DY444

I suspect E3174 is not on a Glasgow service. I can't read the headcode properly but it doesn't look like 1Sxx to me but more like 1Hxx (which would be Manchester). Another thing that makes me doubt it is the Mk2 stock in the train which at the time of the shot was much more likely to appear on a Manchester/Liverpool rather than a Glasgow.

I don't think you have - those numbers (47s + 30 and 56s + 36) sound familiar albeit not for the Didcot flows. My memory is not wholly reliable but I have a feeling they come from when the first Tinsley based 56s went into service on the short Yorkshire MGR circuits operating from Knottingley

All the "Folkestone Harbour" switch did was prevent the equipment moving out of series into parallel (ie it made the equipment behave as if the controller was kept in the series position even if it was moved to parallel or weak field).

I vividly remember one in the 70s from Derby to Hove which turned out to be an epic journey. Eth 47 plus the usual rake of Mk1s. I went on it thinking it'd be a blast up the MML to Brent and then a crompton round the WLL and down the Brighton line. Wrong! 47 all the way via Tamworth, Solihull, Reading W curve, Eastleigh, Cosham and Barnham. Took an eternity especially on the SR. The way back via the same route was even worse. Progress was quite slow and it was obvious that the 47 was in trouble. It finally expired at Banbury about 2am in the morning. Another 47 was eventually found and we got back to Derby about 6am. I didn't go on any more after that!

Showing early management potential. Me aged 4 supervising a light engine movement at Derby.

Minor point but it's an Eastbound train

As FGW HSTs are fitted with DAS it *could* just be the drivers proceeding at the speeds being shown by that.

It's an 85 not an 86

It has ets jumpers so it will be 47628

A 33/1 or ED could in theory couple using the buckeye but the 455s only have a high level main res pipe and are fitted with westcode brakes so a translater is needed to work the brakes.

First one is approaching Wimbledon. Second one is approaching Earlsfield.

I've got a copy of the as built plan for Derby PSB and it has no 336 (or 340, 337, 339 either).

As part of the Thameslink scheme it was proposed to run the loop service to and from Blackfriars only (and with a doubling of service frequency). That decision has been reversed due to a campaign run by the local MP following "a large number" (his words) of complaints about the loss of through services into the Thameslink core. Basically people did not want to have to change at Blackfriars. The trains are very well loaded between Wimbledon and Central London in the peaks.

I too worked at Charles House for a while in the 80s and used the morning Belle regularly. During my time it was almost always worked by a 73 on diesel power with 2 Mk1s.

From the days when they used to install new signalling with traffic running - in some cases literally a couple of feet away (like the guy at 2min 33 sec in for instance)

Filmed on the Wimbledon - Sutton line

Live rail, what live rail ? The shunter at Bournemouth connects the ETS jumper from 4REP 3002 to 4TC 402 on a Saturday morning in 1983

DEMUs and Ep emu stock could not work in multiple. This is because the wiring of the 27 way jumpers on the demus was different to the emu ep "standard".

Good spot but too early for a Class 74 - I think you'll find it is actually a Class 71

Not quite film or television but close - ish ... If you can tear your eyes away from Daisy then there are some nice railway themed shots in this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qspV-9SoHWw Oh and by the way, all the twin napier/double heading/pair of 37s etc type jokes have already been done.

Spot on. The practice of hauling the HST PC around on tickover caused damage to its traction motors and was stopped pretty quickly. As you say the arrangement was changed such that the HST PC provided traction power too.

In the early 80s when I was working in Bournemouth there was actually a diagrammed turn for a REP running on its own. The 2212FO Bournemouth - Basingstoke was booked 4REP (the rest of the week it was 4REP + 8TC). Blistering acceleration and waiting time at every stop. Happy days.