billy_anorak59

Thanks for the very quick reply Dave - most appreciated. I didn't think there were any release crossovers, but I've never seen any photographs of the track at the platform end, so thanks for the confirmation. I remember travelling from the station well, but was too young to take any notice of the details. Regarding the platform indicator and the signals I'm on about, I've marked them up on a section of your diagram - marked as 2 and 3 respectively. I couldn't make out the numbers of the signals from the scan, but yes, I think they could be 37 and 45 - I hadn't considered them as dwarf signals, but it makes sense now you've said it. Thanks too for the additional info on the distant.

I know this is resurrecting a very old thread, but a couple of questions (for Beast if he’s looking in?) please? On page 1 of the thread (posted 07/07/2010) there is a diagram of the throat to Woodside. I’m exploring a cut down version, but was wondering: 1. Were there any release crossovers at the platform ends? If so, what form did they take? 2. What form did the platform indicator take? (it’s a bit indistinct on the scan) 3. Whether the signals next to crossover 39A and 39B were actually positioned on the ‘wrong’ side of the line, and where were they (in tunnel?), as the only photo I have near that area is a bit ‘atmospheric’ and just shows a bracket distant, which again, looks ‘wrong’ line (but in the other direction) – is it off the diagram, as I can’t see it there?): I know I could PM Beast, but the answers to any of the above may be of interest to the wider community, so I’ll leave the post here. … If you’re out there Dave?

The LMS unit at Margate is a Class 503 - built 1938.

Sorry, none of the back or L/h side, but some of the interior if it's of any use?

Dave Marks' Flickr page has a few showing Port Sunlight exchange sidings - some great shots elsewhere on the Chester-Birkenhead too, but no yellow stripes. See: https://www.flickr.com/photos/90752501@N07/albums/72157632202145574

Agreed! Green/SYP when I was growing up, No end doors either. Lovely.

Just sayin' ...

A few of mine, for what they're worth - the instamatic was never a great camera, and even worse in my hands... Typical of their time, I suppose. Crewe works open day 24th September 1977 - HST Prototype 002: And again at the open day on 22nd September 1979: 43102 on set 254 024 - no idea where or when (guess about 1978), but for the life of me, I can't recall where... And an unidentified at Liverpool Lime Street in c1989:

Yes - ex-Coventry ERM - seen here in May 2011:

Yes there is - just change the 502 in the link to a 503: http://www.rue-d-etropal.com/3D-printing/passenger-stock-lms/3d_printed_LMS-cl-503.htm I've just got one to experiment with as my first try with a 3D printed shell. If successful, I'll make up the full unit.

Still 3-car - this is the 503 as newly relocated to Margate last year (from FB):

Me neither Dave! The tunnel(s) have been discussed on another website - here: https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/929774/re-old-birkenhead-railways.html#Post929774 Must be a member to view the pictures though. I think this photo shows what is being talked about (the A41 / New Chester Road is on the left): This snippet from that webpage might be useful (see 3d - near the bottom of the article):

Dean - The box was at the other end of the station - not the Bebington Road end. It can be seen in this blurry image of a Black 5 passing - about to enter the cutting through to Rock Ferry. This view was actually taken from the box, and the station (thus with Bebington Road just beyond the signals) can be seen in the distance. I seem to recall a few photos appearing in a thread on here not too long ago, but I can't find it just now. I think it showed some of the interior. The only view I have of the box itself is of 9F 92046 passing at speed (or what a Box Brownie perceives as speed), taken by a friend of mine on 5th August 1967. Hope it helps! Sorry about the tardy reply, but I've only just seen the question... Edit: managed to find the other thread I was taking about (from flyingsignalman) at: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/136116-an-lnwr-type-4-size-j-all-wooden-signal-cabin/&do=findComment&comment=3256131

Not totally conclusive due to light and distance, but I took this in 2015 - looks all red to me? Might help anyway.

Definitely Chester - Platform 3 (I think)? That 'chimney' is actually a 'shot' tower at the lead works. (molten lead dropped down it, which cooled and formed into lead shot balls as it fell). The train will be a local to Birkenhead Woodside.

