Glorious NSE

From the last TOPS info I saw I think all the surviving 'second batch' ones are stored, most are at St Blazey, but 125, 135 and 137 are supposed to be internal user 'reach wagons' at Fowey i'm told.

I'd say they sound lots different to a 66! A whole different, bigger engine (16-645 instead of a 12-710) and a much smaller silencer make for a different noise i'd say...

So for completeness we know that bit didn't happen as 353224 is still around.

Think I said it earlier, 375000 to 375123 were the original 'new build' production batch, but then there were a few more which I **think** may also have been converts from HAAs - that would account for any HAA details and the chassis/bodies being the other way round on some. So far as I can tell the production batch up to 123 were all built identically. This is a shot from 2001 I found digging through the archives which I **think** is 375130, but the number is hard to make out, it's another one with the body/chassis the wrong way though. (Can't tell conclusively from this shot but I think it maybe has the brake gear underneath in HAA style as well?)

Makes sense if that one at Bodmin wasn't 353224 as it would account for the dissapearance/reappearance of the ladders! <pedant> It'll be 375075 </pedant> but good catch! That mod isn't exactly common but it's not the only one. 375092 also has (at one end) 375110 definately has them at one end only - novel! 375118... All my shots currently online are here - i've some older ones to put back but they will need locating and scanning... http://ukrailwaypics...6637767_hKW4F3D Most were shot in the mid 00s, there were some interesting livery variants at that time, various combinations of red/blue in framing and hoods, plus some other detail bits like yellow end patches and 'ghosts' of the ECC logo panels. There's some detail shots in there too covering the roof and 'slotted' side, which are respectively rendered rather poorly and not rendered at all on the Hornby model! <edit to correct photo links>

The other way of looking at it is it's really good news for rail freight as a business - loco's sat on shed are a waste of money. There is less work, which is the other side of the equation and is rather sad, but the very efficient use of resources I find rather impressive.

Nice pics guys, an interesting beast, loving those ladders! B&Q's best! I think the brake equipment us underneath the platform on the opposite end to your shots Bill, you can see part of it in Craig's shot - doesn't have the frame-top mounted brake gear the production ones have. Sort of - but a combination of less trains/longer trains and more intensive usage of the loco's means there are usually only a max of 2 DB Schenker loco's in Cornwall at any one time these days unless there's something like an engineering blockade on - the loco's don't tend to sit still for long.

Ref the wrong-way-round some (not all) of the second batch of CDA (numbers above 375123) also have the chassis/body opposite the normal setup.

Okay - quick check. I think the number you want is 353224 and yes, that was the prototype converted from an HAA, I don't have any shots of it though. Apparently it's in storage at St Blazey.

From the number and without checking it will be ex HAA, rather than a newbuild as most are - those are 375xxx.

Maybe, but all the schemes they list as "proposed" are in the US or Canada, so it would be a bit silly if that is what's happenning! San Jose airport Santa Cruz Alameda Point Mountain View (all in CA I think?) Plus Ithaca NY Hillsboro OR Tysons Corner VA Raleigh NC And Calgary AB There's some interesting feasibility stuff from the UK, but other than Heathrow nothing that looks likely to go anywhere at present from over here. Interesting that they see it in many places as providing local feeders to heavier public transport rather than replacing it.

Sorry Pete, their site pops right up for me.

Quote from one of the manufacturers links that RonRonRon posted above: "The first phase of the ULTra network opens in summer 2011. It consists of 21 vehicles, two stations in the N3 Business Car Park and one station at Terminal 5." http://www.ultraprt.com/news/83/149/Snow-day-in-UK/ http://www.ultraprt.com/news/85/149/Heavy-snow-handling/ The fibreglass hollow track looks a bit freaky to me, but ought to solve the snow issue!

Ride quality is interesting though!

Nice work Paul I've a few also which are also online, so even in modern terms not the least shot ever - i'd nominate maybe some of DRS's 'local' container flats used on the Cumbrian coast...anyhow - PAAs here: http://ukrailwaypics...covered-hoppers - all of the modern fleet though so not of much use to the OP in livery terms.

I've used MB Klien and Walthers when ordering from the US and both are pretty good. With a slight tangent I order Microscale decals direct from them, much easier, quicker, with a better range and a useful sized preview and unless you're buying loads it comes in a flat envelope and doesn't usually attract the attention of customs.

So you would have people who even dare to cross an empty street whisked away never to be heard from by their families again....I sure hope we never see your idea of a perfect Britain...

Don't get me wrong, i'm 100% in favour of upping the ante against this crime, which causes disruption and annoyance way beyond the cost of what is stolen, but.... Really? I'd be 100% against going down the road of classifying assorted crimes/misdemeanors/annoyances as 'terrorism' - follow that route and you'll soon be whisked away in a black helicopter for crossing the road without waiting for the green man...

I've had that on a 153 - crowded platform, and as the train rolls to a stop a lady shoves her way sideways through the crowd to be directly in front of the door - which is barely wide enough for one person to get off through let alone her to get on at the same time. We had a momentary mexican-standoff before I pointed out that if she let the crowd of people off she'd be able to get on!

Trouble is even if you like what they are playing (doesn't happen often but it has occasionally!) I guarantee it will still sound awful played at full volume through a mobile phone speaker... I like the suggestion of more announcements in the quiet coach to remind them to be quiet, maybe if they are custom announcements you could get them done as a stage whisper....."Shhhh! It's the quiet coach".... Red Death has a good point though, i've also been booked on long distance journeys on Voyagers and turned up to find i'm stuck in the quiet coach whether I liked it or not, and whilst I try and keep my music to myself (i'd agree with Jim a nice set of headphones works wonders!) and don't use my phone much at all I do use it to (for example) let my wife know we're on time if she's picking me up!

In my experience I think that's quite likely, I tend to avoid going out for steam specials as they are guaranteed to bring out the numpties... And the same over here....take a look back at RAIB reports over the last few years, an open container door, some loose tanktainer cladding or a broken stantion on a steel carrier wouldn't be good to meet at 60/75mph...

I don't disagree Pete (hence the careful use of 'usually'! ) - in this case though one track over from where that bloke is standing I suspect line speed is somewhere between 100mph and 125mph, is populated with very frequent electric trains that make very little noise and aren't blowing for crossings every mile or so... Either way in terms of person vs train it makes little difference. A pacer at 25mph is just as capable of ruining your whole day as a Pendolino or a mile of double stacks...

I believe with regard to the US the answer is yes, there are more accidents, injuries and fatalities - although a mitigation to the risk there may be that their trains tend to be usually noisier and usually slower.

Kenton, members of the public should have no need of understanding the meaning of that sign as they shouldn't be wandering about on the railway in the first place! Generally I agree 100%, although i've been to the occasional location where i've suddenly realised i've ended up at trackside on the 'wrong side' of a fence without crossing any fence line or other clear boundary.

Really nice work on the 377 James.