Ken.W

I believe that up to around this period, withdrawn passenger stock (in engineer's black) were used in p.way trains to transport staff to relaying sites.

Also according to that article; "the largest locomotive built in the UK in over 20 years." Erm, no, that was Tornado

The issue with starting 08s, common to most 1st Gen. locos /DMUs, was the HP7 battery used. Plus, in the case of shunters, often being outstationed at yards, they were remote from chargers / replacements if they failed to start. The manual pump in the cab was the fuel transfer pump (main tank to header tank above it, which then gravity fed the engine) but IIRC, there was also another manual pump behind the front engine bay door for lub. oil priming

Yes, I remember working that service (Newcastle / Finsbury Park / return) There was generally more staff than passengers on it!

The Q1 I believe's just an 0-6-0 The problem with kits, of any make, is generally with longer wheelbase locos, and particularly with outside cylinder clearance on locos with front pony / bogie wheels - as the kits are all metal they just have to touch to cause a short. I've a DJH B16 which can negotiate 30", but half the front cylinder covers were removed

Well, judging from the overgrowth on the remainder of that wall (2nd photo in op link) I fail to see how it could have had any maintenance

Seems to be the general way of things these days

Thanks, although I don't have that book Have found where I have seen it, RCTS 'green book' 2A fig.195. Captioned as trial from Kings X June 1923

Isn't the picture of 2400 in North Eastern livery with a dynomometer car test from Kings X ? Feel sure I've seen that (or very similar) published somewhere

Or, with the current level of service going through, it'll give them something to do

Thanks, typo sorry, corrected

I've seen the working arrangements for the bi-directional working over the Down Slow All Southbound trains required to pre-heat (start diesels) at Newark Must be routed onto Up Slow from Stoke Jnc. GSMR berth triggered broadcast in Corby Glen area to perform MPCO electric to diesel Lower pantograph sign in Up Cess on approach to P580 (north of Little Bytham). All pantographs must be lowered before this point. Trains stopped at P542 (Tallington). A Green aspect with No.5 Junction Indicator ('feather') will be given to route onto the Down Slow. The No.4 J.I. (US > UF) has been removed from the signal Is this unique? a signal with a No5 J.I. (center right) but no No4 J.I. (top right) A Fixed Distant Board is located prior to Lolham LC P998, a 3 aspect right hand side signal prior to Maxey LC and adjacent to the protecting signals on UF / US routes trains through onto the Up Stamford Trains requiring routing back via ECML to London; Must received 1 yellow at P496, immediately after Werrington P488, prior to Bretton, require a Main Aspect with either a No.1 J.I. for UF or a No.2 J.I. for US, via New England Ladder. Trains to London via Cambridge; P488, to continue on Up Stamford, Main Aspect only To be routed into Platforms 4 or 5 at Peterborough On arrival at Peterborough, and once doors are released; Via Cambridge, drivers to ensure an APCO diesel to electric does not take place Via ECML, drivers to perform a MPCO from diesel to electric

Given the number of reported incidents at that crossing NR should close it on safety grounds and then leave it to the locals to argue over, and pay for*, a footbridge if they want one * presumably from their council tax

Never mind HS2 not getting going when it should have, HS1 didn't let alone HS2. When the tunnel opened the high speed Paris - Calais line was already open and ready for it Here? They were still arguing about the route of HS1 As far as support for Eurostar goes though, as the Govt have provided support for privately owned international airlines, then surely a more environmentally friendly international rail service should also receive support

Meanwhile the PM's been saying it's unlikely lockdown will end before spring, so what chance for indoor events by then? It's also reported that although the vaccines prevent people becoming ill, it's still not known if they prevent transmission. The vaccines are also said to be 90% effective. But that still leaves 1 in 10 vulnerable until a large enough proportion of the population are vaccinated to get the transmission rate very low. So distancing and severely limited numbers seem likely to remain for some time, your first paragraphs probably nearer the mark

