anroar53

At least one photo on Flickr, there may be others.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/26905327257/in/photolist-GZwQqH-6CSmyf-cR1pbA-e2QKdm-u724Sg-23quEJd-RfMQZZ-2iWrFBo-r2FSpV-ddYVUA-qC98En-b2Hjia-dY1oSi-8DQ9uN-Dk2WpR-2kUrDvA-2iPRyYd-6HSuVM-hisi9c-2iRzmcg-2iZxt77-FK6zaE-a5teoW-rJ1TUT-dj99zE-6F4keu-Zm8eZe-qBji9u-2iSxzSd-qSJSTB-Hi9Zxf-HgQKEx-bv4jUp-mT6USv-96yUDR-2iz7Mcv-hisi8R-c6sKKf-c6sKJs-buQMmS-6RMM5z-j9JMPp-89pkjG-2iz6tLE-akpkQh-dg9mtY-akmwVt-jbHCUm-hisi9n-szhsU

A couple of entries from my blog of day to day running that I have gradually been posting online. This one covering the derailment of a Freightliner train in Tring Cutting in January 1977. Very much a 'one persons view' of events as they unfolded over a couple of days. I still haven't got round to transcribing the Great Storm of 1987 when I was on Early shift at another location, but that had loads of stuff in it too.

https://www.facebook.com/WestCoastSouthernSection/posts/pfbid0wT4vincKUf43QbmuTFVyqc4hh7NxD9Pe9gtG1XRoCZYJn7CiLqG1iRbgHygRzpg7l

https://www.facebook.com/WestCoastSouthernSection/posts/pfbid02bn9d6HzdNM3mpy67fucqyH2Q8jY8GpPUVbyPGDe7H7FTVQoJUxXC3mABt6tFPxUQl

Slightly out of the time period but on 2nd May 1963 Jubilee 45562 'Alberta' worked a Leeds to Windsor & Eton Central Excursion through to Windsor via High Wycombe and the line to Maidenhead. I'm looking at a picture of it passing Bourne End (between High Wycombe and Maidenhead), which is in the book 'Railways through the Thames Valley by C.R.L Coles. I'm pretty certain there was also a picture of it approaching Windsor across the arches which featured in an issue of the Railway Magazine of the period. A brief mention of it on the Six Bells Junction website.

Although this was a few years after headcodes were done away with on the front of Locos I have some notes of a day when the Kings Lynn to Liverpool Street services were being diverted via Finsbury Park. 1L35 was one Kings Lynn to Liverpool Street service which had its loco fail at Ashwell, and another service from Kings Lynn was delayed by it, which was 1L41. (This was 1980).

This might be of interest. The Shunting and 'Trip' workings involving Somers Town/Churchyard Sidings/North London Incline and St. Pancras Goods. From 1966/69.

I can remember between 1972-74 that the last bit of Somers Town Yard being operational was the former covered 'Milk Depot' at the north end. By this time it was being used to load/unload Box vans with mail. The Post Office would drive onto this Dock and load up/unload. Being only a couple of short sidings there was a regular visit by the station pilot engine to remove loaded ones, and put arrivals in for unloading. I would often watch the shunting going on from the back windows of the Signal Box. I think the vans were 'tripped' to either Churchyard Sidings or St. Pancras Goods Depot for onward movement ? At Christmas time I seem to recall that the centre sidings at St. Pancras were filled up with sealed Box Vans from St. Pancras Goods Depot full of boxes of whisky and spirits so the Transport Police could 'keep an eye on them' more closely when everywhere else was shut down.

I seem to remember that at the front of Somers Town fronting the Euston Road the old BR Maroon Enamel signs used to proclaim it to be 'Somers Town - Goods Depot & Potato Market', although after all this time I'm not certain as I haven't found any photos of these signs close up.

Some extracts of some old notices I found the other day.

There are a number of photos in the book 'Branch Line to Hawkhurst' by Mitchell and Smith that shows a 1.45pm from Hawkhurst Freight working, mostly hauled by a 'C' class, although it doesn't mention if this was a daily working or not ?

12 hours ago, Sitham Yard said:

I think I am correct in saying that the rear lamp was usually was one of the headlamps that had a red slide inserted between the flame and the lens. That way the loco only had to carry two lamps. Most lamp headcodes were one or two lamps although there were exceptions.  

 

Presumably, when not in use, the slide was in a holder built into the lamp case. Can anyone confirm please?

