RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted February 9, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted February 9, 2023 Long job last night bescot to princes Risborough for a rail drop class 88 in Bescot my lead loco out of bescot was 66734, the first time I’ve actually driven it (well my trainee drove) Had to ran all the way to West Ruislip to change ends, ended up stopping outside rhe station while a test train turned back from the greenford branch, a good opportunity to get a pic of the northern portal of the HS2 tunnel the old sidings at Ruislip have now been extended so that tunnel segments can be delivered to site by rail can’t believe the change here even within the few months since I was last down there! Changing ends it was then back north to risborough to drop the rail, once done it was all the way back to Ruislip again to change ends for the last time, some 4 hours after the last pics! and finally into banbury and off to a hotel, doing it all again tonight! 32 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted February 9, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 9, 2023 On 08/02/2023 at 15:01, big jim said: Back to it yesterday, landor st to crewe first, got to the station a bit earlier than planned and glad I did! as I drove to the station I noticed the LSL scotrail push pull set on the bridge toward Chester. Had a look in the maps and saw it was signalled out toward Chester on its test run, got to the station and grabbed a coffee and noticed the set in platform 12, apparently it had an issue on its test run and had to return to the depot DBSO 47712 A couple of minutes later the black TFW 67 came in, looking much better now it a a bit mucky! Mk4 set with DVT Then a pair of 90s came in including one that was painted to match the MK4s when a grand central service to Blackpool was planned which never started due to covid etc And a pair of C2C 720s to complete the mad 5 minutes! 47712 departing for the depot after that it was off to bescot (was originally supposed to be landor st) for the first train to crewe 66738 Into basford hall we then went back to landor st to work another train to stockport like last night but I couldn’t be bothered with pics! tomorrow is a rail drop at princes Risborough running out of bescot, I’ve got to go all the way to west ruislip to change ends though! @St Enodoc remember these?? Baz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
s182ggu Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 2 hours ago, big jim said: Long job last night bescot to princes Risborough for a rail drop Hi Jim I guess there must be a logical reason for having to go all the way from P. Risborough to South Ruislip in order to reverse / crossover, but couldn't this be done at either H. Wycombe or Gerrards Cross or any other crossover point? By the way, thanks for the constant flow of information / pics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 9, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2023 It’s all to so with the timings, I did actually looked into it as it’s a regular occurrence and I like to see if things can be made more efficient both time and cost wise given the tight timings on this job the move even happened the same years ago when I was with colas Heading from bescot nothing follows us from aynho jn to Risborough but there are still trains running out of london to Aylesbury at that time of night both passenger and empty stock as well as one from Bicester to Aylesbury rhat we wait for at Bicester chord jn, so we have to go south to give them time to get onto the single line across to Aylesbury as if we stood in the platform we would block the route and if we changed ends at either wycombe or Gerrards we would do the same there too there isn’t much of a window to do work on the branch, the last passenger over it east bound is about 01:15 and the first one back west bound is about 05:15 so just a 4 hour gap to work when we leave the possession the first passenger train is pretty much running behind us so again if we sat in the platform that can’t get into risborough and even then if we did change ends and head north there are a couple of ECS trains that do Aylesbury to Bicester or banbury that we would block or delay if we left there out of sync I did have it a few years back where I noticed RTT showed us entering the single line before the last passenger service so I rang the box to let them know beforehand be be sure they regulated us correctly! it probably won’t be running tonight as we managed to drop all the required rail last night, as I say the possession timings are tight so they planned it to run over two nights incase if any delays taking the possession or unloading but we dropped the lot with about 20 mins to spare so I’m now having a day off tonight/tomorrow as it’s been a long week already! 6 1 6 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
