Phil Bullock

If I have it correctly there was a wild plan for a 3 metres gauge system across the Reich. Hydraulics built to that loading gauge anyone? P

Upcoming outings: 85A open day, Worcester 26.10.2013 http://www.miac.org.uk/reunion.htm And looking ahead to next year: Redditch 20/21st Sept 2014 http://www.redditch-mrc.com/Redditch%20Show%20-%20layouts.htm Cheltenham (Bishops Cleeve) Dec 2014 http://www.cheltmodrail.org.uk/preview.php?ExKey2=41 Phil

Time for some more late 70s action. You might recognise some of the locations again - but hopefully still of interest. Firstly one for Keefer A pair of 26s on a southbound working at Coaltown, just north of Thornton Junction. 4th vehicle looks interesting - is that a griddle car? More East Coast shots to come! And then one of my all time favourites at Warrington Bank Quay 25323 and a fellow class member head north with Prestflows. Was it a cold frosty day or is that just powder on the wagons? Further down the WCML at Crewe A class 50 at the south end of Crewe. Given they were all on the Western by this time this must have been ex works. Then we head off south of Shrewsbury, firstly to Church Stretton That's 47135 on a southbound working. Then a bit further south to Ludlow racecourse A crossing shot! Now that would not have been common here - traffic was not that busy, but see the yarn below at end of post. That's my chum John Howles with the Maxi and recording equipment.... Further south near Malvern PWM650 slumbers in the headshunt at Newlands PW depot. This loco - or 654 - were often in the area. Then its over the border to Pantyfynnon We saw her in an earlier shot but just found this better one - she has obviously been bulled up with her silver buffers and pipes, and has been up the Central Wales line as still has the headlamp attached. Nice 21 tonners in her train too. Then back to Plymouth for another whizzo shot 1071 shows off her ventilation vent. Then to London for variety in front ends at Hither Green Finally up the East Coast to Hull Looks like 03112 has been through the washer a few times. And theres a Swindon Inter-City unit in the depot..... Finally for tonight at York, its time for a Deltic. Heres 55014 arriving from the north. To close, heres the Ludlow Racecourse yarn. My piscatorial activities used to take me to various places in this area and further west, including Llandinam. Fishing there involved wading over the foundations of the railway bridge on the lifted Moat Lane - Llanidloes line but that's another tale. Returning from there one evening on approaching Onnibury level crossing on the A49 I noted the lights were flashing and the train was just clearing the crossing - empty 21 ton minerals with an LMS pattern van on the back. The road from there to Ludlow racecourse runs parallel to the railway and I was overtaking the train - it was going in to the loop so was going to catch up with the loco - which turned out to be 40001. That was great but even better within the next half hour 40152 headed north on a CWR train, two 25s on Class 1s passed together with a Peak on a van train. There are some interludes in my railway watching that stick vividly in the memory - this was one, but even better as it was totally unplanned and unexpected. These trips gave me great pleasure at the time - looking back at these phots revives fond memories, hope you enjoy them too. Kind regards Phil

Prototypically top line of plate is pretty well true with bottom of door handle recess and top of headlamp bracket http://preserved-diesels.co.uk/2004/1048_6.htm Its a matter of millimetric fractions on the model! Given that theres little to align the name plate on perhaps best to fit number plate first and then line up name plate to that - but watch out how you line up as numberplate wider than nameplate. Kind regards Phil

How about this one? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-RCH-RAILWAY-JUNCTION-DIAGRAM-ABBOTSWOOD-MALVERN-STOKE-PRIOR-1910-/300848469253?pt=UK_Collectables_Railwayana_RL&hash=item460bf75505 My eyes lit up when I thought it might be something geographically appropriate for my layout - until I studied the photo! Firth of Tay? D*mn I got it wrong ! Abbotswood should have a very long bridge over troubled waters!!! Phil

You know, I had been looking at that and wondering - I thought I could see white brake wheels on the solebars! Will amend the post - thanks for pointing that out Dave Phil

