jonny777

According to my disposal book, D7089 was not cut up at Swindon, but at TJ Thompson's of Stockton. D1035 looks as though it has been out of use for a few months so what about D1045?

I always wondered if I saw a Hymek at Penzance. I lost my early 60s spotting notes, but in an old locoshed book I have D7090 underlined. I know I went to Penzance station whilst on holiday with my parents in August 1963, because that is where I saw my only D6xx which was D603. I also have D815, D821, D1001 and D1009 underlined, plus D6308, D6319 and D6321. I cannot think of any other place that I would have seen those locos in the short time that I made use of that locoshed book, because living in Lincolnshire meant that holidays were about the only time I ventured away from the ER, and the following two years we went to Bournemouth. I couldn't afford train fares on my pocket money.

My guess would be Old Oak Common.

Yes, one of my sons used to commute between Bingley and Garforth for a while - and he used to say that quite often it was dull and tipping down in Bingley but dry with bright sunshine in Garforth.

Fog lifting over Cardiff city centre. A storm is brewing off Tresco Very low cloud over Aberthaw B power station (taken from Cardiff Airport). Sea fog rolls in across Cardiff airport. Crepuscular rays - Lincolnshire.

Yes, that is definitely Reading. And if you have 3000 of that period and that quality, then it is jackpot time. I think D1662 was in that early BR livery between 1969 and 1973 which narrows down the date a bit. Sorry, edited the dates, as my brain malfunctioned.

Yes. I had no idea the platforms had been extended at Westbury, I thought they had always been that long (mind you - I can't say that I take a lot of notice of that kind of thing, because the locos and rolling stock tend to grab my attention).

At some time in the following 10 years, they must have extended the platform at Westbury because the awning on that photo is very close to the end of the platform. And that station is on a pronounced curve, but I thought Westbury was straighter than that.

This thread is quickly turning into the best one ever. D831 in that livery at Pirbright is priceless, so whatever it cost it was a bargain. I have tried to focus my dodgy eyes on the clay wagon loco and it looks like D1025 to me.

While Neil sorts out his scanner problems, here are a few more from me - D7029 on a down parcels service just west of Twyford - 12th Feb 1974 D1058 leaves Plymouth for the east - 18th October 1976 D1023 at Laira - date unknown Old Oak Common view with three withdrawn Hymeks on view, I think D7000 is at the front, August 1974

Yes, we always used to go to the foremans office in 'later' years (mid-20s and older). We felt it was the mature thing to do. Sometimes we were refused, Thornaby and Knottingley were two I never got round. I got to drive a 26 at Thornton Junction, even though I had only gone to the foreman to ask what its number was as I couldn't see it from the road. Most foreman merely asked us to report back before we left. We did discuss between us the idea of buying a half bottle of scotch to take with us, just in case a bit of 'persuasion' might be needed, but I don't think we ever did it. Twice, once at Stratford and again at Swindon Works, we were going to try and get round without any permits when we found official group visits queued up at the entrance, so we just asked the guide if we could tag along and on both occasions he said yes. We got looks of thunder from some of the 'official' group members, in a "how dare you take advantage?" kind of way.

Yes, Laira was a long way to walk from Plymouth station; as was Kingmoor from Carlisle. Landore was quite a long way from Swansea station and I remember walking there in a gale and horizontal heavy rain, the like of which I had never witnessed before, only to pitch up at the depot gate looking like a drowned rat and be turned away by a couple of pickets that were letting no one past because there was a local dispute with management. The long walk back to the station in the heavy rain and wind was even more depressing, impossible though that would have seemed to me when going the other way.

Four grey ones,

Same here. An occasional blue tit makes a fleeting visit to the sunflower hearts, otherwise nothing.

Market, if you really want to be terrified on a train, then make sure you get a seat on a 143 dogbox which is being towed by a 158 with passenger accommodation locked out of use so no choice but to sit in the 143. You will need to make sure that it is a very hot day, so that all available windows on the 143 are open as wide as possible. You will also need to guarantee that the 158+143 is working a Cardiff - Bristol service, and board the train at either Cardiff, Newport or Severn Tunnel Junction. The fun will start when the driver accelerates away from STJ station and towards the tunnel mouth. As the 158 picks up speed rapidly on the steep downgrade into the tunnel the 143 will begin to hunt from side to side violently. I don't know what speed we were doing in the middle of the tunnel, but the max of a 158 is 90mph. Maybe the driver forgot the max (75mph) of the unit where the passengers were, but all I know was that the combination of the violent lateral swaying and then vertical bouncing combined with the volume of noise coming through the open windows, had me convinced that the 143 had come off the track and was bumping along on the ballast. And all this with blackness visible through all the windows. I began to wonder how long it would be before we tipped over and got hit by an HST coming in the opposite direction. Believe me, swaying on a 114 across flat agricultural countryside is like being on the royal train in comparison.

There is a special place in my heart for 114 dmus. Seeing them everyday when living with my parents, I used to clear the whole class every year until BR removed the non-standard pair.

Excellent stuff, Ray. Brings back many memories. I hated those matt photo papers. I hope you have the negs to those two, I bet they would scan up really well. And back to 1072 at Reading, the spotter in the photo has an A to Z next to him - maybe he's been planning a depot bunk?

Yes Phil, by all means link it to other threads. It is amazing how many styles of hopper wagons are in that train, plus a few 16t wagons at the front. Thanks for the location of 1065, I will amend.

Sounds a good idea to me, D1061 at Paddington, with D1959 heading west on a Bristol or Swansea service. 14th Aug 1973 D7026 heads east through Slough. 5th April 1974 A telephoto shot at Slough of D1062 heading east on a coal train to Acton yard, about to pass a DMU. 5th April 1974 I believe this to be D1065 brand new in Old Oak Common depot. June 1963 D1072 arrives at Reading from the west. 14th August 1976 Some of these have been posted elsewhere on the internet, but the web is so vast that it does no harm to show them again (I hope).

And while I am at the summer photos, a painted lady in the back garden. Sadly the White Admiral was not in the garden - it's photo was taken in Kent.

On the subject of admirals, here is a rather battered white one -

1E81 was the 1410 from Harrogate (on Sundays), which combined with the 1418 from Bradford and formed the 1450 from Leeds. Not due into Kings Cross until 1854.

Sent a PM regarding Ebay.

I know 1C45 was the 1030 Paddington to Penzance in the summer of 1969, but whether that applies to 1968 I don't know. Was the 1030 departure the Cornish Riviera? Sounds about right.

I've never seen a CIG with a 4-VEP driving vehicle before. Presumably it must have been a very temporary emergency fix by the depot.