Author Topic: Trainspotters. Why? (Read 92536 times)

Ruthie · « **Reply #225 on:** 04 May, 2015, 10:46:57 pm »

Quote from: Wombat on 03 May, 2015, 05:58:16 pm

Quote from: Ruthie on 03 May, 2015, 02:56:21 pm
They're fixing up some A1s.

This is the view of the end of my street wot I lives on

May 2015 608 by ruthturner3, on Flickr

To be precise, an A1, or more precise THE A1, as its the only one (none were preserved), wot was built as a replica/recreation, a few years ago. Shame the boiler was made in Germany, buy hey, its a nice big girly, is Tornado.

Apparently the tender and locomotive are being painted by one Ian Matthews, intrepid rider of 200km audaxes.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #226 on:** 05 May, 2015, 11:02:01 am »

I was feeling in need of a little OCD boost this morning so dropped into this thread.

I recall when I was about 14 or 15 a couple of chaps at school used to spend their lunchtimes plane spotting. They used to bring small radios which could pick up the frequency on which the pilots were communicating and each had a book of aircraft and could tick them off as they went. I understand that they even managed to persuade their parents to take them on day trips to Heathrow and Gatwick (I don't think Stansted was operation then) so that they could spot planes.

mcshroom · « **Reply #227 on:** 05 May, 2015, 11:21:06 am »

As of the 18th May there will be some loco hauled services on the Cumbrian Coast Line (as Nothern have run out of trains) . They are going to be 4 carriages long apparently. I'm hoping they run a set like on the Sellafield workers trial three years ago where one of these was a full sized guards van with masses of cycle capacity

List of which services they be* are here: -
http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/locohauled17.html

[eta]Looks like 5 days a week (though may still be 6 days as quoted in the local paper), and looks like they are going to have a locomotive at either end to start with.

[eeta]*Looks like my Devonian side is resurfacing with phrasing like that

Canardly · « **Reply #228 on:** 05 May, 2015, 11:26:22 am »

Just been reading how the proposals for reopening the Keswick line have been spoiled by the Council approving industrial estate straddling the line. This seems to be amazingly far sighted of them and not a little strange. How many visitors does Keswick get annually?

mcshroom · « **Reply #229 on:** 05 May, 2015, 11:36:02 am »

Where is the industrial estate? If it's out towards Penrith it is quite possibly in a different local council to Keswick. I haven't seen anything about the story though it will be a shame if it is true

Canardly · « **Reply #230 on:** 06 May, 2015, 10:36:22 am »

Eden DC, Flusco business park. Source Wiki.

mcshroom · « **Reply #231 on:** 06 May, 2015, 10:57:59 am »

That would be about right. Keswick is in Allerdale BC (and planning is dealt with by the Lake District NPA). I've found the page on it now - http://www.keswickrailway.com/id21.html

I know that's a very partial account, but it looks like the council have decided that there will be no railway and therefore are going to do nothing to preserve it's alignment

I'm assuming no conideration of the impact in Keswick will have been made by the council planning committee as it's outside of their boundary.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #232 on:** 06 May, 2015, 12:41:04 pm »

Doesn't surprise me. The North Yorks Moors Railway is very successful and attracts a huge number of tourists pumping money into the area. There have been on and off plans for years to reinstate the line between Pickering and Malton so that trains could run all the way through from York to Whitby. Then the council sold of the old coal yard in Pickering so now they can't. Incredibly short sighted.

Wombat · « **Reply #233 on:** 06 May, 2015, 02:15:16 pm »

Quote from: Ruthie on 03 May, 2015, 06:08:22 pm

I stand corrected.

Did I mention that's taken from outside my house?

Yes, I am indeed jealous, Ruthie!

Don't mind if you stand or sit, your privilege

I'm just a sad old railway anorak that knows this sort of thing. Well not really sad, but I got an inordinate amount of pleasure on Monday when I needed to speak to the guy who was driving the little narrow gauge train at Kew Museum, so I said I'd come along with him, and he just said "you drive it, then". I've only driven a steam locomotive a few times, but its great fun! Ah, the childish pleasures of blowing the whistle as you go across open crossings in the middle of Wales.

The A1 Steam locomotive trust are building another one, a P2 class loco, again one was not preserved, because Gresley's successor didn't like them and had them all destroyed by rebuilding them into something else that was not particularly outstanding.

Ruthie · « **Reply #234 on:** 11 June, 2015, 02:15:50 pm »

Check her out, fully dressed. I've got the windows open so I can hear her. Lovely thing. While I was taking this I got chatting to a neighbour, apparently he helped in the building of the locomotive. So that's another win - always good to talk to your neighbours

DSCF0701 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

DSCF0703 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

DSCF0702 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

She's off to Shildon on a flatbed, either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Ruthie · « **Reply #235 on:** 11 June, 2015, 02:25:48 pm »

And you can play too!

http://www.a1steam.com/

Vince · « **Reply #236 on:** 11 June, 2015, 02:27:44 pm »

Does that happen to be the end of your street?

