Sunday 31 May 2015

Great Central Heritage 4: The London Extension: Ruddington - Loughborough - 24th May 2015

Apart from the 'HST' run, here is a selection related to a heritage view of this line. A full set appears on OneDrive.

Ruddington Signalbox, which was a Great Central box at Neasden South Junction. The Ruddington complex was established as a WW2 ammunition facility, and there was no substantial infrastructure until the preservation era.
LMS 8F 8274 (WD 348, TCDD 45160) approaching Rushcliffe Halt.
Hotchley Hill Signalbox, built by the LNER 1946. Diagram.
Approach lit searchlight signal, currently defunct, between Rushcliffe Halt and Hotchley Hill, This bears the Westinghouse name on the back. The LNER place installed a number of these signals on the former Great Central, and there is a working example between Quorn and Rothley.
Remaining platforms at the former East Leake station.
GCR 'Barnum' BTO 695 built at Dukinfield in 1911.
GCR Suburban Third 799, built 1905 at Gorton.

Saturday 30 May 2015

Great Central Heritage 3: The London Extension: Loughborough - Leicester, 23rd May 2015

A visit to the Great Central Railway. A full set appears on OneDrive. The locomotives operating were 48624, 92214 (dressed as 92220 Evening Star) and D5185 (25035), returned earlier that week from Swanage.

"92220 Evening Star" arriving at Quorn & Woodhouse with 4:15pm from Loughborough. This WR allocated 9F did work on the London Extension in the 1960s,
63601 is a Great Central Robinson Class 8K 2-8-0, later LNER Class O4. The design was introduced  in 1911 for coal haulage to the new docks at Immingham, which opened in 1912. This was GCR No. 102, built at Gorton in January 1912, withdrawn in June 1963, and now in the National Collection. In BR days this locomotive spent most time working from 36C Frodingham (Scunthorpe), so would have a been a regular through Barnetby to Immingham.
"92220 Evening Star" about to depart from Loughborough at 2:15pm. 
48624 passes Quorn wth a driver experience run,
D5185 is arriving at Quorn with 1:00pm from Loughborough.



25th - 30th May 2015


66100 at Eastleigh with late running 4O21 09:15 Trafford Park - Western Docks, 29th May.

Monday 25th May: 66109 + 67026 5Z07 04:26 Eastleigh - Salisbury (related: one two; 31233 3Z05 08:55 Derby - Eastleigh one two three four, 3Q05 23:33 Eastleigh - Dorchester - Eastleigh - Fareham - Eastleigh
Tuesday 26th May: 66109 + 67026 5Z08 00:55 Salisbury - Eastleigh; 31233 3Q23 23:18 Eastleigh - Woking - Southampton Central  - Woking Up Yard
Wednesday 27th May;
Thursday 28th May: 57307 5Z45 15:20 Stewarts Lane - Eastleigh one two, 5Z46 16:27 Eastleigh - Stewarts Lane
Friday 29th May: 59003 + 66717 0Z59 10:00 Eastleigh - Fareham - Guildford one two three four five, & run around, 0Z60 12:20 Guildford - Fareham - Eastleigh one two three four five six
Saturday 30th May: 47727 5Z47 12:45 Wimbledon - Eastleigh 

Eastleigh Works: 28th April - 30th April - 1st May

Friday 29 May 2015

The second coming of 59003, 29th May 2015

1Z59 10:00 Eastleigh Works - Fareham - Guildford
1Z60 12:20 Guildford - Fareham - Eastleigh Works

In heavy rain, 59003 Yeoman Highlander + 66717 Good Old Boy pass Havant 5 minutes late on the return to Eastleigh Works,
No '3 stars' above the drawhook (yet).


Monday 25 May 2015

A pass by Brush Falcon Works, Loughborough, 24th May 2015

Focus was a bit of a challenge, taken through a moving Mk3 carriage window.

170305 is one of a pair now at Brush for refurbishment as part of transfer to Chiltern, 170305 and 170309 were moved as 5Z70 16:40 Crofton - Loughborough on 19th May one two three four.
92020 Milton went into storage in April 2001, at Crewe, Loughborough and Les Coquelles, but is now in the GBET (GBRf Class 92) pool. 
73965 and one other, noted elsewhere to be 73134 Woking Homes, rcncently acquired by GBRf, and moved from Burton on 16th April. 73965 was 73208 Kirsten.
159103 displays a South West Trains livery modification at the transitions between red and orange and white, also seen here. 66572 is likely at Brush for heavier maintenance,

Great Central Heritage 2: A miscellany from Barnetby, 22nd May 2015

A concluding look at some of the sights of Barnetby, a full set appears here on OneDrive.

170307 with 1B79 12:26 Cleethorpes - Manchester Airport. These ex-South West Trains 170/3s are now on the move to Chiltern.
TEA 870281 at the rear of 6M24 Lindsey - Kingsbury, carrying diesel. The web address currently responds with "500 - Internal server error".
Biomass hopper 83 70 0698 084-6 returning from Drax to Immingham.
Signals BE45 and BE46 appear to be the oldest at Barnetby, although the arms appear to be BR standard.
Signal BE49, the distant remains in this position permanently these days.
An evening view towards Wrawby Junction, and up gradient in the direction of Brigg.

