andymozza

Is this what your looking for? https://www.flickr.com/photos/tutenkhamunsleeping/5314892001/in/album-72157624956069787/

 

Hi everyone, the footage is taken on the Kidderminster- Birmingham line. The signal box footage is, I think, Smethwick West. The facing junction Stourbridge North heading East to Brum. The station where the train stops is Old Hill. The end is Kidderminster heading west. Quite confusing to work out as some footage is going east some west. I think around 72/73.  Oh and the duff on the van train...6M74 Avonmouth-Oldham perishables dates it pre 75. cheers Andy.

Hi, this page might be useful to some of you. http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/proto_lmsbgpage1.html Cheers Andy.

 

Hi. it's not just the relaying around Shrub Hill and Foregate Street. They are slewing a new bridge in between Norton Jct and Shrub Hill over the A4440, M5 jct.7 to Malvern and Bromyard/Hereford road. As a warning to anyone planning on travelling that route by road, the A4440 closes Thursday evening May 24th and the diversion is via Worcester city centre!! Friday being one of the busiest days of the year traffic wise. It is not planned to reopen the A4440 until the following weekend. HTH cheers Andy.

This is what you need Phil.

 

8M64 20:06 Llantrisant - Kingswinford

6V55 02:40 MX Kingswinford - Llantrisant 08:35

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/briantrailandmore/13955852032/in/set-72157635910263844

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Unfortunately, not a hydraulic job.

 

Brian R

Hi, there seems to be little bit confusion about the above train, I can tell you that 8M64/7V55 was not a train of coke hoppers, it was composed of 21t hoppers containing coal with up to 10 coke hoppers tagged on the back. Pensnett also received coke in those "labelled" coke hoppers from the East Midlands/South Yorkshire via trip freights from Bescot and also the North east via 8M65 from Tyne Yard-Kingswinford Jct. Besides Coal/Coke empties back to South Wales by 7V55, there was also a 8D49 to Toton WSX which shipped empties to Toton for onward return which often had a few coke hoppers in it's consist. All from constant observations of traffic at KJ in the seventies, my local!!!!, cheers Andy.

That sounds like the sort of mix of locos we've been leaning towards, guess the majority of these would be locally allocated (except the 9F)?  

 

I've seen a few photos of 9Fs approaching Wolves from the Shrewsbury direction on 45T Shell/BP tanks does anybody known the origin/destination of these?

Hi, Most likely Stanlow - Rowley Regis. Routed Wolves L.L, Dudley via Preistfield then down the "Bumble Hole" to Old Hill. Andy.

Prior to resignalling for electrification, ABR 5 was quite common at boxes on the LNW lines. Most had sidings where trip workings shunted. Freights would commonly be accepted "under the Warning" when a shunt was in progress. By 1967 most of the LNW lines were MAS, and the box instructions had to be re-written at the fringe boxes so there were few boxes left that were pure Absolute Block. As local freight traffic declined box closures were taking place at a rapid rate, especially during 1969-73 under the 'Surplus Capacity' schemes resulting from grants under the 1968 Transport Act. Each time the instructions at boxes either side were reviewed and often revised. I can't remember off-hand whether ABR 5 was specifically allowed or specifically excluded from box instructions in those days, perhaps Mike could tell us?

 

The Stourbridge Junction to Dudley section was part of the GWR, and probably one of the last bits of the Birmingham Division where ABR 5 was regularly used, particularly after Stourbridge Engine Shed box was closed. Traffic would sometimes get clogged up at Stourbridge Junction, so it was necessary to get rid of a train towards Dudley. Stourbridge Junction North was closed in December 1973, and the signalling there was replaced by colour lights controlled from the Middle box.

Hi, I think you will find it was Stourbridge Jct South that closed in 73, the North box in 76, Andy.

Great answer as usual from SM.