Andrew

The Loco headlamps were dual purpose so a separate 'red' tailamp needn't be carried. Older lamps did indeed have a red slide that was kept at the side of the lamp when not in use and was simply dropped in front of the lens when needed as a tail lamp. More modern types had a swivel red lens which could be dropped into place inside the lamp by turning a thumb switch outside.

Some photos below.

Not exactly High Wycombe, but at Beaconsfield, so would have passed through there. 10001 and Brake Tender. Not sure if the link is working to Flickr ?

April 65 Beaconsfield Stn 10001 | jon L1049H | Flickr

For a short time 73141, when in Network Rail ownership, ran with 'Ron Westwood' one side, and 'David Gay' on the other. (February 2009) These nameplates came off when 73141 went into GBRf ownership soon after to become 'Charlotte' (July 2009).

7 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

I have read somewhere that miniature cathode ray tubes were used on early NX panels but were later replaced with LED displays like these

 

We had Cathode Ray Train Describers at Euston PSB through the 1970s, although I think they were changed to LED types later on ? The emissions from these Cathode tubes were capable of being picked up by TV Licence Detector Vans, prompting a visit from said authority. [ Probably not helped by the fact that the Security Wardens had a 'covert' TV set in use occasionally :-) ]

28 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

I've always wondered why the inter-regional designation was V for the WR, rather than W. I could understand O for the SR, as S was used for the ScR. Wasn't N used for the NE region until it disappeared?

I think that it was because when the train headcodes were still displayed on the front of trains the 'W' was considered to be a bit squashed up and indistinct if used ? Besides 'V' is just a 'W' sawn in half vertically. I heard it once said that the Western Region didn't mind as 'V' was short for them being 'V'ictorious over the other Regions. ;-)

At one time 'T' was used for Special Excursion trains operating wholly within the London Midland Region. 'Z' was used for Inter-regional Specials. A Special that originated in the former LM areas might briefly cross into Eastern or Western areas, and subsequently warrant a 'Z' rather than 'T'. The 'T' was also used by local Trip freights. 'Z' also got used for other Specific trains like the Weedkiller and Speeno Rail grinder.

The first picture is in fact Sheepbridge station north of Chesterfield, closed in 1967. Thought it looked familiar. Just looked up some images on Google, that's the place. 

Sheepbridge & Whittington Moor Railway Station Photo Chesterfield Area 4 (railwaystationphotographs.co.uk)

You can find plenty of photos of mixing coaching stock on sites like Flickr 

BR Class 82 82005 with empty coaching stock passing Kensal… | Flickr

Sorry if the link doesn't appear to be working ?

My latest bit of video, WCML Blue days. 

The QM Brake Vans were still in use around 1989-91 on the Sevington (Ashford) to Snowdown Channel Tunnel spoil trains.

A few 'What if' pictures .

I only have the LM WTTs, but all the Motorail services to and from Kensington were shown as 'May convey 20 Standard Carriage Lengths' with trailing load indicated as E600 (D600 between Willesden and Kensington).

As it looked back in 1975s General Appendix Instructions, no doubt changed somewhat since then ????

Don't know if you have come across this website ?

www.watfordlocoshed.co.uk/index.html

Loads of information on Watford through the ages, including the Loco Allocations up to closure in Diesel days. If you look at the latest update pages for 2020/2021 there are some photos of the suburban workings with steam and diesel. Only wish I had found this when I was building my Model based on Watford, very useful on all the buildings, loads of photos that would have been better than relying on my own memory !

2 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

But ......... do the dates fit for Gatwick?

 

The new (present) station, which I think was on the site of the former Gatwick Racecourse station,  was opened in 1958. Was the old station left in-situ for a while?

 

EDIT: crossed posts with RFS - looks like it must have been!

 

 

The old station remained for sometime as this shows, Gatwick and its Stations (sremg.org.uk), not finally disappearing until the late 1970s when the Slow Lines were 'straightened out' for junctions to be installed at Tinsley Green. The buildings disappeared soon after the filming of Hard Days night. For some reason the link to the Southern Railway e-mail group article won't post ?

It's the old Gatwick Airport station.

Although probably not running over the main line the British Gypsum mines at Mountfield used to have its own Diesel shunting Locos (steam prior to that). They would work the empty and loaded wagons from the sidings up to the mines. The sidings had a gate across the track at Mountfield Ground Frame, and the sidings were all under BR ownership. The Loco crews employed by British Gypsum were all supplied with a BR Rule Book and associated publications. Even the weekly notices would be supplied. (I can remember taking them up there to be delivered). They were also given an Annual 'Rules Exam' by a BR Inspector even though they didn't travel over the main line as such.