Glorious NSE

So - is it time to retitle the thread already?

That's so far put me off doing much "overt" old box hunting, there's a few in the area i'd like to get close enough to get build date info for - but I suspect that will generally be the reaction! Box with pantograph - awesome

Probably not many Mark! Was there a build date on it by any chance? I think the old style type code dates it to between 1984 and 1995 - 4500 suggests taller than 8'6" and the door markings (and features) suggest a "palletwide" box - wonder if it dates to early "tunnel" years? Nice catch. Here's a more standard sized one, this one overlooks West Hampstead NLL platforms, sadly I think it's since been "repainted" - this one doesn't ever seem to have had proper interchange markings.

This "kitbashed" one was in use during 2008 moving supplies to/from Ipswich stabling point, which I don't think is able to receive supplies by truck. http://thehumblebox.fotopic.net/p55341406.html - the sprayed on "BELU" marks and number are interesting, suggesting the kitbash may have originally been a Bell Lines box. I also caught this one in 2009 with "on hire to Freightliner" decals: http://thehumblebox.fotopic.net/p61044622.html Not seen a "proper" freightliner box moving for years though, so nice to know it happens albeit occasionally!

Ta for the update/correction Paul

The cradles don't come off the wagon when it's emptied though.

I think you'd probably need to decide whether you were modelling a BAA (which doesn't have cradles) or a BZA which uses that cradle style - and if you're modelling a BZA then add the cradles on! There seems to be a "base" under the cradle which doesn't feature on the real thing, and there seems to be lots of coils there (most i've shot show only two big coils or three smaller ones) - but provided you can "customise" the load parts it should be pretty good.

I believe EMD ran a 59 off the end of the London ON test track which delayed it's delivery for a couple of months, have a feeling they pulled the same trick with a 66 as well.

I think it's used because with the standard setup two of the three lights would be hidden behind the pub - I think there are similar "low clearance" ones at Lincoln as well?

Sounds like a plan Arran B) (PS - MOL box arrived today, very nice!)

Looking at the sateillite pics though my impression is that a lot of that may have been down to fitting in with the (then?) existing track arrangement on the NLL? There's a lot of space there to play with if you're not trying to cram all moves into the existing 2 platforms - maybe even more if you upgrade some of those old bridges? Not sure you neccesarily even need a 4 track alignment that end, I reckon 3 will do the job - something like this would also allow for the proposed ELL terminus, keep the HS traffic (and any WCML-ECML freights) away from the NLL and ELL (whilst retaining the existing links) - and even retain the capability for parrallel freight moves to/from the WCML - I suspect it might just give you enough length to hold even a Eurostar-sized train to wait for a path between Camden Rd West and HS1 as well?

I think it could run on a broadly similar alignment to the M40, but there are bits where an M40 alignment would also give lots of engineering issues, Gerrards Cross to the other side of High Wycombe would be both awkward from the point of view of fitting it in and coping with difficult terrain for example - following the Chiltern line is worse in terms of fitting it in (and would I suspect give you even more NIMBY's - a friend of mine who lives up there forwarded me a typical local scare story about 200mph trains going through High Wycombe station, which is a laugh if you know the curves throught there!) Following a motorway at least gives you the advantage that it's much less noisy and less ugly than what's already there. Quite! I think you would need at least one dedicated line through Camden Road for it with no conflicts with the NLL (and ideally no conflicts with the freight connection to the WCML either) if you planned to make using it a regular occurence - there is room for 4 tracks at Camden Road East and through the station, but you'd have to then widen the viaduct at Camden Road W.Jcn (it wouldn't need to be a very long length of widening from memory?) to get rid of the NLL conflict - do that and I think it may be workable, although you're then up to about "plan J" in terms of NLL modernisation in that area I think!

There's some wonderful logic here... Presume you need to identify the routes first in order to study it...? Strangely I still have my hearing after watching trains pass on HS1! Logically it would be quite difficult to run 28 trains per hour day and night if the night if the line is shut for maintainence throughout the night. Really? I mean.....Really? Don't get me wrong, I think they have a good case for arguing an alignment alongside an existing transport route (like the M40) has advantages, but spouting rubbish doesn't help their cause.

