The Pilotman

The walking route was from the station to the diesel depot and the lights would go out for trains going in or out of the old platforms 1 and 2. If I remember correctly, when a route was set out of the station, the walking route lights would go out straightaway but there would be a short delay before the signal cleared to allow anyone on the walking route time to find a refuge point on the Caversham Road bridge.

Spent many a happy hour at exactly the spot where you took photo C3657 until we realised you could see just as much from the Cattle Pens sidings without having to buy a platform ticket.

Should have gone to Specsavers...

Nice shot. It looks like someone with a shopping bag is standing in the four foot right in front of the 46.

And how many have you ever seen that looked like that???

Quite right. My guess would be that the main lines were under occupation and the train is heading bang road to Didcot East where it will exit the possession.

May I be the first to ask, "what is the second coach in that train?"

Nice one! Every shot an absolute belter!

That, Sir, is a very fine piece of work indeed.

I can't remember whether the pilot ever went to Oxford but I certainly recall visits to Reading in the late 80s and through the 90s, usually at night but sometimes on a Sunday. When it did run on a Sunday, from Didcot to Scours Lane (where the up goods started) was about 15 miles so slotting a 15mph loco in between the hourly stoppers was doable. There was one occasion where the pilot went back to Didcot one night when the relief lines were blocked with a possession. Having checked VERY carefully that there was nothing else about, the West Junction signalman sent it off down the main line. As it passed through Cholsey, the Didcot signalman saw there were no other conflicting moves so gave it the flashing yellows onto the down relief at Didcot East from where it could be routed into Didcot Yard. The pilot driver stopped in Moreton cutting, got on the phone and said, "Hello Bobby, are you taking the p***? We can only do 15mph!" To which the signalman replied, "That's all right Drive, there's nothing about. Take your time." I can't imagine there have been many circumstances where an 08 had flashing yellow across a 70mph junction.

That's a very interesting picture indeed! If I remember correctly, that signal (with position 2 junction indicator) would have been for the down main (perhaps Brian Daniels can confirm?) so exactly what this move was is anyone's guess. I certainly never remember pulling off for a propelling move like that. Initially I thought it might have been for a ballast drop on the up main between Foxhall and Didcot East but if that were the case, it would have had a Shark van at the back. Hmm...Thinking about it a bit more, this train would have had to have been propelled all the way from Didcot North Junction to get to that position. Very strange.

And finally for now, a month later on April 2nd and 33116 was yet again in use on the Westbury to Reading West Junction trip, this time seen approaching Hamstead Crossing just west of Newbury.

...but not as easy as 33116 which passed a little later with just a Shark plough van to return to Westbury from Reading West Junction.

The following day I was at Colthrop Crossing where 33110 and 33114 had an easy job with just 5 sealions on 6V96, the Tonbridge to Meldon Quarry ballast empties...

Some black and white 33s on the Berks and Hants... First up is 33116 coasting down towards Crofton on March 8th 1990 working 7Z33, the Westbury to Reading West Junction engineers trip.

An ETH Duff on a railtour in 1984? I bet that went down well... Reminds me of one of the rail tours I went on; RESL's The Cornishman in January 1985. We were supposed to get a class 40 from Leicester to Bristol but it had left wherever it was coming from late and so was sent to New Street to intercept us instead. A driver was summoned to take 47456 light engine from Saltley to Leicester to bring us to Birmingham but on discovering it was a railtour, he said, "I'm not taking that, I'll take those instead," pointing at 20006 and 20133. And so on a cold January night, a pair of 20s hauled us from Leicester to Birmingham where 40012 (with operative boiler) was waiting for us. Happy days!

If you ever give up driving, I reckon a career as a forensic pathologist beckons...

Thanks Jeremy. Do you have a source in mind for the etched ladders already?

Apologies for dragging this post back from the depths but I was wondering what you did with the PRA wagon in the end. Did you fit etched ladders, and, if so, where did you get them?

And finally, for now, 31414 at Didcot East Junction with the 1106 Birmingham New Street to Reading on November 16th 1989. This was a regular Class 31 job; the loco and stock went back as the 1334 to Manchester.

...a few minutes later an unidentified pair arrive with an Oxford to Paddington train.

Some main line Class 31 action. First up is 31434 arriving at Reading on August 11th 1987. I don't know what the train was but I seem to recall it was an additional. Any bashers jumping on at Reading for a bit of 31 haulage would have been disappointed because.....

Wow! Whoever would have thought that a couple of Deltics would ever have passed each other there...

Are you sure that second picture is Didcot? Looks more like Thatcham to me, and the train would be 6V96, the Tonbridge to Meldon Quarry ballast empties which ran via the Berks & Hants.

Nice one! You've even managed to capture a rare Air Europe Boeing 737 in the first shot.