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Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread


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yes, your right catkins, it is the steel train running around the houses while nottingham is shut, they are utilising some of their ex freightliner intermodal drivers for it

mick, thats right for the name on 66850, he is founder of the railway children charity

So does that mean that the 56s run through Nottingham? Stupid question I know

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So does that mean that the 56s run through Nottingham? Stupid question I know

 

Yes, when they are on the Boston steel and when Nottingham is not being resignalled !

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attachicon.gifColas Blockade Buster.jpg

 

Was it this one Richard?

 

I'm presuming that whilst Nottingham Midland is being blockaded for engineering works, then the Washford Heath - Boston steel trains are running via Leicester and Stamford to Peterborough for a run round, and then up the East Coast to Grantham.

 

Makes me wonder if Colas have any route knowledge for the route?

Not sure if it was that one in particular but looks the right sort of working, Unfortunately I was just getting ready to get off and really only caught enough to see it was a Colas unit sitting there. The yard at Peterborough has been cleared of a lot of stock recently and the buddleia etc cleared as well so something is happening (but that is digressing).

 

We've had some Colas track machines around the area as well, usually a couple of track maintenance units stable in Peterborough in a similar way to units stabling at Grantham.

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had a few days away with the family this week in hartlepool but had to be home before them to work this weekend, i used the trip back to refresh a few routes between doncaster and derby and onwards to birmingham, got a few pics en route but obviously the camera is away in the cab

 

start off with a few "holiday snaps"

 

the view from the caravan

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and from the edge of the camp

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and outside the camp.....

 

66737 "lesla"

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i think this was 66718

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and so heading home, started the day in hartlepool where this came through....

 

66718 on a biomass train

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caught a northern service to middlesborough where i changed for a TPE service to York for another change to what i hoped would be a XC to doncaster but i just missed it so i ended up getting an east coast to doncaster instead, i caught the train in the bay in this picture

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and so onto doncaster, had about 40 mins here for a look round, got a few pics while i waited for the XC service

 

grand central passing through on the fast

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east coast heading north

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couple of TPE 185s

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ews livery 66172 heads north

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arty shot

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couple of 67s, seems like a lifetime ago since i drove on of them!!

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sand train

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and so on to derby and then birmingham then back to chirk for my van

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Nice Pics.

 

Ah, but they are familiar scenes, platform 5 is the through platform at York, the bay is platform 6 as can be seen in the pictures. Usually the xx:01 service runs from the bay to KGX.

 

Even used to seeing platform views at Donny and Leeds regularly on the commute. Stations seen on a rare occasion include Saxilby (on a 225!), Sheffield, Chesterfield, Nottingham and all stations from there to Grantham.

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another interesting day and another first for me (well quite a few first to be honest!)

 

the day started with a drive to bescot to collect my train of ballast wagons to take to a possession south of gobowen, on arrival at bescot i saw the train but no sign of the loco, spoke to the shunter who informed me it was on the shed itself, i have learned the yard and refreshed it yesterday but had not bothered with the shed environs as i didn't think we would be using it, so that was my first "first" of the day, coming off bescot shed, thankfully EWS had a shunt driver there who came over and walked me round and guided me off, its not the easiest place to get off in all honesty as you need to speak to a number of different people to make the move (shunter, depot DP, down tower and walsall box!) not to mention the number of ways they can have you off

 

as i said i reviewed the yard and have a nice map for it too but confusion can arise when "local" names come into play, i knew my train was on the No1 engineers siding road but locally its known as the "middle slip" i think!

 

anyway, got the loco over and onto the train

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another first, the first time i've worked a train of ballast wagons, 2100 tons, 22 wagons worth!

 

and on my way towards the possession entry pont at wrexham via stafford, crewe and chester, had a good run there, gresford bank was "interesting" to say the least, i think had we have had a little bit of drizzle i may not have made it over the top, at the bottom of the bank i was doing the line speed of 60mph, by the time i got to the top of the bank the train was down to 9mph and pulling just over 6000 amps of power!!

 

the first stop was at wrexhams section signal where i was authorised to pass it at danger and proceed to the stop boards protecting the possession, (this photo was taken in a position of safety as the line was shut to all other traffic)

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after i had permission to enter the possession by the handsignaller i went on my way towards the worksite, another first, never been into a possession before!

 

i had to pass over gobowen crossing under local control, basically the signaller giving me a green flag from the box, admittedly i did stop at his home board which was on and rung him to clarify i could pass his signals at danger as i was now under the control of the picop up until the worksite, better to be sure than pass it at danger without authority, it was a bit un-nerving trundling past signals at danger though!

 

i'd been given info as to where the worksite boards were and i bought the train to astop there to await futher instruction from the ES (engineering supervisor)

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he then appeared and lifted the board and gave me permission to enter the worksite and told me where to wait until instructed to move, basically the down line was being renewed just beyond the loco

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i stayed on the loco and "read my rule book" and as it happens i didn't make a move while i was there

 

again a position of safety, way back from the worksite on closed lines

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i then got relief and made my way back to the ESs van who ran me to baschurch for my own van

 

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at baschurch the train in front of mine was ready to move off site towards shrewsbury so i grabbed a few pics of it, once agin using the fact i was in a safe area to get a couple of pics from unusual angles, also i've passed baschurch box many times but obiously never had the chance to get any pics of it

 

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and that was that, into the van, stopped at my dad's house in ellesmere for a cuppa then headed home to upload the pictures!

