RMweb Gold big jim Posted July 15 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 15 2 hours ago, SM42 said: There's probably a train or two about so they are keeping you out of the way in that special way that only planners can the train leaves bescot at 17:30ish and takes 8 hours to get to site, it’s a slow route and as you say it’s to get me out of the way while other stuff passes, the change ends at Neasden is on the mainline so that’s going to be in the way of the line to Marylebone and the met to start with then it’s a sit in West Ruislip to let stuff pass again before heading to site, I would have thought it easier to run later, normally chiltern possessions follow the last southbound passenger and wait at Bicester south for the ECS to go from Oxford to Aylesbury before pretty much having the line to itself apart from a couple of moor st services I even asked about it running onto the greenford single line and waiting there but there is a tunnel segment train due through around that time, even asked about running toward Park Royal on the truncated bit of line and waiting there but I do t know if that is possible any more 2 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balders Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 On 15/07/2024 at 10:55, big jim said: the train leaves bescot at 17:30ish and takes 8 hours to get to site, it’s a slow route and as you say it’s to get me out of the way while other stuff passes, the change ends at Neasden is on the mainline so that’s going to be in the way of the line to Marylebone and the met to start with then it’s a sit in West Ruislip to let stuff pass again before heading to site, I would have thought it easier to run later, normally chiltern possessions follow the last southbound passenger and wait at Bicester south for the ECS to go from Oxford to Aylesbury before pretty much having the line to itself apart from a couple of moor st services I even asked about it running onto the greenford single line and waiting there but there is a tunnel segment train due through around that time, even asked about running toward Park Royal on the truncated bit of line and waiting there but I do t know if that is possible any more Still traffic to Park Royal Marcon @big jim 6V51 and 6M51 in and out today. That's as far as it goes AFAIK the line towards OC was chained with a sleeper and severed after it passed under the Victoria Road bridge (and at OOC of course) Cheers Guy 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 17 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 17 11 hours ago, balders said: Still traffic to Park Royal Marcon @big jim 6V51 and 6M51 in and out today. That's as far as it goes AFAIK the line towards OC was chained with a sleeper and severed after it passed under the Victoria Road bridge (and at OOC of course) Cheers Guy in knew it was still open to the stone place but I’m not sure how it’s worked now whether is just a glorified siding now or still signalled conventionally into the loop and terminal, as it happened the job wasn’t actually down there in the end anyway! caught the train from crewe to Stafford to start with, had a bit of time there between trains 805 Car train XC voyager Class 70 Another 805 And away to banbury class 70 Light loco to hinksey And in rolled my train, top and tail 66s with 5 auto hoppers Off I went to Bicester where I stood for 30 mins And West Ruislip for another 30 mins from here there was a schedule clash, I was booked to sit at Neasden south jn for an hour (as mentioned in the post above) but doing so would have meant we would have blocked the mainline and passenger trains were still running, the signaller suggested putting me up toward Acton canal wharf but I don’t sign that so I suggested running into Marylebone and sitting in the wall siding which they were happy with, so off I went! Wasn’t expecting to be here last night that’s for sure! Adrien shooter bust followed the last Aylesbury train out and picked up my booked path at Neasden, when I checked the timings on the ballast notice it appeared that despite it leaving bescot at 17:30 (as it did) it was originally booked to sit in fenny Compton for 3 hours then do as I mentioned in the above post, follow the last Oxford south from Bicester arriving into South Ruislip direct without any change ends, the only reason I could see for it being amended is the up loop at fenny is oou and a lot of trains use the bi-di down loop so it couldn’t have sat there for so long so it ran as it did to not get in the way, tbh as it wasn’t important which way it faced it probably would have been as easy to run to hinksey and sat there for a few hours before heading to site via Bicester town, especially as the light loco that went in front of my train at banbury wa a bescot to hinksey move! Change ends at West Ruislip on the main line next to the lul exchange sidings as there was a tunnel segment train in the platform And waiting for the possession to be granted at South Ruislip We then dropped ballast between there and Wembley stadium at a stead my 2mph! Back at Neasden jn to change ends. The dudding hill branch goes overhead here, I managed to capture a freightliner cement train passing overhead in this pic and up to the other end where I got relief Because of a diagramming issue ive not been able to get home so am in a hotel in Acton for the day to get my rest before I head to Manchester from Euston later this evening for my booked job, intermodal to Nuneaton! never a dull moment 33 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted July 17 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 17 Because of a diagramming issue ive not been able to get home so am in a hotel in Acton for the day to get my rest before I head to Manchester from Euston later this evening for my booked job, intermodal to Nuneaton! never a dull moment Do you ever get home to see your family, Jim - you seem to spend your life in hotels - either expected or unexpected. