Steadfast

The Somerset quarries of Merehead and Whatley are operated very intensively - literally Moving the Mendips as the EWS Westbury driver's shirts say The GM SW1001 bought by Yeoman in the early 80s is relatively widely known about, but the fleet is more diverse than people may realise. Just a note before I continue - the only publicly available location featured here is off the road bridge at Whatley. All the other pictures were taken either during a private guided tour or the Merehead open day in 2008 Right, first up is Hanson no.4 at Whatley, seen in 2007. This is a Thomas Hill industrial type jobbie, a Vanguard I think, but am happy to be corrected. There doesn't seem to be much about this one on the net, so any additional info would be appreciated! Of note is the fact it has swinghead buckeye couplers to allow shunting of the buckeye fitted "inner" wagons, and sounds like a beast! Next up is a No. 120 "Whatley Endeavour", a GM EMD SW1001 - this one seems to be less well known than the Yeoman one, and was acquired around 2000, second hand. It got rather more public exposure when it ran away in 2008, ending up with a somewhat more streamlined cab thanks to a tunnel. The first two shots show it pre rebuild (2007), the third post rebuild (2009). The only visible difference seems to be change to LED marker lights As well as these less common types, there are also plenty of ex BR class 08s in use with Mendip Rail. Most are in Yeoman blue, though a few retain old liveries, FGW green 08643 and BR blue 08947 spring to mind. As well as the Somerset quarries, they can also be seen at Machen in Wales and the Isle of Grain, and I have a feeling they can be seen around Acton yard. 08032 is a Yeoman stalwart, originally numbered as 33, it's now regained it's former BR number, Merehead 2008 08643 is ex FGW, still retaining the green colour scheme, seen here at the Merehead open day in 2008 08643 and 08652 stabled at Whatley, 2009 Finally, here is the Yeoman SW1001, number 44, named "Western Yeoman II" on a plate in similar style to the Westerns, in particular D1035. This loco was bought in the early 1980s, so is now 30 years old, and is still giving stirling work and led to the purchase of the class 59s, such was it's quality. Despite Aggregate Industries buying out Foster Yeoman in 2008, the Yeoman brand still lives on in 2011 I hope these are of interest to someone, and show just what's hiding in a corner of Somerset jo

I've had a couple of ideas recently that I had to see how they look in practise. Hmm, instead of the original HST livery (which I'm not a fan of) what if the much tastier Large Logo was appplied An alternative take on the Canadian National / DB Schenker 67 with a bit of the CN black and red. A bit less brash than the all over red IMO cheers jo

Hi Tom, Good to see someone else enjoying the new mk1s! The close coupling is a real star feature - and it's better than on previous releases with this feature (Dapol Cargowaggons spring to mind) where the springs were so weak that the weight of the train caused the gap to expand. The mk1s with one long and one short shank coupling will negotiate 1st rad curves btw, my test track is all 9 inch Setrack curves

60096 was today's EWS one cheers jo

Nice shots Andy - looks even better now it's a bit grubby. The unpainted metal cab air vents are a nice touch to match the handrails Now that the red one has moved up north, I finally managed to get a shot of Tata Tug 60099 in decent light the other day: Tata - DB Schenker branded 60099 passing Hall End near Wickwar with 6E41 Westerleigh - Lindsey 8/2/11 cheers jo

70003 did the Wentloog liner again today - this time the weather played ball B) Working 4O51 Wentloog - Southampton for the second time, 70003 climbs the bank at Cattybrook If it hadn't been for it running about an hour late, it would have been rather a different scene: http://joalder.fotop.../p68983744.html cheers jo

Here's 70003 crawling past Pig Lane, near Hullavington with today's 4O51 Wentloog - Southampton, the first Southampton based run too see a 70, as mentioned earlier. The reason the train was going so slowly is that it got looped at Hullavington, allowing me to get to Rodbourne just before it passed There's more shots from this week here http://joalder.fotopic.net/c1939053.html Hopefully it'll stick around so we can get it in the sun B) cheers jo

Various sources are suggesting Friday's 4V50 Soton - Wentloog and 4O51 return will be 70003 - the first run of a 70 along the GWML as far as I'm aware. This train leaves Wentloog about 10am, through Swindon before 12 HTH jo

