hammy Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Don't tell me the 66's have got the dreaded mazak rot aswell quick Bachmann get some spare chassis in Hat, coat, door lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 17, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2015 here are the uploads from the proper camera first night was the stormy night down the bicester branch as you can see it was somewhat damp! another one of the 66 in hinksey then the next night it was drier, but a lot colder, unfortunatly i forgot my tripod this week so all these pics are taken from on top of walls, spt's, digger wheel arches, anything i could find really! last night was the coal, 70 on it again, had a run straight through to hatton where once the stratford service left he drew me forward into the platform, dont stop here very often so grabbed a pic while i could and on to landor st where i got off and fought my way home via the partially closed M6! back in tomorrow for 3 days of trains to claydon and bicester 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 And as a slight aside, my shunter tonight, paul, has sent me some pics to post of a little job he and 'my man in the south west' worked the other week to St Ives, a few cracking pics, loving the one looking down onto the station Driver asks "are you sure this is right?" Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted January 19, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 19, 2015 Good night last night, even made a bit if history! Started in bescot with a fairly substantial train of 25 loaded autoballasters top and tailed by 70s, there was some concern over the weight but as it happened it was lighter than anticipated (just over 2000 ton and 1500 ft long) Off i set for claydon jn but just as i aproached haddenham i got a call from the box to say the job was cancelled and as they were going to be using the bi-directional line between risborough and bicester i would have to continue south until they decided what they wanted to do with me so we headed to high wycombe where we changed ends Nice to see they have tidied up the sign that was discovered under an advertising hoarding a few years back, they have added the words 'formerly' to it so as not to confuse non locals!! By now we discovered that it was mis-communication and the train was in fact running so off we went north and made our way to claydon jn and ultimately bicester On arrival at bicester we were told that we were dropping ballast on the new chord, this is where we made a little bit of history, we were the first train EVER to use the chord! We split the train into 2, one loco propelling 10 ballasters up the bank on the 'up' line and the other pulling 15 up the down line First we used the propelling set dropping top ballast around the freshly laid track then went onto the other set and drove it up the chord from gavray drive, and boy is it a climb, 1 in 33 at one point i believe! All the way to the top where you cant go any futher!! Just beyond the fence is the connection to the chiltern mainline, probably only 30M away, i believe the up side is attached but the points arent commissioned yet King of the hill!! After we did that i set the train back down the chord where i left my relief to piece it back together ready for me to take back to bescot tonight, but not before i bring another 25 auto's in from hinksey first! 29 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Horse Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I popped into Bescot last night and was on the footbridge just as you were leaving, it looked an impressive load and the 70 sounded good powering away. As always thanks for the pics 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Great pics ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted January 20, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 20, 2015 proper camera pics arrival into bicester with the first train, 70806 leading and the first train on the new chord, 70806 propelling 10 autohoppers up it then i bought 70805 on the other line chord with 15 autohoppers at the top of the chord with 70805 and after the job 70806 under tubbs lane bridge waiting to set back onto 70805's train to head back to claydon it made its way back to claydon this morning at 01:00 where i picked it back up after bringing another 20 autoballasters in from hinksey last night and headed back to bescot with it, left claydon at 03:00 and got to haddenham and thame parkway only to look at the schedule and see we were booked to sit there for 2 hours waiting for a possession to be lifted, as it happened it got lifted an hour early so i got a run only to be held at hatton til time so finally arriving into bescot at 08:30 this morning got a couple of good shots though!! and that was it for last nights job, heading back there tonight to bring this mornings train off and take it back to bescot again 23 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dampflok Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thanks to Jim and others for details of what's going on - trying to keep up with it all is quite difficult, but I did manage to get out to Bicester today in light of some of the info above. I was able to get shots of 70809 and 70804 with the ballast train that was parked under the Chiltern main line bridge over the "Varsity" line (incidentally, does anyone know what the headcode for this train was please?), this being the working from Hinksey at 22:58 on 19th January, returning to Bescot at 03:00 (time at Claydon) on 21st January. As this train presumably occupied this section of track all day, there was no MoD working from Didcot to Bicester today, 20th January. Photos here - 70809 on the Bletchley end of the train: 70804 on the Oxford end of the train: "Clickable" images to take you to larger pictures on my site (hopefully, my ISP seems to be playing up tonight...!). Cheers, Geoff 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dampflok Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thanks for the further info Jim, as a resident of Haddenham I did wonder what the prolonged stop there was in aid of last night (this morning!) but I didn't feel up to turning out at that hour of the day and even if I had I'd probably have missed you as you left 68 minutes early, according to RTT! I gather a similar stop is being made tonight, but to be honest, I doubt if I'll be out...! Cheers, Geoff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 20, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2015 (edited) The headcode was/is 6C32, i'm on my way back there to collect it as we speak, i was hoping i was a straight get on, brake test and go but it turns out the train never got emptied today as the ballast was frozen so ive got to empty it tonight (assuming its thawed!) instead Not a happy bunny about that as we now need to split it again and go along the chord Geoff, its now booked an hour later off claydon jn in the morning (which i think will cause problems at risborouh personally) so i should imagine it will just go straight through again Edited January 20, 2015 by big jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dampflok Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thanks Jim, appreciated! I didn't realise the train I saw had not been emptied as there was nowhere I could get high enough to see into the wagons but wouldn't surprise me that the load was frozen - I was none too warm getting the shots! Sounds like you may be straight through Haddenham tonight (tomorrow morning!) if you've got to unload tonight - not that it's overwarm this evening... Good Luck - Cheers, Geoff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted January 21, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 21, 2015 some pics from last night, what should have been a straight on the footplate and go job turned into a full blown ballast drop as it wasn't able to be done the previous night due to the ballast being frozen in the wagons we got there and split the train into 2 halves, 10 wagons per portion and we moved them onto the chord ready to drop the ballast as the other driver moved the first half of the train onto the chord myself and the trainee waited for the points to be reset by hand to allow us to enter the line next to him here we are sat under the abomination that is tubbs lane bridge, this lot replaced a foot crossing!! we then drew forward onto the chord and waited for the other train to drop its ballast, you can see how steep it is from this picture, although we didnt struggle up there with 1000 tons behind us! the other train waiting for the groundstaff to fire up the ballaster generators and once activated it began to drop its ballast we then moved to the top of the chord ready to drop our ballast while propelling backwards, much better for pictures last night!! and on the mainline a colas tamper was waiting to tamp the points got the job done and left bicester only 40 late but we had to stand at haddenham again so it was not too much of a problem, i finally arrived back into bescot at 08:00 this morning 28 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Like the photo of Aylesbury depot very clear and you can see the layout easily ,its interesting when the 56 passes often see it outside Stoke Manderville on way to Risborough through the level crossing at Marsh Lane it makes the ground shake as it passes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted January 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 22, 2015 Sinfin today, didnt bother with the proper camera but got a couple on the phone Sad to see just a single loco sat in derby station yard when you think how busy it used to be! Still at least it was a 56, the colour really suits it After getting fuel we then returned to sinfin only to discover the headlight had failed on the loco, a bit of phoning round found us one from east midlands trains which we picked up while we did the run round Despite appearing dimmer than the LED markers it gave out a surprising amount of light when we passed through meir tunnel on the way back Into crewe and job done 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smasher2009 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I thought it was unusual to see one of you guys on the phone next to the engine this dinner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) Yep, phoning round to sort the headlight!! (And i was in a position of safety btw!!) I presume that was you stood on sinfin central platform waiting (hoping) for us to head up towards you? Edited January 22, 2015 by big jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smasher2009 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 No, that wasn't me, I came to investigate on my bike while you were waiting to get through the gate to get the tanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2015 ah yes, a blue fold up bike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smasher2009 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 That's me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Indomitable026 Posted January 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 22, 2015 Jim, I wondered if that was you today.... She sounded great...... 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 22, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) a few from my guy in the south west, the railvac to paignton, first 70 along there coming through the station goodrington yard Edited January 22, 2015 by big jim 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted January 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 23, 2015 Like the smiley in the last pic! Cheers, Mick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 23, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 23, 2015 Heads up for anyone out and about in the midlands tomorrow, tonights coal service from bristol to ratcliffe and its empty return to gloucester will be colas' final one for some considirable time From what i believe from another forum the government has changed the tax on imported fuels or something so its been stockpiled and quite simply not as much is needing to be moved around, this not only effects small players like colas with its single train but over the coming weeks and months we will probably see less and less coal being moved from port to powerstation by the likes of schenker, freightliner, gbrf etc Going to be taking my camera tonight for a few shots hopefully The above info is my understanding of the situation, not heard anything official about it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest B Exam Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Heads up for anyone out and about in the midlands tomorrow, tonights coal service from bristol to ratcliffe and its empty return to gloucester will be colas' final one for some considirable time From what i believe from another forum the government has changed the tax on imported fuels or something so its been stockpiled and quite simply not as much is needing to be moved around, this not only effects small players like colas with its single train but over the coming weeks and months we will probably see less and less coal being moved from port to powerstation by the likes of schenker, freightliner, gbrf etc Going to be taking my camera tonight for a few shots hopefully The above info is my understanding of the situation, not heard anything official about it Thanks for the heads up on this Jim. Will have to make the effort and get off my backside and phot the empties, hopefully still with 70808.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted January 24, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) today was the last day of the coal into ratcliffe, due to stockpile levels there is no more coal required to be moved in by colas for a considerable time, hopefully it will resume later in the year but today was the last day of regular services into ratcliffe from avonmouth or portbury had a couple of stops en route where i managed to get some pics, first up leicester where i had to wait to get on the bi-directional single slow line to syston due to engineering works on the fasts and into toton to run round at 03:00, the line i stood on is blocked as i need it to be to perform the run round and run round ready to depart, sat here for 3 hours though!! and discharged, couple from the departure line and at the exit signal ready to go to toton to run round again rose amongst the thorns in toton run round ready to depart for gloucester for the last time ive put this in the creative photography thread too, 30+30=60 elford loop for 30 mins a few into the sun piccies and into washwood heath where we had to remove the 2 leading wagons with this!! as the 37 isnt mainline registered yet it had to stay in yard limits so we simply backed the wagons up to it, coupled on and it pulled them away the steel train was also running around while we were there and as it was in my way i had time to get some pics of the 37 finally into saltley where i got relief and the train continued to gloucester for the last time the end!! Edited January 24, 2015 by big jim 42 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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