daveyb

I see your switch and raise you a diamond in the road. At nearly 90 degrees. On a dual carriageway road. At a road junction!

Those are Fodens (well, ERFs) but they may have, the Scammell Routeman 8 wheel was a very popular chassis for the same use and I remember seeing some of those on the M25 contracts in Herts discharging into what looked to be a mobile plant with no other infrastructure nearby. There is often a mechanism immediately behind the cab on the powder tanks but for some commodities (including cement) these were hydraulics for tipping the load. A quick google of images appears to (broadly) suggest no tubes on the side indicates a tipper, tubes on the side indicates a vacuum or air discharge and possibly air/vacuum and tip. A different type of tank on a ERF chassis shows blown loading/discharge equipment fitted: a newer example of discharge into a bigger trailer with little or no extra infra is here: https://www.alamy.com/stock-image-cement-storage-and-transport-167863398.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=DBC7E6E7-3F80-4FE6-8227-CB81CA9B9BCB&p=360012&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dvacuum%20lorry%26qt_raw%3dvacuum%20lorry%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

Gathurst Roburite/ICI/Orica Eastwood closed in 1981, so just makes the topic. Here is one of John Phillips shots from 1978.

I remember the short local codes being used but they had become a list in the front of the telephone directory and only a list of numbers, no letters e.g. Hatfield from 81 from St. Albans. I also remember my Grandmother complaining when they started talking about 081 for outer London. When they got their telephone installed (by the Boots company so they could call my Grandfather in an emergency) their number was Fox Lane 391. My first call to that house in the 70s the number was 01 882 1391, but you could see where the number 1 had been added manuscript to the disc in the centre of the dial with 391 typed below the 999 notice. The 7 was added to Harpenden numbers (as Cornelius noted) when they got their own sub exchange under the Luton code rather than the St. Albans exchange in Liverpool Road, from where my friend's mother (now in her 80s) was dismissed in 1969, unable to work through pregnancy... that wouldn't happen now!!! When did Directory Enquiries change to 192 from DIR in numbers? Also, I think the later changes had a lot to do with the end of relays and clicks with a move to solid state (later computer) routing and the alignment with Mobile systems. The 7 was added to all mobile numbers in 98/99 ish and Vodaphone lost the 0410 and 0401 codes whereas Cellnet kept the 0801/2/3 batches ( I'm still on 07802...). All that was something to do with Ofcom taking ownership of the numbers from BT. Telex was used a lot in international transport and even some forces bases used to use it for transport booking. It was considered legally binding whereas fax was not, though when Melotexpaper finally finished plain paper fax became legally acceptable for some reason. The LT, LMR , later BR, and MoD networks all seem to have been better than their replacement, contracted solutions (under Project RODIN for the MoD). The MoD also had at least 3 secure systems with BRINTON/BRENT being a SECRET one (Top Secret codewords allowed). That followed the compromise of RED 5 in Northern Ireland... BT... We could wander further off thread and remember Maureen Lipman and before that, Buzby. Sorry, that really was a yarn

The parcels or papers were always a good option if you missed the last train out of St. Pancras. The last normal train was about 23.30 which was always a struggle from Hammersmith Palais or Brixton Academy and it was always a stopper. Catching the papers or parcels at 2 or 4ish was a bonus, but there was always the one grumpy stickler who'd not let you on. An aside, why did the BGs replace the passenger carrying brakes on WCML services, so only one brake per train? It may be only an impression, there may have been just as many but I seem to remember a change in formation in the late 70s/early 80s when I was a nipper. Thinking about it, was it when the Super BGs were put with Mk3s?

Was that the end of 50 041 too?

Nice work. Don't be too put off by the quietness. The garden section is not well known.

Interesting view... GE have overtaken EMD in production terms causing GM to sell the EMD/GMD operations (to Caterpillar Progress Rail). UP, NS, BNSF, CP, CN, CSX, etc seem to be content with their many thousands of them over the last 20-30 years. Their capital plans seem attractive to leasers... I don't see the issue; better to use a company that can stay afloat than one that has busted their finance house twice (GMAC). GE have done some acquisition work and moved production but that is the modern world... Look at the car industry or Boeing or Dyson. It may be that the GE HH locos to UK requirements (70s) have not fulfilled their promise as easily as EMD managed to squeeze an SD60 into a 66 and perform. However, I suspect the store/use/store/use cycle is carefully matched to flows, power requirements, lease costs, storage cost and maintenance costs. Running a rail company is far more than just running trains in this age. You don't talk about a Rolls Royce job if you're anything to do with a Trent based aircraft or a BMW car...

Yes, my mistake entirely, thank you. The storage dept was separate from the flight station. Some of the houses now on the Quedgley site are service families accommodation (as they now call married quarters)

The RAF station at Quedgley was called RAF Innsworth, it's now a joint hq and called Imjin Barracks. The HQ & Support Battalion for the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps is based there. There are a few lodger units located on the airfield as well.

That is the world in which we now live. We used to joke that Army first aid was laugh at the accident first then treat, now everyone films first for their 5mins of infamy but then doesn't treat/act.

I suppose that would depend on the position of the DPU, and it seems to be a bit random (I'm told the ideal place is a few spaces forward of the wagon at the draw bar capacity of the head end locos). Broken couplers are fairly common on this side of the Atlantic, too. If the length of the train requires a tail helper, then you get all the read-out that loco can provide, and a compressor, and a release valve.

Wasn't there a similar issue when they named an 86 Sir John Betjeamin on Platform 7/8 at old St. Pancras?

