DaveF

Switzerland in 1988 again today. This time the photos were taken at Brunnen, between Arth Goldau and Erstfeld on the northern approach to the Gotthard. Brunnen Dzt and RBe4/4 1482 Airolo to Zug 5th Aug 88 C10168 Brunnen Ae8/14 11801 northbound l e 5th Aug 88 C10173 This loco is preserved and is now "owned" by SBB Historic. Like a number of other SBB electrics it is kept in full working order and is used from time to time to ensure it works. Brunnen Re6/6 11625 IC Brussels to Milan 5th Aug 88 C10177 Brunnen Re6/6 11670 southbound freight 5th Aug 88 C10189 Brunnen Ae81/4 11801 southbound freight 5th Aug 88 C10191 David

Today's photos start at Keighley and then we head north to Hellifield. They were all taken by Dad which is appropriate as today is the 10th anniversary of his death. Keighley Class 101 Keighley to Leeds Oct 76 J5487 Cononley LMS Class 5 down pass Leeds to Carlisle Oct 65 J401 Gargrave Class 111 NE51544 Morecambe to Leeds May 67 J0908 Bell Busk Class 25 down parcels Oct 67 J1169 Hellifield BR Class 4 4-6-0 75042 up breakdown train Sept 66 J638 David

A trip to Austria in the Tardis today to look at Zell am See in the summer of 1991. Zell am See 1044 080 Zurich to Klagenfurt 30th July 91 C16052 Zell am See Tischerhausl 4030 317 31st July 91 C16064 Zell am See Tischlerhausl 2095 003 Krimml to Zell 31st July 91 C16077 Zell am See 1110 027 westbound goods 2nd Aug 91 C16108 Zell am See 1110 529 eastbound goods 3rd Aug 91 C16121 David

Moving a little further south for the second set today we arrive at the London Tilbury and Southend line from Fenchurch Street with its diet of (mainly) Class 302 emus. Class 302 sets 294 and 273 at Fenchurch Street April 1975 Tilbury Riverside 302245 down pass arriving May 80 C5040 West Horndon 302256 down pass Oct 74 C1804 Laindon snow 302311 up pass Jan 77 C3172 Pitsea 302309 up pass via Basildon Oct 79 C4847 David

Some photos from Chappel and Wakes Colne in Essex, taken in the 1970s. Today the site, adjacent to the station and Chappel viaduct, is called the East Anglian Railway Museum. I always enjoyed visiting, you were always made welcome and they had a useful stock of books and bits and pieces, I nearly always found something I "needed" to buy. Chappel and Wakes Colne RSH 0-6-0T 7597 LNER fish van and GER Pooley van No 3 Sept 74 C1797 Chappel and Wakes Colne Barclay 0-4-0DS AMW No 144 Sept 74 C1799 Chappel and Wakes Colne GER N7 0-6-2T 69521 under restoration May 75 C2019 Chappel and Wakes Colne Barclay 0-6-0ST Belvoir ex Harlaxton quarries March 76 C2641 Chappel and Wakes Colne unloading RSH 0-6-0T Nov 78 C4218 Chappel and Wakes Colne Manning Wardle Penn Green May 79 C4482 David

I think people then were aware that safety was their own responsibilty, not anyone else's. Most of the people there on that day had been invited together with a small number from the nearby village. Almost all of them were used to railways and the train was moving at less than walking pace. I was allowed to sail a dinghy by myself when I was about 9 years old, how many people would be happy about that now? David

I wondered about that too. Perhaps they were stored there. David

The first rule of captioning is: Copy out the catalogue entry and do not under any circumstances actually check what is in the photo. David

A visit to Luzern in 1988 today. Luzern LSE ABt19 Luzern to Engelberg 4th Aug 88 C10140 The LSE is the Luzern Stans Engelberg Bahn. The LSE and the SBB Brunig line (also metre gauge) now form the Zentralbahn. Luzern SBB Brunig Tmiii 599 4th Aug 88 C10141 Luzern Re44ii 11108 Zurich to Geneve 4th Aug 88 C10143 Luzern Ae47 10989 and Re66 11618 leaving with Weiacher Kies hoppers 4th Aug 88 C10150 This rake of wagons came in behind an Re6/6. As Luzern is a terminus it went out behind these two locos. I've no idea why a freight would work into Luzern. Luzern PTT Ee33 4 4th Aug 88 C10155 David

