Eggesford box

Hi, thanks for the nice comments and identification of some of the locos. Some more 37s at Abergavenny 37 204 on 9C07 1200 Moreton on Lugg - Severn Tunnel Junction with a DMU on 2V38 1226 Shrewsbury - Cardiff Central in the platform 12/09/1986 37 150 on 7Z07 0740 Ninian Park Sidings - Craven Arms - Hereford - Gloucester weedkilling train 03/06/1985 4V12 MO 0920 Shrewsbury - Malago Vale empty vans 06/07/1985

Some 37 photos from the North and West line. Somehow I have not recorded the engine numbers. 6V39 0755 Mossend - Severn Tunnel Junction at Chapel Lane (Panteg) 22/08/1987 6V75 0620 Mossend - Severn Tunnel Junction, Pontypool Road 22/08/1987 6V10 1000 Ellesmere Port - Abercwmboi, Little Mill Junction 22/08/1987 No details but presumably anothe Ellesmere Port - Abercwmboi at Little Mill Junction. The line trailing in from the right is the line to ROF Glascoed.

One thing that has struck me about some incidents at AHBs (I will not call them accidents as in one case the road user was committing suicide and another case it seems most likely that it was the road user intention to commit suicide) that no one has attempted to use the phones at the crossings to warn the controlling signalbox. I am not sure how long other people appeared on the scene with a stationery vehicle on the crossing before the approach of the train but in all cases they spent trying to move or get the motorist to move the vehicle. If they went straight to the phone once they where aware of the circumstances it might have prevented the collision (as I said I am not sure of the timings involved). This is not meant as a criticism of the members of the public who arrived on the scene but it might point to the need for better education and signage regarding the provision and use of these phones. Likewise with Athelney, did the road user not realise there where phones or was it a case that he could not be asked to get out of the car and use them? Like others I am not in favour of the 'It must be someone elses fault' culture with people not taking responsibility for their own actions but it is a thought to throw into the ring.

A pair of 37s with a train of tanks taking a run at Llanvihangel bank back in the eighties

Some more shots on the North and West. Scanned from negatives so I have lost the details but all just north of Abergavenny. Slightly amusing is that one shot in fine weather the 33 has snowploughs and one of them in the snow does not.

Two DCR 56s at Claydon L&NE JC in contrasting liveries and contrasting weather. 56 303 on 17/01/2013 56 311 on 05/06/2013

A senile driver and a senile judge

Hi, I have zoomed in on a higher res scan of middle photo and it certainly looks like it could be 135 though it is not quite sharp enough to be 100% certain

A pair of 40s at Abergavenny The trailing engine is 40 057 but I am not sure of the leading engine. I am afraid the negatives have become seperated from the prints which had the details on. From what I can remember the train is Severn Tunnel Junction - Walton and I seem to remember they had failed on a special the previous day and where working back on this train. Class 40s where relatively common on the North and West in the eighties but tended to be on night time workings. My abiding memory of a 40 on this line is walking to work for a night turn and hearing the engine whistling away as it stood on the down main. I knew something was amiss as owing to the arrangement of block sections it was very rare for anything to be stopped on the down. On arrival in the box my mate informed me there was a train in the up loop sans engine. The crew on this train (when freights still had guards) thought they had hit someone at Penpergwm (just south of Abergavenny) so they had hooked the engine off and had gone back on the down line to examine the line. A world away from what would happen nowadays! Reminds me of the phrase that went something like; 'the past is another country, they do things differently there'

A few more shots of 33s around Abergavenny Unidentified 33 at Llanvihangel with 1V07 Bangor - Cardiff 06/07/1985 33 029 at Llanvihangel 27/06/1985 33 033 27/10/1985 33033 1V06 1602 Crewe - Cardiff 19/04/1985 33 004 & 33 005 1Z25 0737 VSOE charter Ealing Broadway to Shrewsbury and return 19/04/1985 33 032 1V06 1602 Crewe - Cardiff 08/05/1985 33 023 1M84 1145 Cardiff - Crewe 22/04/1985

A few shots of 33s on the North and West line around Abergavenny 33 032 1V05 1230 Manchester Picadilly - Cardiff Central 07/05/1985 33 017 1V03 0712 Manchester Picadilly - Cardiff Central 09/04/1985 33 034 1M75 1539 Cardiff Central - -Crewe 22/04/1985 33 012 1V06 1417 Bangor - Cardiff Central 17/05/1985 No details recorded on slide but just north of Abergavenny 33 049 1V05 1345 Manchester Picadilly - Cardiff Central 02.07 1985 at Triley Mill just north of Abergavenny 33 025 Sultan 1V05 1230 Manchester Picadilly - Cardiff Central 22/04/1985 Same train as above slightly further along I have put different times for 1V05 which means either the times changed with the change of timetable or even that I made a mistake when putting details on the slide frames. Going a little off post but it has always struck me that the North and West line would make a good prototype to model than its relative scarcity in appearences would suggest for a diesel era layout. Nice scenery, semaphore signalling and a good variety of trains and traction. 50s on a short TPO, a 56 on a Freightliner and drifting through at a different time on the Severn Tunnel - Moreton on Lugg 'pickup' along with 25s, 37s, 40s and 47s on a goodly variety of tank trains and Speedlink services. Even for a couple of Autumns in the eighties banking engines made a reappearence at Abergavenny before Sandite trains where introduced.

Fantastic model making and far better than I could ever hope to manage. Feel a bit 'picky' saying this in context of such superlative modelmaking but... would the stationmaster be much pleased with his staff leaving those wickerwork baskets so close to the platform edge in the first photo? I am sure you will now deluge me with photos showing exactly this on the prototype!

