Author Topic: Trainspotters. Why? (Read 93424 times)

Biggsy · « **Reply #125 on:** 30 July, 2011, 09:49:27 am »

What's the best train simulator for the PC - in terms of driving experience?

rogerzilla · « **Reply #126 on:** 30 July, 2011, 09:53:47 am »

I sae an HST power car today called "Reading Panel Signal Box", which has to be The. Worst. Name. For. An. Engine. Ever.

Biggsy · « **Reply #127 on:** 30 July, 2011, 05:25:31 pm »

Metronet for the London Underground has battery locomotives for maintenance called Walter, Lou, Anne, and Kitty. Say the names quickly together to get what line they were bought for.

welshwheels · « **Reply #128 on:** 30 July, 2011, 05:38:15 pm »

Quote from: Biggsy on 29 July, 2011, 09:20:05 pm

How do environmentalists feel about diesel trains?

http://youtu.be/iBQeD5eevwc

uck em

rogerzilla · « **Reply #129 on:** 30 July, 2011, 05:59:33 pm »

Quote from: Biggsy on 29 July, 2011, 09:20:05 pm

How do environmentalists and asthma sufferers feel about diesel trains?

http://youtu.be/iBQeD5eevwc

They're generally better with the new MTU engines. The old Paxman Valenta engine (which the power car in the video has) could get desperately smoky.

rower40 · « **Reply #130 on:** 30 July, 2011, 07:51:55 pm »

Quote from: interzen on 29 July, 2011, 08:10:03 pm

The GWR did have a form of automation on their so-called auto-trains. These were rural passenger trains which generally consisted of a single 'auto coach' and a loco, generally a 14xx class. It was possible for the driver to control the loco from the 'cab' in the auto-coach, although I imagine that the fireman would have had to stay with the loco. Clearly this was useful on single-line branches where it may not have been possible to run the loco round to the other end of the train, and it also
saved time too.

I was asked about the connection between the auto-coach and the loco. While the driver in the auto-coach has mechanical control of the regulator (sorry, Reg, not you) and can apply/release the brake, there's also a bell communication too. So everything else (e.g. requesting more boiler pressure, sounding the loco whistle etc) is done in software.

The preserved railway I go and do the signalling on has an Auto-coach

But it doesn't carry enough punters to make it worthwhile :thumbsdown:

rogerzilla · « **Reply #131 on:** 30 July, 2011, 08:33:05 pm »

Here's an Autocoach.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/LMSm3CzviAc&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/LMSm3CzviAc&rel=1</a>

The regulator was controlled by a really long spindle under the coach. In this case, the fireman has to work the reversing lever which, as well as its obvious function, sets the cut-off or "gear" of the locomotive - the proportion of the piston stroke for which fresh steam is admitted.

robbo6 · « **Reply #132 on:** 30 July, 2011, 11:12:15 pm »

Quote from: Gordy on 29 July, 2011, 05:48:02 pm

Damn you all.

I started this thread to point and laugh at trainspotters.

Today I noted down 66519.

Damn, damn, damn.

Gits

Welcome to the sooty side.

Dinamo · « **Reply #133 on:** 31 July, 2011, 07:12:08 am »

Just seen 66002 at Filton Abbey Wood.
You've got me at it now

BrianI · « **Reply #134 on:** 31 July, 2011, 07:29:58 am »

Quote from: Biggsy on 30 July, 2011, 09:49:27 am

What's the best train simulator for the PC - in terms of driving experience?

A few years back I did quite enjoy playing Trainz. Can't say whether it was an accurate driving experience, however it does have a rather fun terrain editor! Much fun was had making roller coaster type tracks....

(Since moving to linux though, no more Trainz....

)

rogerzilla · « **Reply #135 on:** 31 July, 2011, 07:44:23 am »

I think people interpreted the thread title, Exchange & Mart style, to be "Trainspotters. What have you?"

Jacomus · « **Reply #136 on:** 01 August, 2011, 11:36:53 am »

Thinking of exhaust, I like this video

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/UYpXwLg5GeM&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/UYpXwLg5GeM&rel=1</a>

(admin note: doesn't embed)

Adam · « **Reply #137 on:** 01 August, 2011, 07:29:05 pm »

Yesterday, whilst zipping through Leighton Buzzard, I had to stop due to the narrow gauge train set running through. Sadly, they weren't running one of their steam engines, just a diesel shunter which was used on the Channel Tunnel.

interzen · « **Reply #138 on:** 22 August, 2011, 06:56:42 pm »

Maybe this ought to be "Interesting trains you've seen today"

Today's sighting: 37 706, in West Coast Railways' rather fetching maroon livery with small yellow warning panels stopped at a signal on the Down Slow line just outside Copmanthorpe. Needless to say, there was a pleasing amount of clag as it pulled away

No photo, sadly - by the time I was able to extricate my iPhone from its case, 706 was merrily on her way towards York.