Quite straightforward in principle, they simply read the same as you read a book (or any writing really), top to bottom and left to right. Our instructors did actually use this 'read them like a book maxim during training. Remember though, people off the street wouldn't need to interpret them, first of all drivers are trained in how to read signals and their meanings, and then as part of route learning would learn the routes they applied to. Then, for sighting signals and particularly semaphores at night, a major part of route knowledge was where exactly to look for them

The noise of a road traffic comes nowhere near that of 68s, even a Motorway, and particularly a night which is what the issue is. Also, the point being made is that this is a new depot, and also new traction, which is much noisier than previous, both of which have arrived after the residents complaining, so what choice did they have? Well, I did make earlier comment in comparison with a Deltic, as well as my experience of being on a platform with a 68 in. I remember being on the platform at Newcastle between a pair of Deltics, both running - I certainly wouldn't be anywhere near a pair of 68s thats running. I am, btw, very familiar with how noisey Deltics were, I was on all but two of them, and as secondman operating the steam heat boiler, that included being inside them as well.

Agreed, it looked to me that the wires are still up, just tied up to the structures to give extra height and covered for visibility. Just noticed this is shown more clearly in the first photo (posted by Richard E) at the top of this page. They couldn't, I'm sure, just take out a short section of wire like the length of this worksite, a typical cable run's I believe about a mile in length and they're run off and tensioned at each end, not jointed. Any sort of edge in a jointed wire would cause damage to the carbon contact strip of the pans.

Erm, the other way round, on both counts It was the power cars that had the two stage brake, not the coaches, and brake pressure was reduced - about half normal - at high speed. Normal brake pressure then applied below 90. It was to reduce wheel slide on the leading p/c as less adhesion was available at high speed. It was discontinued as improved Wheel Slide Prevention was fitted

The only remaining regular freight service on the ECML south of Peterborough that I can recall's the Great Heck - Biggleswade breeze blocks. And yes, during the last major remodelling of Peterborough station bi-directional signaling was installed on the Up Slow to Werrington, so the Spalding service doesn't conflict with the main line in either direction. Regarding platform flexibility, generally no real need. The Spalding, on the Up Slow feeds straight into Pl.1 without conflict with other platforms*, and where it can remain until its time to return, again on the Up Slow. It's also long enough to share with terminating GN/TL services. This leaves 2 & 3 for southbound ML services. On the Down side, 4 & 5 are regularly both used for northbound ML services, and the new island, 6 & 7 for Stamford / Ely services in either direction. The only regular conflict in the present arrangement is that terminating GN/TL services must cross over into one of the Up side platforms if turning back south *Pl.1 is the Up Slow and to access any other platform from US you first of all cross onto the Up Fast

A low droning noise? Thankfully they've not hired in a 68 then

Yes, I'd heard from a former colleague that for this work bi-directional signaling had been installed in the Up direction from Tallington onto the Down Slow and through onto the Up Stamford at Helpston. I did actually make this move once on a previous occasion, I think probably the time that the wires were down actually at Werrington Jn, but that of course was under Pilotman's working and with an HST. Yes, that's the only way the track layout allows this to be done, effectively a single line between Helpston and Tallington, there's no other connection with other lines in between.

Having heard these things, I was wondering whether they actually do have silencers Have you actually heard a 68 though? They're enough to make even a Deltic sound quiet! I've been on the platform at Waverley waiting for my train when a 68s been in waiting to depart with an earlier service, and the noise has actually been painful. So what ordinary passengers must make of having to put up with these things! Haha, yes. I remember the first time I saw a 91, coming into Newcastle. I'd always thought electric trains were supposed to be quiet, then this thing came roaring in like a demented vacuum cleaner

Art??? I'd have another name for that.... Fly tipping!

Although a life-long steam enthusiast, I was rather annoyed by the tone of the HRA statement. The plan that was rejected by Newcastle C.C. wasn't for an actual coal mine, but a far more environmentally destructive and disruptive opencast site, bordering on residential areas at the outskirts of the city. The same company, Banks Group, also had another, much larger, opencast proposal rejected last year that would have been bordering on a major local AONB