Claude_Dreyfus

GBRf 66304 leads the 6G12 11:02 Eastleigh East Yard - Gatwick service through Pulborough on 20 January 2024.

A couple from Scotland 156474 and an unidentified class member rest at Kyle of Lochalsh back in about 2002. 156496 arrives at Bridge of Orchy with a Glasgow service in June 1996. Another from Bridge of Orchy, but a few years previously (August 1989). Sadly our family holiday was a year or so too late, so I just missed LLB 37/4 on the route. This is notable as it features a 3-car set, but sadly I cannot read the number. Edit: A little bit more info on the 1989 picture. Apparently in the summer of 1989 a small number of units were reformed to 3-car. This was just for that summer season, although a similar exercise was carried out in 1992 as well. The 1989 units involved were 156445, 447, 449, 450, 453 and 456 (who retained their set numbers). The additional centre cars were provided by 156435, 499 and 500. More details on this subject are here... http://members.madasafish.com/~dysgraphyk/156/class156_misformed.htm

And that, as I see it, is the crux of the matter. At the present time, heavy industry is extremely polluting, both in terms of emissions and impacts on the local environment. There is also the economic factor. My very rudimentary understanding of electric arc vs blast furnaces suggests that the former are more energy efficient and flexible. If you are going to make your facility more flexible and future proofed, then electric arc seems to be the most logical approach. Sadly this means a reduction in workforce, however anyone who believes that we will move to a greener economy and retaining the same level of skilled manual jobs, is going to be sorely disappointed. Politicians and others who on one hand espouse green credentials and campaign against heavy industry, or oil exploration or mining, cannot complain when the inevitable closure of such polluting facilities have an impact on local employment and communities. That is the price that is paid; however tragic that is for the communities. People can be retrained, and the need for commodities such as steel is still required, so there is a future. And that future is being developed as we speak; more efficient production methods, less raw materials required, less energy required in the production. As has been mentioned before, outsourcing coal mining, steel making and other polluting activities does not solve the issue - it merely transfers the issue to someone else; especially galling when countries such as the UK beat up others for their high carbon emissions, when we are customers of those countries. Perhaps a fairer way of attributing emissions would be to spread those produced in a country to the emissions figures of their customers. So for example, it has been said that China produced 1,875 million tons of steel in 2019, resulting in at least 3,375 million tons of CO2 being generated. If 10% of that was exported, then surely 10% of the emissions should be attributed to the customer countries (the product is for them, and in the past likely as not they would have produced it themselves). This may help reduce the drive to reduce heavy manufacturing in a country to meet green targets, but actually only shift the issue elsewhere - and yes I know that economies of scale will impact on the calculations. In saying all of this, it is regrettable that for the sake of headline chasing, a clear and sustainable plan was not on the agenda for any of our governments over the last few decades. Closing coal power stations in particular at a time when our need for electricity is significantly increasing without a consistent, reliable and most importantly upwardly scalable alternative for providing this electricity, will not win favour with the populace when they cannot charge their car; irrespective of how many pats on the back the politicians may get a climate summits... As with so many things, the need for immediate results or a 'lasting legacy' causes so much more damage. But then, when has a long-term sensible approach (an approach that would inevitably encompass more than one government) ever been a palatable option? Ultimately you cannot have the best of both worlds today, either option will have its supporters and detractors, but sadly no matter which approach it taken there will be those who lose out. So glad I am not a decision maker!

I did make an enquiry about these with Rails of Sheffield (being a Rapido dealer). They are going to check to see if they can take orders for them. I have my eye on a couple.

A couple of pictures taken from near Todmorden from back in the late 90s. Yorkshire PTE livered class 155 heads east. Followed a little later by a similarly liveried 158/9 York station back in August 1994. 158764 shares stabling with a PTE liveried 155 and a 142 (both of which unidentified). This post constitutes my entire photographic collection of the class 155! Sadly none were at York or Leeds on my more recent visits...

Really sorry to hear this news, what an awful shock. As with many others, my dealings with Nigel were through his organising of the Fareham show, which our club exhibited at last year. He was a really friendly, pleasant chap, and went a long way to making our visit an enjoyable experience. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time, as well as his friends and colleagues at the Fareham club.

A few portraits of 43274 at Leeds - 19 June 2019.

Does your DCC controller have a read function as part of the programming? Our club controller has this, and it is invaluable for those of us (okay, me!) who forgets to write the address on the box...

Sprinter action at Leeds, back on 15 June 2019. 158861 158842 156424 156468 beside 43310. 158756

They are on the large side for H0; probably nearer 00. The cast metal bodies of the cars are probably a little crude against the Brekina's of this world, but are still reasonable. If you are not too fussy, they will do. If the scale difference is unpalatable but you wish to use them, then have them on a part of the layout away from your H0 vehicles and structures (if you have a layout, or it is of sufficient size to have such an area).

More North Wales shenanigans from the summer of 1993, featuring the class 153. This time a reminder that trains that are too short for the journeys they service are not just a modern phenomenon... 153335 is clearly not the ideal source of traction for this late afternoon Pwllheli service calling at Barmouth. It was already full when it turned up at a crowded platform. I am not sure all managed to board the train, but even now my sympathies are still with any onboard staff... 153363 arrives at Llandudno Junction with what I presume is a Llandudno Town shuttle. Again, there was quite a healthy set of passengers.

Likewise.

Spot the unit! On 29 December, an unidentified 377 chases the setting winter sun over the river Arun and towards the distant downs.

A few from North Wales from back in August 1993. 156411 at Porthmadog 156452 at Betws-y-Coed 158769 passes through the town wall at Conwy. An extra little bonus at Llandundo Junction, as the two class 151 sets were stored at the shed for a while. Just about visible were a couple of Merseyrail sets, also stored.

A couple of 159s in and around Clapham Junction on 29 March 2017.

I managed to upload one picture on a thread, but its companion (or similar file size) steadfastly refused to load. After resizing (ironically to a slightly larger size) it loaded, but then I could not edit the post (message saying it was either deleted (it wasn't), or too old (it was about 30 minutes old)). Finally I added as a new post, but... There is a new(?) feature, a validation requiring you to prove you are not a spammer or robot before uploading a picture. Is this indeed a new feature, and if so, could this this be a cause for the photo upload oddities?

Seems I cannot edit this post to add the second picture - which would not upload. So I needed to add another post...

A couple taken back in June 1996 at Blackpool North.

60009 pulls into Didcot with an oil train on 6th December 2006.

A few pictures taken at Didcot back on 6th December 2006. 66034 rests between RHTT duties in the company of a resident shunter. 66138 on manoeuvres at the stabling point. 66224 arrives with a coal train for the then still operational power station.

Travelling back in time to 2007 as 319009 pauses at Clapham Junction with a West Croydon service.

Not seen anything as yet to confirm these running along the Arun valley - so far it has all been along the Coastway and up the BML. In other news, 153376 was out and about again yesterday. Here it is crossing the Arun flood plain in the fading light of a winter's afternoon forming the 2Q24 13:51 Eastleigh East Yard - Barnham Up Sidings via London Bridge and Brighton.

And, in the main, actually keep to it...

I do wonder if matters such as this would be helped by reducing or removing working from home by staff at the Department for Transport. If they had to experience for themselves the consequences of their decision making, then things may be a little better for the rest of us rail users...