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted July 17 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 17 2 hours ago, 45156 said: Do you ever get home to see your family, Jim - you seem to spend your life in hotels - either expected or unexpected. I’m home more than ever now I’ve moved depot to be fair and a lot of the hotel jobs are at my suggestion when things change at the last minute, as last night was i also use it to my advantage at times as I’ve had a few jobs where I’ve been asked to stay away, if they can book me a family room where there are local attractions etc my wife and lad come with me, I go to work and they go off and do something for the day until I get back 15 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 18 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 18 Nice little job last night, starting in Acton! the crane in the background is in a HS2 compound Looking toward Old Oak Common, the truncated line from greenford to the left of the picture slowly being lost under in the vegetation tube to euston via Oxford Circus Pendolino to Manchester This made me laugh getting off the train, the woman was carrying the Henry hoover but then when I think she realised it had wheels so put it down and walked it angling the platform like a dog on a lead! over Trafford park Onto the train Got dropped out to the old Manchester United platform to wait the path onto the mainline old turnstiles into the ground, you can see what it was closed over capacity concerns! And into Nuneaton same tonight without the acton bit 32 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Horse Posted July 18 Share Posted July 18 Thanks for sharing Jim, I love that livery on 709......probably because I like boats and trains but it is probably my favourite 😎 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammy Posted July 18 Share Posted July 18 Glad to see your thread is still going strong mate not dipped in for a couple of years some cracking shots as ever Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 19 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 19 8 hours ago, Iron Horse said: Thanks for sharing Jim, I love that livery on 709......probably because I like boats and trains but it is probably my favourite 😎 it’s looking a bit weather worn now though 7 hours ago, hammy said: Glad to see your thread is still going strong mate not dipped in for a couple of years some cracking shots as ever still plotting on! couldnt be bothered with pics tonight so just one from each end of the trip small heath to crewe later this evening 27 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 19 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 19 Nice little bonus today, found out on my way to small heath that the stone train wasn’t departing back to crewe as per my diagram so I only needed to discharge it and job done I message the other driver to say I was on my way and he rang me back saying his diagram said to take to small heath and discharge so I wasn’t needed, never turned around so quick in my life, also the first time ever I’ve got off at Sandwell and Dudley! voyager 350 back to wolves and onward to creee from there possession tomorrow night near Coventry then off for 2 weeks but I’ve swapped Mondays leave for a day in September that I couldn’t get off for my god daughters wedding, next week we’re off to Gt Yarmouth (hemsby) for the week, looking forward to it as other than driving a train to Lowestoft a few times never been there for pleasure, the roller coaster in the pleasure beach looks interesting, will have to see if I can fit on it! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_Coaster_(Great_Yarmouth_Pleasure_Beach) 28 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolkchinaclay Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 (edited) 2 hours ago, big jim said: next week we’re off to Gt Yarmouth (hemsby) for the week, looking forward to it as other than driving a train to Lowestoft a few times never been there for pleasure, the roller coaster in the pleasure beach looks interesting, will have to see if I can fit on it! The Hippodrome Theatre in GY was on telly a week or so back (think it was either Flog It or Bargain Hunt) looked quite interesting and worth a visit. Apparently the water system still works. And you could visit the 100th Bomb Group museum at Thorpe Abbotts (the actual wartime airfield where Masters of the Air is set). Its near Diss. Langham Dome further west along the coast is also very unusual and a very good museum. Just doing my bit for local tourism! Hope you have a lovely time whatever you decide to do Jim! Edited July 19 by norfolkchinaclay Typo 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted July 20 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 20 If you are looking for something else to do on Thursday 25th July then Caistor Road Stadium has Bangers, Junior Micra Stock Cars and National Saloon Stock Cars racing starting at 7.30pm. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 21 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 21 Just a few from tonight, possession train from bescot to Bermuda park 66s in Bescot including the newly named ‘Ratcliffe power station’ My train, ex schenker 66 Running round in Fenny Compton and on site just outside Bermuda park station between Bedworth and Nuneaton back in tonight with a short small heath to crewe empty stone job then off for 2 weeks 30 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 22 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 22 Short job this morning, small Heath to crewe one way small heath with a freshly named and clean 66309 and into crewe and off it went to hindlow that’s me for 2 weeks now, going away, phone is off, work iPad is at home, uniform in the washing basket and going to have a couple of weeks of doing nothing work related! 27 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium iands Posted July 22 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 22 11 minutes ago, big jim said: that’s me for 2 weeks now, going away, phone is off, work iPad is at home, uniform in the washing basket and going to have a couple of weeks of doing nothing work related! Good for you Jim. Enjoy your holiday with the family. Though I will admit (like a lot of others on RMweb I suspect), I'll start to suffer 'withdrawal symptoms' soon from not reading your 'daily log' of life on today's railway. 