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I must say the fact I didn't understand the title caption made me click the open button! A great photo! Regards Guy

Yep it was 37716.......my Mrs was at Ely on her sign off run with XC when the 37 came in towing a wee bit of that errant failure that caused some chaos in the region! Regards Guy

MK1 sleeper. Looks like first class branding on the right door. Regards Guy

"Rule 1" And fair play! What a great (and unusual) combo! Great photo. Regards Guy

40126.........see various Flickr photos. One of my favourite 40's, lovely shot thanks for posting. Regards Guy

Great photo Nidge. They the gates across Parkfield Road? There certainly aren't that many photos around of that location! 40009.........Crewe - Holyhead relief in Aug 83'. The last of the vac 40's.......one would say back in the day.....a beast. Regards Guy

Definetly fits the category.....after 25 years with the Old Bill, and 18 years of me wittering about railways, newly minted Mrs.B with her first charge at Leicester on Wednesday. I'm very proud. XC just need some proper engines and coaches now! :) Regards Guy

I think if you find any book covering this period you'll see that seaside specials were more often than not a mix of whatever was sitting around available. I gather that the better examples of a lot of older stock for various reasons was hoarded close to end of life and created into seaside rakes that got used during the season in question. I've just been reading a book part of which covers Leicester Belgrave Road. Some of the seaside stock is older tourist opens. Certainly at the end of the 50s there were some glorious combinations to be had on all regions' trains to the seaside! Regards Guy

Agree. Some superb studies in there! Thanks for sharing. Regards Guy

Gas wagon........for lighting etc on coaches. I think! Regards Guy

Like your number 12 shirt choice for the last dance in some dodgy night club in the 80's! I think I'll go for a kebab lads....... Some great photos here! Regards Guy

A classic from Mr_Western on Flikr. A rare photo of 40039 a few months prior to withdrawal. TOPS green. Not too many around of this beast (other than in bits at Crewe) Regards Guy

C14514.........47533. Compare and contrast two years later.......Flickr link courtesy of Tinsley.tmd.41a Sometimes hard to rationalise! Great photo of a happier time David. Regards Guy

Charming film. Very much of its age and very interesting. Note the change in the music between scenes involving men working and ladies scrubbing and sweeping. Without doubt would upset someone now though! Classic snippets of life. Great stuff. Regards Guy

I picked that up from the post office in Hayfield randomly for about 60p or something back in the early 80's. A very nice little publication, great photos and nice text. Still on the bookshelf upstairs! Regards Guy

Don't forget to remove the external steps (bar the bottom one) on the coach ends! They were removed due to OHLE to prevent fatalities. It's one of the faffs in adapting maroon Bachmann MK1's if you want to model late 60's with flashes. Hey ho! Great work though! Regards Guy

I would suggest try contacting the Llangollen diesel group as the van in the Willesden photo above was preserved direct from Chester in 1987 and used as their overnight and mess accommodation until 2018. It later became the camping coach. As converted I'd imagine at least two compartments being retained for sleeping, and open spaces created for mess and kitchen facilities. As this was previously a mess and riding van for the BTU I'd imagine there was an additional coach converted to the engineering and tool aspect to accompany the ensemble. http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=710 Possibly they may be able to assist with further photos of the interior as it was taken from BR. A quick search online didn't reveal any internal photos. Regards Guy

I've sent you a PM with attached images. It is the Llangollen coach DM395754. The last three of the number are visible left corner. I hope they are appropriate. Regards Guy

There were four ex SR vans based in Eastleigh Dorset sidings in 1987. Two were still allegedly active Departmental with the ME dept. and two were internal users, one an old (1930's diag) PMV, and a BY. Both of these look rather careworn. The right hand van has ME branding although the left hand end looks like it may have the small internal user number painted by the door. A bit blurry to discern when blown up. They both look like the flaking paint is the only thing holding them together! Regards. Guy

Keep em' rolling in Tim! Great memories. Regards Guy

I've just found my 84' Departmental book. The Rugby allocation was a set of three; ADE320823 (E88014E) 1926 LNER CL which was the staff and office coach. ADE320828 (E88101E) 1928 LNER C which was the workshop coach ADE320836 (E82359E) 1929 LNER T which was the pantograph coach. This ties up the original photo I think hopefully! Regards Guy

ADE320836 (E82359E) is the one in the photo above. According to Departmentals.com there were sightings at Nuneaton then Rugby in 1984 but also in Rugby summer 1983. It was scrapped at Marple and Gillot in Sheffield November 1985. It looks demic in the above photo - the windows are missing - so in all liklehood is stored or withdrawn already. Regards Guy

Graham is it looking South to the birdcage? The flats on the right are at the top of the hill on Clifton Road and are due to be demolished. My knowledge of the old layout isn't sufficient but it looks like that view point. Maybe Nidge can clarify @Rugd1022 ?

Looks like a crane and runner on the front of the rake of coaches. They definetley look old school ER though. A quick look through Departmental book around 1986 didn't find any LM stock that was ex LNER on the electrification train side of things but I can't help pre-86. There were certainly a fair number of ex LNER and associated Eastern company vehicles in use allocated to the Eastern region though with some as crane runners. Someone on here is bound to have a definitive answer! Regards Guy

A quick check of the 78' RCTS stock book confirms what I thought that certainly lots 30720 and 30726 SK's 26060-26217 inclusive built at Derby 1962/3 were steam heat and remained so until the end. Allocated chiefly between Western Eastern and Scotland. They were culled starting from the early 80s but a few lasted longer. Regarding new build as dual heat from 61' they appear to be; TSO - 4900-17 lot 30646 Wolverton 1961 4918 - 5044 lot 30690 Wolverton 1961-2 5045 - 5069 lot 30724 at York 1963. SK's built as dual heat appear to be; 25704 - 25905 lot 30685 Derby 1961-62 25906 - 25972 lot 30686 Derby 1962 were a combination of electric heat for the Southern and dual heat for the Midland but I don't know if the Southern ones had their steam heat isolated rather than not fitted at all. 25973 - 26023 of lot 30719 Derby 1962 for Midland region with the remainder to 26059 being steam heat for the ER. BSK's built dual heat; 35447 - 35449 lot 30728 Wolverton 1963 35450 - 35486 lot 30721 Wolverton 1963. Probably nowhere near comprehensive but what is to hand. Any errors are mine. Hope this gives you a steer. Regards Guy