s182ggu Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 2 hours ago, big jim said: It’s all to so with the timings, I did actually looked into it as it’s a regular occurrence and I like to see if things can be made more efficient both time and cost wise given the tight timings on this job the move even happened the same years ago when I was with colas Heading from bescot nothing follows us from aynho jn to Risborough but there are still trains running out of london to Aylesbury at that time of night both passenger and empty stock as well as one from Bicester to Aylesbury rhat we wait for at Bicester chord jn, so we have to go south to give them time to get onto the single line across to Aylesbury as if we stood in the platform we would block the route and if we changed ends at either wycombe or Gerrards we would do the same there too there isn’t much of a window to do work on the branch, the last passenger over it east bound is about 01:15 and the first one back west bound is about 05:15 so just a 4 hour gap to work when we leave the possession the first passenger train is pretty much running behind us so again if we sat in the platform that can’t get into risborough and even then if we did change ends and head north there are a couple of ECS trains that do Aylesbury to Bicester or banbury that we would block or delay if we left there out of sync I did have it a few years back where I noticed RTT showed us entering the single line before the last passenger service so I rang the box to let them know beforehand be be sure they regulated us correctly! it probably won’t be running tonight as we managed to drop all the required rail last night, as I say the possession timings are tight so they planned it to run over two nights incase if any delays taking the possession or unloading but we dropped the lot with about 20 mins to spare so I’m now having a day off tonight/tomorrow as it’s been a long week already! Thanks Jim. I can now see why there is a need for such a seemingly long diversion. At first look it seems very wasteful but slotting in with all of the passenger ECS movements and with such a short time available on the branch, it all becomes clear. Still, it made for a long day for you - I'm sure that the day off today / tomorrow is welcome! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barclay Posted February 10, 2023 Share Posted February 10, 2023 On 30/01/2023 at 20:02, big jim said: This afternoon me and my dad went too london for a tour on a routemaster with Sir Peter hendy at the wheel and Tim Dunn giving a commentary on various landmarks we passed along the way set off from crewe, 197 in the bay 97 waiting to head south Not a good pic but 37688 shunting a black five and sir Nigel gresley Pride Pendolino We then caught the Elizabeth line from Tottenham Court Road to paddington Paddington And on to the bus. Sir Peter was telling us this is his friends bus and is the first production routemaster Tim Dunn issuing tickets from Sir Peters own vintage ticket machine Front seats downstairs Ticket trouble! Book of Mormon theatre London eye Sir Peter Hendy who had given his bus and driving services free of charge for the evening as the money raised from ticket sales was all going to charity A brief stop on embankment St Paul’s Tower Bridge That was about it for pics, we finished at King’s Cross but had to hot it foot it to euston for our train home, should be back for 10 hopefully! Great to see RM5 still active. I remember going up the Mile End Road in it back in the 80's (Probably route 25). The earliest one I ever saw ! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted February 11, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2023 Job cancelled last night due to a routing clash with a possession, luckily just before I set off from home otherwise I’d have set off to Doncaster, went to bed then got a call at 02:30 asking me to go to toton to meet another trian that had been caught up in the possession! drove over to toton and worked it to hams hall, back to toton to recover my car then up to Doncaster for the model railway show Long week again next week, stone train tomorrow, chiltern possessions and small heath, then a week off so booked a caravan in camber sands for the week to have a proper break away from work 24 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted February 11, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 11, 2023 2 hours ago, big jim said: Then a week off so booked a caravan in camber sands for the week to have a proper break away from work Control to Jim:- Can you just? 1 1 6 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted February 11, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2023 On 08/02/2023 at 23:04, brittannia said: I usually manage to video it at Hyde North about 15-40, Last week the earlier empty Train one going to Cement Works Manchester , every empty wagon was very professionally Graffitied the train was very impressive bit strange every wagon was painted Probably done by the FOC to discourage the rattlecan brigade. 😉 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 11, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2023 8 hours ago, Chris116 said: Control to Jim:- Can you just? Unless it’s a rail drop on the Romney Hythe and dymchurch railway it’s not happening, not taking anything work related with me! 7 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted February 11, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 11, 2023 17 minutes ago, big jim said: Unless it’s a rail drop on the Romney Hythe and dymchurch railway it’s not happening, not taking anything work related with me! You could rebuild the Rye and Camber but it might take longer than your well deserved holiday! 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 12, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2023 (edited) any suggestions of places to visit while down there, bearing in mind its pretty much out of season, non railway suggestions appreciated, dungeness is definitely on the list hoping the ligthhouse is open, we may go on the train from Rye somewhere but not sure where yet, hastings maybe looking at most of the local attractions (RHDR, port lympne, rye museum etc) they will be shut the week were there as its 1/2 term the week before in kent, shades of the royle family ‘pearl of preststyn’ holiday Edited February 12, 2023 by big jim 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted February 12, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 12, 2023 They used to do tours of the power station. It might be worth looking up. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted February 12, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 12, 2023 The historic town of Winchelsea is worth a visit I believe. I've never been but saw a programme about the archaeology and history, possibly an episode of Time Team. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted February 12, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 12, 2023 I would suggest Bodiam Castle, but sadly it looks to be closed between 20th and 24th Feb (which I guess is when you are down there). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold StuAllen Posted February 12, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2023 Kent & East Sussex Railway is nice, and you can combine with Bodium Castle - but looks like it closed that week as well. Battle is a nice village, looks like the abbey is open - that’s always a nice walk around the battlefield. The smugglers caves in Hastings were good as well but haven’t been since before covid. if you’re in Rye, Marinios fish bar is worth a visit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium figworthy Posted February 12, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 12, 2023 I don't know how much there is to see, but there are the sound mirrors (a sort of predecessor to RADAR) somewhere near Dungeness. Adrian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 12, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2023 Most things are closed the week we’re there, we have activities to do at the holiday park like swimming, those dishes look interesting, might go and find them, might take a trip to Brighton on the train one day 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted February 12, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2023 7 minutes ago, big jim said: Most things are closed the week we’re there, we have activities to do at the holiday park like swimming, those dishes look interesting, might go and find them, might take a trip to Brighton on the train one day Get a ride on a 313, they are supposedly gone in May. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 12, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2023 3 minutes ago, adb968008 said: Get a ride on a 313, they are supposedly gone in May. don’t think I’ll have much choice down there do I or are they already being replaced? noticed the train from rye goes through to Eastbourne, thought the marsh line was just a diesel shuttle as far as Hastings, didn’t realise it went through, the last time I did the marsh link (apart from driving a 69 along it during training) it was a Hastings DEMU! (1987 iirc) 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted February 12, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2023 (edited) 23 minutes ago, big jim said: don’t think I’ll have much choice down there do I or are they already being replaced? noticed the train from rye goes through to Eastbourne, thought the marsh line was just a diesel shuttle as far as Hastings, didn’t realise it went through, the last time I did the marsh link (apart from driving a 69 along it during training) it was a Hastings DEMU! (1987 iirc) yes the rundown has started.. 313203/9/16 stored Hove yard, 313215 at Selhurst. Its very imminent, a move from Hove to Arlington was canceled on Friday, so assume those three are gone next week. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R04086/2023-02-10/detailed https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K05071/2023-02-10/detailed Ive heard Sundays are all 377/3’s now already, as their replacement is simply shortening existing services, I’d imagine it could happen sooner without much difficulty. Edited February 12, 2023 by adb968008 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 12, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2023 Just been looking at other things to do further afield, might even go into london on the Wednesday for my birthday, from rye is only an hour via HS2 and if we go late in the it’s only £40 return for the 3 of us with the family railcard 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted February 13, 2023 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted February 13, 2023 And some from tonight, first up light loco bescot to crewe You may remember back in January 2022 I found a doll on the tracks while on a possession, she came for a ride back to bescot on the lamp iron of the class 66….. She appears to have had a hard life in the last 12 months and has got a some decent class 08 mileage in too! And into basford hall We then went down to nuneaton to pick up an empty stone train back to basford hall again And all done in crewe Chiltern ballast drops tomorrow and Tuesday 27 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
s182ggu Posted February 13, 2023 Share Posted February 13, 2023 (edited) via South Ruislip again? Edited February 13, 2023 by s182ggu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold StuAllen Posted February 13, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2023 (edited) If you don’t mind travelling a bit further Chatham Docks is good, think just over an hour from Camber Sands Edited February 13, 2023 by StuAllen 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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