A couple of photos from March and some taken at the bridge over the New Bedford River for this evening. The nearest place is probably Pymoor as these were taken from the eastern bank of the river. Manea is on the far side of the river from where these were taken. March Class 105 Peterborough to Cambridge Aug 72 C1032 March Class 105 Peterborough to Cambridge Aug 72 C1033 New Bedford River Class 37 6756 Harwich to Peterborough Aug 72 C1037 New Bedford River Class 37 6756 Harwich to Peterborough Aug 72 C1038 New Bedford River Class 37 up freight Aug 72 C1039 David

I think the lamps were quite low wattage - 60W? I rarely actually saw any light from the lamps except in very poor light or at night. David

I was standing roughly by the scissors crossover in the Google Earth view. The building between the SBB standard gauge part of the station on the southern side of the railway and the MOB is new and the MOB track has been reorganised a lot. There is a lot of distortion in the Google Earth image. I think the green lights do refer to the train which has just left, the signals were not automatic. David

I can't think of one at Mistley but there was a factory at Brantham, by the GER mainline to Ipswich, a little higher up the estuary on the other side. The factory was originally owned by British Xylonite, which became BX plastics. At the time I was taking photos around there the site was owned by British Industrial Plastics. There is the Edme factory at Mistley, a food ingredients firm. I believe there is/was an explosives factory near Dovercourt (Bramble Island) David

!988 in Switzerland again today, This time some narrow gauge at Palezieux and Montreux. First the Gruyere Fribourg Morat (Chemins de Fre Fribourgeois) at Paleziux. This is on the metre gauge lines of the company. Palezieux GFM Be4/4 Palezieux to Montbovon 4th Aug 88 C10089 Palezieux GFM Bt 251 4th Aug 88 C10090 At Montreux with trains of the Montreux Oberland Bahn, again metre gauge. The gradient from the station up to Chamby and beyond is about 1 in 15, adhesion worked. Montreux MOB GDe44 6001 Regionalzug 4th Aug 88 C10093 Montreux MOB BDe4/4 5001 Montreux to Chamby 4th Aug 88 C10094 Montreux MOB GDe4/4 6001 Montreux to Zweisimmen 4th Aug 88 C10097 Lastly, still at Montreux, a train on the Montreux to Rochers de Naye line- Montreux Glion Naye. A rack railway, 800mm gauge. Montreux MGN Bhe4/8 Montreux to Rochers de Naye 4th Aug 88 C10098 David

We'll start from Manningtree and head along the line towards Harwich for today's photos. Manningtree Class 105 Colchester to Peterborough May 75 J4290 Mistley view of maltings and quayside, grain wagons in distance July 75 J4531 Wrabness Class 37 down oil March 75 C1883 Taken with a 400mm lens. Wrabness Class 105 Harwich to Manningtree March 75 C1885 Parkeston Quay view west, Class 47s in sidings. Feb 75 C1865 David

We'll move forward in time to 1991 today with a look at Spiez on the BLS in Switzerland. Spiez 11th Aug 91 C16284 Spiez BN ABDe4/8 743 Spiez to Thun 11th Aug 91 C16285 Spiez BLS Re4/4 165 Basel to Brig 11th Aug 91 C16290 Spiez BLS Re4/4 189 EC Monteverdi Baeel to Venice 16th Aug 91 C16446 Spiez BLS Tm 66 16th Aug 91 C16448 Spiez BLS Te 15 with hay wagon 16th Aug 91 C16449 David

The batch of old photos for today should be below. They are at Normanton on Soar on the Midland line north of Loughborough on a very dull day in September 1970. I took them but for once have no recollection of the day. I must have gone there with Dad as I didn't have a car then, so it was probably on a Saturday early in the month before I went back to Manchester. As it was dull it wasperhaps fortunate that I was using a 200ASA slide film, Anscochrome 200. It wasn't too bad, a lot of grain and it didn't keep well, the colours had faded a lot over the years. Normanton on Soar Class 45 100 down ex pass Sept 70 C389 Anscochrome 200ASA slide Normanton on Soar Class 47 up ex pas Sept 70 C391 Normanton on Soar Class 45 down coal Sept 70 C394 Normanton on Soar Class 25 up pass Sept 70 C395 Normanton on Soar Class 44 down l e Sept 70 C396 David