Ah - will try and work some in to the next batch! Agree with comments re the photos - really enjoy looking at others but mine are not a patch on the best - for those go to Brush Veteran's photo stream on flikr Phil

38 trout and 13 grayling later.... Thanks for adding the additional discussion folks We probably should have investigated more at the time but were on a tight schedule - my good chum John Howles and I were camping at Kirkcaldie for the week and trying to cover as much as possible. Phil

Fantastic ! Great shots. Phil

Fantastic ! many thanks for that Phil

Agree with Nidge - 27s are at Waverley. And yup bring on yours too please Nidge!!!! You are right on other shots - Queen Street and Perth. Think you got there a few years before me - great to see these, and like to compare them with what I took a few years later - a few Scottish ones on BR TOPs blue 1970s thread Thanks for posting these - keep them coming! Phil

Off for a while now in pursuit of salar and trutta .....so heres some more to keep you going. A rather nice before and after shot at Derby works for starters Heres 76003 and another class member at Rotherwood sidings Then up to Newcastle Central where Gateshead's 03111 is on pilot duties Theres something of an aggregation of Class 27s at Glasgow Queen Street Over at Ayr 25078 rests on the depot. A nice subject for a weathering project there! Heres another 40 on stone hoppers at Guide Bridge. Cant have too much of a good thing! At Ludlow racecourse a 37 has charge of a northbound PW working And a bit further north at Onnibury heres a 25/2 on a southbound passenger - proper trains then! Finally back to Eastleigh for another Big ED - 74010 runs light through the station. Enjoy! Phil Edited to correct wagon types in class 40 pic - Many thanks to Torr Giffard for correction

Nice - Just need sound chips fitting! Phil

That's neat ! Cheers Bill

Oh dear! No room for any Bacchy 43s there Phil

Latest report on http://www.a1steam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=697&Itemid=247 suggests that those who are stating they have never seen a P2 in the flesh may, in the fullness of time, have to retract that statement! Phil

Hee hee my modelling room floor gets littered with amputated lower bodies from the Bachmann loco crews. They do look rather good when fitted though! Re fitting tension lock couplings to one end - be brave, with their deep front valances these locos are ideal for a fine wire coupling loop to be fitted. Means you can have full super detailing at both ends and as a bonus the coupling loop protects this detailing Have done this with the ones to be seen on our Youtube videos Kind regards Phil

Indeed you cant - was a great day out! There have been quite a few shots of the tour at Treherbert and Merthyr published - but my favourite has to be Mike Pope's shot published on p79 in Heydey of the Hydraulics by HD - piling on the power at Quaker's Yard complete with fitter leaning out of the engine room window, the thought of the Maybach roar still makes my spine tingle... Happy days! There are a few more Wizzo shots in my collection but as I didn't get a decent camera until August 76 you can understand they will be somewhat limited. Phil

Excellent gen on Toton Open Day - do you have the date please Ranger, My record keeping was crummy Cheers Phil

A trip north of the border has forced a pause in posting - so here we go again with some more gratuitous images! Back on the vintage sparkies Its February 1977 and most of the 71s are dumped at Hither Green....heres 71004 An experimental night time shot from New St - the camera was perched on a BRUTE as I remember. 83006 poses long enough for a timed exposure... And back at Litchfield 85027 rattles and roars through on a van train So now off to Scotland again - the lighting at Ayr was good for our visit to the depot, heres 27027 Over at Perth 40066 has charge of an Edinburgh train. The square corners to the centre headcode boxes tell you this is one of the Scottish retro conversions from a disc headcode loco. And over at Haymarket 40142 is on shed. Always liked the split boxers. So back down to the Midlands to Barrow Hill for a pair of 20s - 20133 and 20022 Hang on - that's a green 20, must be one of the last survivors in that livery. Then to Toton Open Day - two young spotters seem amazed as the gathered hordes play the "Lets see how many we can get in a Peak Cab" game with 44008. Looks rather tarted up! And finally we are over at Crewe for a 25 on a Llandudno - Nottingham with a confirmed Rat basher at the front droplight. That's all for today folks - more to come but as is SWMBOs birthday tomorrow probably wont be for a few more days Enjoy Phil Edited to correct year for class 71 photo to 1977. Was taken on a Worcester Locomotive Society London trip.