The next step will involve a southerly move along the Great Central.

Sunday 24 May 2015

41001 Prototype HST First Public Running Weekend, Ruddington 24th May 2015

The first public run of the prototype HST power car 41001 with three Mk 3 coaches in formation, 10206 + 11074 + 12092, along with Mk 2A 5376 and locomotive 56097. The train ran through to Loughborough North, adjacent to the Brush Works.

Just after 09:00, 41001 prepares to reverse its stock out from the siding.
41001 at Ruddington.
The prototype HST arrrives at Ruddington platform.
Mk 3B FO 11074 (BR Derby Lot 30982, 1985)
Mk3A Kitchen Buffet First 10206, originally 40507 an HST TRFK vehicle (BR Derby Lot 30884, 1977)
Mk 3A Open Standard 12092 (BR Derby Lot 30877, 1975-77). I think that the Mk3s are running with air suspensions deflated.
Approaching Ruddington on the return journey.
56097 departs at 12:00.
41001 on the rear of the formation.

Further Flickr coverage
Project Miller
Great Central Railway (Nottingham)


Realtime Preserved Trains

http://www.realtimepres.com/

It was a pleasure to briefly meet Tom Cairns, who was at the event to launch Realtime Trains for preserved railways. Realtime Trains has already provided support to Project Miller / 125 Group.

Great Central Heritage 1: Tugs and Semaphores: Barnetby, 22nd May 2015

A short series of items covering topics with a common theme, the one time Great Central Railway, ending with a link to Hampshire. Here we see some Great Central signalboxes at Barnetby, shortly to be made redundant. Wrawby Junction is listed, but Barnetby East has an uncertain future.

60054 approaches with 6M24 17:13 Lindsey - Kingsbury. Barnetby East signalbox was completed in or around 1914 and is expected to close later this year.
Colas 60021 with 6E32 08:55 Preston - Lindsey

60100 passes with 6M00 14:40 Humber Oil Refinery - Kingsbury
60011 with 6E54 10:39 Kingsbury - Humber Oil Refinery

60020 approaches from Wrawby Junction with 6E41 11:35 Westerleigh - Lindsey.
Last shot of the day, possibly my last here with the semaphores.

Saturday 23 May 2015

18th - 23rd May 2015


66761 makes its first visit to Eastleigh, 20th May - having worked with 66717. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 18th May:
Tuesday 19th May: D5185 on M27 returning from Swanage (in service this weekend at Loughborough)
Wednesday 20th May:
Thursday 21st May:
Friday 22nd May: 66709 "go around" following a closure of Western Docks: 4Y81 19:14 Southampton - Laverstock - Tonbridge one two three
Saturday 23rd May: 8006 + 8014 1Z45 09:02 Waterloo - Poole one two three four, 1Z80 14:35 Poole - Waterloo one two

59003 is almost ready at Eastleigh.

37198 runaway: Report 04/2015 Runaway and collision, Loughborough Central station

Friday 22 May 2015

Swanage Railway Diesel Gala, 10th May 2015 - Locomotive Profile: 33201

33201 was delivered by BRCW in February 1962 as D6586, the first of the group of 12 locomotives built to Hasting Gauge, known as the "Slim Jims". Withdrawn in October 1993.

In preservation, the locomotive is owned by the BRCWorkgroup, who also own 33018, based at the Battlefield Line. A one year lease to the Swanage Railway started in January 2015.

My personal record shows that I first saw 33201 on 19th March 1988, I think at Eastleigh Works. I have a note that "Motive Power Monthly" had reported the locomotive condemned in a period soon before that, but I also have a question mark against this. (33202 did go through withdrawal and reinstatement in this period).

At Norden before the first train of the day.
Working that train, 2N03 10:00 from Norden, approaching Harman's Cross.
Between turns at Swanage.
Arriving at Corfe Castle with 1N07 14:50 from Norden.

Swanage Railway Diesel Gala, 10th May 2015 - Locomotive Profile: D7076

D7076 was completed by Beyer-Peacock, Gorton, Manchester in May 1963, and withdrawn in May 1973. To departmental service as a dead load, then preserved from

I first saw this locomotive, in preservation, when it made a one time trip to Scotland, to the Bo'ness Diesel Gala in September 1998: one two three four. The exit from Bo'ness saw the locomotive haul a train, and more or less roll straight onto the waiting truck for return to Lancashire.

East Lancashire Railway Diesel Group.

Wilkes & Ashmore styling seen to advantage on 1N02 09:46 from Swanage, passing Harman's Cross. Does anyone remember the Hornby "Big Train"?
 Returning with 2N07 10:45 from Norden.
Shunting at Swanage.

Arriving at Swanage with 2N13 13:45 from Norden. its last working of the weekend.