big jim

very interesting as i put on a previous post the speed rules only apply to MK3 sleeper vehicles (and mk1-2 etc), there is no mention of MK3 day stock, also it says the rules do not apply to 'fixed formation' trains, is a HST classed as fixed formation for purposes of the rule book? the old is a class 43 a loco question has been going on on another forum with much heated debate!! regards class 67 they have disc AND clasp brakes fitted, as mick pointed out in scotland they had to fit them with different brake blocks the reason being the normal ones were wearing out too quickly on the highland lines, that resulted in them having to run at reduced speeds when i learnt class 67 (with marcus37) we did a braking test, running light engine we were aproaching a green signal the driver hit the emergency stop plunger as we went over the magnet, we were doing 40 mph and managed to stop about 10M the right side of the signal!!

they can also run at 100mph light engine under normal circumstances on the chiltern mainline between marylebone and aynho jn as long as they are running under chilterns safety case

some from 05:00 this morning in toton, just run the train round and was waiting for the van home

to add speeds to the above One or two locomotives with one, two or three vehicles OR Three or more locomotives and any number of vehicles have to run at reduced speed: 75mph for linespeed 90mph and above 60mph for 85mph and below (same as running light engine) and from the rulebook...... These restrictions apply to locomotive-hauled trains formed of: • mark 1 coaching vehicles • mark 2 coaching vehicles • mark 3 sleeper vehicles • postal or parcel vehicles hauled by a locomotive (not including class 325 electric multiple-unit (EMU) vehicles). no mention of reduced speeds for MK3 day coaches! and the above restrictions do not apply to class 67s as they have very good brakes!! its a minefield

some from tonight, slightly shorter train so a different vantage point... back to the coal later for one night then a weekend off hopefully

London bridge in last months, 70 at bicester this month

Yeah, its not come out too bad for an iphone pic at 01:00 in the rain! I did have one in last months too but under a different name

a few from our man in the south west (but in the midlands) 37 in kings norton waiting for the off and in ledbury phone pics so a bit dark!

from what ive heard i dont think the perimeter road bridge is going in straight away regards the crossings there, last time i was down there the perimeter crossing was playing up, i operated it and the wee-waas went off, the lights came on but the barriers didn't drop, amazing how many cars and vans creeped on to the crossing after a few minutes wait, they certainly looked shocked and floored it off the crossing when they looked up and saw a train 20ft from their vehicle as we were obscured by trees until they were on the crossing itself! back on the branch in a couple of weeks, from the claydon end this time though

a few from today, class 90 in the bay at warrington for a change a couple from the same vantage point again at different heights, of the two i prefer the low down shot

a few from today using the sony camera on the pole, all freehand pics warrington bank quay, taken WELL away from any ohle!! in chirk, after dark, waiting to set back into kronospan with the camera at full reach! and just to show the difference between normal height and 'full reach' these photos are from the same vantage point on the ground as i say, both freehand so a little blurry but pleased with the results under the yard lights

A flourecent orange end would be worse for safety, after all what colour do track workers wear? Be like a natrel advert!!

one thing about the lack of yellow ends, as it stands now with its red ends at least they can use it on the met between harrow and amersham!!

well ive booked the electrician to come and wire the shed up, hopefully i will now be able to enjoy a few winter evenings in there with the door shut and heating on! i wont need a lighting main in there as i'm using the mains powered leds so it should be a simple job, although he is going to also be putting power to the garage and patio wall lights from that supply before it reaches the shed too, we fitted the armoured cable under the patio from the meter cupboard to the garage while it was being laid so thats the main part of the job done

superb! i do love a good shed layout, so much to see in such a small space, looking forward to seeing more updates

its not a patch on the proper camera considering its 18mp but i'm pleased with the shots, just need to update the firmware in it, (roundhouse says it improves lens control), going to be interesting to have a play with it on the layout too, especially in video mode, may try and do that this week sometime

Got a few bits and bobs for the sony camera, first up a nice hi-viz protective cover and secondly a charity shop bargain of a nice lightweight hama tripod for £8 So combining the tripod and selfie stick i can now reach up quite high for pics!! This is what i got with it, it reaches up about 3m i recon Looking forward to trying it out and about

much better conditions for photography the last few days, the full moon certainly helped out with this lot, no tripod, just placed the camera on various walls, signal post telephones etc!! first up banbury rd on the bicester line, ballast drop into the stockpile for the redoubling of the line to bicester 70809 waiting with the diggers offload the train tried a long exposure shot when a van drove in front of the camera, quite pleased with the result though!! 1st class 70 on mars? plough on ready to depart amazingly all the above pictures were taken between 01:00 and 02:00!! then onto last nights job, a lovely clear leicester, much better than the fog earlier in the week ghost train passing by waiting the road full moon and those lot were taken at 03:00!! same job tonight but not going to bother with my proper camera as i'm happy with those lot

The lighting in warley is terrible......

Amid all the dereliction of the old works there are still some nice area to be found in the town, queens park has had something of a renaissance after a long drawn out refurbishment, went there on sunday as it was such a nice day as its only a 10 mins walk from the house Entry to the park is via the twin gate houses and clock Which has this inscription carved into it..... The clock has this in the side This is looking back towards the new cafe and war memorial Where there were a troop of bagpipers practicing The war memorial for the burma war Also over the road to the park is the old LNWR orphanage whichiphone is currently sat unused Complete with old BR signage

and a few more from last night, a freehand pole pic from the sony camera then into a very foggy leicester, pics from the proper camera and into toton, back to the pole camera, again freehand so a bit blurry

As an idea, ive just taken this picture.... Over this fence!

Got this off ebay for a couple of quid for the sony camera, a selfie monopod.... That extends to about 1M And the head swivels, notice there is also a screw hole in the handle for attaching to a tripod, so that combined with the tripod ahould get me some nice new angles on shots, obviously not to be used near ohle!!

you would be surprised how much back scratching goes on (at a price), ive driven EWS and freightliner locos when we have needed one to hire, i've also moved a 59 dit on one of our services to get it back to westbury for schenker as pointed out by fat controller it wont need a yellow panel as it would be DIT, not like every wagon or coach has to have yellow ends is it as for interoperability, i should imagine the lack of GSM-R would be a pretty good place to start on the list of why it cant run on UK metals as it stands (gsm came about a lot later than when the 59 left the country), not sure what the cab equipment is like either, whether it has aws still fitted, dsd, vigilance etc going back to traction knowledge, im pretty sure GBRf would have to have 59s on its own safety case before it could be driven by one of their own drivers if it was useable?

there seems to have been a lot more steel shuttering appeared at the oxford end of 'the ditch', so much so that you can now make out where the line will diverge from the current formation, other than that there dowsn't appear to be much progress futher north