70011 has been on 4V06 for the last week or so from Rugeley - this is booked in Parkway about half 1 IIRC. It was running a bit late today from what I've heard Here's a piccy of it last week passing Charfield loops, running about 15mins early, also in the other 70 thread on here From here http://joalder.fotopic.net/c1937063.html cheers jo

70011 passes Charfield loops with 4V06 Rugeley Power Station - Stoke Gifford empty coal 27-1-11. It's nice to see a 70 back on a diagram that gets them around Bristol at a reasonable hour - I'd forgotten how much they howl and whine at speed! cheers jo

Yup 60040 on 6E41 Westerleigh - Lindsey at Charfield loop Incidientally, 60011 has now left Wales, Toton bound I think. 60074 went over to Newport today - a replacement I wonder? cheers jo

No no no, let us hang onto it down here until the clocks go back, please! Mind you, 099 would be a suitable replacement once Toton have had a play, would be nice to fot it on the sun cheers jo

Today 60074 appeared on the Whatley - Oxford stone working having come down from Acton yesterday. Here it is passing Broughton Gifford in the rain with 7C54 Oxford Banbury Road - Whatley quarry. Hopefully as the refurbs progress, now the tugs seem to be a bit more in fabour with DBS, this might be a bit more of a regular occurance. Much as I'm a fan of any tug, it'd be nice to have one other than 074 round here cheers jo

Like the 323s Jim. Completely different liveries, but they both seem to suit them. Here's one from me, HSTs at Bishton wih added interest from 4O51 Wentloog - Southampton cheers jo

That's looking tidy mate, lovely. I can't see where the white was touched up - nice one. Bring on the clay dirt

Cheers Pete. It carries the line from Swindon to Bristol Parkway. Westerleigh Junction, allowing trains to head north from Parkway through Yate towards Gloucester is just to the right, as Google maps shows: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=westerleigh&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=11.383764,43.110352&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Westerleigh,+Bristol,+South+Gloucestershire,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.520534,-2.43139&spn=0.005848,0.02105&t=h&z=16 HTH jo

Yup, nearly £430,000 per loco should see more than just a repaint! Trev, did the red 37s get any work done before repaint, besides patching them up? From what I can remember, none of the EWS tractors had any proper work done since way earlier - is this right? Anyway, back to the 60s... 6B13 Robeston - Westerleigh 19/1/11 at Westerleigh village foot crossing cheers jo

Certainly was Pete, its been on it a week now. Still looking good, even with a light dusting of dirt cheers jo

Macedonia have a large fleet of GM built locos. What if once they are life expired, a fleet of off-lease 66s are bought from the UK? cheers jo

Yeah exactly, how many times have I fotted a wagon livery variation or similar - wouldn't dream of it with 35mm. Also with 35mm, the conversion to Photoshop would have been a bit tougher

Thanks Mark. The main thing for me is that it looks right and conveys the effect, so I'm well happy with it

So after hours spotting places visited on holiday and local landmarks whilst dawing up, well, typing up I suppose, the artwork for the 150, it's just about complete now. The test print is purely to check the sizing, it's done on fast draft on the inkjet, whereas the final will be ALPS printed all being well, allowing the base paint colour to show through. It shouldn't take too much work to modify it for the 153, and the good news is that it sizes up perfectly. Also got a test print of the main logo for the mk3 done - this will be home printed on white decal paper. Gurt lush it is Again, the sizing is perfect. I can't believe how well this project is going so far, there's normal at least one cock-up in the sizing with my homebrew transfers... Here it is at 100% in Photoshop, all taken from a photo I took of an ex works set a few years back. Proves the point that you never know what'll come in useful in future! Next up it'll be all the small stickers; carriage letters, disabled logo, first class, carriage numbers etc

Just like that Pics look great Dave, even with the sun I'm hoping the red one stays on the Murco next week and we get some sun cheers jo

Nice one - it's interesting to read how someone else goes about something I'm relatively familiar with, as there are always differences and "user preference" to consider. For example, I'd never considered using Vector graphic software, instead using Photoshop. I draw to the DPI required by the guy who does my ALPS printing, whether it'll be ALPS or home printed, as it maintains a standard. Font matching is always rather satisfying in the end Reminds me I'd better crack on with my FGW graphics...