Rob F

 

 

The view form the front was nice though, enough to forgive them for, the sheer wonder of the Heart Of Wales or the Cambrian from the front seat was pure joy though I never did make it from one end of the HoW to the other without falling asleep.

 

It was always noticeable how despite all the noise and vibration those trains were a great cure for insomnia, on a run half of every coach could be guaranteed to fall asleep.

It was probably carbon monoxide poisoning!

Rob

In reality, it is not hp per vehicle that matters but hp per tonne. I don't know the weights of an 8 coach HST or any of the Class 80x variants but that is the comparison that needs to be made.

Rob

C2862 is a 45 - Air Con was the downfall of the 46s - no ETH.

Same for C2871.

Regards

Rob

Another possibility for a retailer commission - 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfDDMT71e4w 

 

Now if Oxford were to do some Pretendolino Mk3a's (albeit with a production compromise regarding the RFM variant).

 

Will just have to hang on-to the Hornby DVT.

That must be one of the slowest get aways ever!

Rob

321902

 

321902 (9).JPG

 

321902 (6) - Copy.JPG

Is it just me or does the wrap around yellow end on the 321s look awful? The original Metro livery was so much smarter.

ROB

A couple of questions, if I may.

We have seen lots of excellent shots from Dave F of ECML expresses from Leeds, Newcastle and other places in the hands of class 47s. What was a Deltic 'worth' in the schedules over a 47? How late would a 47 be to Leeds, for example, if put on a Deltic diagram?

What effect did fitting ETH have on the power at rail for a Deltic? Was this noticeable in the performance?

ROB

Love J1656. I assume this was after closure and shows work to fettle the down line for test track use but before the removal of the up line.

Rob

Dave

Great pics, as always.

I am struggling to place C2059 as being in the Radcliffe area. If east of the station the formation was 4 tracks wide as far as Saxondale Junction and it doesn't look to be on the two track section west of the station up to the Trent.

ROB

The East Coast Main Line today at Swayfield, between Peterborough and Stoke Summit.  The photos are spread over ten years.

 

 

Swayfield Class 47 Newcastle to Kings X Aug 71 C684.jpg

Swayfield Class 47 Newcastle to Kings X Aug 71 C684

 

 

Swayfield Class 47 down ex pass July 72 C0996.jpg

Swayfield Class 47 down ex pass July 72 C0996

 

 

Swayfield Class 47 up empty cement May 74 C1614.jpg

Swayfield Class 47 up empty cement May 74 C1614

 

 

Swayfield Class 37 up empty Cartics May 74 C1619.jpg

Swayfield Class 37 up empty Cartics May 74 C1619

 

 

Swayfield Class 43 up ex pass 28th July 81 C5447.jpg

Swayfield Class 43 up ex pass 28th July 81 C5447

 

 

David

C5447 shows a 9 car HST rake, surely very rare at this time?

ROB

J1545 is sad. I guess it shows the detritus left over from the removal of the Melton line.

ROB

Hi, Dave. Great and at the same time, sad photos of the GC Mainline. Sad too see all that dereliction. All so short sighted.

The 9F on the first photo is in a typical condition for that age, and it shows that modellers can get get away, sometimes, with bad varnishing of numbers and totems!

The DMU is a class 115. They are the ones which worked from Marylebone. Blue Square coupling code confirms it.

With warmest regards,

Rob.

This is before the line closed as a through route so I imagine that this is one of the Nottingham to Marylebone semi fasts that were sometimes DMU worked. Great photos again.

Rob

Great pictures Dave, thanks.

I am trying to work out where J1460 was taken. I assume the train is on the down line, given the routing, but the fact we can see the pylon in the distance implies we are on the down side somewhere south of Plumtree station but I am struggling to come up with the actual location. Maybe in the Platt Lane sports field?

ROB

I wonder why the 'Future' ones are a fiver cheaper than the ones already announced?

ROB

Thanks Dave. Any images of the Nottingham-Melton (MR) line are always very welcome.

