45125

More common than you may think having a yellow head code hinged front, it also wasn't unknown for a GFYE one to have a green panel. Usually swapped due to a bump or faulty route indicator mechanism. Al Taylor

Most of the ones we had at BG were Conflat A, with one L. Al Taylor

It always took a few brake applications to get rid off the layer of casting sand and the rough finish off the blocks. Al Taylor

All the runners at BG were done around 1979/80 by two of the apprentices. The lower middle lamp had a socket fitted so the runner could be plugged in. Al Taylor

Usually caused by train wires 7 and 8 being incorrectly crossed or not in the respective end.

The "turrets" are where the brake cylinder are located.

The story at Hull is not really perplexing, the class was brought in to eliminate steam in the area, which it did. Having worked with many ex Dairycoates maintenance staff they all told the same story about the Paxmans. The shed master at the time was looking for traction to replace steam, but was looking to reduce some of his maintenance costs mainly in the electrical side so thought the Paxmans would be ideal for trip work in the area. When they arrived the short comings of the class soon became apparent, ie lack of brake force, cylinder head leaks etc. The brake force issue was soon over come by double heading. Most of them did provide some useful service in the short stay at Dairycoates. However like the western traffic for them was disappearing at quite a rate. When they withdrawn in April 68 it was month or so before the replacements arrived in the shape of EE type 1s, six in number. Also there was a reshuffle of EE type 3 diagram, which include Dairycoates loosing six or so type 3s. The NTP is the main reason for the demise of the 33 Paxmans at Dairycoates, even though they were not the problematic and did have quite a reasonable availability figure. I can remember seeing nearly all the local Paxmans out and about in the area, most mainly on the Hessle Quarry to Wilmington turns. Al Taylor

It was all part of a three day diagram which linked up Paddington -Brum and Brum - Leeds- Brum and Brighton - Man Picc and a couple of other workings. It reduced a couple of coaching stock sets by lengthening diagrams, ie better utilisation. The Sheffield - Hull - Sheffield part just fitted in with the South Pennine service for Hull. Al Taylor

The service is actually a Hull-Sheffield-Brighton not a Gatwick. It was the return working of the Paddington-Hull service, which split at Sheffield with the rear portion going to Leeds. These portions reunited at Sheffield with the Leeds section now at the front, the loco off the Hull portion remains at Sheffield. As to locos the Paddington engine came off at New Street, with a loco fresh off Saltley going forward, A 31 would work the Leeds section forward and then work through to New Street , where another loco fresh off Saltley would work to the South coast. Al Taylor

Correct about the reason for change of exhaust outlet, there was also the fact the silencer used too fracture and at least one accident is thought to be attributable to the crew became over come by fumes from a crack in the silencer.

There was also a couple of toffee apple cabs kicking around near the back of the test house.

As a former BG electrician all I can say is that there was an idea to form the units up as driver and trailer which would always stay together. However the best laid plans didn't work out and it soon became unworkable due to engine gear box repairs so almost any vehicle could be found working. One vehicle that always seemed to be on the depot as a spares was the 123 trailer 59818. Al Taylor\

31248 was at 34G for sometime, always thought all the tablet catcher 31s had the pipework for the tripcock fitted.

Don't think the leading car is 50168 as that was allocated to Norwich at this time, more than likely one of Neville Hills 4 car Met Camms. The red buffer beam also indicates a NL unit as a certain fitter a NL Paul Corrie was quite prolific with the red paint. Al Taylor.

Would have though it has some sort of mesh over the hole with the duct removed as that is the combustion air intake for the boiler.

Have a look on Flickr for 24129, Haymarket and Eastfield also used similar on some of their locos too. Al Taylor

The TTP sets extra TF was 41066, which was fitted with a telephone booth. The TTP set which made regular appearance at NL on Saturday nights, this formation would need a double shuffle in the shed as the rear power car couldn't be serviced as the NL at the time was only st up for 2+7 and 2+8 at the time. WR power cars were not that unusual on XC sets at this time. Later on the eighties it became very common, the Mirrlees power cars all turned up at NL not long after they were converted. Al Taylor

Some of the early ones were a sticker, the ones on DMU cab windows been a good example. Al Taylor.

BG was short of DMUs at this time due to a the Trans Pennine and Mini Pennines suffering with gearbox and engine problems, Derby and Swindon couldn't supply them fast enough. So the Met Camms were covering for them, and some of the jobs up the branch were covered by using the Leeds and Doncaster parcels sets coupled together and on occasions the trailer cars from the Pennines. Al Taylor.

43008 had 8 million on it went from VXC to GNER so by 2016 would have run a couple of million more by then. I did have on my work laptop the milages ran by all the ECML and XC power cars since conversion to MTU. KBRS wsp rack recorded miles run so was a reasonable guide to what each power car had run. Al Taylor

Leeds Aberdeen KGX Leeds was booked for fuel at Aberdeen purely as a precaution if dropping on to one engine. When the ECML fleet was MTU fitted it was looked at extending the range to 1200+ miles but with the advent of the low sulphur fuel this affected the fuel efficiency so this option was not taken up. An HST on one power car would be limited to a range of around 650 miles if starting out on one power car.

It has full yellow end, the look above the cab front window, the yellow finishes level with the upright side of the same window not as the later finish with about an inch of yellow beyond the window.

It has full yellow end, the look above the cab front window, the yellow finishes level with the upright side of the same window not as the later finish with about an inch of yellow beyond the window.

All linkages, Russ.

The 03/04 in multi where also used in the Leeds/Bradford area. Various cables and pipes passed between vehicles of which was a throttle cable was one, believe a gear cable was also used.