Thanks for all the encouragement folks. My comments re underexposed phots were heart felt but I have now solved the problem. I had sorted all the decent ones in to one box - which I have now found! So the themes can continue and now perhaps you might see a bit more detail..... First up - Vintage sparkies again! 83008 at Crewe - and perhaps better still, one of my all time favourites... 84003 at Glasgow Central. Must have been one of the last NBL locos in traffic - and on home turf too. The next generation.... 86004 at Warrington Bank Quay, DIT behind a 40. And whilst we are in the area lets nip over to Arpley for the classic shot.... Lever Bros factory makes a fantastic backdrop for a 40 on a classic train of 16 tonners. And to continue the theme... 40036 at Guide Bridge on Covhops. As one of the first 40's I saw at Stourbridge Junction this was a favourite loco. So now down the WCML to Bescot A cracking light loco move through the station with a 24, 25 and 20. From there its over to the Principality The earth moves at Cardiff Central as 3 Class 37s lift Llanwern - Port Talbot ore empties through the station. Then west to Pantyfynnon 37177 and another VF built 37 are in rather more peaceful mode. So we'll head up to North Wales - where according to the song men are from For a rather nicely posed refurbished Class 101 at Harlech. Then to the other side of the Country to resume .... The Stratford livery special string with 31005. Then finally off north of the border again For an unidentified 27 at Motherwell. Finally to Glasgow Works Where 25009 looks like its awaiting a decision.... That's all for a while folks .... but plenty more in the good box! Phil

Welcome - we always called in there if we were doing a jaunt to Crewe from Worcester- was usually good for half a dozen 24s Phil

Right, heres the next batch We continue a few themes from the earlier posts starting with another Stratford roof special 70000 Britannia, as originally restored at Bridgnorth. Not sure about the red nameplates though. Next some more vintage sparkies 74007 at Eastleigh - then off to the other end of the Country for Tommies galore at Guide Bridge. Then over to the East Coast for some decent power at York.... D1023 has arrived on the Western Finale tour from Exeter and heads off to the depot. This was the day she ploughed in to a herd of cows near Charfield and required her brake pipe to be repaired with a 2 bob bit! Now for some brand new (almost) heavy haulage at Staveley That's 56002 on a ballast working at Seymour Junction. Further north, who could resist a Class 03? 03171 at rest - am pretty sure that's at Gateshead! Then across the country to a nicely lit Carlisle.. 40040 rests in the station prior to working a Glasgow train via the G&SW. Following her north - and a bit east - a teaser of more to follow... and finally back to Eastleigh for a 33... 33018 in charge of TEAs from Fawley. Hopefully there's something there for everyone although I despair at my inability to get a decently lit shot. Mind you, looking at the puddles a lot of those days were rather grey. Plenty more where these came from! Phil

Brian (FC) has hit the nail on the head. I too was at Bristol Poly - Coldharbour Lane AKA Colditz but 1977 to 1979. Used to travel down from Worcester on my trusty Suzuki GT380 and stay with my favourite Aunty in Southmead Rd. Was doing professional courses on a block release bases and we had a 2 week block in November followed by 2 1 week blocks in February and May. I would therefore guess that this was May 1978 - the slide isn't dated, wish I had been more diligent - which fits in with Bernard's roof colour timeline. What course were you on Brian? Just rummaging through the collection for a few more gratuitous pictures.... Phil

In starting a new countrywide thread have unearthed a few others I had forgotten So here we are at Norton Junction again 37098 is about to take the chord to Abbotswood Junction with a nice freight - tube wagon first vehicle. Split box 37s were becoming more common by the late 70s Phil