 

 

 

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Hi Jim, 

Nice seeing you again today... Quick phone grab shot of the beautiful grid, which hasn't failed yet so i'm told lol! :)

 

I went for an artistic shot! Sorry...

 

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And literally just as you left on the pioneer pendolino left look what turned up...

 

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One of your colas tamper at the north end and a Amey tamper turned up and book ended it. 

 

Tom  :jester:

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did a sinfin today but only got one raiway picture, especially for newbryford.........

 

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the 37 came in from burton direction with the single coach while i was waiting to run round this afternoon, closely followed by the 08 which coupled up and dragged the consist back into the RTC, nice to see an 08 actually in the station in derby, not seen that since the 80s!

 

the rest of the day was spent getting pics of other stuff, first while i was waiting to leave the sinfin branch i noticed that the bush next to me was teaming with butterflies so i grabbed the camera, zoomed in and got a few nice pics from the open cab window!!

 

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then onto etches park for fuel, while i was waiting i could hear the unmistakable drone of a spitfire overhead and was greeted by this sight......

 

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now i don't know planes but its obviously a spitfire flanking a boeing 787 dreamliner with another (unknown to me) little jet for company

 

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a quick google revealed that the 787 was doing a low level flyby for the workers at rolls royce in sinfin as a thank you for supplying the engines on the plane, apparently the american ones don't have rolls engines but British airways opted for then on their order

 

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as it happened they flew over 3 times, the little jet had hoever departed by the 2nd run

 

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nice to see, the last time round the spitfire broke away and the dreamliner began its climb up into the clouds

 

see its not all trains trains trains!

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Peacock butterflies on Buddlia bush.

That Spit was in 36E airfield this a.m. I'm sure as I saw it take off early doors (well almost sure, it was the noise I recognised)

Great pics of the engineering stuff Jim.

P

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did a sinfin today but only got one raiway picture, especially for newbryford.........

 

DSCF4717.jpg

 

the 37 came in from burton direction with the single coach while i was waiting to run round this afternoon, closely followed by the 08 which coupled up and dragged the consist back into the RTC, nice to see an 08 actually in the station in derby, not seen that since the 80s!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ta for the pic Jim.  Looks like TIC2 977974 behind the 97/3 (either 302 or 303)

 

08417 is regularly used to drag trains to/from RVEL.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57793461@N06/6911843255/in/photolist-bwM1ci-9pzRke-bwLZ7k-dNaQ4u-dP4HPs-aA4AGm-cgvNYY-dpFsgF-8fbXUv-86xQhw-86xRa7-bwLZNi-7XYRzw-8Mqb7Q-dNaN35-dRf9bs-9eT7gW-8ZqJsz-9LN3sM-boPkTZ-asDr9p-coZPsh-dN6obX-e3U2D1-aiPFCd-awkrgg-ebhPNp-aZjh4c-aiLSfP-bwLZui-e8VT1m-enn6dW-9qEn5t-brprJa-9tHYX8-97mLAt-bVDj9L-dXVEP1-cRKkNh-ajiFPQ-aVmPTz-fdAoNk-ahqNNt-9G1nDS-94Wbvf-e8r3ZF-dERXq3-e24SeH-a2J4V3-fjpatB-8S5ZNZ

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

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a quick google revealed that the 787 was doing a low level flyby for the workers at rolls royce in sinfin as a thank you for supplying the engines on the plane, apparently the american ones don't have rolls engines but British airways opted for then on their order

 

The engines in airliners tend to be chosen by the owning airline. The US airlines are more likely to put GE or Pratt & Whitney engines in their fuselages.

 

I wondered if the "little jet" was a Hawk, such as the Red Arrows use(d)?

 

Not drifting so much as soaring OT :-)

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The engines in airliners tend to be chosen by the owning airline. The US airlines are more likely to put GE or Pratt & Whitney engines in their fuselages.

 

I wondered if the "little jet" was a Hawk, such as the Red Arrows use(d)?

 

Not drifting so much as soaring OT :-)

 

 

Nope, definitely not a Hawk, but Jet Provost as said earlier. JPs have a side-by-side cockpit, giving then a fatter appearance, and also straight wings with end pods. Hawks have tandem cockpits and swept back wings.

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had a run out to reading again today, was learning from banbury to didcot but again, no FGW cab pass so i stayed on the XC through to reading

 

started by getting to birmingham, walked over to moor st and got a chiltern to banbury which turned out to be 67014 and 82304

 

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168 heading north

 

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noticed work has started on the new car park

 

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and so onto reading, had a bit of time here before catching a XC back to birmingham and then home to crewe where i'm enjoying a well earned beer! (and i don't normally drink!)

 

a few pics from reading

 

London bound HST

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HST heading west

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165 on a local service

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HST heading to paignton

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surprising how much of a hump there is beyond the signal

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XC from bournemouth running into the station to change ends and head out to manchester, this was the unit i caught back to birmingham

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a few from yesterday

 

started off by catching a train from crewe to warrington, at crewe i saw what i thought was the police helicopter hovering over the station so i grabbed a couple of pics of it, however looking at the pics on the big computer screen i notice its actually a network rail chopper

 

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voyager from holyhead

 

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and on to warrington

 

another voyager, this is one with the new style meridian lower valance fitted

 

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66302

 

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