pharrc20

Upper End Bridge or as was locally known in railway terms Pipeline Bridge which was originally just an occupation overbridge but in ICI days gained a slurry pipeline and the bridge was later fenced off. The bridge was removed x years ago. I think I posted some info in Marcus' Peak Dale Wood layout thread a while ago year escapes me now maybe 2007 or 8? Paul

Yes the Tunstead to Hindlow is the only traffic to be routed via Buxton. Only exceptions are diverted traffic as mentioned before otherwise all output plus that from Dove Holes goes via Dove Holes Tunnel. And then there is the output from Dowlow quarry just a little further south than Hindlow and that sends out quite a few trainloads of limestone and aggregates all requiring a reverse & run round at Buxton. Network Rail have proposed to remodel and lengthen the run round sidings at Buxton to meet increased demand. Paul

Partly answered elsewhere but the amount of quarrying the then ICI Mond could do at Hindlow was restricted and so in 1987 the new flow commenced and 37688 was named "Great Rocks" in 1988 to commemorate the new flow. And the real 37688 ex DRS will I believe ride again as "Great Rocks" now it is in preservation. Hence the flow continuing today using Freightliner locos and HIA wagons. Paul

Forgot to add any such diversions with the 3 reversals would be top 'n tailed with locos at both ends and the train length and weight reduced by shortening the wagon rake given the steep gradients on the LNW line. Paul

Loaded trains from Tunstead to Hindlow say will depart Tuns northbound as far as the Up&Dn Loop or Up Main (lines are reversed here so that Up is towards Chinley). Then loco will run-round wagons using Up-Dn crossover at Peak Forest South. Then head south then west towards Buxton using single line from Great Rocks Jnc. Then at Buxton will surrender token then enter XYZ/Donahue Sdgs loop to run round again. Then depart south towards station to briefly join LNW line outside Buxton signal box collecting token then heading for Hindlow ground frame to access Tarmac BLI Brigg's Sdgs. So there is no direct connection nowadays from MR line to LNW so any diverted services say Tunstead to Lostock Northwich would need to reverse 3 times (Great Rocks/Buxton Sdgs/Buxton station) to gain LNW line to Stockport. When Dove Holes tunnel was closed for major drainage works 5-6 years maybe a bit longer now services were diverted to run this was. To help with these an extra trailing crossover was installed up the bank towards Dove Holes but these were later taken out. Paul

These Peakstone BRT PGAs are on my to-do list... Paul

Yes indeed the traffic still runs using the bulk containers. I believe the purity of the limestone quarried at Tunstead is one if not the highest in mainland Britain and so ideal for steelmaming hence the original decision to supply Margam from Tunstead. Paul

Lovely photo bingley hall. I regret no going to Peak more often back then I wish my Dad or Uncle had taken me there more. Oh well I will just have to wait for that time machine to arrive! Paul

Yes a batch of 52 CBA covered hoppers were built for a new flow of powdered lime from Tunstead to Margam from 1969 onwards. They were later used from Hardendale quarry at Shap on WCML to Margam using British Steel's own quarry. Some were later used in potash and rock salt traffic from Boulby. The last 10 wagons remained in traffic by the end of 1999 and were all stored out of traffic by 2001 and scrapped at Margam yard thereafter. I am slowly modelling a rake of these just need to get my finger out to finish them! Paul

This is further down Great Rocks Dale and the building you see on the right next to the sidings is the bagging and distribution warehouse for bagged lime products. The large building beyond are related to the lime kilns and storage silos. Off to the left is Great Rocks Tunnel with the single line on left to Buxton via Topley Pike and Ashwood Dale. The line on right leads down to the main Tunstead quarry sidings. Paul

Blimey I don't recall seeing that when I visited Tunstead back in 2008 but I will check my photos. The building the line runs to is known as South Shops. Not even sure why the connection is still there. Looks like they have reduced the sidings behind the signalbox from 3 down to the 1 as well? Paul

Those are the last 2 RMC tanks afaik and the others were sent for scrap not so long ago.

Somewhere on the pc i have a translated copy of a French Y bogie design site that I managed to download some years ago. I will have a look at home later on for you. Paul

I've said it before and the mere suggestion was dismissed but surely some bright spark could make a 3D printed chassis with the exact same cut-outs,holes etc. as the Hornby one to allow owners to swap over their broken rotted mazak chassis for a plastic one. Sure there won't be as much weight as the mazak type and you could strengthen the new version around the cab floor weakspots. In the age where you can 3D print foodstuffs, body parts and god knows what else surely a 31 chassis would be a doddle?? Paul

I now have five cracked bodies/split chassis' - 4 x 31270 blue plus 1 x 31110 'Dutch' having discovered the fifth last week whilst checking my remaining early Hornby 31s. So five duffers hmmm. Paul

Having done plenty of out of the door window filming in the past I would say the following always film in the direction of travel i.e. forwards. Obvious I know but best be safe. Don't look through the viewfinder all of the time use both eyes to look ahead for anything that might cause you an injury i.e. bridges, masts, branches, foliage etc. And don't let other people inside the coach or doorway distract you either you need to concentrate on looking ahead. And be safe if it means stopping filming and whipping the camera in sharpish then do so. Apart from HSTs and the few remaining loco hauled services the only other opportunities are railtours/excursions or heritage lines. Paul

Blackham Transfers were going to do a sheet based on their 7mm sheet for the Warren Shepherd brass kit of the Summers wagons. The 4mm Roxey kit was started by Warren Shepherd originally a project I was involved with for a while and Alan Blackham was supposed be doing 4mm versions reduced down from his 7mm sheet of rub-on transfers. Whether they ever got produced I do not know. Paul

It has gone rather quiet hmmm. Not even showing in the Hatton's advert anymore in modelling press where it gives updates on projects

Here is the photo of 320004 I was talking about taken at Peak Forest last week... Cheers Paul

I must take more internal views of wagons from the bridge... I must take more... lol. Mind you not seen any HOAs being shunted into Cemex just lately mostly HTA rakes apart from the JGAs that turned up the other week.

I'll add photo once I have photo from my other phone

Hi Ben, I didn't see anymore but not finished all of the camera folders yet although did find some IIA and HTA inside photos. I saw a rather poorly looking HOA in the sidings at Peak Forest the other day with no buffers or couplings at one end! Poor wagon. Cheers Paul

Found these two so far.. not sure if any use or not? Both Peak Forest July 2008 Cheers Paul

I might have some just need to find them...

OK cheers thanks for confirming that