Reading General

i regularly saw D0280 at Reading in it;s heyday. Always a pleasure

I never really saw much of the Class14s. The only time really was on a school week long trip to The Gower when we seemed to pass the various yards next to the A48 a lot and there were  a few in evidence, mostly in the distance though. The only number I got was D9524 iirc. This would have been about 1968 I should think.

Otherwise there was just D9526 in Westbury at the cement works

And a Big Ed at Reading too - don't recall other sightings although 73s certainly did

 

Phil

I never saw a 74 at Reading... 73s certainly on high days and holidays

I have two experiences, both at Reading.......U class 31618 on it's way to Kent FROM the scrapyard and on two or three occasions, withdrawn 4LAV units hauled through marked as said above COND with circles with crosses in....  the only 4LAVs I ever saw. (they looked in pretty good nick to me too! As good or better than our usual 2BIL and 2HAL units

162 sounds very pedestrian nowaydays

they would occasionally work through Reading. My recollection is that this would often involve a PW working up the Freight lines and on towards London, so probably an OOC loco involved, from Scours Lane or possibly Didcot in view of the earlier photo. 

as one-time owner of this coach, I'd love to see this photo....can anyone give me a link?

Something I forgot to add in reply to Ceptic's post earlier (when I pressed the 'disagree' button) about the only LH blue/grey SR coaches being the Maunsell TPOs was the reason why I disagreed. Two of the four 1959 Ambulance Car conversions (mentioned by AberdeenBill at the start) from diag 2654 Nondescript saloon brakes received blue/grey. These were S7920S and S7923S. A colour shot of S7923S at Stewart's Lane in 1973 by Keith Gunner is available in the phot section of BRCS yahoo group as well as some other useful info and pics on other blue/grey LHCS to pre-nationalisation designs.

as one-time owner of this coach, I'd love to see this photo....can anyone give me a link?

ha....they'd have been more perturbed at innocent little me wandering around King's Cross, not to mention Old Oak Lane from Willesden Junc had they known!  Barry Scrapyard wouldn't have thrilled them either!    we had a lot more freedom then

Reading General:

 

Uncertain, as you were soliciting help I thought you might be?

 

If you are a working party coordinator for the project you may wish to view my restoration capabilities by visiting my website (link in signature area) or view one of my finished projects here:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37057viking/4327083303/lightbox/

 

prior to deciding whether you want to enlist my assistance.

 

If you are not then these links will have little relevance.

 

Good luck with the project.

nice....  leopard/alexander?  

No I'm not to do with the project, I wondered if you were getting involved

Are you the loco owner?

No....did you expect I might be?  

Negativity once more......

 

Someone comes along with a 'new' angle on things and instead of supporting, well need I say more?

 

With that sort of approach 45015 will never run again?

are you willing to get involved physically and/or financially? 

That line could do with some weed-killer

 

Anyway, is my understanding correct you are the person "pulling the cart" so to speak? I don't know how well versed you are in railway matters, but as a railway professional I can tell you you have your work cut out! Especially on the carriages, after 7 idle years they need a full overhaul, paying particular attention to the bearings, frames, pivot (crown & pinion), springs and the entire brake system. I'm not too worried about a lick of paint or a missing and therefore boarded-up pane of window glass, safety must always come first! Regrettably I'm not in a position to come over and help out

As it happens I'm not that person. Just a footsoldier-in-waiting. I do however have experience of coach restoration having co-owned my own std gauge coach and been involved in almost total refurbishment of it

Picture 2 is Blennerville, with the windmill in the background,and away to the right is a restored Ship Canal and to the left in the background are the Brandon Mountains.

Picture 3 is Tralee Ballyard or Aquadome station with said latter in background, and the Town (which is very attractive, 5 minutes walk 

A new , never used , halt exists on route to serve the wetland Centre, which is another popular attraction.

Both ends of the line are thus in great positions to attract lots of visitors, I understand the best year they carried 45000 people.  

PS the Municipal Dump has been removed

These photos are mine and are very recent to show how redeemable this line is .

It is now, but not in the early years of "modern abandonment". I remember a message by Ted Polet, webmaster of the 009 Society Dutch Group, that he* saw parts of 5T laying in the open air, exposed to the sea climate Tralee has.

 

*or he reported it, relaying a message from someone else, can't remember and I can't find the relevant page anymore.

This photo from some time back shows the actual position as I understood it. The boiler was set up on a stand, presumably to work on it. The cab roof was also outside I think. Presumably work stopped when the boiler was found to need a lot of work, a diesel was hired but the railway foundered not long after. 

It's not my photo (and I found it on the net) so I can't say how long ago it was. 

Here is the text as on facebook for you non-fb-believers.

"Now Lads and Lassies, the up to date position.

Our impromptu Grouping met a month ago in Tralee and held a Meeting .
What followed that day was a photo taken with our Town Engineer and a marvellous article in The Kerryman Newspaper , which ( excuse the pun ) helped set off a head of steam , for the regenerated Campaign.

5T is indeed in bits but it is locked in it's shed. 

http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/711002br.html

looks like this was it!

I've been to Ashburton by train, this is my only photo of it. It was a Merrymaker from Reading, might well have been the farewell to Ashburton train mentioned earlier, I can't remember. I was about 16 nd travelled on my own , so I can't ask anyone for more details. (Named Class 47 on the front if that helps)

Reading General if you need an avatar image this one recycled from the RMWeb Xmas Quiz might do:

 

reading general.jpg

made me giggle alright...I'll find n avatar

I was amazed to find a reference to my home town in here! For Black Pudding, you have to go to Jack McCarthy, purveyor of puddings to HMQ on her visit!  (Kanturk actually means Boar;s Head btw)

as my post seems to be well received....I've posted  Kanturk post in the Irish section.....

Yes, although the "Iberian" varieties are usually be supplied courtesy of my daughter who works in London where sourcing is much easier:

 

black_puddings-1labelled.jpg

 

And we haven't even considered the Irish contenders - Conakilty or Boars's Head Kanturk or a proper Bury or Dudley Black Pudding....... or some Boudin Noir......or Bloodwurst.......or Korean Soondae........

 

So many varieties and variations and so little time....

 

Better stop before I get a PM from Rob.

I was amazed to find a reference to my home town in here! For Black Pudding, you have to go to Jack McCarthy, purveyor of puddings to HMQ on her visit!  (Kanturk actually means Boar;s Head btw)