Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[gismorail]

That shunter you photographed 261 is it possibly an ex Dutch Loco ? Anyone know 

Edited June 17, 2022 by gismorail

[Purnu]

1 hour ago, gismorail said:

That shunter you photographed 261 is it possibly an ex Dutch Loco ? Anyone know 

 
I could be wrong on this but I suspect it could possibly be one of the ex British Steel Lackenby GEC shunters?

 

https://flic.kr/p/GGHfdx

No idea who it’s owned by now though.

 

[big jim]

9 hours ago, Purnu said:

 
I could be wrong on this but I suspect it could possibly be one of the ex British Steel Lackenby GEC shunters?

 

https://flic.kr/p/GGHfdx

No idea who it’s owned by now though.

 

you might be right, the number matches up too!

 

some from tonight, light engine from bescot to shrewsbury to collect the weed sprayer 

 

bescot 

 

coton hill

 

 

and then it got dark 

 

97304 arriving in with the sprayer 

 

uncoupled and away I’ll the yard to head back down the loop while I put the 66 on the back end of the train 

 

Waiting for the off 

 

mans once the 97 had gone I was ready to go too

 

Eventually into bescot after being held outside for an hour while a backlog of trains departed 

 

weekend off then MOD Monday, then east mids gateway and small Heath possession jobs

 

[Ben B]

On 17/06/2022 at 17:32, Purnu said:

 
I could be wrong on this but I suspect it could possibly be one of the ex British Steel Lackenby GEC shunters?

 

https://flic.kr/p/GGHfdx

No idea who it’s owned by now though.

 

 

My parents spotted it on a lowloader heading north towards the M1 on Friday lunchtime :)

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by Ben B

[gismorail]

11 hours ago, Ben B said:

 

My parents spotted it on a lowloader heading north towards the M1 on Friday lunchtime :)

 

Great information thanks 

[big jim]

Some from today, bescot to Telford and back to crewe 

 

bescot with my favourite class 66, I know a 66 is a 66 is a 66 but this one looks like it means business, has a great horn and goes like stink! 

 

Bescot down side 

 

 

Run round in Wellington today as it was a short train 

 

 

Running round in Donnington 

 

Loading up 

 

 

And a crew swap at gresty lane 

 

And a couple from the walk back to the car

 

 

crewe to East Midlands gateway tomorrow via nuneaton and Leicester as due to the strike I think it’s got to run through ‘signalling centre’ areas rather than past mechanical boxes which will be shut 

Edited June 21, 2022 by big jim

[Iron Horse]

This horn Jim? Thanks as always, one of the great things with Working From Home still

 

 

[Busmansholiday]

On 17/06/2022 at 17:32, Purnu said:

 
I could be wrong on this but I suspect it could possibly be one of the ex British Steel Lackenby GEC shunters?

 

https://flic.kr/p/GGHfdx

No idea who it’s owned by now though.

 

It's an ex Teesside, British Steel, Corus, SSI. GEC 75 tonne (new around 1977) DE shunter, one of a number purchase by Ed Murray of Hartlepool and available for spot hire.

[big jim]

Some from today 

 

freightliner arriving into the station for a crew swap as basford hall independent lines were closed 

 

a DB freight passing through on the fasts while my train arrives into platform 5

 

 

A few passengers waiting for one of the limited trains 

 

I was heading to East Midlands gateway but had to go via the he wcml and Leicester to get there 

 

First stop was East Midlands parkway to wait for a passenger to pass before I could cross to the fasts at Trent jn 

 

 

 

 

Running round in castle donington sidings 

 

 

 

Waiting for a Southampton train to clear the branch line so I could get into the terminal 

 

And run round again 

 

 

And as there were no trains running I had my bike and after heading to castle donington to stable the train again I rode to Leicester 

 

And the view from the hotel of the station 

 

tomorrow is hams hall to Mountsorrel 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[big jim]

Not in the mood for many pics today, caught the train from Leicester first thing 

 

got off at nuneaton though and rode to hams hall, 14 miles over the top of the hill in swealtering heat! 
 

hams hall 

 

my train has come in late and I was on a short job I agreed to stay with it and get it to Mountsorrel as booked