No surprise at all (as long as you get a seat). It's more central at both ends, it's no slower when you add in check-in and security, catering is similar or better, certainly more comfortable... leg room, luggage room, lap top power, cell coverage, WiFi... Lots of good reasons. The cost can be a problem, but the peak time airfare on these shuttle services is never cheap. The real battle is with very cheap contract hire cars. We used to try to travel by train but unless going into London, we'd always be given a car.

I helped fit or more accurately re-fit the battery lamps on the newer, rigid, rail- mounted buffer stops* in St. Pancras during my work experience in 1984. The nose of the HSTs knocked a few of them off so we set them back 6 inches. Some of the overnight stabling of the early HST services caused problems as St. Pancras had a gradient toward the stops. They were a tin box with two spring top batteries and a tail lamp lens with the ldr daylight circuit from a roadworks light. They were not lit at night because of the station lighting so Willy covered the 'eye' with tape. The batteries didn't last even a day so we wired them to just be mains powered lamps. I remember a number of stories about Willy... * That were set in front of the hydraulic buffers.

Mention of the EOTD on North American lines, they don't do much with brakes as you can run without them in some circumstances. They are used to say when a point has been passed e.g. when out of a loop or past a crossing. They are slowly doing away with fixed treadles for radio activation. The big thing is the Distributed Power Units (DPU) or mid train helpers, and the trailing locos. They control the brakes and refill the system over a long train, but use radio signals rather than TDM or other electronic connection or just air.

The strips of lead method is still regularly used with rebuilding IC engines on main and big end bearings. In this case a known thickness strip of wax or, these days, plastic is wrapped on the bearing face and the caps torqued down. Once the caps are removed, a gauge and key to read the gauge is held against the squashed strip and if the expansion of the strip is within limits the bearings are withing tolerance. It's more of a go, no go type test but very common. I think their correct name is a Plastigauge but we know them a swish strips. Thanks due to Gibbo for the detailed reply and fascinating link

I looked up that loco and according to much internet information, the tender was nothing more than a basic bogie tank car which could be attached to either end, depending on role, route or 'trim'. It could operate without but was limited in range. Apparently it has been cosmetically restored recently. Appropriately located as it was built under licence at NBL, it's a shame there is nowhere to have it run even if it could be steamed.

Didn't that stock also work to Heysham for the Isle of Man boats? Possibly from the north and the south...

Tidy design. That Cadbury's wagon has just taken me back to 1975 and a circle of track with 6042 racing around until the battery went flat...

If you are wondering what your departmental liveried 08 can haul, then virtually anything will work as the sectors loaned and borrowed all sorts of locos (though the actual 97 numbered ones were less often lent). Is it painted grey? If yes, haul anything with a leaning towards air braked stock.

The North American lines were ahead there, with big powerful lights fitted to steam engines in the 30s (not really the enormous oil lights from the turn of the century 19 to 20). But even then they were experimenting with ideas to make the lights more noticeable. Both the Gyralight and the Mars light used mechanical and geared systems to sweep the beam in a pattern by moving the reflector or lens or both. They are fascinating bits of machinery. Locos were often fitted with both a solid and a moving light. Later, smaller twin lights are more like high beam. I think it was CN who introduced 'ditch lights' on the pilot beam to enhance both sight and visibility, which has been taken into standards for north America. There, too, is a variance as some railroads and conditions require the ditch light to flash alternately, which may be speed and crossing related. They have tried roof mounted beacons that are like a bright version of a yellow beacon on a plant vehicle (winky pots, we used to call them) but they also fell out of favour in the early 2000s. As has bean mentioned, D9000 was fitted with a flashing light in 1960 so it is not new to BR, and headlights have been fitted to new locos and stock since the 87s in 1973. Welsh and Scottish locos had fitments from the 70s too. Why retro fitting took so long is anyone's guess. Yellow paint must be cheap!!!

The yellow seems to have changed over the years with the GSYE looking more orangey hue than the later BFYE, but that may be contrast and film aging. I know that the yellow for ends is supposed to be specific hue that fades to pink quite readily. It's interesting to see that the yellow Thunderbirds and the Colas liveries bit had slightly different shades of yellow for the noses compared with the main body. I have doubts as to whether it is possible to scientifically prove whether a colour or pattern stands out more than another... It is so subjective and personal. Probably the most common variations are on the American side. Canadian Pacific had the Action Red livery with black and white stripes on one end, and red and white on the other, in either 8in or 5in breadth stripes depending on when. There are many others with green and orange strips on New Haven, black and white on Norfolk Southern, etc, There some interesting wasp and zig zag examples in the industrial sector, but most systems seem to be relying on lights now. Interestingly, there does appear to be evidence that three light ∆ arrangements aid judgement of distance from an approaching train.

Looks a bargain! Skirts, square off the buffer beam top, bigger buffers or dumb squares or a centre coupler buffer depending on your use, remove all lights, stove pipe exhaust, may be a new roof with edges (eg like an 04 rather than an 03) and paint it a dark colour with lining. If you wanted it newer, I'd say paint yellow. I think it will look fine. There were some foreign steam locos in Britain pre WW2, no reason there couldn't be a few IC (petrol or diesel). It just needs to look older rather than more Anglicized.

Reading that, Pressed Steel had very close links with Budd. They could have probably been much bigger in railways but their car products kept them busy. When in the BL empire, they were a classic 'must use British and where the workers are, they will stay' type organization. There are pics of Triumph 2000 and 2500 shells being carried on open transporters from PS in Dudley or similar to the assembly plant at Canley. None of them are painted and the weather is typically UK rain. No wonder they rusted! Now, if Budd had pushed the Stainless idea...