new puritan

600500 was originally 996699 YM001A which should be in diagram book 350. Mark

Here's a closer view before this summers vegetation growth ... Mark

Thanks NCK ... another normal day on Thameslink!!!I I remember it well. I decided to accompany a fairly new RPI to Kings Cross and back a couple of times in case he encountered any problems and also encourage him to issue penalty fares [not tickets] as he would have me as a backup instead of catching up with my paperwork ... bad choice ... as we approached Mill Hill a pager message came through regarding the Cricklewood derailment. Detrained all the 'happy' punters at Mill Hill from a full and standing train and the unit then used the emergency crossover to access the down slow platform. Went up to speak to the driver who told me he was to run empty to Bedford. Agreed with him that if control would make a sensible decision after I rang them that he would run as an all stations stopper to return the punters to their starting station as their day out was ruined. Control refused and we spent a 'happy' few hours until buses arrived with hundreds of unhappy people as the few buses that did arrive after an hour or so would only head to London. Darned privatised railway never got any better! Mark

A cold, wet February Sunday afternoon and this chap now has to struggle with a Seacow chute wheel to make his day even better! Meanwhile at the other end ... the casual stance and stray ballast on the chute shows that this gent got the better end with a movable wheel! Mark

One from a possession at Bedford today. Correctly cleaning ballast/spoil from the deepest recesses of the wagons before the train departs. I failed to recognise him until someone started yelling 'Mark' and I then realised who it was. We had not seen each other since March 2009 so it was a pleasant surprise to see him on a cold Sunday morning. I wonder if Nidge can recall who he is? He is employed by the red team and used to work not far from Bedford and Rugby FLHH drivers worked into his former location on a ballast job on weekdays for several years. Mark

60059 was a failure today due to a radio fault and 60020 was sent from Toton to Bletchley to take it and 6H10 to Toton where the plan was to remove 60020 and repair 60059 in order that it could continue to Peak Forest. The pair passing Kempston Hardwick [getting on for a mile away] ... and then snapped just before passing under the Kempston bypass ... Mark

More on SWT442s 'odd one' and another view of 08904 and 08735 at Eastleigh on 28.05.10 this time being coupled. 08904 had been trying to shove a lengthy rake of MLAs and JNAs up to East yard without success and gave up about 13.10. 08735 had taken a few Coalfish to the south sidings and when it returned about 13.30 it was coupled to 08904 and with both working eventually managed to get them moving. While I am logged in here is 08578 shunting JNAs in Forders sidings, Stewartby on 08.09.07 and then at rest on a dull 26.10.07. Mark

TTAs would be Fawley to Arpley loaded [for use at Arpley or tripped to Peak Forest/ Doncaster] and 'discharged' on return. Mark

As nobody else is getting up early enough to grab a picture of the northbound empties here is 6M90 at Bedford 05.15 this morning. Paul looked happy enough as he was smiling when walking off the station Nidge. Mark

Sir That must have taken many hours of work. Thankyou for making the effort. It should give me many happy hours of 'entertainment' over the next few weeks. Mark

Some pictures of the rest of the prototypes for the yellow set ... http://wagons.smugmu...4927309_vgbj5gZ Mark

Paul Having now checked I can confirm it was 2003 when they were modified. Mark

Beast 501052 has been paired with the yellow gen for over a year now. I first photographed 501052 with it on 14.08.10. Also of note is that 501052 has recently received the Network Rail vinyl on the right hand box that is now being applied to the blue/grey MRAs when they visit Wabtec. I have noted one other with two logos in 2007, as seen below, before this years applications. More variety ... mrac501241 on 05.03.07 without Network Rail vinyl. mrab501118 with two logo panels and 'engineering exellence' on 27.05.07. Mark

I disagree chaps. The side door extends too far onto the end post now. Looks like the wheelbase is slightly too long. I now realise what I was missing when I previously stated 'that the side door proportion is incorrect' ... the sides are too deep ... compare the side profile CAD with the picture of 978114. Unfortunately I can't find my notebook with my Turbot measurements nor the MRC profile at the moment [still searching] but I think the sides were around 27 inches high. The sides on the CAD look to be nearly 3 foot high to me. Could the solebar be too shallow? Over to you gents. Mark

I agree Paul as my spreadsheet on these shows I took my first picture of these in plain white on 02.05.90 and the last time one was recorded in BIS livery was during October 1990. All I have to do now is find them and find time to scan them. I have taken hundreds of [yet to be studied] pictures of WBB livery sand hoppers in the last decade but having not been anywhere near the top of my list of my 'preferred' targets to spend my limited spare time with I have to admit I am unaware of what/or any modifications they may have had since the early 1990s. Mark Franklin

I would like to thank Dapol for posting the CAD files and allowing them to be criticised ... I am sure we all mean to be positive. In addition to Jon and Craig's comments comparing the CAD with pictures of the prototype ... Spill plate is at wrong angle and not seen here is that it also extends down slightly behind the inside of the end on the prototype. Outer wheel of the bogie is under the door spring on the CAD but inboard of this on the prototype [with its bigger wheels!] indicating that the side door proportion is incorrect and hence Jon's remarks regarding the door/end area. The end mounted grab with associated step was pretty unusual on the real thing and only appeared on some during the later years. There were several variations during the life of these wagons ... no grab or step, side mounted grab only, side mounted grab with step and the one shown by Dapol. I have not recorded an end mounted grab with no step so far. Underframe trussing looks to be oversize. That will do for now as I have to pack ready for a few days wagon photography starting tomorrow. Mark

As nobody else has posted them the wagon numbers in the prototype set that includes 501315 as the mrad are ... mrad501315 mraf501383 mraf501384 mraf501385 mrae501335 ... and this set has run with these wagons in the above order since delivered. I will add some pictures of the above mrae and mraf wagons to my Smugmug site asap. Mark

Phil A few pics of Sharks now uploaded here including some detail pics that I think I failed to include on the CD or have taken since... http://wagons.smugmug.com/ Cheers Mark

Martyn Your picture shows the electrical connection on wagons within a set for the earlier wagons [mraa, mrab and mrac]. The yellow i.e. later [mrad, mrae and mraf] wagons have a tidier and more permanent connection within each rake of five. For completeness the electrical connections at the end of each set are also shown ... Cheers Mark Edit was to correct spelling

Modifications in 2003 at Doncaster if my memory is working correctly [i know that is unlikely ]. Mark

Phil I sent you a CD a couple of years ago of Shark pics that will fill a few gaps ... if you still have it you have permission to share on here as long as copyright is credited to me .. if not still in your possesion then I will upload them to my Smugmug account. Mark

Apologies Mick as I caused the confusion. Should have added the helpful phrase ' fixed on the model' [i am assuming they are so] when we were discussing this wagon. Some pictures of the prototype 501315 now here ... http://wagons.smugmu...4414757_txk49Wk Mark

We had just one freight today at work ...