Ditto for the sixties

Hi, it was just the photo caption 'Train due so gates closed across the road' which made me wonder.

Hi, it does not look like it has seen a fresh coat of paint since a couple of turns I worked there 20 or more years ago! At that time there was a resident crossing keeper, Zetty, and it was only covered by relief if she had a day off. Are the gates normally left open to the road nowadays? When I was about the area they were normally kept closed to road traffic since what I recall was that the road led to a mill (probably industrial units by that time). As I said, I only covered it twice and both times where at night. Just a few users at the start of a 12 hour shift and then nice and cosy beside the fire for the rest of the turn with only the odd unit and a Longbridge-Swindon (if I recall correctly) passing to disturb you.

I know its a very long shot but looking at Stuart Birks exquisite buildings reminded me of a book that was in the school library at Barnstaple (over 35 years ago!) that had drawings and models made from them of typical Cotswold buildings made from card if I remember rightly. I think there was a cottage, larger house, market hall, church and ruined castle. Does it ring any bells with anyone? A totally different subject but I am blown away by Celticwardogs substation (is that the correct term?). So beautifully observed.

A couple of shots of a signal being lamped at Exeter St Davids in the eighties

Barnard - Rance model supplies in Barnstaple near the old town station, very friendly, always ready for a natter. Another proprietor with a lovely daughter, even went out with her once until I realised she was only thirteen, oh if only she had been older and I had been less of a knob!

Hi Grampus, I did post a photo of the interior of Honiton box in the West of England signalbox farewell topic in the prototype discussions section if it is of any use to you, youre box is looking really good.

Another train for you to model, whilst out at Aynho part demolishing the old lamp hut (or it might have been the toilet) last Thursday after a member of Chilterns management reported some of the corrugated iron flapping and blowing around loose. West Coast 33 Jim Martin went by pulling three tatty Anglia DBSOs (least thats what I think thats what they where.. Snowing again today and only limited fuel for the point heater gennys (we did report them getting low some time ago!) Oh joy!

Hi, On Thursday they had the planning permission granted by one vote apparently for the new multi storey car park by Chilterns control centre in Merton Street. Something had to be done as the industrial units on the Tramway industrial estate currently being used for overflow car parking have to be vacated soon. I believe the short stretch of road at the back of the station leading to Tramway has been purchased from a private owner which will enable the bollards to be removed and traffic will be able to exit the station from there as well as on to Bridge street.

Hi, the black rubber walkway (Strail) was put in for the water board. They later tried to sell it to Network Rail who declined. After some time the water board realised it would cost them to have it removed so Network Rail ended up getting it for free for use surfacing other crossings.

I am not familiar with the system so just a thought but if the unit had to go into the section to run around and the ERTMS was not working would you have to put in some form of pilotworking? May explain why it took an hour to make the move, appoint a pilotman who had to get out to Newtown.

Hi, a photograph of the inside of Whitland and Exeter City Basin When I went into the signalling grades I started my training in the box at Eggesford. As others have said, personal circumstances may leave you looking more favourably towards a box than its architectural merit may appear to warrant. Eggesford box was in a nice location and the signalmen very friendly. When I did go to my first proper box I think the only thing that interested the sole resident was the effect on his overtme my arrival would have! Being newer structures they would also be less prone to drafts although a boxes location would also play a large part. They also had the advantage they tended to be larger than the structures they replaced and better equipped with domestic appliances. Do not forget, signalmen in manual boxes do not get meal breaks so no chance of nipping down to the shops (not officially anyway!) and nowhere but the operating floor to stow your personal stuff. Once you came on duty that would tend to be it for the next 8 to 12 hours (the boxes on the Barnstaple branch where worked on 10 hour shifts 0300/1300 and 1300/2300). I once worked 16 hours in the box at Crediton owing to snow. In such circumstances a comfortable working enviroment wins out over architectural merit! Two photographs of the interior of Eggesford box with signalmen Jimmy Hughes and Bill Butt. Even though I was fully aware of what Crediton box was like it was still a marked contrast to Eggesford. out of sight in the other rear corner of the box was the armchair with a tiny flap up table, certainly no room for anything like the table at Eggesford. The box had an extension at one end which contained a sink with a reasonable sized draining board and lockers. Many boxes did not have such an extension the fittings having to be shoehorned into the available space. I have photographs of Pinhoe with the signalman sat in a chair, his armrest being the sink. At the other end of the box a tattered old armchair which it looks like you would have to kneel in to manage to use the booking desk. I suppose to summarise, we tend to look at things with the eyes of modellers and sometimes have to be reminded that signalboxes are primarily functional structures.

Hi, somewhere I have got a DCC book from some time back when DCC was relatively new and DCC ready engines mich less common. It has the words and pictures on converting older Athearn engines to DCC. Obviously I cannot post it here for copyright reasons but hopefully I should be able to send you a PM in the next day or so. Personally I would go down the DCC road for the flexibility of operations. Of course there is then all the decisions of what system to use. I would advise you to trawl through the DCC section on RM Web. Personally I used to have a Digitrax system some years ago which 'played up' after some years so then I got a Lenz set up. Due to a change of circumstances I have not had much chance to play trains for the last three years. Setting up a little test track I found myself having to read through the manual again. On that basis ease of use would certainly be one of my key points on choosing a system if you do go down the DCC route. All is personal choice of course, if you look at the DCC section you will see some people swearing by one system and others swearing at it!