3 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt37268 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 On 19/07/2024 at 18:47, big jim said: Nice little bonus today, found out on my way to small heath that the stone train wasn’t departing back to crewe as per my diagram so I only needed to discharge it and job done I message the other driver to say I was on my way and he rang me back saying his diagram said to take to small heath and discharge so I wasn’t needed, never turned around so quick in my life, also the first time ever I’ve got off at Sandwell and Dudley! voyager 350 back to wolves and onward to creee from there possession tomorrow night near Coventry then off for 2 weeks but I’ve swapped Mondays leave for a day in September that I couldn’t get off for my god daughters wedding, next week we’re off to Gt Yarmouth (hemsby) for the week, looking forward to it as other than driving a train to Lowestoft a few times never been there for pleasure, the roller coaster in the pleasure beach looks interesting, will have to see if I can fit on it! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_Coaster_(Great_Yarmouth_Pleasure_Beach) Sandwell and Dudley… The beginning and start of so many adventures to various parts of the compass 😀(including a very nice illicit day to Derby and several holsterys when technically I should have been at Dudley tech😀) I’ve also had some interesting traction to and from there, my Dad has bit of a collectors item as he’s had a 33 there on his evening commute from that well know Southern Region spot known as Wolverhampton. 😜 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted July 22 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22 7 hours ago, iands said: Though I will admit (like a lot of others on RMweb I suspect), I'll start to suffer 'withdrawal symptoms' soon from not reading your 'daily log' of life on today's railway. Don’t worry I’ll get some railway related pics on holiday no doubt! funny enough there was a job at north walshingham on the vacancy list this week, had it been a night time sit on possession I’d have offered to do it so I could have had a car with air con and a fuel card to get to and from the holiday, walshingham is only about 20 miles away from where we will be staying 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 24 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 24 (edited) Went to Great Yarmouth pleasure beach this evening and had a couple of goes on the roller coaster which is actually a wooden ‘scenic railway’ dating from 1932, absolutely brilliant fun! Just one train running, not sure how many can run at once as there are a few other trains parked up in sidings and there are ‘signals’ at intervals around the track the train arriving into the station the safety guard raises on the move and you can get off at the train is still moving! view from the monorail The trains are braked manually by the attendant sat in the braking seat They are pushed manually from the station and drop to the only mechanical lift then gravity takes over, the track is 2/3 mile long Interesting diamond crossing to the sidings Edited July 24 by big jim 32 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted July 28 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28 (edited) That's a proper classic woodie - not all that fast by today's standards, but I do prefer wooden roller coasters to the steel ones. Not many left with manual braking now. Edited July 28 by 45156 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 28 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 28 (edited) I’ve put these first few pics in the ‘Ghosts in the machine’ thread too an old railway boundary post in the middle of Hemsby on the line from Yarmouth to North Walsham the line ran along what is now a by pass road (Kings way) turning 90 degrees it went though where the shops are and parallel to the road on the left village map on the map near the top you can see ‘blue riband holiday park’ which houses this hidden gem, only found it by chance whilst looking on railmaponline at the route of the old line the Parklands Miniature Railway a 7 1/4 inch gauge railway you can only ride it if you are staying at the site or with permission from one of the owning family members, luckily there were a couple there today so we had a few goes round, putting a few quid in the donation tin Viaducts and bridges tunnel Live steam 08 class 86 It’s a big balloon loop, fully signalled and track circuited so more than one train can go out at once, there were 4 running at one point! there is a single line bit departing the station and the driver pushes a train ready to start button to get the road and signal on to it but if there is another train approaching down the bank that gets priority and is signalled onto the section to run round the loop behind the station area, the signal cabin was a wonder of relays and wiring that the Big railway would be proud of, the points in the station and yard area are all pneumatic and work in conjunction with the relays to set routes automatically, absolutely amazing bit of miniature engineering unfortunately looking at the website and speaking to the people there this year will be its last as the site has been sold following the death of the previous owner, the whole lot is going to be lifted and all the stock, equipment, track etc will be being sold on at auction which is a huge shame as it’s absolutely brilliant, only let down by its lack of presence, A whole week here and less than 1/4 mile from my accommodation and only found by accident, I’d say if your in the area and you can get an invite (ask while your there) try and have a ride before it goes for good at the end of the year! Edited July 28 by big jim 29 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mol_PMB Posted July 28 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28 Pleased to see you're on a 'Busman's Holiday' and finding lots of trains! Have you explored Yarmouth docks for any surviving remnants of the railways or a hidden tram-engine survivor? 