Ruthie · « **Reply #237 on:** 11 June, 2015, 02:31:47 pm »

Quote from: Vince on 11 June, 2015, 02:27:44 pm

Does that happen to be the end of your street?

Might be

Wombat · « **Reply #238 on:** 12 June, 2015, 11:16:55 am »

Quote from: Ruthie on 11 June, 2015, 02:15:50 pm

Check her out, fully dressed. I've got the windows open so I can hear her. Lovely thing. While I was taking this I got chatting to a neighbour, apparently he helped in the building of the locomotive. So that's another win - always good to talk to your neighbours

DSCF0701 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

DSCF0703 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

DSCF0702 by Ruth Turner, on Flickr

She's off to Shildon on a flatbed, either tonight or tomorrow morning.

She'll be safe there, my mate Anthony (Coulls) will see she's OK. Handy having mates who are significant folk in these circles...

Basil · « **Reply #239 on:** 23 June, 2015, 08:33:52 pm »

Nice photo here.

https://twitter.com/brumpic/status/613428921028227073?s=09

Ruthie · « **Reply #240 on:** 23 June, 2015, 09:57:58 pm »

Quote from: Basil on 23 June, 2015, 08:33:52 pm

Nice photo here.

https://twitter.com/brumpic/status/613428921028227073?s=09

Lovely!

clarion · « **Reply #241 on:** 23 June, 2015, 10:30:40 pm »

Can't beat a steam engine with a British Rail lion on the side!

mcshroom · « **Reply #242 on:** 30 July, 2015, 02:01:51 pm »

Quote from: mcshroom on 05 May, 2015, 11:21:06 am

As of the 18th May there will be some loco hauled services on the Cumbrian Coast Line (as Nothern have run out of trains) . They are going to be 4 carriages long apparently. I'm hoping they run a set like on the Sellafield workers trial three years ago where one of these was a full sized guards van with masses of cycle capacity

List of which services they be* are here: -
http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/locohauled17.html

[eta]Looks like 5 days a week (though may still be 6 days as quoted in the local paper), and looks like they are going to have a locomotive at either end to start with.

[eeta]*Looks like my Devonian side is resurfacing with phrasing like that

Properly running for a while now. I was in our Whitehaven office yesterday and there was definitely more of a vibration when the loco hauled service pulled out of the station across the road. Up until recently they've had two locos on each train as there's nowhere to turn round. Yesterday's was pulling a DBSO so it can be driven from the rear carriage now.

When I was looking up the proper name for this thing (I called it a 'reversing trailer') I found out that three more are being refitted. I'm guessing the trains will be around for a while then.

They are causing a few complaints about noise and smell from some of the local villages.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #243 on:** 30 July, 2015, 05:38:29 pm »

You can turn locomotives at Didcot - there is a triangle of lines. You can also turn them at most coal fired powet stations because merry-go-round trains travel around a loop.

mcshroom · « **Reply #244 on:** 17 August, 2015, 07:01:49 pm »

Both the Class 37 trains have DBSO's now. Mine back from Carlisle today was running in push mode

Does it say something about the state of the UK railways that of the three trains back from Inverness today (the others being a ScotRail Turbostar, and a Virgin Pendolino), the train made of 40 year old carriages and pushed by a 50 year old locomotive was by far and away the most comfortable?

Peter · « **Reply #245 on:** 17 August, 2015, 09:24:18 pm »

Quote from: Basil on 23 June, 2015, 08:33:52 pm

Nice photo here.

https://twitter.com/brumpic/status/613428921028227073?s=09

I'm late to all this, so I expect you know that's Saint Mungo. I may even have travelled behind it as a boy.

I saw Tornado at Heywood, when she visited the East lancs Railway a couple of years ago. I don't like the name-plate but it's a magnificent engine.

Guy · « **Reply #246 on:** 18 August, 2015, 01:15:28 pm »

I am quite surprised, given the title of this thread, that nobody has mentioned the passing of the man who made it all happen in the first place...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11708536/Ian-Allan-trainspotter-obituary.html

hbunnet · « **Reply #247 on:** 18 August, 2015, 06:56:42 pm »

Quote from: Guy on 18 August, 2015, 01:15:28 pm

I am quite surprised, given the title of this thread, that nobody has mentioned the passing of the man who made it all happen in the first place...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11708536/Ian-Allan-trainspotter-obituary.html

Many thanks for posting that. Made me get out my 1958 "Combined Edition" price 10/6d

Basil · « **Reply #248 on:** 18 August, 2015, 07:09:16 pm »

Couldn't find my combo. Probably chucked out years ago when I discovered gurls.

Numbers were underlined neatly in green ink when spotted. A little P inscribed next to it meant Pulled (by it). A little C (the ultimate) meant I'd "Cabbed" it.

As a youngster I actually believed that a time would come when every single number would be underlined with PC next to it.

Don't expect this post to exist for very long. I can't believe I've shared that.

Kim · « **Reply #249 on:** 18 August, 2015, 08:38:59 pm »

I cabbed a Pendolino once. But didn't get the number.