'CHARD

That depends on the nature of the lease. A 'wet' lease includes the costs of scheduled overhauls, a 'dry' lease just covers the asset itself, with the lessee responsible for making overhauls happen. Handback Condition at end of lease is usually, but not always, full working order with fair wear and tear appropriate for the asset's age and its position in the routine maintenance cycle. I am unaware of the terms of DBS's lease agreement with Angel Trains (or what it's now called), but it's probably a dry lease with DBS responsible for overhauls. It won't be as simple as letting them drop and leasing the next new thing, because that would rely on speculative orders for locos, which is unheard of except for penny numbers of vehicles.

Happy New Year to all our readers. Starting this Saturday off with a bit of a catch-up, here's Leith Central for those of you who may have missed her. This station has a fascinating history, not least for being the home depot of the shunters and DMUs that plied the Waverley in its final 23 months... http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=16656 As we're in former station mode, here's Canonbie GS http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17786 Scotch Dyke http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17170 Gilnockie http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17135 The elusive Penton http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17119 Newcastleton http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17102 Shankend http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18120 Stobs http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17974 Hassendean today http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18117 http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18100 http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17948 Belses http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17939 and last, St Boswells' remains http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17121 Elegant Tarras viaduct just south of Langholm, demolished in 1987, senselessly I suspect http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17949 Happliy Barnes viaduct lives on http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17944 Signalbox corner for Millerhill Boy, this time Hardengreen when it had neither junctions nor bankers to look after, note 2644SP http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17896 For Bernard, here's the Restaurant at Gorebridge with 64B-boy's D760X passing hauling the Hawick pilot, for one suspects, one of the very last few times... http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17882 Great poignant human stories Part 93, last Kelso - again: http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17963 Ouch! If you missed it previously over on the Shankend SB thread: http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18011 A 4MT leaves Kingmoor, the Waverley down departure line clearly visible to right http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18167 Bittern at Hawick http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18064 And last for now, two incredible human story pics, I think Northern Maiden has modelled signal box flowers, how about tomato plants? http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18007 http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17983

Yesterday - possibly - I posed the question about what the rail-over-road span looked like by Arniston colliery, between Gorebridge and Lady Vic. pit. This is where the Route crossed the A7 and the area is today unrecognisable, following afforestation and road improvements. When I asked the question I could not recall the precise name of the location, despite reference to maps, but unaccountably it just came back to me: Shank Bridge. A Google search threw up the image at the end of this link: http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/index.php?service=RCAHMS&id=160837 This is the A7 crossing the valley cut by the Gore Burn, looking towards the escarpment along which the Waverley runs left (Edinburgh) to right (Gorebridge). The picture was taken in the long hot summer of '76, and the road bridge was replaced during the next two years. I vaguely recall the old A7 here, both this crossing and the rail bridge were rather spectacular. Now there is only blandness. I am still hopeful that pictures exist of the lost structure barely 1/4 mile from here, the A7 must have been closed for a while for the demolition at least. EDIT: further text on the source page refers to another picture 'railway bridge visible in background.' Seemingly the new road crossing of the burn was built 29m west, but satellite imagery suggests that all trace of the Victorian structure has been airbrushed off the face of the earth.

I'm liking that, I couldn't manipulate the image earlier because the laptop threw a strop, but the last digit looked that way to me too. When I think on, there'll be a refresh of p80 of the bible* * 1968 combine (reprint)

Having just come off a similar project as it neared completion, I can kinda see both sides of this. The sponsoring party, more often than not a public body that must behave in a fair and impartial manner (and as custodian of public funds), is also locked into sensitive commercial and often tense legal discussions with affected third parties. Whilst it's unlikely they (Transport Scotland) could conventionally shut down a photo gallery through the courts, they may act (through a friendly word) to manage reputational and project risk by seeking to remove data that may act - albeit inadvertantly - as a rallying-point for objectors, dissenters and opponents of the project. In this case the affected gardens, or at Stow the house extension. Incidentally, I am unfamiliar with Law north of Kershopefoot, so what I just wrote may be entirely fallacious!