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted July 28 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 28 47 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said: Pleased to see you're on a 'Busman's Holiday' and finding lots of trains! Have you explored Yarmouth docks for any surviving remnants of the railways or a hidden tram-engine survivor? only went to the tourist side of GY really, we did get the open top bus from hemsby to there one day too and that crossed the old GY to Walsham line on overbridges a few times at the north end of Yarmouth and again at a flat crossing near California, the line from what I’ve seen has very little remaining viewable infrastructure, there is one embankment just south of hembsy that you can only really notice from a minor road parallel with the main road, even on google maps the trackbed disappears into fields without trace, it wasn’t until I looked at railmaponline that I realised the road we used north of hemsby toward wroxham (A149) was the old trackbed for a considerable distance between a place called Bastwick and Stalham this morning we did pop to a car boot in Yarmouth and grabbed a maccy d breakfast which was right next to the station and I could see the bow bridge that took the line toward the quay tramway but I didn’t bother with pics 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 Have a look at Ashville on YouTube. They are reinstating a set of sidings on the Colnbrook branch. Apparently in a couple of weeks time GBRF are meant to test the siding's. Pity it could not be you doing the tests then we could have you on YT as well. Keith 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted July 28 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 28 3 hours ago, big jim said: It’s a big balloon loop, fully signalled and track circuited so more than one train can go out at once, there were 4 running at one point! 3 hours ago, big jim said: the signal cabin was a wonder of relays and wiring that the Big railway would be proud of Unless there’s another miniature railway in Hemsby, i know the guy who did the signalling for that, probably about 40 to 45 years ago. He was a BR signalling trainee a few years behind me and now retired. Knowing him, it would have been done properly, so the Big Railway could have been proud of it. Paul. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post big jim Posted July 31 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted July 31 (edited) Popped down to Llwyngwril today and stopped off at Llanywchllyn en route crosville bus on a tour to the railway Signal box Chilmark Triassic George B Holy war lady madcap I assume Alice was out on the line but I didnt wait to see as I wanted to get to the coast, ended up stopping in Fairbourne, didn’t see @wombatofludham though but I did bump into my brother who I’ve not seen for 6 years which was nice! as we were chatting the train came in to the station I then decided to have a ride on it, the last train of the day, Russell was the loco Coach to myself although it was a fairly busy train in the fully open coaches Gwril, Hunslet shunter over the crossing When I was little there was a line of colourful beach huts along the front, now there is just the one Looking out toward Barmouth bridge and cadair idris Passing Yeo heading in the loop Penrhyn point Looking out to Barmouth with the Loco running round, the beach looked really busy from here! view up the estuary And back on the other end of the train Setting off back to fairbourne Barmouth ferry Over the crossing again Gwril again They have laid a length of 15 inch track from the station to the first crossing so they can run some of the old wider gauge stock from before the line was regauged to 12.5 inch, this is how I remember it from the early 80s with the likes of Sian and Katie being the resident locos In the entrance building to the railway there are a few items of 15 inch rolling stock Wippit Quick The ‘proper’ Gwril that I remember, a lister auto truck There is also a lovely O gauge model of Barmouth bridge that has a train shuttling up and down if you put 20p in the slot There are a series of pictures on the wall showing the history of the line and this one caught my eye as I’m 99% sure I was there on that day too the car in the pic is Babs, why it was at fairbourne I don’t know but I distinctly remember going with my dad to see it and if I remember right it was started up and it sounded, to a 6(ish) year old at the time, LOUD! It had a 27L V12 aero engine in it! When I get home I’ll have a look through my photos as I’m sure I’ve got one my dad took that day (unless it visited more than once) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babs_(land_speed_record_car) here’s a vid of it being exhumed after its burial at Pendine https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-babs-recovery-1927-1969-1969-online 158 passing by on the Cambrian over an unusual crossing as it’s officially an open crossing with barriers, seem to remember it was the first one but there are a few more in the country now Later in the evening I went to visit @Quarryscapes to collect an exhaust for my FTO and I stopped back in fairbourne to see my brother for a bit, not much of a sunset due to the cloud but nice all the same, panorama shot this one, Llwyngwril to the left, Barmouth to the right Going to start my 100 mile cycling challenge tomorrow with a ride on the mawddach trail, will have to see if I can manage the full 18 mile round trip as it’s been a while since I’ve done that sort of distance on my bike but as long as I get started that’s the main thing, hoping to make an early start and I may go an visit the talyllyn if I have time afterwards Only £15 off the £500 target now and I’ve not even started! https://cyclethemonth.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/jims-got-fat-again-but-still-wants-to-raise-s Edited July 31 by big jim 19 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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