St. Simon Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 5 hours ago, mikejames said: the aircraft industry has flight simulators - probably more to do with types of aircraft than routes - but does the railway industry have equivalent - and if so - how realistic is it. Hi, It does, in fact GBRF just opened a new Class 66 simulator using the cabs from the 66 that fell down an embankment in Scotland. I can't vouch for how realistic it is. Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 19, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 19, 2019 5 hours ago, mikejames said: two further questions - if you don't mind the hastle I (and I suspect others) find your 'as it really is' replies helpful and interesting. There are lots of 'cab ride videos' out there - are they useful at the beginning of learning a route and does the company/industry try to provide comprehensive coverage and updates etc. the aircraft industry has flight simulators - probably more to do with types of aircraft than routes - but does the railway industry have equivalent - and if so - how realistic is it. finally it seems to me that learning a route in the day will be quite different from driving it at night. how does this affect route learning? Thanks again for your patience mike james As Simon mentions above there are simulators, they are more about Doug unusual scenarios you would hope not to encounter in real life rather than road learning such as passing a signal at danger by accident, extreme low adhesion etc, as he says we have just opened ours, I believe one has (or will have) ERTMS fitted regard the cab ride video that is another way we can refresh a route, the company has up to date dvd’s And downloads of all the routes we work so if you need to see one but are struggling to get over it you can watch the film (I’ve never done that one personally as I prefer to try and get out and about instead) and yes, night is a lot different to day learning! 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted September 19, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted September 19, 2019 Some from last night had to inspect a wagon at Basford hall so walked past these, 90050 and 86252 in a right mess waiting to set off from Basford hall, no freightliner in front for 2 nights and 2 nights early arrival for us And waiting in oxford rd same job tonight, then a night off tomorrow (to get a train into Manchester oxford road for the theatre!) 23 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
treggyman Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 Hi Jim As others have said thanks for the great photographic record of your daily work..... Some great photo's & interesting info.... But most of all thanks for your in depth replies to questions regarding your day to day work that give us an insight as to how the real railway works..... Thanks again for your time.... Really appreciated.... Bill 1 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted September 21, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted September 21, 2019 Just 3 from today, was supposed to be a simple hams hall to bescot job but got a call asking if I could go banbury and rescue a failed intermodal train, luckily the loco required was in crewe so got ready and had a blast down the wcml to nuneaton, over to Coventry then onward Leamington to banbury where we collected 66718 with 66727, a colourful combination! we then set off north while the driver who should have been on the intermodal at 11 o clock fuelled and prepped our bescot locos at hams hall and by pure chance he was ready around the same time we left banbury so we arranged a footplate swap outside coleshill, him continuing to Doncaster and us going to bescot and into bescot where we put the locos top and tail a rake of autoballasters before going home! possession tomorrow near Northwich then a week of the Trafford park intermodal 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 22, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 22, 2019 Some from today, worked a couple of trains off site in Greenbank Nice mural on the fence And back for the 2nd one 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 23, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 23, 2019 In other news..... https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/new-owner-for-gb-railfreight 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 16 minutes ago, big jim said: In other news..... https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/new-owner-for-gb-railfreight Does this mean that Big Jim's new uniform will consist of a Garberdine mac and a trilby? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 23, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Fat Controller said: Does this mean that Big Jim's new uniform will consist of a Garberdine mac and a trilby? Just has to google that.... basically you mean a ‘flasher mac’ 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejames Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 does the gossip include any changes on the ground - ie affects you- or just 'the money people' or is it too soon to know? and does everything get a new coat of paint? regards and best wishes mike james Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 23, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 23, 2019 The most significant thing is John smith has agreed to stay on for 5 years as MD. other than that I’d be surprised if the public see any difference 1 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 1 hour ago, big jim said: Just has to google that.... basically you mean a ‘flasher mac’ I suppose so. Mr Jones from the Pru used to turn up every Friday to collect his premium, dressed like that. There was a famous railway photographer who used to be an inspector with the Pru; H C Casserley. His visits to branches throughout the UK would have been very useful for taking photos. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 23, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 23, 2019 4 minutes ago, Fat Controller said: I suppose so. Mr Jones from the Pru used to turn up every Friday to collect his premium, dressed like that. I must be somewhat younger than you to have not got the reference saying that a friend of mine back in the early 90s was on the side ‘the man from the pru’ Who still did exactly that, I wonder when doorstep premium collections officially ended for them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 3 minutes ago, big jim said: I must be somewhat younger than you to have not got the reference saying that a friend of mine back in the early 90s was on the side ‘the man from the pru’ Who still did exactly that, I wonder when doorstep premium collections officially ended for them? They probably still go round like that in Llanelli.....They apparently had a 'Retro Weekend' last weekend, and everyone turned up in their normal clothes. Glad to see John Smith is staying on. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 27, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 27, 2019 Not put any pics up this week as I’ve been in the same job all week to and fro from trafford Park grabbed a pic tonight as we had a loco swap last night and hopefully it will be my last trip here for a few weeks as the RHTT starts on Monday and yet again I’m the only driver with various parts of the route in date so it’s my job for the next few weeks while other drivers come with me to refresh it 66735 as I say RHTT coming up, bescot-rugby-Macclesfield-rugby, a nice daytime job for a change 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 29, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 29, 2019 Futher to that post yesterday we had a right mare of a trip to Trafford park, had a good run nuneaton to crewe then as per usual sat waiting while the class 86 hailed freightliner set off 2 mins in front of us, it came to a stop at couple of loco lengths past the signal then after a minute or so continued on its way We got as far as the independent line only to be stopped at a red signal and the signaller tell us the freightliner had failed in front of us exiting the tunnels toward sandbach, it was eventually after an hour rescued by a light engine 66 that happened to be coming from Manchester direction, but bizarrely the rescue loco then passed us on the independent line outside sandbach, the 86s had been assisted to sandbach and had been declared fit to run, we passed them at longsight as I’d asked control to see if network rail would run us past them so we were not futher delayed getting into Trafford park while they shunted, we eventually arrived just over 50 mins late and only had one box to remove and one to put back on (problems in Southampton apparently) so come 02:40 it was almost time to leave but again the freightliner departs Trafford 5 mins in front of us, we got away and had a good run through Manchester and onto the styal line only to be confronted with a red at heald green, a call from the signaller then told us that the freightliner 86s had come to a stop ahead blocking one side of the junction to Manchester airport, the very same 2 locos that had failed earlier on! this time we sat there for 2 1/2 hours while it was recovered With the same class 66 from crewe, when we eventually got away We went via the station at crewe finally arriving into nuneaton about 140 mins late! quite why they Didn’t put the assisting 66 on at sandbach and leave it on into Manchester and back I don’t know as removing it caused huge problems and I should imagine hefty delay fines for freightliner, I ended up doing the best part of 14 hours by the time I got home but luckily im not in work the rest of the weekend so can relax for a couple of days 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted September 30, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 30, 2019 Day one of the RHTT circuit, bescot to rugby, rugby to Macclesfield, Macclesfield to rugby then home starting in bescot, for the train watered up and ready to roll and away to rugby Into the back platform at Macclesfield for 45 mins and into rugby And away to london it went same again tomorrow 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Do you end up wearing gloves and second-best clothes for the accumulated muck on handrails and door handles on that job? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 1, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 1, 2019 not yet but give it a few more days! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Davexoc Posted October 1, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 1, 2019 22 hours ago, big jim said: Day one of the RHTT circuit, bescot to rugby, rugby to Macclesfield, Macclesfield to rugby then home starting in bescot, for the train watered up and ready to roll and away to rugby Into the back platform at Macclesfield for 45 mins and into rugby And away to london it went same again tomorrow Just looked up the timings, 3J01 on RealtimeTrains, and your train doesn't appear to have made it further south. No reports for it until Bletchley, but another 3J01 seems to have jumped in VSTP from Acton to Bletchley to complete the run to Bedford and back to Euston. Confusing.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 1, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 1, 2019 Yes it had a radio issue at Euston so was terminated there, unfortunately no one bothered to tell me so I turned up at bescot this morning to work the train only to find it cancelled so went home again! should run tomorrow but another paperwork issue may see it only go as far as kidsgrove on the northbound run unless it’s resolved by departure time 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold CovDriver Posted October 1, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 1, 2019 I might see you in passing if you leave Bescot early as I'm booked at Stechford on the Down at 1055 with 9F40. Great pictures as always Jim. Cheers Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted October 2, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 2, 2019 On 30/09/2019 at 22:34, big jim said: What's with the dark paint under the GB Railfreight branding? And on the front panel? Covering graffiti? Cheers, Mick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 2, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2019 Dunno what it is, there doesn’t appear to be covering anything like graffiti , I’m thinking it may be undercoat covering a corrosion repair or something, it’s been there a while as it follows the shape of the old decal! interesting addition to add to the Bachmann ltd Ed model of it 4 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted October 2, 2019 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2019 Another interesting Day on the WCML RHTT train, started in bescot..... and ended up on the ECML in Doncaster! The generator on the set failed and has got to be repaired or swapped out so it’s heading back to york as we speak for an overnight repair, I’m staying in Doncaster so if, as hoped it’s all done for the morning I can pick it up and take it back to bescot to get back on its booked circuit! 14 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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