Claude_Dreyfus

50031 was displayed at the Chart Leacon open day in June 1992. That could have been the one you saw.

I haven't seen the episode yet (still on the Sky box waiting for a gap in the snooker!), but the Moka line uses C11 and C12 tank engines. I am assuming one of these were featured. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_C11 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_C12

Unidentified MPV working the 09:10 Totton Yard - Horsham service on 29th April 2021.

The M250 takes it to another level. In this case it operates the Sagawa parcels service between Tokyo and Osaka. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M250_series

I too am rather apprehensive about the new presenter. The program was never particularly heavy-weight, but I hope the program isn't spoiled by focusing too much on the presenter as a 'personality' (which you couldn't really accuse Nathan of being!). I agree that it would be good for Ryo to share more of his (obviously extensive) knowledge. We shall see... It was a bit of a puff-piece for JRF, but nothing wrong in that. Being a Japanese rail fiend, it is a pleasant 30 minute diversion. The M250 is quite an impressive beast. Interestingly all of the locos featured (with one notable exception) are available in model form... including the M250 (which is a 16 car FMU). Missing is the new HD300 shunter which featured a few times.

As others have said, this part of the world was definitely not a stamping ground for the class. SED drivers did not have traction knowledge on them, so 'rule 1' is probably your best option, although it would not look too out of place surrounded by 33s and 73s. A couple have passed by on tours. A little early for your period, but 50025 passed in March 1986 on a round Kent tour (The Vulcan van train, which used a variety of motive power, including a pair of MLVs). A couple of years later 50026 and 50032 both in original NSE livery came within a couple of miles of HG on the Malt and Hops tour (went via Shortlands).

73965 heads 73961 south towards Hardham Junction with the 11:31 Tonbridge - Seaford (via what seems to be every point of the compass!). 8th April.

Our club paid regular visits to the big show at Cologne a few times (should have gone last year, but for obvious reasons it didn't happen!). There may well be better shows in Germany, but this is very much the complete package - easily within a day's rail journey from the UK, the show has a reasonable range of layouts, with lots of manufacturers - large and small - and some dealers, plenty of interest in the city itself (with a good selection of hotels and restaurants), a good variety of prototype operation (passenger and freight; the city also has trams) and a decent selection of model shops in the city itself. We are considering the Dortmund show either next year or in 2022 (Cologne may well reappear on the show calendar for 2022 as well).

Very sad news from Taiwan. Thoughts are with all those affected. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-56612248

I think when 50006 was broken up - being the first 50 to be scrapped - everything salvageable went back to BR (even down to the windows). Perhaps this is a similar situation?

There has been a lot of loco activity around the Arun valley lately. Mainly class 66, but today the 73s came out to play. Here is 73128 leading 73107 heading north from Pulborough with the 3Y07 04:13 Tonbridge West Yard - Tonbridge West Yard via Brighton and Havant on 23rd March. I am curious what the wagons are - they have been running back and forth over the last few days. Any ideas?

Lovely spring weather? Check Perfectly timed loco-hauled train passing through local station at lunchtime? Check Ideal photographic location for time of day within about 20 minutes walk? Check 66774 leads 66766 across the Arun flood plains and towards the site of the old Hardham Junction (where the Midhurst line diverged from the Arun Valley line) with the 3Y09 12:34 Tonbridge West Yard - Tonbridge West Yard via Littlehampton and Brighton. 19th March.

Yes, that was the first thing I noticed. His definition 'sensible offers' is hopefully more realistic than his opening price. Unless that is the going rate for a rotting CCT? I know I'm not that familiar with the preservation scene, but surely that's on the ambitious side?

My mistake. We have kites nesting in the area, so thought that was one of them...

A few pictures from my walk last Sunday. The weather was nice, and not being such a well known path, it was nice and quiet. The path follows the path of the old LBSCR Pulborough - Midhurst route, which at this early stage skirts the sides of the Arun and Rother flood plains - the line to Midhurst and the continuing LSWR route to Petersfield more or less followed the entire length of the river Rother. It starts at Hardham Junction, and at this point the track bed is used as an access road, so is in really good condition. After half a mile or so the road became more of a farm track - still in pretty good condition. Finally the path diverts to follow the river bank to Fittleworth and the track bed is fenced off. This was one of the last stretches of the Midhurst branch to close; the Pulborough - Petworth section succumbing in May 1966. Most of the trackbed along the routes is pretty clear - there's plenty of good walking to be had west of Petworth, and the track bed from Chichester to near Singleton has been converted to a cycle way. I know we have plenty of preserved railways, but these lines were wonderfully scenic and being surrounded by so many tourist centres (Amberley Chalk Pits, Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Petworth House, Uppark - to name just four) and within a national park, they would have made a great steam railway. This stretch has lovely views of the plains; you can imagine a nice little D1 with a couple of carriages puffing along here! What I suppose keeping it as a path does give you is the wildlife. The area of the plains a mile or so to the east of this spot form part of the RSPB Pulborough Brooks reserve. Plenty of wildlife was seen and heard - lots of small rodents and birds, as well as a distant cormorant on a tree and a couple of red kites overhead.

I did think it was a cormorant...but the markings didn't quite match up with the pictures I have seen. It could be that this one has slightly different colours. I don't think it's a sh@g*...too much white. *I don't have the Cyrillic 'a' on my phone...

Not a woodpecker. This bird is much larger.

I was out for a very pleasant stroll earlier today along part of the old railway line from Pulborough to Fittleworth, when I saw this bird. It was quite a distance away, and needed full zoom; hence the picture being blurred. I am not sure what it is. My initial thought was a cormorant, but the back of the head and front of the neck is white, and the bird has some sort of crest by the looks of things. Its neck isn't as slender as a cormorant either, and its bill seems shorter as well. Any thoughts?

Peek-a-boo at St Ives, taken by my dad some time in the early 80s. I believe this is class 118 set P460.

This site may be of use... https://www.class37.co.uk/fleet.aspx?strnumber=37411

Just over two months later, another 73 from the same location. 73119 operates the 0Y73 12:00 Tonbridge - Tonbridge via Chichester light engine move. Perhaps a route learning journey?

Another view of the Cefn Mawr viaduct (further to my post on here from 19th September 2020). This time the colourful combination of a class 153 leading a class 150 on a southbound service. This photo was taken from near the Pontcysyllte aqueduct - 13th September 2020.

A few have turned up at open days. I recall 86631 at the Toton open day back in 1998. Also, I am sure one was used for Channel Tunnel testing (still under the wires, but definitely off region) in the early 90s.

A couple from the Isle of Wight from back on 8th August 2010. On duty were 483004 working singly and an unidentified pair (one of which may have been 006 based on other photos from a similar time I have found on the net). The only unit I saw at close quarters was 004, I only got to see the pair on the pier from the ferry as we were heading back to Portsmouth. 004 at Shanklin 004 approaches Shanklin 004 passes a vintage open top bus at Ryde Esplanade (although I do wonder if the bus is a few years younger than the train)... ...and over the crossover. Unidentified pair approaching Ryde Pier. This was my final photograph of the class 483 in service.

Yes, quite a few. There are some interesting details on this site: http://www.ingr.co.uk/intro_rlys.html