Interesting and inspiring photos from Flickr....

[montyburns56]

20 hours ago, Andy Kirkham said:

 

 

 

Kings Cross. An ebay purchase by Colin Alexander

 

Hey, no subliminal advertising on this thread if you don't mind!

[simon b]

9 hours ago, Andy Kirkham said:

Does anyone know why loco+coaches survived so long on suburban services out of King's Cross, while at all other London terminals multiple units reigned supreme?

 

Could be something to do with the widened lines needing the shorter 57ft coaches?

[Knapdale]

8 hours ago, keefer said:

 

Of course, all ECS eventually became Class 5.

Class 3 ECS codes are still used. LNER use them from time to time to get an out of place Azuma from Craigentinny to Aberdeen or Dundee. 

[Matt37268]

15 hours ago, Andy Kirkham said:

 

Goyles? That's a new one on me. Short for Gargoyles?

Pretty much, I’ve also been told off as referring to them as ‘Ped’s (apparently that one’s short for ‘Pedal Cars’ and the speed they move at) Do like a bit of Ped thrash though as they only have 2 power settings, shut off or wide open 😀

[MidlandRed]

34 minutes ago, Matt37268 said:

Pretty much, I’ve also been told off as referring to them as ‘Ped’s (apparently that one’s short for ‘Pedal Cars’ and the speed they move at) Do like a bit of Ped thrash though as they only have 2 power settings, shut off or wide open 😀

I don’t think they had those odd nicknames in the era that photo was taken at Kings Cross. In fact a significant proportion of odd loco nicknames seems to have emanated from the pages of Rail Enthusiast magazine in the late 70s! 
 

The point about class 31s being slow and gutless seems also to have coincided with fitting of some of the class with eth which reduces loco power - and also the class appearing beyond the ER where they originated, notably on the WR where slightly unfair comparisons with type 3 power were made - their initial role on the WR was as replacements for those venerable old class 22 NBL jobs on Paddington ECS, where they were more powerful than the locos they replaced. 

[Rugd1022]

10 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

I don’t think they had those odd nicknames in the era that photo was taken at Kings Cross. In fact a significant proportion of odd loco nicknames seems to have emanated from the pages of Rail Enthusiast magazine in the late 70s! 
 

The point about class 31s being slow and gutless seems also to have coincided with fitting of some of the class with eth which reduces loco power - and also the class appearing beyond the ER where they originated, notably on the WR where slightly unfair comparisons with type 3 power were made - their initial role on the WR was as replacements for those venerable old class 22 NBL jobs on Paddington ECS, where they were more powerful than the locos they replaced. 

 

They had more power than the 22s but they still struggled like buggery going up the ECS flyover out of Old Oak, many's the time we had to ask the Bobbie for permission to set back and have another go. When we had pairs of them on the Padd - Brums in place of the booked 47 or 50, we often lost time climbing Fosse Bank, and they struggled climbing up the bank from Acton Yard to Acton Wells Junction with local trip work too.

[C126]

11 hours ago, Matt37268 said:

referring to them as ‘Ped’s

 

I heard years ago, from a Western Region wallah who loved his '47's, that "Ped." was short for 'pedestrian', again, a connotation of their speed.  But I expect it depends upon whom you ask.  The poor things were not liked much, it seems.

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

25 minutes ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

They had more power than the 22s but they still struggled like buggery going up the ECS flyover out of Old Oak, many's the time we had to ask the Bobbie for permission to set back and have another go. When we had pairs of them on the Padd - Brums in place of the booked 47 or 50, we often lost time climbing Fosse Bank, and they struggled climbing up the bank from Acton Yard to Acton Wells Junction with local trip work too.

And in pairs they couldn't keep time on the Oxford - Paddn commuter trains.  And no need to shut-off or brake for the 85 PRoS on the Up Main at Acton MainlIne because even wide open they couldn't get up to that speed there.

[2251]

2 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

When we had pairs of them on the Padd - Brums in place of the booked 47 or 50, we often lost time climbing Fosse Bank

 

Not terribly surprising when you think about the numbers -- a Brush Type 2 (in EE re-engined guise) weighs only about 6 tons less than a Brush Type 4  but produces less than 60% of the power.  A pair of Brush 2s weighs nearly twice as much as a single Brush 4 but produces only about 15% more power.

[Matt37268]

5 hours ago, C126 said:

 

I heard years ago, from a Western Region wallah who loved his '47's, that "Ped." was short for 'pedestrian', again, a connotation of their speed.  But I expect it depends upon whom you ask.  The poor things were not liked much, it seems.

 

 

From a crank’s point of view, this one very much likes a 31 😀 this one even went to a gala way back in 2017 when the only thing on offer was Brush Type 2’s 👍🏼

[C126]

@Matt37268 I am glad to hear it.  As a Southern Region wallah, I just judged by appearance and they looked pretty enough to me, especially compared to the grotesques of to-day (Class 68, etc.).  I have a non-headcode '31' for my layout, signifying an inter-regional freight train from the Eastern Region, conveying fruit from the coast to Stratford Market, and very welcome it is too.