I just checked the Harris and the Leith Central allocation was created (on paper at least) in 02/67 by the reallocation en masse of the St Margarets 08s, many of which had been there since new in 1960. Those outbased at the time of the switch were doubtless unaffected until they were next towed back to the capital for exam. I must confess I knew of Leith Central suddenly acquiring Edinburgh's nomadic shunter responsibilities, but I wasn't aware it happened at this point! EDIT: and here's a picture of home in 1985 http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=16656

We have footage elsewhere of D3878 at Hawick (becoming 08711 later), so it may be that redoubtable beast again. Thanks for that link, awesome summary of jocko detail differences, cheers!

hehehe - you and I following each other round the live threads this afternoon, Phil! Here's a thought, while we're on Toton paintshop. If it were my business/ profit centre, I'd be generating income painting third-parties' rolling stock rather than incurring internal revenue expenditure with nowhere to offset it. To answer another point, and from experience on other fleets, you'd be looking at a good six-figure sum (yes) to get a pair of overhauled bogies these days.

Phil, I don't know quite what I've unleashed here. There are so many deviant details relating to this particular shunter I could have begun another thread. I know instantly that I slimmed down my 08s by one too many though, because my remaining specimen has additional tool boxes. The Kelso one has no hinge strapping, I need to check the Leith Central and Hawick allocations - which I shall do once I can brave the cold in the garage

Learn this much about 'Chard, he can be a right selfish so-and-so. The only reason this link is being put up now, is that a three-fifty has appeared on the W/B and this is the reference shot: http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17970 WOW! January 1967, BLUE shunter at Kelso!!!! Check out the new-looking housing at left too. Looking at this pic, the lack of lifting eyes on the buffer beam of the jocko struck me. The early position of the double arrow is a great era definer too.

Here Comes The Summer - THE UNDERTONES

Does what it says on the tin really. Photographed in artificial light, 1547 features a blank headcode at No.1 end as discussed on the Waverley images thread, and photographed at Melrose in December '68. To get her north onto what we assume was a 2M52, I've optioneered a night mails at No.2 end, 3S01. Same disclaimers apply as to finishing sister 1536.

In the end the headcodes were the easy bit. Give them a good clearout from inside the bodyshell, stanley blade and pencil rubber method worked a treat, taking care to square the edges. I recommend an episode of Midsomer Murders for this (subject to regional variations), serves two locos. I used cut & paste - literally - headcodes from Heljan Claytons, reversed onto clear sellotape, and mounted straight back onto the inside of the cab front, adjust by eye, dilute to taste. The hardest bit was getting the body lined up and clipped back on, especially at number 2 end cab doors, the screws in the noses unleashed more Anglo Saxon than my New Year's resolution really allowed. 1S64 at No.1 end is the down Waverley (winter portion), 2S52 at No.2 is the Carlisle - Edinburgh local, for want of a better alternative, as she's destined for passenger diagrams in the main. The latitude of two northbound workings is permissable by the slack discipline of the Edinburgh division cranking-up correct headcodes, as has entered folklore. This loco requires tweaks to the roof, and possibly underframe before I gently weather her, awaiting sisters 1547 and 1969 to reach the same stage before I tackle the weathering. Now for some repetitive pics:

Trevor, I see what you mean about the refugee door on 5335! I absolutely love the idea that shellfish traffic was generated at Buckie. I only got into the Moray Coast line after buying the recent book 'Discovering Scotland's Lost Railways,' when I fell in love with it. I assume that the Fish Vans were forwarded via Aberdeen and a proportion at least would find their way over the Waverley in fitted consists bound for Kingmoor. Plainly this traffic would have struggled after May '68 and consequently been lost to road. Another example of how paring back the branches affected the health of the system as a whole.

Gorebridge has an enigmatic quality it's true. Far from ignored by the photographer in the line's dying days it had always been less well served than it might have been, given its proximity to Edinburgh. One would have thought that commuter trains would terminate here in the morning peak and start here in the evening, but the sole example of this appeared to do so only for reasons of operational convenience. From memory, the W/T/T shows the latter day DMU setting down here then heading out to Borthwick to kill time before returning to Edinburgh. Seeing a Gloucester or Met-Camm sitting there halfway up the hillside would have been surreal to say the least! EDIT: here's one for Millerhill Boy, D760X passing through Gorebridge in a picture oozing the ebbing lifeblood of the dying line: http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=17882 Immediately north-west of Gorebridge the line passed over the A7 on what must have been a very impressive stone arch. I have very dim memories of it, but the road improvements and easing of the gradient here all but obliterated the solum of the line way back in the 1980s. If anyone has any more info on this rail over road bridge I would be very interested to see it.