 

By the end of the 1960s there was very little semaphore signalling on the ex-LNW lines of the Birmingham Division. From memory I would say it was limited to the South Staffs lines from Dudley to Wednesbury, Rushall to Lichfield TV junction and Bloxwich to Cannock, the Cannock Mineral Railway from Cannock to Rugeley, the Princes End Branch from Wednesbury to Tipton Curve Junction, Erdington to Lichfield City, Milverton to Gibbet Hill and Coundon Road to Griff Junction (Nuneaton). All had carried regular passenger services although the Princes End Branch lost its two stations in 1916 as a wartime economy measure. Only the Erdington to Lichfield line had a passenger service by then, but the rest were still used for dated passenger trains and excursions (even an instance in the 1960s of Spamcan 79 via Princes End, cue for Chris), or as diversionary routes for engineering work. Consequently all had historically been worked under Absolute Block Regulations.

 

At most boxes the first home signal was quite close to the first set of points, so few had a 440 yard acceptance point which was free from possible obstruction. Generally if this was to be achieved an Outer Home was provided. In reality most of the Block sections were so short there wasn't room for this. Distants under Starters were far more common. Placing the Home signal on BCB at the clearance point of the crossover would have been quite prototypical.

 

Regarding ABR 5, I can't remember any particular instances of it being authorised, in fact I think there was an exercise around that time to get rid of any remaining instances which may have lurked in box instructions.

Hi all, back in the mid 70's I spent an awful lot of my pre-teenage evenings in the boxes at Round Oak and Kingswinford Jct (Brierley Hill). Rule 5, warning Arrangement, bell code 3-5-5 was in use at both boxes in both directions, however it was not allowed southbound from KJ to Stourbridge Jct. North box, where passenger trains came in from the Brum Line. It was quite common around 7.30 ish for the down 4S88 pengam- edinboro FLT to be green flagged at SJN if the evening Bescot trip T57 had been backed out across the main at KJ when offered. Likewise if T57 was calling at Round Oak and had to back in, 4S88 would be green flagged at KJ. it was my interpretation that rule 5 was available at most locations on freight only lines using absolute block. cheers Andy.

Hi, just had a look at a much better photo of the new bodyshell taken at the Bachmann open day, side grilles are flush!!    http://www.mremag.com/news/article/picture-from-the-Bachmann-open-day/16056

Hi, posted this when it was first announced "Great news, but I do hope they correct the major errors from their 4mm model,e.g small side grilles flush with the bodyside (not like the 24) and correct the cab side window angle, too shallow,", now do my eyes deceive me and this is a straight "shot down" of the 4mm body? The side grilles do not appear to flush with bodysides and that front window angle...... Andy.

Hi Andy - 7022 was at Birmingham New Street however I have no record on what it was working. 

 

Regards John

Cheers for that, andy.

On this Day in History – Crewe – 1st April 1973.

 

 

Crewe – Birmingham (E3064), Birmingham – Derby (89), Derby – Nottingham

Class 08 (3020/50/68, 3217, 3752, 3871, 3951/77, 4131/50), class 24 (5077, 5140/44/45), class 25 (5245/74, 7627/60/69/72), class 35 (7022), class 40 (276, 321/23), class 45 (89), class 46 (189), class 47 (1546, 1695/98, 1709/19/24/41, 1814/34/56, 1950), class 50 (443), class 81 (E3007), class 83 (83007), class 85 (E3067), class 86 (E3152/57/89)

Hi John, can you remember where you saw Hymek 7022 and what working it was on, cheers Andy.

Hi, not quite in the north west but definitly heading for the LMR http://www.miac.org.uk/images/d1017.jpg, could also be in the 16t minerals thread! Andy.

The next scratchbuilds (well barring a pair of coil carriers converted from Highs which are awaiting the inclination to get the soldering iron out) will be a pair of bogie coil carriers like these: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/coiltferry/h341bec27#h341bec27 . I've got as far as assembling the basic frames, but work on these will go on the back burner until I've got the appropriate Cambrian bogies to put them on. The lightening holes in the cradles put me in mind of your Tin HAL...