Rob

Great pictures of the GCR, thanks.

Do you have any photos in your collection of the Midland line from Nottingham to Melton in West Bridgford, after closure, during demolition? That is something I have never seen.

ROB

Can your wallet accommodate more than a rake of 5-6 ?

If his wallet can accommodate 5 or 6 of these there is no way he is ever going to fit it in his pocket!

ROB

I am always astonished how often in so many types of business - manufacturing, retail, football and even in something like Further Education - that highly paid people who have not been successful in one organisation can get appointed very quickly to a new CEO post in another organisation and make a mess of that too.

 

there is no point in having an old boy network if it doesn't bring some benefits.  That's the joy of being a CEO, absolutely no responsibility, if the level of responsibility is measured in the level of sanction you suffer for failure.

 

I guarantee you the office cleaner has more 'responsibility' resting on their shoulders than the clown whose office they clean - the office cleaner losses something worth a fiver, and all hell will descend upon them, the CEO may loose millions, but walk away with a large golden handshake, a pension settlement, perhaps following a period of 'Gardening Leave' to play golf, lifestyle more or less unruffled.

<Pedant mode very firmly on> Not wishing to single out t8hants in any way but are the words 'lose' and 'losing' the most widely misspelt on this forum, often rendered as 'loose' and loosing'? I wonder why that should be? <Pedant mode off> 

How much of the line between Bedford and Glendon Junction is it planned to restore to four tracks? 

Also, does the electrification project cover all four lines where 4 lines exist? 

ROB

It seems that the second observation saloon was moved to Fencote, see:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/culture/2003/05/lost_railway_03.shtml

It was named Cardiff and there is a picture of both it and Plymouth immediately after outshopping from Swindon in 1981 here:

http://www.philt.org.uk/Misc/Rolling-Stock/i-McMRCQf

I still don't know when, why and how it was moved.

Rob

It is a great pity that the camping coaches at Dawlish Warren are coming to a end.

I first stayed in them 25+ years ago , we used to take our children there.

The last time was just a few days after the line was re-opened in 2014, we then took the Grandchildren.

But at that time it was obvious the end had to be coming as they were in a very neglected state.

It appeared that they had very little attention for a long time.

 

Keith.

We have taken our children to them regularly over the years, the last time being in October 2014. They offer very basic accomodation but the insides were always clean which is vital. The exteriors are deteriorating rapidly, especially Plymouth, the ex LMS observation car that we always stayed in, I guess because it is older than the rest.

I have seen photos that show when the current batch of coaches were delivered there were two observation coaches at the Warren end but in my experience there has only been one. Does anyone know when and why the second one was removed?

Rob

Hi, Dave. Astonishing how things have changed, as mentioned previously. Corby was such a hive of activity back when those lovely photos were taken. Can't help with information about the loco's, but I am enjoying seeing them in the photo's.

Then Glenfield tunnel. Very restricted wasn't it, I think class 1F was the largest loco allowed?

With best regards,

Rob.

My late father worked for BR and in the 50s sometimes did overtime in the goods yard at Leicester West Bridge, which was the terminus of the line through Glenfield tunnel. He said that when timber was loaded into open wagons, it had to be angled to be facing away from the direction of travel, as it would often scrape along the roof of the tunnel and this prevented it from 'snagging'.

Rob

Seen passing Dawlish on the webcam.

ROB

Sorry but the little Chinese man made an error, ON EVERY ONE!!!!!   I have the sample that is correct.  'EBAY I think'  Charlie

Not a major issue, but it might be worth correcting your website that still states Paignton as one of the destinations.

ROB

Got my DCC fitted example today and it is an excellent model. Small point though, is mine unusual in that the destination at both ends is Exmouth? I thought it was supposed to be Exmouth at one end and Paignton at the other?

Rob

Some people are just never satisfied

When one is in pursuit of fidelity to the original, surely that is a good thing?

ROB