Wanderings around the Midlands

[CovDriver]

Well I wasn't really in a posting an update every day mood last week as it seemed to be a long week, well I did volunteer to work both of my rest days.y own fault really but it's extra funds for some new rolling or a pre-built traverser fiddle yard. 

I'm only in for a few days this week today, tomorrow and Saturday. 

Meeting with the management on Friday.

Anyway here are a few pics from last week.

[CovDriver]

Just a little update for today as I've not actually done much driving. (Not my fault) 

It was an 0518 book on and pass to New St to split a pair of 350's and use one of those on a New St - International shuttle 

I was then supposed to a have a single 323 to Redditch and Four Oaks. But as it failed and was taken to Soho LMD. I ended up going to Soho LMD in a taxi to prep a class 730 and pick up the rest of the cross city turn to Four Oaks and back to New St. 

That's when it fell apart the 730 failed it's prep tests twice so with assistance from the fitters we eventually got it ready for service. 

I ended up missing out on a trip to Four Oaks and was asked to bring it to New St for its Redditch trip. 

I sat in the departure road for nearly 40mins  and brought it to New St where upon that unit failed with door problems. The station fitters managed to sort the fault and I ran the other way for my PnB.

I had the 1106 New St to Lichfield TV and return to do without any issues and that's me for 2 days off. 

So just a couple of pics the first one was from yesterday on my way home at Canley an MPV travelling South and then 730009 in the departure road waiting for the signal to go into New St. 

Edited July 2 by CovDriver

[CovDriver]

And today's turn was me booking on at 0510 and travelling pass to Birmingham international to prep a pair of 350's and take them to New St. 

I had the delights 323221 on its own for a trip to Four Oaks and then Redditch and back to New St. After a short break it was a 350 to Walsall and back but I had a traction power failure at Duddeston on the rear carriage of my 350 so I had to struggle only 50% power to Walsall and back to New St. And that should have been me done for today. 

But as I was walking out of the messroom I spoke to the DTCM and he was literally in the thick of it trying to cover services. 

So I volunteered my services and did more cross city work with a pair of 730's.

 

[CovDriver]

Well it's been a bit of busy week or so far to busy doing some of those "could you just favours" 

So here's a bit of a photo dump from the last week or so. 

I'm back in tomorrow at 0734 until 1616 doing New St - Northampton work. 

[CovDriver]

Well that was a good day at work for a change no faults or failures at and it was my favourite route New St to Northampton several times with a few odd stopping patterns to keep me on my toes. Then there was an added bonus of seeing D1015 on its light engine move from Kidderminster to Birmingham international. 

So a couple of pics from today's turn, and a short clip of D1015 departing New St.

 

[John Isherwood]

8 minutes ago, CovDriver said:

.. a short clip of D1015 departing New St.

 

 

I may be biased - but the 'Westerns' really were the peak of diesel locomotive aesthetic design, IMHO.

 

CJI.

[Ian Hargrave]

Biased ? And why not. I saw D1000 on its first outing to Plymouth in “desert sand “ livery at Temple Meads in January 1962 and marvelled at its ( then ) aerodynamic design. IMHO there’s been nothing better in design terms since.I believe Modern Railways described it as having a carriage like profile mirroring the BR Mk 1 shape.

[CovDriver]

And on a slight tangent I'm led to believe that the class 66 was designed/inspired from the Westerns. 

I've got more of a liking for EE type 3 and 4's plus the class 56.

But I have to agree the Westerns do look magnificent. 

[John Isherwood]

12 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Biased ? And why not. I saw D1000 on its first outing to Plymouth in “desert sand “ livery at Temple Meads in January 1962 and marvelled at its ( then ) aerodynamic design. IMHO there’s been nothing better in design terms since.I believe Modern Railways described it as having a carriage like profile mirroring the BR Mk 1 shape.

 

I saw D1000 in Desert Sand at Birmingham Snow Hill - along with many more in maroon - always extremely impressive and appearing as part of the train; not a separate entity which merely pulled the train.

 

CJI.