Here's ten for New Year's Eve, focusing on steam and locations of interest: 4MT 43121? near Harker on a down freight, presumably for Longtown, Langholm and Newcastleton given the motive power. This location looks suspiciously like where the crusading M6 now ruins the ambience. Check out coach parked on left: http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=18307 60079 at Hawick, bread & butter Waverley http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=19295 Never seen this before, the enigmatic Lochpark Engineers' Depot south of Hawick. Wonder what this brooding tenement looks out onto these days? http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=19716 Roxburgh branch with B1 61324 http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=20723 Three of 60532 - passing Gorebridge, note lifted goods yard http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=21520 the Hawick photostop - 8th October 1966 http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=21519 and passing Canal Jct http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=21544 Two of 76050 on the Roxburgh branch http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=22623 http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=22302 And last for now, appropritely, was this the last steam of all? 43049 at Easter 1967 approaching Kershopefoot with the Newcastleton pick-up freight. http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=22999

I remember the YK 45s from late '70s Locoshed books now you mention it. During the diesel era Waverley route, Holbeck's Peaks were statistically more frequent performers on the Class 1 trains and their diagramming reflected this (anecdotally split-box locos were the type most often seen); the Gateshead ones would seemingly also get involved from the Haymarket end, after, during or between East Coast duties. Class by class though, a greater proportion of 46s worked the route in whole or part compared to the 45s. I haven't checked fully but the twin-centre panel 45s were probably the least well-represented variant over the line, these may have spent proportionally more time working NE-SW or East Midlands - London services. I'll look at depot allocations when time permits. [EDIT] from data of locos known to have worked the WR, twin-centre panel Peaks were in fact the most well represented over the full duration, but seemingly the least recorded in photographs.

Thanks Peter, I'm going to look out for that, because tonight I've sorted out how I'm going to finish the headcodes (albeit tomorrow when I ain't so exhausted!). When they're done the bodies go back on for now, and it's roof and underframe tweaks prior to weathering. Peaks on the W/B tonight, along with a 24 and 25, expect a new blog entry tomorrow. Cheers!

Jim, I'm so pleased that you and others are enjoying them, I can't take any credit; it just seemed to me that as I was trawling the net, and RailScot is a big resource-room right now, I may as well convert my note-taking into links. It's completely selfish of course, because I love eliciting comments and reminiscences from the floor! So basically thanks to all you guys and moreover, the photogaphers (no names for fear of embarrassment).

Now that's an incredible detail I had no knowledge of. That's very useful in narrowing the loco i.d. down too. Apart from Gateshead, what other depots to which Peaks were allocated would this apply, York?

Love it, and the very best of luck with your project! I had to look because when I saw the name, I expected another micro depot in a box file. LOL

Indeed, and I've had a dialogue off-line about this shot with the photographer The train was diverted from the Carstairs line and appeared on the scene with some haste, probably unexpectedly, I think it's fair to say. As is well known, many of the guys out capturing the twilight of the Waverley had a social context in mind rather than recording numbers. Type 4 and single BG passed Riccarton at line speed, ahem, and a cursory glimpse of the number was 'what a coincidence, that's the same number as the year!' 1968 was a Haymarket loco but she was green at this date, well documented in all sorts of ways, and the likeliest explanation is that this is D1958, one of the handful of locos delivered new from Brush in blue. That's what she'll become when she reaches my W/B.

Nice one, thanks Pete. Seems as if there's one definite area where exotica is writ large on Waverley workings, and this is the intense parcels traffic, much as I thought. Seems as though that's the place where not just the new Hornby Hawksworth BG but also the kit market's got a part to play, cheers for the details!

Opening today's account with this people shot that is the counterpart to the scan of Bruce McC's letter from Edinburgh agreeing to the brakevan trip on the last Kelso: http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=22937 More gut-wrenching nostalgia from the freight-only period: http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=22883 The Paper Train? No pilot, but a booked 64B BFYE 26, at Flex cutting, latterly a popular photographic spot: http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=22892 Demolition train, Burnfoot, headed by a smouldering Clayton, and not in the romantic sense http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=23063 This morning's highlight and discussion shot, it's another Blue Brush 4, in another livery, and with a steam style headcode - look, you'll see what I mean: http://www.railbrit....e2.php?id=22962 EDIT: contrary to the caption, this is bBFYE D1958, this batch of locos being common performers on their real patch between Carlisle and Glasgow on a variety of traffics, but notably Freightliner services (none of which were diverted over the WR, due to gauging issues).

As discussed on another thread, http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/6186-waverley-route-new-image-links/page__pid__55865__st__25entry55865 , I have yet to see evidence of any ScR or Cumbrian diesels from classes 21, 27, 28 or 29 on the Waverley route! Just wait and see though, now I've said this!