 

Adam

Hi Adam, since your having a go at the CoilK have you seen these http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/modelpageindex.html scroll down to the MORFA BANK SIDINGS WAGON GALLERY towards the bottom.There may be some constructional ideas for you. Andy. P.S I am enjoying watching your wagon building, very good.

Hi Guys, apologies if this has been mentioned before but have seen these pages from Andy Williams site? http://www.bescot.plus.com/wednesbury_1976 , cheers Andy.

Hi Guys, just poured over your intended workings, very well worked out. Although "rule 1" applies, the Spring Vale iron ore train was HJO/HJV hopper wagons not MSO/MSV's, see cover of "Diesels in the West Midlands and Central Wales"by Bradford Barton. I have seen a photo of the Tipton "naptha" Tanks somewhere in a book I have, I will have a look to see if I can find it, they were 4wheelers 45t. cheers Andy.

Uppy, downy, saw-tooth arrangements to support coil spindles (eye to the side)??? I'm guessing if you hadn't guessed!

Hi, cradles mounted in a line down the middle of the wagon, the sideways mounted cradles were much later. http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/baa/h2500c237#h2500c237 gives an example of what the original Kinky beam cradles were like, if you look at pauls other photos there are many variations that came later, cheers Andy.

Hi Mark

 

I see Phil has pre-empted some of the questions in the reply I have just sent to your PM

 

BAAs could carry a variety of steel loads, not just coil so slabs or billets are possible. In 1975 they would certainly be a trainload operation as AB wagon load was still pretty rare. Would have to check if the Lackenby-Wolves was air or vac at that time, otherwiise might be a struggle to use them.

 

When you have thought about what I have proposed in the PM perhaps we can post a summary on here?

 

Regards

Mike

 

PS - are you planning to fit DCC controlled headcode blinds? Just kidding....

Hi, from may73 to may75 Lackemby- Brierley Hill Steel terminal, 6M60/4E43 return, Steel Air braked on BAA's fitted with "kinky Beam" coil cradles, called at Wednesbury and Great Bridge on its way to Brierley Hill, indeed often arrived at Brierley Hill with just one BAA left on and even as a light engine, also the same in reverse, regularly a Thornaby based 47, but could produce others including "generator 47,s", 37,s and 40,s not unknown including once on of the ScR converted centre headcode jobbies, very confusing to a 10 year old at the time!! From May 75 was diverted to run to Wolves S<T calling only at Wednesbury. cheers Andy.

Hi, just a quick note on the photos above, pic2 is the next location south, Kingswinford Junction (for Pensnett Branch and into the Brierley Hill Steel Terminal) and pic3 shows n03 home signal, the up starter was round the curve out of sight and also had K'ford Jct. distant on it. There was another ex GWR lower Quad signal beyond the bridge which was the down home, all the rest of the signals at Round Oak were replacement upper quads but on the original ex GWR steel posts. All bar one of the Ground Signals were replacement as well, chhers Andy.

A Bibliography of Black Country References – Part Two - continued.

 

The second selection includes books with good atmospheric and detail photographs of the Black Country and surrounding area, plus histories of the railways running through the general area.

 

Since starting this selection, several contributors in the other general “Black Country Blues†topic post, have suggested extra titles to add to our list.

 

And I’m sure that there will be quite a few more yet to be discovered.

 

Please let us know of any other titles that you may know of, and add them to our list of Black Country references.

 

All the best,

 

John.

Hi, My favourite,paticularly because of the abundance of early 70,s photos is Bradford Barton "Diesels in the West Midlands and Central Wales" by G Bannister, includes gems such as Baby Deltic at Wolves H.L on the Tribometer and lots with derilict canal and infrastructure. Andy.

Were going into N gauge, much nicer people...... Cheers Andy