Just about anywhere/everywhere between Amersham and Birmingham International

Like any kid with brio, once Brunel had built a top quality straight railway out from London he then had to use all the curves up west of Exeter to make it to Penzance...

Nice ones Jo B)

Nice, although i'm not sure EWS works that well written in CN's "noodle" font - maybe it needs rebranding as CN-Europe or something. B) I always preferred their previous Zebra corporate image: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=397675

Interesting project Jo, can't wait to see how this looks.

The MODA ones were up for sale last time I looked (along with their own 4 wheel vans, PDA ex BR AB stock) - and I haven't seen a MODA one in use for ages, but I think you're right DRS is still using some. This came up last week in another place, only two BR vans left on the network, and not sure whether they are actually in use or just in reserve - there are Sharks in use but i'd lump them under "infrastructure"

Yes lots of it is "legacy" equipment and most likely not the weapon of choice *if* they were doing new build now - having said that if you assume an arbitrary 40 year service life much of it has a decade or more life left. Although the TTAs especially are 1960s wagons, so if you apply an arbitrary 40 year rule they are life expired already! I think the most recent on the list will be some of the IPA car carriers, at least some of which are from the early 1990s (early channel tunnel days) - as a load of cars/vans is relatively lightweight I suspect any replacement (from around 2033-ish if you are talking 40 years?) could follow a similar design assuming the rail network then is not radically different to now? CDA's are from 1987 and may be amongst the newest "domestic" ones - they are also one which is tied into an unloading method designed specifically for that wagon type. The only ones on that list I think are under threat in the short term are the sand PAAs (various trials have been going on with new wagons) and PGAs (DBS has a set or two of ex Redland ones working in the London area, but they seem to mostly be used "as needed") I think most on that list are "safe" whilst the traffic they are used on runs - yes you could probably introduce more efficient designs for many of them but I suspect in many cases that would be of marginal benefit overall?

In everyday use nowadays but *Not* including infrastructure: TTA - already mentioned - all depot fuel from Fawley goes out in ESSO TTAs, some BP flows in Scotland, some from Lindsey for DBS also TUA - depot fuel from Lindsey for DBS, mud oil from Aberdeen PAA - Sand traffic PCA - Cement traffic from Peak Forest (RMC) Earles, Oxwellmains (Blue Circle) Ketton, Clitheroe (Castle) - Alumina from North Blyth PGA - Aggregates PHA - Aggregates (self discharge train wagons) PNA - Plasmor blockfreight CDA - China clay on local trips to Fowey IVA/IZA - Single/Twin cargowaggon IFA - Transfesa intermodal flats IFA - STVA 4 unit vehicle flats IPA - Assorted STVA car carriers, single and bilevel in variously 1, 2 and 4 unit sets OAA - Concrete blocks from the mendips OCA - MOD traffic REA - Runner wagons for steel traffic SSA - Scrap traffic SEA/SPA - Wire coil traffic I'd take VDA's off your first list as well, don't think there have been any of them in revenue use for several years.

I was going to school in Wimbledon at the time of the run down of the fleet and remember the 73/TCB combo's - in shove mode they bounced around like anything on the pointwork at Wimbledon West - they always gave the impression that at some point one of the pair was going to decide to turn left for Sutton.

Somebody mentioned railtours earlier, as the requirement for TCs wound down after the Bournemouth electrification NSE refurbished a pair of TC sets, restored them to a nice approximation of their original rail blue paint and used them as dedicated railtour sets - the following pics were taken in July 1993 on HRT's "London Orbital" railtour at Nuneaton and Fenchurch St. With thanks to http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/ for jogging the fading memory the route was Blackfriars, Nunhead, Charlton, Strood, Paddock Wood, Redhill, Guildford, Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Coventry, Nuneaton. Nuneaton, Leicester, Peterborough, Ipswich, Stratford, Gas factory Jcn, Fenchurch St. Plenty of opportunity for a TC set to spread it's wings.

They're not from the IC/ICG, Paducah's have rebuilt battery box arrangements plus ox-yoke filters making them fairly easy to spot once you know what to look for - have a compare with: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=550168 The frog eye headlight is another IC spotting feature but not all had them http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locolist.aspx?id=DAIR Reckons the #5 is an ex Milwaukee GP9 whilst the #24 is an ex BN (nee Northern Pacific) GP9

Stone from the peak district also