 

 

[Matt37268]

22 minutes ago, C126 said:

@Matt37268 I am glad to hear it.  As a Southern Region wallah, I just judged by appearance and they looked pretty enough to me, especially compared to the grotesques of to-day (Class 68, etc.).  I have a non-headcode '31' for my layout, signifying an inter-regional freight train from the Eastern Region, conveying fruit from the coast to Stratford Market, and very welcome it is too.

 

 

Erm some of us have a bit of a thing for 68’s too… not only do they look a bit unusual but they sound pretty cool too 😀

[KeithMacdonald]

35 minutes ago, C126 said:

As a Southern Region wallah, I just judged by appearance and they looked pretty enough to me, especially compared to the grotesques of to-day (Class 68, etc.). 

 

Beauty must be in the eye of the beholder?

http://www.class68.co.uk/

[phil_sutters]

20 minutes ago, Matt37268 said:

Erm some of us have a bit of a thing for 68’s too… not only do they look a bit unusual but they sound pretty cool too 😀

Fink I've only seen the one, on a photo tour round some of the London stations I didn't snap in the 40+ years I lived there.

 

[97406]

Another vote for Class 68. I like the way they look and the way they sound. An oasis of interesting traction in a sea of Sheds, Fuglies, Skips and bland units. Mind you, a Fugly on full chat isn’t too bad, just a bit quiet!

[The Pilotman]

17 hours ago, MidlandRed said:

In fact a significant proportion of odd loco nicknames seems to have emanated from the pages of Rail Enthusiast magazine in the late 70s! 

the first issue of which was published in 1981…

[Lemmy282]

4 hours ago, 97406 said:

Another vote for Class 68. I like the way they and the way they sound. 

Not sure about the sound, just ask the residents who live opposite the depot in Scarborough when the 68's were there.

[97406]

2 hours ago, Lemmy282 said:

Not sure about the sound, just ask the residents who live opposite the depot in Scarborough when the 68's were there.

It still wouldn’t compare to growing up within earshot of Skelton Junction in Timperley in the 70s, but it would have to do, I suppose. 

 

On a more serious note, I really miss noises like that, even in the distance. 

Edited September 4 by 97406

[C126]

O dear, my apologies to all lovers of '68's.  🙂  I was worried I might open a can of worms when making my pronouncement.  Sorry.  If I may say in defence, I try and use Marylebone station to travel before/behind a 68 when possible, and yes they do sound lovely.  But why did someone not choose, for example, the nez cassé style for a new look?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nez_Cassé#/media/File:CC-6572_Mulhouse_FRA_001.JPG

 

Sorry for going off-topic.  Exits, grabbing hat, coat, umbrella, gloves...

Edited September 5 by C126
Typo.

[Mike_Walker]

Personally I find the 68s a refreshing change in styling from the bland 66s and 67s and the styling is adapted from Stadler's standard European design.

 

They go well too.  To quote Chiltern's former chief instructor, compared to the 67s that preceded them they are like getting out a HGV and into a Ferrari.

 

[montyburns56]

Redmire 1986 by Michael Rhodes

 

 

[balders]

On 04/09/2024 at 17:52, 97406 said:

Another vote for Class 68. I like the way they look and the way they sound. An oasis of interesting traction in a sea of Sheds, Fuglies, Skips and bland units. Mind you, a Fugly on full chat isn’t too bad, just a bit quiet!

Very much enjoy a 68. A good noise.  Skips have grown on me. Nice idle. But disappears into nothing as you leave a station.

 

Cheers

 

Guy 

[rodent279]

OT, but talking of bland units, classes 150/153/156/158 can't be long for this world at 35-40 yrs, and as amongst the last "BR specced" units are surely worth a following?

[Ben B]

54 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

OT, but talking of bland units, classes 150/153/156/158 can't be long for this world at 35-40 yrs, and as amongst the last "BR specced" units are surely worth a following?

 

I've been thinking about that too. I grew up with 150's in the West Mids, 153's on the Stourbridge shuttle, and 158's on the Cambrian. I spent a bit of time this year getting shots of the latter, as they're soon to be replaced. It came as a bit of a shock to realise the 153's are being wound-down to scrapping... it feels like there must be enough justification for single units, and hopefully they're bog-standard enough for a few to make it into preservation.

[woodenhead]

7 hours ago, rodent279 said:

OT, but talking of bland units, classes 150/153/156/158 can't be long for this world at 35-40 yrs, and as amongst the last "BR specced" units are surely worth a following?

Northern are procuring their replacement as we speak.

 

Will be interesting to see how many make it to preservation, the 153s are already being bought up but a 150 isn't quite a 101, 108 or suchlike, a 156 is more amenable for a preserved line and a 158 with sealed windows and aircon sounds expensive to run.