Couple of mine over the years (apologies - variable quality...) D100 at Peak Rail, Matlock 1994: 122 Plymouth 28th June 1972: D172 'Ixion' Crewe Heritage Centre, erm 'Mid-90s': 44 008 'Penyghent' Chester 21st January 1978: 45 095 'Royal Engineer' York 15th October 1977 (Steam Heat OK!!): 46 045 Liverpool Lime Street February 1974. Now preserved I believe: 46 045 was the first TOPS Numbered loco I ever saw (I think it was renumbered 4 months before) - I was so impressed, I wasted another photo on the number itself...: Cheers.

Seven years ago: ...I know, I'm a bit slow... The following is an actual question given at a University of Washington chemistry mid-term examination. The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it.. Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)? Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law,(gas cools off when it expands and heats up when it is compressed) or some suitable variant. One student, however, wrote the following :- "First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So, we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the rate they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you do not belong to that religion you will go to Hell. Since there are more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell : Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay constant, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added. This gives two possibilities: 1) If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose. 2) If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls entering Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until all Hell freezes over. So, which is it ? If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa Baston during my freshman year, "...that it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded with her, then, #2 cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze." {The student received the only "A" awarded for that examination.}

Yes - vehicle is still in warranty, and the dealer did say "bring it in if you want to, but it's almost certain we won't find anything". So you can see where that's going. I can be assertive when I want to, but I just get the feeling that this one would lead round and round in circles, and still not get me anywhere except inconvenience. I guess I'll keep a watching brief on this, but if it happens again, I'll kick up a right stink. Service coming up, I will get them to check then - many thanks for the observations on this.

Ho-ho - you're yellow-carded. As soon as I typed in Audi, I knew something like that would be coming my way. I'm not a stereotype though, honest! (I use indicators and everything!)

Thanks for the reply - all food for thought, and I appreciate you taking the time to reply. The car is an Audi A4 - it's just over a year old. Apparently there is a way to turn the system off, but it re-initialises when you next turn the ignition on... I have now rung up the dealers, and I've basically just been given a telephonic version of a shrug of the shoulders: -

Hope you don’t mind me jumping on this thread, but I couldn’t find anything else more suitable. Perhaps someone could give me some guidance? Yesterday, whilst driving home, I came to a traffic calming ‘chicane’ :- This one: (I drive through it at least once a day). Speed: about 15-20mph, absolutely nothing in front, nearest vehicle about 400yds behind. Just on the final approach to it – ‘Bong! Bong! Bong! - and a large red triangle plus exclamation mark and ‘pre-sense’ appears on the dash. Now I have had this from time to time before, (just a single ‘Bong’) but the difference this time was that the car really slapped on the brakes and took me to a virtual stop within a few yards, and all with no input from me. It scared the life out of me – if there had been a car right behind, there is no question I would have been tail-ended. I seems that the ‘pre-sense’ system had detected the traffic chicane as dangerous. The thing is, if there had have been a vehicle close behind, and they had tail-ended me – who would have been to blame? I realise the car following would have had to have not been allowing sufficient braking distance in the eyes of the law, but in this case, no-one in their right minds would have expected this? Anyone watching would have thought it an incredibly bad piece of driving, but it was the car, not me. The autonomous safety system would have ended up causing an accident rather than preventing one. I’m also now a bit more nervous that the car is trying to kill me – I was lucky that I was at a low speed, but what if it decides to do a similar trick on the motorway? Unfortunately, I think I’ve just had my first taste of cars of the future: i.e. Actually taking control out of the drivers’ hands… I’d be interested in any opinions out there? Anyone else had a similar experience?

Update - found this at : Birkenhead Tunnels

Ah - see what you mean, sorry - misunderstood the question. I reckon Nick is correct. the cutting is quite shallow there, and the Haymarket above was probably cut and cover. No need for the cost of expensive portals, especially on a goods only line? Having said that, I think the passenger tunnel entrance down to Woodside was similarly 'sans portals' - again, the cover is very shallow at Town Station.

The tunnels take the lines down to Shore Road and the Docks under the Haymarket I think - map hopefully explains?

In some situations vehicles that have a fault, usually with the engine management, record a fault code, and then go into limp mode. Now I reckon that using a phone at the wheel is a pretty big fault - surely it isn't beyond the wit of man for the car to detect the 'fault' that's driving the vehicle, record it, and go into limp mode? Surely after the inconvenience of struggling down the road at reduced speed, then having to have the code cleared by a garage (at a cost) might put most off doing it? Just a thought.