 

while I was waiting a double headed intermodal came in with a freshly named 66 up front 

 

Cambridge University Railway Club

 

interesting though the 08 in the picture is also linked to the club as it has the name ‘Eagle’ with C.U.R.C below it, according to one of the shunters who used to be based at Cambridge it was named eagle as it derailed regularly and they used to say ‘the eagle has landed’ whether that’s true I’ll leave it for you to decide 

 

I then departed for Mountsorrel exactly 4 hours late arriving there just under 4 hours late where I stabled the loco

 

one for graffiti mick @newbryford 

 

I then had a ride to Loughborough (5 miles) and for the train to derby

 

still heading home to crewe via uttoxeter as I type, been a long day, tomorrow will be longer! 

[newbryford]

8 minutes ago, big jim said:

 

one for graffiti mick @newbryford 

 

 

 

Waits for the Revolution HOAs......

[big jim]

You’ll have plenty to choose from 

 

 

[stewartingram]

The o8 named 'Eagle' was named after the only loco to be built at Cambridge.

[big jim]

46 minutes ago, stewartingram said:

The o8 named 'Eagle' was named after the only loco to be built at Cambridge.

Interesting, but i prefer the urban legend

[159220]

22 hours ago, big jim said:

Cambridge University Railway Club

 

interesting though the 08 in the picture is also linked to the club as it has the name ‘Eagle’ with C.U.R.C below it, according to one of the shunters who used to be based at Cambridge it was named eagle as it derailed regularly and they used to say ‘the eagle has landed’ whether that’s true I’ll leave it for you to decide 

 

Delighted you found 'our' club locomotive, you can find some information here: https://curc.org.uk/gbrf-66786/ 

 

The 08 mentioned, 08631, was the Cambridge shed allocated shunter that was named in May 1988 after the railway heritage in Cambridge and the C.U.R.C. (one plate provided by the clubs Senior Treasurer and the other by BR). 08631 is not the only 08 to hold the nameplates, as allocations changed, the nameplates were moved from 08631 to 08711 and then to 08757 (both in RES liveries). When the shed allocation for 08s ended in 1996, the plates ended back on 08631 on the Mid Norfolk Railway. I 'think' 08631 is now owned by Jeremy Hosking's LSL (and no he is not a member). The Eagle has been the club's magazines name and emblem since day dot (1911). A name not derived from the tourist hot-spot pub (The Eagle) but based on the only steam locomotive to be built in Cambridge by the Headly (not a typo) Brother’s Eagle Foundry on Mill Road (200 m north of the station). Built in 1849 and named ‘Eagle’ the locomotive was used by the Eastern Counties Railway to run inspection runs around the ECR by it’s engineers and VIPs. Hence the 08 naming was both a Network SouthEast tribute to the history of the Cambridge shed and of course the C.U.R.C. We have a thing for Eagles in Cambridge, not sure why, not yet seen it on the menu in St Johns'... 🤣

 

The 66 is our first mainline locomotive and we are delighted by it! Both us and the Stephenson's Locomotive Society (currently the world's oldest - still functioning - railway club) with its FL 66957, are considered historically cool enough to be honoured with a plate. 

 

Sorry I hope I have not bored you, just we are all utterly delighted by the naming and a huge thanks to GB Railfreight. Students and club alumni are just as fantastically passionate about the railways as GB Railfreight, its a perfect naming! 

[big jim]

Not many pics again today, started in Bescot with a ride to bordesley to move a train from moor st to there 

outside moor st

 

Once moved it was a walk back to moor st for the 2nd train 

 

 

 

Once my train was clear I had to set the other one back to clear the machine access 

 

Next I moved train 2 to small Heath to be unloaded 

 

Unfortunately I’d left the battery switch on on 66796 so I had to ride back to bordesley to go and switch it off, a nice 3.5 mile round trip!

