4630

A TransPennine Express Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street service ambles along towards Huddersfield at Colne Bridge on 4th March 2024. The 802/2 was following a late running Hull to Manchester Piccadilly service which, since the last timetable change, also doubles as the stopping service between Leeds and Huddersfield.

Another week and another GBRf 69 working 0Z08, 0Z09, 0Z10 driver training/route training trips in West Yorkshire. On 4th March 2024 69007 'Richard Trevithick' heads east at Colne Bridge with 0Z10, Marsden to Wakefield Kirkgate Whithams Cobra Sidings.

You might need to elaborate on that as those allegations have passed me by.

Like father, like son. Although to give him some credit, Max is the more successful driver by some margin.

Also now on the BBC, now that Verstappen senior has also given an interview to De Telegraaf newspaper (Dutch) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68461379 I wonder what the odds are on CH going before next weekends Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia?

That’s the rub isn’t it. With some not motivated enough to try to think for themselves . Too busy lapping up whatever bile the algorithm that YouTube/X (nee Twitter)/Facebook*, delete as appropriate, so willingly and generously churns out. I know there isn’t a ‘golden age’ some 50-60 years ago of peace and tolerance, but God**, humanity could and should be a whole lot better than it currently seems to be. * declaring an interest, number 1 son works for Meta, Facebook’s parent company and he’s not happy with how the company is focussed. ** whichever one you adopt or don’t, as the case may be.

Agree 100%. I just don’t find models fitted with sound - be it steam, diesel or electric locomotives - sufficiently convincing. In some cases I find it just distracts too much from the overall scene that a modeller has tried so hard to create. But a separate sound system as part of the layout, as you describe, is to my mind a far more realistic option.

You'd like to think that Lewis's professional advisers will have ensured that there is sufficient flexibility in the contract to give him a watertight, low-cost, exit clause if absolutely necessary. On the other hand, Lewis might consider that once he's achieved the record 8th title he can then, not exactly race for fun, but achieve another personal goal - driving for the 'red' team. Either way, I wish him the best for the 2024 season.

According to a TOPS list from yesterday timed at 10.55 @Peter Kazmierczak, 70803, 70805 & 70814 were present at Westbury if that's of any help.

Indeed. Access onto the single line at Engine Shed Junction at Holbeck…leading to Whitehall curve…and for freight heading north, across the Up and Down Huddersfield and Up and Down Doncaster at Whitehall Junction, which is part of the approach to Leeds station for other services arriving from the south and west. Problematic - paths for scheduled freight do exist using this route - but not conducive to maintaining good time keeping on the other major routes in and out of Leeds

I really can sympathise with your circumstances and experience with this particular outfit @Canal Digger They are one of the very few ‘retailers’ (and I use that word with caution for them) that after several less than happy purchases I no longer use. And I’ve made a point of recommending all my family and friends that they do like wise. Price doesn’t come into it. Good luck in resolving your current issue to your satisfaction.

Another third rail photo opportunity for those who may be interested on 4th March 2024. South Western Railway has reliveried 455868 into blue grey - probably into as close to original as current rules allow. This image from Facebook is doing the rounds; 455868 The unit is scheduled to run the following on 4th March 2024; 5Z67 Bournemouth T&RSMD to Bournemouth 5Z68 Bournemouth to Eastleigh 2Z68 Eastleigh to London Waterloo - Staff special 5Y52 London Waterloo to Wimbledon Park Depot Sidings

GBRf 66730 'Whitemoor' stationary at the head of 6G88 during an engineers' possession between Huddersfield and Bradley Junction on 24th February 2024... ...with, according to Realtime Trains, 66705 'Golden Jubilee' on the rear.

I don’t have the dimensions, but here’s a photo of one of them that I took a couple of months ago if that helps. DR97807 6U87 Brighouse 27122023

There’s a write up of the plans in the March 2024 issue of Modern Railways (page 87) if you have access to a copy Jamie. There’s also an accompanying photo of the site with some clearance work being evident. There will be a partial closure during 2026, due to TransPennine Route Upgrade work on the adjacent lines, at Neville Hill limiting access there. The suggestion is that the new site at Shipley may be retained in the longer term ‘to improve depot capacity in the region’. That certainly makes sense as, in addition to the existing stabling sidings at Skipton, it would make the Aire Valley routes largely self contained.

A rare sunny morning in West Yorkshire on 24th February 2024, so an opportunity to enjoy a canal side walk. And with Spring not too far away now there was a pleasant warmth to the sunshine. Photos taken along the Kirklees Cut, part of the Calder and Hebble Navigation that links Wakefield with Sowerby Bridge.

GBRf 60056 rumbles westwards along the Calder Valley line at Bradley Hall farm on 24th February 2024 with 6M36, Drax Power Station to Liverpool Biomass Terminal, empty biomass hoppers.

Some rare sunshine in West Yorkshire on 24th February 2024 and the sheep on Bradley Hall farm are unmoved as a Northern class 158 passes by with a service from Manchester Victoria to Leeds... ... and they're also unimpressed with a TransPennine Express class 802 working a service from Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle, diverted along the Calder Valley due to the closure of the Huddersfield line.

I received the email a little earlier today and was rather touched by its contents and the style of the final message. I think it says a lot about the personal and professional qualities of Richard Davies. I for one wish him and all the former colleagues at Hattons the very best for the future.

Driver training/route refreshing using a GBRf 69 continues along the Huddersfield line for another week, this time with 69001 Mayflower, approaching Heaton Lodge East Junction on 19th February 2024 with 0Z10, Marsden to Wakefield Kirkgate Whithams Cobra Siding.

With the direct line between Huddersfield and Leeds closed for five days from 18th February 2024 - all services being diverted via Wakefield Kirkgate - a handful of engineers' trains are scheduled to run in connection with the work. The first, on 19th February 2024, was headed by GBRf 66703 working 6G93, Crewe Basford Hall to Mirfield East Junction, approaching Heaton Lodge.

That’s certainly one possible explanation. The insurers able to invoke ‘plausible deniability’ if anything untoward were to happen. I don’t know enough about this category of insurance risk, but I would imagine that if liability insurance companies themselves were made financially liable, up to the insured value, for all instances where cargoes being carried that were in breach of agreed sanctions, it might concentrate corporate minds a bit more. They might then be more inclined to carry out some due diligence before accepting the risk. It’s a funny old world. I get quizzed by a high street bank about the source of a cheque for about £15k - part of my late mother’s estate - because the bank are following ‘money laundering regulations’ yet any cargo, of any value from any source to any destination, can go through ‘on the nod’. Something definitely isn’t right there.

The recent wet weather has, as usual, had an effect on the River Ouse through York on 17th February 2024. Judging from the condition of the riverside footpath it had been much higher in recent days.

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In case it's of any help, here are images of de-branded Scotrail 156465 and 156485 passing through Wakefield Kirkgate, working as 5N42, empty coaching stock from Heaton Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot to Newton Heath Traction Maintenance Depot on 2nd June 2019.