bingley hall

Spoke to one of the Bachpersons at Folkestone today and they could not give any update on when we might see the maroon versions. I'm good for 2 or 3 full brakes if it's of any help.

Very enjoyable weekend on 19/20. Mainly stuck to the stations and trains, but still happy with some of the shots. As has already been said, thanks to all the volunteers for making it happen. [ attachment=627447:IMG_5759_1450_Bewdley_190915.jpg]

Three from the recent SVR Autumn steam gala.

Almost got away with it!

Cracking weather Grommit...just had to get the camera out this afternoon and take advantage of my temporary domicile in the UK. A few shots around Faversham. Add in a visit to The Hobby Shop and a pint of Master Brew at 'The Railway'.......perfick!

Misty of foggy....? Kidderminster on the Sunday morning of the SVR Autumn Gala on the 20th September. Britannia preparing for the 0940hrs departure.

The 'for sale' figures given on the web site are incorrect. While obviously everything is for sale at a price, at this stage only 12 units are up for sale. Many of the others are still in use with clients.

Time has run out for these workhorses. Several of the GWA class locos made redundant from the iron ore contract have arrived in Adelaide and this has resulted in the remaining GM class locos being stored. One remains in use at Whyalla as a shunter.

Yes, there was still at least one running around with no yellow warning panels in August 67 - just need to find the pic.

Can only find the Facebook link to the video https://www.facebook.com/KTBS3/videos/10153879568462575/?pnref=story

The venerable GM class are hanging in there. The iron ore contract that will release more modern power has about another four weeks to go and GWA seem happy to work the GMs until they have a failure. There are still three active examples based in Adelaide and on Easter Saturday two ventured out onto the Loxton branch line. The last image shows the train on the main line near Callington after an additional unit had been attached for the grades through the Adelaide Hills.

Before I purchase one I need to know whether it is fitted with a Mirrlees or English Electric power plant.

So the train didn't go puff, puff enough and people feel marginalised. There are some pretty spectacular videos around of 6029 efforts at Thirlmere today (Sunday), but I appreciate that would ruin a good story.

I don't believe the Poms have any restored standard gauge Garratts.

Yes you may have made your move just a tad late. There are only two 700s left in service and one of those is the regular Port Pirie shunter. Send me a message closer to your trip and I can probably provide an update on the situation. There should be a few CLF/CLPs around if no GMs.

An ironic little tale...... Just a few years ago in 2011, Arrium purchased the well advanced Peculiar Knob iron ore mine in South Australia from the Western Plains (WPG) mining group for approx A$346 million. The wagons were already on order and my understanding is that these are leased from a Chinese group under the arrangement already in place with WPG. Genesee & Wyoming Australia ordered 10 x 4300hp EMD-powered units to handle the traffic. The full rail service started early in 2013 and sees 3 rakes in fairly constant use. The ore is roaded from the mine to a balloon loop at Wirrida adjacent to the Darwin to Tarcoola rail line form where its railed to Whyalla for export from Arrium's own port facilities. In January, Arrium announced it would be mothballing the Peculiar Knob as a result of the dramatic drop in price for iron ore. At the time of writing the mine is still operating and the train still running, although they are expected to stop within a couple of months. Who knows what will happen to the wagons. The locos will probably be used to replace older power in the GWA fleet such as the GMs above. Unfortunately it is likely a number of drivers based at Port Augusta will be out of a job I was fortunate enough to spend a few days last week photographing these trains. ^ Empty 6915 approaches Port Augusta from Whyalla. The train will reverse at Port Augusta. ^ Loaded 9612 skirting Lake Hart - the trains use 3 locos, 2 at the front and a third DP unit at the rear. ^ 9612 again an hour or so later at Wirrappa ^ Loaded 9612 has reversed at Port Augusta and heads out to Whyalla ^ Loaded 9616 at Yorkeys Crossing near Port Augusta

Still clinging on, but only weeks to go. As the result of the downturn in iron ore prices, GWA have lost a major contract which will release 10 x 4300hp locos at the end of March, that will make these classic locos redundant. Seen yesterday 30 January 2015 working a loaded grain train from Gladstone to Outer Harbor in South Australia

Not a trolleybus. Trams also used this bridge, but I wasn't lucky enough to get the tram + train shot.

A bendy bus even.....it could even be a trolleybus, can't quite remember. Changchun, China, April 1988

The CL class of 17 locomotives were originally built between 1970-72 for the Commonwealth Railways which morphed into Australian National in 1978. They were rebuilt by Morrison Knudsen Australia in 1993/94 as CLPs (passenger) and CLFs (freight) and passed to Australian Southern Railroad (Genesee & Wyoming) upon privatisation of AN in 1997. Subsequently ownership was transferred to Australian Railroad Group, a joint venture between GW and Queensland Rail. This arrangement was relatively shortlived and split up in 2006 with 10 of the CLFs/CLPs going to QR National (previously QR) and 6 to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. One unit CLP15 had previously been written off under AN ownership. As of December 2014, those units owned by QR National (now known as Aurizon) are in storage and up for sale at Goulburn in NSW and are unlikely to run in Australia again. Thankfully the six remaining with GWA remain in service and in fact three have been overhauled in the last 12 months so have a few more years left in them yet. On 29 October 2014, CLP8 leads a Wirrida to Outer Harbour (Port Adelaide) copper ore train at Mallala, South Australia.

The last remaining seven of Genesee & Wyoming Australia's GM class are clinging onto life working grain trains in South Australia, but time is rapidly running out. GM43/GM40/GM42, all built in 1967, work a Bowmans to Outer Harbour grain train last Sunday 7/12/14 at Mallala and Two wells respectively.

At the end of the day it is not my place to tell you how to run your business. Personally though I would be happier if you didn't make commitments not to raise your prices as indicated above as I would have thought (and I'm no accountant) that in the medium to long term this is not sustainable for a business. I think if you are open and honest about changes in the Chinese production costs, most people would accept those increases - and those that don't, well do you really want their business anyway? Ultimately some will not be able to afford those increased prices, but it's not your job to subsidise their hobby. I have an order in for a pair of Clayton's and will have to makes some small financial sacrifices even at the existing price given the ongoing collapse of the Aussie dollar. If the price increases I am prepared to make further sacrifices because I don't see your business as charity and I appreciate your commitment to this particular model. It's early days for DJM and we all want to see it succeed and to do that it needs a strong financial foundation. An item should be priced at what it costs to manufacture plus a reasonably return on investment for the producer - its quite simple despite some of the numpties on here who would seem to suggest otherwise. Increases in Chinese labour costs are what they are, and ultimately an item is what it costs. It doesn't make life easy, but I don't think you should be in fear of that. Cheers and good luck, Mark

1.If I was planning something untoward I can get an image of just about anything and anywhere I want by searching the internet. Why would I go out and risk going out into the open and exposing myself on CCTV to the security services. 2. As for selfies, that was a bit tongue in cheek. If I whip out my phone on the platform how do you know whether I'm taking a selfie or in fact surreptitiously pointing the phone camera at a strategic piece of infrastructure? Therefore I am calling on the security services to apprehend and detain anyone seen on the platform with a mobile phone in their hand before it's too late and a catastrophe happens. I think you have a great career ahead with ASIO

How is it suspicious? It wasn't the public that viewed it so, it was the people in the CCTV room, who should have known better. Surely every time someone whips out their mobile phone at Roma Street and takes a 'selfie', the authorities should be all over them like a rash. Total waste of valuable police time and resources.

I don't think they did.