made another visit to Stowmarket and, as usual, I was allowed to go to the station before we had a spot of lunch.

I started off with a couple of shots from the footbridge.  Here is 745009 stopping with a Norwich to Liverpool Street working.

Looking southwards this is 755412 with an Ipswich to Cambridge service.

Down on the platform here is 66756 with the 4L02 Hams Hall to Felixstowe.  These freights do come through at a fair lick!

I thought a few shots from the overbridge to the south of the station would give me a new vantage point.  After a very pleasant stroll along the bank of the River Gipping I was there.  Due to the ubiquitous vegetation that pervades so much of the lineside these days I found viewpoints in short supply but I did get this shot of 745105 on a Liverpool Street to Norwich service.

Shortly afterwards 66760 was heading southwards with the 4L03 Tinsley to Felixstowe.

Real Time Trains was showing an unusual working, 6J35 from Ely Reception to Marks Tey, and this is what came through.  Looking at the lettering on the side it is a Matisa vehicle operated by VolkerRail but I do not have access to my reference books at the moment so can give no more details.  I thought it might be a tamper and if anyone knows what it is then please let me know.

Chris Turnbull

As I headed back to Norwich I pondered my next course of action.  Several oppurtunities presented themselves but I decided to head to Ipswich and catch an earlier train to Soham than planned.  This would allow me to organise and post some photos later in the day which, as you will know, I did..

I hadn't been in Ipswich very long when passengers on platfom 3 were advised to "stand back as the next train does not stop here."  Thinking that a Felixstowe container train was about to appear I readied my camera only to see this approaching.

It is DR 80216, a Stoneblower operated by Hersco Train Technologies on behalf of Network Rail (I had to look that up).  Quite why any passenger should have the urge to leap on board this thing I do not know but I suppose that's Health and Safety for you.  Whatever happened to commonsense?

At the end of platforms 1 and 2 I found 90010 and 90011. 

And to finish the trio here is 90012 hiding behind 755355 in the once vibrant Freightliner Loco Fuelling and Stabling yard now looking decidedly derelict.  It won't be long before this is OOU (Out of Use) as Freightliner now operates from new facilities at the Top Yard (round the curve behind 90010 and 90011). 

Meanwhile 321312 and 321902 arrived at platform 3 with a terminating train from Liverpool Street.

And some time later 745008 burst out of Stoke (or Ipswich) Tunnel with a down working to Norwich.

Chris Turnbull