A few more from yesterday. The first one was taken through the fence from the roadside. There is just enough space between the uprights to get the photo! ASC_0375 North Blyth Battleship Wharf GBRf 66708 Jayne 5th Aug 15 The level crossing and junction at Battleship Wharf are controlled from a ground frame by a man with a van, after the train has left it has to stop at the Cambois level crossing until the man reaches the crossing to close the gates. ASC_0377 Cambois crossing GBRf 66708 Jayne 5th Aug 15 ASC_0380 Cambois crossing GBRf 66708 Jayne 5th Aug 15 The line then passes the site of Cambois shed and round a curve to reach the signal box at Freeman's Crossing where the line becomes double track. ASC_0384 Freemans crossing GBRf 66708 Jayne 5th Aug 15 The DRS 47 and inspection saloon Caroline then left for North Blyth. ASC_0389 Freemans Crossing DRS 47818 and Caroline 5th Aug 15 ASC_0391 Freemans Crossing DRS 47818 and Caroline 5th Aug 15 ASC_0398 Freemans Crossing DRS 47818 and Caroline 5th Aug 15 David

Brain, Thanks for reminding me the WSB goes only to Menziken, I really knew that but as usual typed the wrong place name. Edit: Do you mean this contraption? I got to Beromunster by bus on that day, Beromunster 6th Aug 97 C22065 I suspect it is to unload wagons into lorries. Is the metal plate in the track covering an underground hopper and the material is then put into lorries using the pipe to fill them from the top? Second edit. Have you seen these photos of Ernie Brack's on the line? https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/albums/72157632091433655/page1 David.

Many thanks for the information. One of these days I'll remember to look things up on Real Time trains either before I go or at least when I get home again to work out what I saw. David

Another Swiss branch line in 1988 this evening, this time from Beinwil am See to Beromunster. The first time I heard of Beromunster was seeing the name on the dial of the family radio when I was very young, so I had to visit the place when I went to Switzerland. The line closed to goods traffic in 2001 and is now a cycle path. Passenger trains ceased in 1992. (both from Wikipedia) Menziken is now served by the metre gauge Wynental and Suhrentalbahn. Beinwil am See Ae6/6 11416 northbound freight 3rd Aug 88 C10066 Beinwil am See view of line to Beromunster 3rd Aug 88 C10067 Beinwil am See De4/4 1663 Beinwil am See to Beromunster and 1667 Luzern to Lenzburg 3rd Aug 88 C10069 Menziken De4/4 1663Beinwil am See to Beromunster 3rd Aug 88 C10060 Beromunster De4/4 1663 Beromunster to Beinwil am See C10064 David

Photos from a couple of visits to Carlisle in 1987 for this evening. Carlisle 318268 on test 14th April 87 C8267 Carlisle 81020 up BOC tanks 21st April 87 C8338 Carlisle 86426 down freightliner 1st Sept 87 C9088 Carlisle 47586 Leeds to Carlisle 1st Sept 87 C9100 Carlisle 85019 Wessex Scot Poole to Glasgow 1st Sept 87 C9115 David

This morning the weather forecast wasn't brilliant so I decided to take a flask of coffee and some sandwiches and go and look at the sea. I parked on the clifftop at Cresswell for a while and had a quick walk then it brightened up, so I decided to go and have a look at Chevington level crossing. ASC_0345 Chevington 221 down 5th Aug 15 ASC_0354 Chevington 91 down 5th Aug 15 ASC_0356 Chevington down 91 5th Aug 15 ASC_0358 Chevington Class 221 up 5th Aug 15 Then I went to the Country Park at Druridge Bay to have a picnic while I watched people learning to sail. On the way home I was driving along the Spine Road (A189) passing over the railway bridge when I noticed a Class 47 and an inspection saloon on the Blyth and Tyne line to North Blyth. I made a quick detour at the next juunction, below is the first photo taken by walking up the steps onto the Spine Road bridge. ASC_0369 Freemans DRS 47818 and Caroline 5th Aug 15 A few more photos of this tomorrow . David

Many thanks Mark, I've added the information to the captions. David

I have some GER ones ready to post in the coming weeks/months and am currently going through a batch of Dad's and my photos which I've not yet used - so far I've sorted out about 3,000 from the 60s and early 70s to correct and caption, some of those are GER (and LT&S). There are still an awful lot more to do - so far I think I've used just over 10% of the images from the beginning up to 2003. David