[Ian Hargrave]

32 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

I saw D1000 in Desert Sand at Birmingham Snow Hill - along with many more in maroon - always extremely impressive and appearing as part of the train; not a separate entity which merely pulled the train.

 

CJI.

IMHO the maroon livery suited them best.

[Rugd1022]

16 hours ago, CovDriver said:

Well that was a good day at work for a change no faults or failures at and it was my favourite route New St to Northampton several times with a few odd stopping patterns to keep me on my toes. Then there was an added bonus of seeing D1015 on its light engine move from Kidderminster to Birmingham international. 

So a couple of pics from today's turn, and a short clip of D1015 departing New St.

 

 

Appropriate that it's running through platform 2, back when they were regulars on the Padd-New St jobs between September '73 and January '77 they nearly always ran into platform 1 or 2 and ran round there, ready to return to Padd.

[CovDriver]

Just a normal day today starting off with the 0533 2C01 Coventry to New St then a round trip on the cross city with a pair of 730's it still feels odd having to shut off power approaching the summit after Vigo bridge as the line speed drops to 75mph as with a 323 your lucky if you get to 65mph.

And as you level off the line speed goes upto 90mph it's great giving these 730's a quick blast at 90. 

Then it was supposed to be working the 1006 LNR service from B'ham New St to Euston as far as Rugby then it should have been pass back to Coventry and finish but I had one of those could you just moments from the DTCM duty traincrew manager.

Could pass back to New St instead and then work the 1206 1Y38 LNR B'ham New St to Euston service as far as Northampton and bring another service back as far as Coventry and then finish.

Seen as SWMBO is away with the little one in Wales I agreed to help them out. So only a couple of pics from today's shift. 

Firstly 60055 approaching Canley Heading North.

Then a pair of rail adventure power cars taking some barrier vehicles to the SVR for temporary storage as they need the space at Kings Norton for the RHTT sets soon.

 

Cheers

 

Colin 

Edited August 8 by CovDriver

[big jim]

5 hours ago, CovDriver said:

Then a pair of rail adventure power cars taking some barrier vehicles to the SVR for temporary storage as they need the space at Kings Norton for the RHTT sets soon.

shudder!!

 

as it happens I’m taking some drivers who’ve just learned MPVs out on some handling turns from kings norton next week 

[97406]

On 21/07/2024 at 21:25, CovDriver said:

And on a slight tangent I'm led to believe that the class 66 was designed/inspired from the Westerns. 

I've got more of a liking for EE type 3 and 4's plus the class 56.

But I have to agree the Westerns do look magnificent. 

 

The 59 definitely was. I recall reading about it in Rail Enthusiast as a nod to Foster Yeoman nearly buying withdrawn Westerns for their trains in the late 70s. The 66 followed on from the 59, so there you go.

[CovDriver]

Well it was the early one today 0402 book on with a taxi to B'ham international to prep a pair of 350's and run ECS to New St then work them as 1W12 0613 New St to Euston as far as Northampton for a break before bringing back 1Y15 0840 service to New St then it was a quick trip to Four Oaks with a pair of 730's. 

So only 2 pics for today. 

Back in tomorrow morning at 0600, it's a round trip on the cross city with a pair of 730's to Bromsgrove and Lichfield TV and back to New St. Then have a lengthy break and work the 1206 from New St to Northampton and back to Coventry and finish. 

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

Well today's turn was an utter shambles, everything was going well until I was on my way back to New St from Lichfield TV.

As I was arriving into Lichfield City I had an emergency broadcast on the GSMR to bring my train to a stand immediately but I made sure I was fully accommodated in the platform first. 

And my signal was a red even though my previous one was green and I'm on 3 aspect system on this part of the cross city, so I knew something was drastically wrong. 

After a brief call with the signaller it turns there was a lineside fire near Aston which has burnt through the signalling cables. 

Proper job stopped this time so after sitting in Lichfield City for 3 hours I was asked to stabled my units with the pantographs down and batteries isolated. 

And eventually had a taxi to take me and my guard back to New St. 

So only one pic for today a pair of 730's at Lichfield just before I dropped the pans and made a sharp exit....

 

Cheers 

Colin