CovDriver

Here we have a pair of Hornby class 50's firstly there is 50008 in the Laira blue livery it has had the front bufferbeam detailed and added etched nameplates and also lightly weathered and also the addition of a scaled down railtour headboard which it carried on it's first charter after being repainted and paired with 50015. And secondly we have 50015 in the Dutch civil engineers livery which it received for it railtour duties this loco has tension lock couplings at both ends and the exhaust ports have been toned down with soot effect. it has also had etched nameplates added. Both Locomotives are DCC fiited and run superbly there are some videos on Youtube showing them running on the exhibition layout Southgate Park. They are both boxed but the boxes are tatty as they've been in storage in the attic. I'm looking for £170 for the pair plus postage which will be Royal Mail special delivery with proof of postage and tracking. I can accept PayPal Friends&Family or Goods&Services but the buyer must agree to pay the relevant fees if G&S is used. Postage only to the UK please. Any questions then please message me and I'll get back to you asap. Cheers Colin

Well today's turn was an utter shambles, everything was going well until I was on my way back to New St from Lichfield TV. As I was arriving into Lichfield City I had an emergency broadcast on the GSMR to bring my train to a stand immediately but I made sure I was fully accommodated in the platform first. And my signal was a red even though my previous one was green and I'm on 3 aspect system on this part of the cross city, so I knew something was drastically wrong. After a brief call with the signaller it turns there was a lineside fire near Aston which has burnt through the signalling cables. Proper job stopped this time so after sitting in Lichfield City for 3 hours I was asked to stabled my units with the pantographs down and batteries isolated. And eventually had a taxi to take me and my guard back to New St. So only one pic for today a pair of 730's at Lichfield just before I dropped the pans and made a sharp exit.... Cheers Colin

Well it was the early one today 0402 book on with a taxi to B'ham international to prep a pair of 350's and run ECS to New St then work them as 1W12 0613 New St to Euston as far as Northampton for a break before bringing back 1Y15 0840 service to New St then it was a quick trip to Four Oaks with a pair of 730's. So only 2 pics for today. Back in tomorrow morning at 0600, it's a round trip on the cross city with a pair of 730's to Bromsgrove and Lichfield TV and back to New St. Then have a lengthy break and work the 1206 from New St to Northampton and back to Coventry and finish. Cheers Colin

Just a normal day today starting off with the 0533 2C01 Coventry to New St then a round trip on the cross city with a pair of 730's it still feels odd having to shut off power approaching the summit after Vigo bridge as the line speed drops to 75mph as with a 323 your lucky if you get to 65mph. And as you level off the line speed goes upto 90mph it's great giving these 730's a quick blast at 90. Then it was supposed to be working the 1006 LNR service from B'ham New St to Euston as far as Rugby then it should have been pass back to Coventry and finish but I had one of those could you just moments from the DTCM duty traincrew manager. Could pass back to New St instead and then work the 1206 1Y38 LNR B'ham New St to Euston service as far as Northampton and bring another service back as far as Coventry and then finish. Seen as SWMBO is away with the little one in Wales I agreed to help them out. So only a couple of pics from today's shift. Firstly 60055 approaching Canley Heading North. Then a pair of rail adventure power cars taking some barrier vehicles to the SVR for temporary storage as they need the space at Kings Norton for the RHTT sets soon. Cheers Colin

And on a slight tangent I'm led to believe that the class 66 was designed/inspired from the Westerns. I've got more of a liking for EE type 3 and 4's plus the class 56. But I have to agree the Westerns do look magnificent.

Well that was a good day at work for a change no faults or failures at and it was my favourite route New St to Northampton several times with a few odd stopping patterns to keep me on my toes. Then there was an added bonus of seeing D1015 on its light engine move from Kidderminster to Birmingham international. So a couple of pics from today's turn, and a short clip of D1015 departing New St. PXL_20240721_121920537.mp4

Well it's been a bit of busy week or so far to busy doing some of those "could you just favours" So here's a bit of a photo dump from the last week or so. I'm back in tomorrow at 0734 until 1616 doing New St - Northampton work.

And today's turn was me booking on at 0510 and travelling pass to Birmingham international to prep a pair of 350's and take them to New St. I had the delights 323221 on its own for a trip to Four Oaks and then Redditch and back to New St. After a short break it was a 350 to Walsall and back but I had a traction power failure at Duddeston on the rear carriage of my 350 so I had to struggle only 50% power to Walsall and back to New St. And that should have been me done for today. But as I was walking out of the messroom I spoke to the DTCM and he was literally in the thick of it trying to cover services. So I volunteered my services and did more cross city work with a pair of 730's.

Well this is what happens when you rely on traincrew to work there rest day's and overtime all the time. This is my personal view of the situation and not of my employer. I'm not going comment after this as it could get very political. But I did work 12 hours today to help out and keep trains running.

Just a little update for today as I've not actually done much driving. (Not my fault) It was an 0518 book on and pass to New St to split a pair of 350's and use one of those on a New St - International shuttle I was then supposed to a have a single 323 to Redditch and Four Oaks. But as it failed and was taken to Soho LMD. I ended up going to Soho LMD in a taxi to prep a class 730 and pick up the rest of the cross city turn to Four Oaks and back to New St. That's when it fell apart the 730 failed it's prep tests twice so with assistance from the fitters we eventually got it ready for service. I ended up missing out on a trip to Four Oaks and was asked to bring it to New St for its Redditch trip. I sat in the departure road for nearly 40mins and brought it to New St where upon that unit failed with door problems. The station fitters managed to sort the fault and I ran the other way for my PnB. I had the 1106 New St to Lichfield TV and return to do without any issues and that's me for 2 days off. So just a couple of pics the first one was from yesterday on my way home at Canley an MPV travelling South and then 730009 in the departure road waiting for the signal to go into New St.

Well I wasn't really in a posting an update every day mood last week as it seemed to be a long week, well I did volunteer to work both of my rest days.y own fault really but it's extra funds for some new rolling or a pre-built traverser fiddle yard. I'm only in for a few days this week today, tomorrow and Saturday. Meeting with the management on Friday. Anyway here are a few pics from last week.

We must have just passed each other on the station as I had just brought in an empty stock from International into platform 4 as I also had one of those phone calls "Could I work a rest day" something to do with a certain sporting event in Germany.

I've just been on Kernow's site and the cheapest I can find is the RTC class 24 at £119.

I've just received an email from Rails of Sheffield about the newer version of the class 24. Bachmann 32-416 Class 24/0 24035 Disc Headcode BR Blue Diesel Locomotive at £109.50 for the DCC ready version and £189.50 for the sound fitted version. That's got to be a bargain for someone. Cheers Colin

You passed me at international I was prepping the 350's on platform 2.