TravisM

How often does it run?

I was at Peterborough station about 11.00 today and I was surprised to see a nice short model-able freight train. It consisted of 5 green TTA tankers headed by a Freightliner Class 66 and arrived from the south, sat on platform 5 waiting for several passenger trains to pass and then headed north. I've never seen this working in the 3 years I've lived in the Peterborough area and wondered where it originated and terminates? The train consisted of: 66416 in Powerhaul livery VTG 60689 VTG 60663? VTG 60566 VTG 60867 VTG 60561 I'm not 100% sure on some of the tanker numbers as I was on platform 3 and the data panels were a little "dirty" on some of the wagons and difficult to read as it sped out. Hopefully someone can confirm the details of this train.

I don't suppose anyone would have a close up picture or pictures of where the nameplates were? I was wondering if there was rust or any other visible marks to show where they were?

I wonder what's happening to the ATP equipment in the former FGW HST power cars now heading north to Scotrail?

Oh I bet.............

I apologise if it's been posted here before but when did the change start from the earlier three shuttered radiators to the later two shuttered version on Class 47's? Also were some built from new with the later version and what was the reason for the change?

Yes your right, I put it down to old age and just not seeing what I'm supposed to be looking at lol

Thanks for that but if you notice, they are both the same side (notice where the radiator opening is) but I will do the loco minus it's nameplates.

I did that but it seems to show the same side every time, so has it lost it's nameplate on one side or both; and is there a plan to put them back?

I've recently acquired a Bachmann Class 66, EWS 66200 and I want to update it to a DB patched version. I noticed that the nameplate on one of the cabs was missing but it seemed to be the same location. Has it been removed from both sides? If anyone got any recent pictures of 66200 in DB patches and if it's still missing it's nameplates, that would be most welcome.

He works at a large steel mill in PA, ordering and organising loads into the works so hence the interest. I'm not actually sure what type of mill he works at but I don't think there's a furnace there due to pollution issues, but I get the feeling it's taking in coil and slab to finish off but I'd have to ask him.. He says he gets regular tank cars of acid as well and I wondered if steel mills here take in the same? The time frame would be the present day.

I have a request from a friend of mine who works at a steel mill in the US and he's wondering what was brought in by rail to aid the production here in the UK. He's aware that steel coil or slabs for finishing is brought in by rail on a daily basis, but I assume that coal (possibly), iron ore, scrap steel is still regularly brought in by rail as well, but what about chemicals such as Sulfuric acid etc?

As the brake tender was usually coupled in front of the hauling loco when being used in service, I would assume that it's being hauled as part of the train from one place to another. It could have come in and the original loco gone tech, so being returned to it's original location while the loco is being repaired.

Having browsed through Flickr, it seems 2011/12 was the golden time for them to have returned and worked trains here in the UK.

I was wondering how often do the ECR (ex EWS) Class 66's that are working in France return to the UK, if at all now? I was led to believe that they returned regularly for servicing at Toton and for the leaf fall season and amazingly, I got to see ECR 66191 working a train through Peterborough in 2011 but never seen another once in the UK since. Are they now rare birds in the UK?

I seem to remember reading recently that DB had ceased using Class 08's or is that not the case? I've seen pictures of EWS 08's working recently, namely at Cardiff but are they DB owned or leased in and the new owner not bothering to paint out the old ownership. If DB are still using them, where are they being used?

Yes, all stored with those hidden steam loco's in Box Tunnel, guarded by Elvis who still regularly rides Shergar.

I'm building a small modern day layout set near to where I live and I want to include a small warehouse or PAD where wagons could be loaded with palletised goods with a forklift. The idea for the layout is that a freight company has developed a flow for local produce in competition to road haulage. Idiotic idea but we all live in hope . Sadly I'm kind of a newbie regarding modern freight stock and wondered if VGA's or something similar are still used?

I take it that double track centres on straight track is 50.5 mm? I was told years ago to get a easy separation on curves was to lay your minimum radius curve first, then tape a pencil your longest vehicle you want to run round that curve, so the pencil is furthest from the inside rail. When you have made that mark, lay the outer radius track and do the same but the pencil on the opposite side you used before and hopefully if it's done right, the pencil should trace over the original pencil line and get a realistic separation. I hope that makes sense?

I've restarted modelling in OO gauge and I was wondering what the distance is between double track centres for both straights and curves so I can get a realistic looking double track mainline. Obviously I'm looking for the distance in model form rather than 1:1 scale

As it was taken after grouping, stock would be probably moved where management felt it would be suitable. It could have even been a test run to see if it was better than what was available on that route.

Most of the USATC 0-6-0T's were shipped off to Europe pretty quickly after the end of the war to help rebuild the railways there. I think the Southern had to grab what they could before they were shipped off. I even seem to remember they kept the ones they were already using, effectively never gave them back lol.

By that time, I'm sure 55001 and 20 were already or in the process of being sliced up.

I live near Peterborough and apart from seeing a single Chiltern liveried Class 68 running out of Marylebone, I've wondered where the best place to see these loco's as well as the Class 88's on a regular basis; hopefully no further than a hour away from me. I was wondering if they run through Northampton on a regular basis or do I need to go further afield?

I think the Class 221 Voyagers that were kept by Virgin West Coast were mainly used on the Euston/Holyhead which weren't a Pendolino dragged service or mainly the Birmingham New Street/Edinburgh services, until more Pendolino's were ordered. I think Virgins diagrams were very tight and therefore they didn't spare any to cover hiring out to Cross Country. The only place you see Virgin and XC Voyagers together is Central Rivers depot.