Rugd1022

A bit left field this one - a screen grab from the old TV series 'Adam Adamant Lives!' filmed down the tube in 1966... And in complete contrast here's Edinburgh Waverley in the '60s, photo by G.Hall…

If you hadn't said where that was I'd never have guessed despite signing the road! Lots of vegetation on both sides of the line there now. I remember further east seeing eight 25s lined up at Croft Sidings one Sunday morning in 1981, not sure why they'd been dumped there but it was quite unusual even then.

25 223 at rest in the dock at Snozzell, July '74...

25 063 in the clutches of the grim reaper at Swindon Works, 15th February 1983...

The Jap Mini auto is provisionally sold as of today to a nice chappie from Sutton Coldfield, the relief is palpable! Time to start perusing the for sale ads again...

Lady Jane - The Rolling Stones

Another random find...

Bit of a random find this one, I was searching for period photos of Rover P5s when this turned up, Phil the Greek on a Royal visit to Coventry c.1962 during the complete remodelling of Coventry station with what appears to be a temporary entrance set up behind...

Fools Gold - Stone Roses

'RMWeb Pic Of The Week' there Phil, bonus Peak and BL 'Reginald Molehusband' Maxi / Landcrab daily transport...!

Not guilty m'Lud! I did managed to bend a handrail on 47 501 many moons ago though...

Wishing On A Star - Rose Royce

Looking at the photo again has prompted something else from the memory bank, entirely trivial and unrelated - in an episode of 'Strange Report' filmed in 1968 a chase scene was shot on that small patch of wasteground across rthe road from the signalbox, just in front of that row of terraced houses. Funny the things you remember!

Hands up anyone who loved them in their day but somehow still took them for granted! More from the archives, snappers unknown... The very first loco I ever drove as a wet behind the ears Secondman, 25 051... 25 036 in 'economy green' at Longsight, c.1974 I suspect... 5226 on the now lifted Bescot Up Reception Sidings in the early '70s... D5228 in 'economy green' at Crewe Diesel c.1970... Taking an early evening rest in the south end bays at Rugby in May '83... Time for a quick pose at Marton Junction on the Rugby - Southam Cement Works (aka Long Itchington) tripper, 1982... 25 057 in the south end bays at Rugby...

The 'Yorkie Pudding' railtour at Derby on 4th April 1983, an epic day out with several changes of traction... A Grahame Wareham shot of D7534 at Euston in 1970... Photos c/o Craig Donald : two pre-Tops blue Rats at Northampton on a foggy day in 1973... A pair of Rats heading down to Northampton Bridge Street in 1973... A pair of Rats on a diverted working near Boughton Crossing on the Northampton - Market Harborough line c.1974...

I think a lot of can come down to the inherent personality of the individual however they identify, inwardly or outwardly. I have two transgender colleagues at work whose respective personalities are very, very different to each other. The older of the two went out of her way to tell anyone within earshot constantly all about the intimate details of her surgery whether they wanted to hear it or not. She also made a point of showing photos of before and after surgery on her mobile phone which didn't go down well at all. In one instance a couple of years ago she propositioned herself to another driver (while on duty) which lead to disciplinary action when the driver concerned complained to management about her persistent and unwelcome behaviour. This seemed to alleviate the situation until she began slagging off the driver and the company on social media (thus braking the terms of her contract of employment), another round of disciplinary action followed before things were back to normal. As someone to work with she has always been one of the most awkward people, often refusing to do certain shifts 'because she's a lady' despite thousands of women on the railway doing the same shifts, always complaining about not being relieved on time but consistently late herself when relieving the rest of us with the lamest of excuses. The other transgender colleague is an absolute delight in comparison, always on time (and very often early which keeps the job running smoothly), very warm and witty, likes a joke, gets stuck in when the brown stuff hits the fan and doesn't complain about anything beyond dodgy diagramming or lack of PNBs etc. You couldn't find two more different people in the same work environment. I don't know if their respective ages has anything to do with it, the former is about 50, the latter is 28.... maybe / maybe not...?

This just in from 1963, that nice young Hank Marvin fellow picking up his new Rover 3 litre P5 Saloon...

Oh Well - Peter Green era Macwood Fleet

Chances are it's double headed to get one of the 800s back to Newton Abbet or more likely Laira for attention. They did go over to Old Oak for fettling occasionally too.

Cracking idea for a thread! Got a few Rat pics I've gathered over the years, some mine, some from other snappers... Photographer unknown with this one, but a nice angle... Photo by Alan Bayliss, Wednesbury Town in March '74... One of my grainy Kodak instamatic efforts, 25 136 takes rest at Nuneaton in December '82... Photographer unknown, 25 258 at Banbury in February '83... Photographer unknown, 25 005 at Carstairs in '78... Photographer unknown, 25 069 at Stafford during the 'Winter of discontent', 22nd January 1979...

Control - Joy Division

We were all young once...! Taplow, September 1966 with D1030 and D837 in attendance...

Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree - Tony Orlando & Dawn, a smash hit in '73.

If a 66 has been sat 'cold' for a couple of days the pre-lube sequence can sometimes take up to twenty minutes, at this time of year it means the cabs are still freezing so I often resort to switching the cooker hob on full to take the chill away until the engine has warmed up sufficiently to put the hot air heater / blower on.

Photo c/o Carl Ford : Tyseley c.1966...