 

And back to my train again to continue unloading 

 

On site until 23:30 and a ride back to the hotel, hams hall to Mountsorrel tomorrow then back to Leicester for a footplate swap and back to Mountsorrel again then back to landor st! Going to be a long one again 

 

[big jim]

Only 3 from today, first up I worked a train from hams hall to Mountsorrel (which I didn’t get any pics of)

 

once I arrived, shunted the wagons and stabled the loco I then got a lift back to humberstone road to collect a 2nd train to take into Mountsorrel as the driver didn’t have route knowledge beyond syston

 

Parked up in the neck in front of the other loco i left there earlier while I went for some dinner and the train got loaded 

 

went into barrow on soar then walked back, spotted someone’s interesting garden shed on the way back too!

rhats me until Sunday now, possession in Hampton in Arden then 3 nights of trafford park 

 

[big jim]

Forgot about these from last night, possession near berkswell

 

pendo to work 

 

Waiting at stetchford for a passenger to pass 

 

And pass it did 

 

Once Into the possession it was a short wait until I got let into the worksite 

 

where I didn’t move at all once in position, didn’t bother with pics in the daytime though!

 

not a fantastic pic as there was no light, this was at 23:00 when I got off 

 

walked back to berkswell where a train in the adjacent line was getting ready to leave 

 

and that was that, 3 nights of trafford park this week and a possession on Saturday night 

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by big jim

[big jim]

Trafford park last night, in the mood for photos too, might not get many more the rest of the week, rather have a sleep when I get there

 

saltley

 

66077 DB’s HVO powered 66

 

Felt like David Bellamy!

 

XC HST passing by

 

And my train to Manchester 

 

Waiting at castle Bromwich for this to clear the single line chord onto the Sutton park line 

 

Basford hall

 

where I found a piece of ballast that looked like Jack Skellington from nightmare before Christmas 

 

so he came for a ride as my 2nd man 

 

and into Manchester, run round and ready to set back into the terminal with 1/2 of the train 

 

 

 

 

And back to coventry this morning, normally it’s nuneaton but the WCML was shut south of Stafford for engineering work

 

same job tonight but back to nuneaton as normal 

[Tankerman]

4 hours ago, big jim said:

Trafford park last night, in the mood for photos too, might not get many more the rest of the week, rather have a sleep when I get there

 

saltley

 

66077 DB’s HVO powered 66

 

Felt like David Bellamy!

 

XC HST passing by

 

And my train to Manchester 

 

Waiting at castle Bromwich for this to clear the single line chord onto the Sutton park line 

 

Basford hall

 

where I found a piece of ballast that looked like Jack Skellington from nightmare before Christmas 

 

so he came for a ride as my 2nd man 

 

and into Manchester, run round and ready to set back into the terminal with 1/2 of the train 

 

 

 

 

And back to coventry this morning, normally it’s nuneaton but the WCML was shut south of Stafford for engineering work

 

same job tonight but back to nuneaton as normal 

 

Hi Jim,

 

If I've counted correctly I really like Nos. 3,12 and 14, because of the way you have put the loco/train in the setting of the railway. No. 3 is my favourite and if it were my image I would have it printed and framed and hung it on my wall, as it stands as a picture in its own right.

[big jim]

Just had an email about a delay we picked up at basford hall last night and the only way of disputing it with is using the picture of  ‘Jack skellington’ because of the time and location it was taken, that should amuse someone in the delay attribution department! 
 

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by big jim

[corneliuslundie]

Allowing a "passenger" in the cab without permission?

I have been away and using a laptop which did not have my password but of course I have been keeping up with your photos. Many thanks.

Jonathan

[big jim]

That ‘passenger’ has probably saved  the company thousands in delay fees!

 

Not many pics last night, raining in Manchester (surprise surprise!)

 

a walk many train spotters will have done over the years, duddeston to saltley 

 

The XC HST passing again 

 

 

Manchester 

 

And into nuneaton 

 

last night of it tonight

[corneliuslundie]

Obviously just a double manned loco, not an illegal passenger, guv!

But that name plate? In 1948 the organisation created was British Railways. The change to British Rail was much later, with the Corporate Image etc.

Jonathan

 

[big jim]

just a couple of pics from landor st last night. 37608 and 37601 passing by heading to the RTC with some barrier vehicles after dropping a pair of 91s at sims metals in Newport 

 

 

 

and my train again 

 

night off today but still going into Manchester!