Canardly · « **Reply #139 on:** 22 August, 2011, 08:42:11 pm »

According to the beeb the traffic for all of the independent old maintained lines has increased 300% in the last 3 years. Anyone spot a trend here?

Andrij · « **Reply #140 on:** 03 September, 2011, 09:14:26 am »

Just spotted first trainspotters of the day - a dozen at Crewe.

rower40 · « **Reply #141 on:** 05 September, 2011, 12:13:23 pm »

Something for everyone: trains, trainspotters, tent selling Real Ale, plume of smoke to annoy the "trains are a clean form of transport" faction. The plume was much blacker and thicker a few minutes earlier, but my camera wasn't to hand.
Methinks its prolly time to get a slightly better camera. Blurry photos aren't to everyone's taste, and it seems to have got worse since Nothing Happened. When I look into the lens, there's a drying mark on the inside.

interzen · « **Reply #142 on:** 05 September, 2011, 01:34:58 pm »

Hmm. Shall have to try and get some pics of the various kettles that are working York station on the Scarborough Spa Express. Saw "Oliver Cromwell" (Britannia class) heading south yesterday under a seriously impressive cloud o' clag.

A bit of extrapolation led me to the conclusion that the atmosphere in York station during the steam days must have been so thick you could chop it into cubes and build houses with it.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #143 on:** 05 September, 2011, 10:36:08 pm »

On the way back from Nailsea yesterday I thought I had found some trainspotters. Four of them standing on a bridge on the sustrans route over the railway. But somehow they didn't look nerdy enough and - two of them were women! So I stopped and asked, turned out they were waiting for a steam train. It had been due about 2 o'clock, by now it was 2:50, but in a couple of minutes it arrived - The Atlantic Express bound for Exeter, hauled by a Battle of Britain class from 1935 and a something else from the 50s. So they said. Lovely dark green colour anyway. Lots of coal smoke, which I find surprisingly aromatic, in contrast to diesel smoke.

Adam · « **Reply #144 on:** 05 September, 2011, 10:50:28 pm »

This reminds me. At Tamworth station the other week, there were a couple of trainspotters. I can't imagine why, as it seems a plain, suburban type of station, without a hidden steam engine to excite them.

mcshroom · « **Reply #145 on:** 06 September, 2011, 08:35:48 pm »

The cross-country line and WCML cross over in the station, so I suppose they'd have a few trains to look at. Also used to be a royal mail centre so maybe looking for a mail train (all info thanks to wikipedia)

rower40 · « **Reply #146 on:** 06 September, 2011, 09:27:00 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 05 September, 2011, 10:36:08 pm

On the way back from Nailsea yesterday I thought I had found some trainspotters. Four of them standing on a bridge on the sustrans route over the railway. But somehow they didn't look nerdy enough and - two of them were women! So I stopped and asked, turned out they were waiting for a steam train. It had been due about 2 o'clock, by now it was 2:50, but in a couple of minutes it arrived - The Atlantic Express bound for Exeter, hauled by a Battle of Britain class from 1935 and a something else from the 50s. So they said. Lovely dark green colour anyway. Lots of coal smoke, which I find surprisingly aromatic, in contrast to diesel smoke.

Aha! That special, the Atlantic Coast Express (ACE), called at Bodmin Parkway, where some of its passengers were connecting onto "my" heritage railway. But it called there about 120 mins late. So our train (having waited 2 hours) then did a "spirited" run from Bodmin Parkway to Bodmin General, then to Boscarne Junction and back, before I could close up for the night. Yes, I was signalman for that day.
The plan was that some of the railtour passengers were going to do the full route of the ACE by biking from Boscarne Junction along the Camel Trail to Padstow. But there didn't seem to be any takers for that option - not just because it was by now pitch dark - they all came back aboard the train to Bodmin General, where they got onto road coaches for Padstow and Newquay.

I'd've ridden that path in the dark like a shot.

Arch · « **Reply #147 on:** 06 September, 2011, 09:29:27 pm »

Quote from: interzen on 05 September, 2011, 01:34:58 pm

Hmm. Shall have to try and get some pics of the various kettles that are working York station on the Scarborough Spa Express. Saw "Oliver Cromwell" (Britannia class) heading south yesterday under a seriously impressive cloud o' clag.

A bit of extrapolation led me to the conclusion that the atmosphere in York station during the steam days must have been so thick you could chop it into cubes and build houses with it.

I spotted this from the bridge over the railway on Bootham last Thursday - the last day of the service I gather. According to the website, it might be The Scots Guardsman, although that name plate could say Oliver Cromwell if you squint.

And then on Sunday, not exactly a spot, as it was at the NRM, a replica of a grand old lady.

We paid our £2 for a ride up and down behind her...

She was lovely. A very soft chuffing, and a little shiver everyso often from a valve as she released steam pressure. And when we reached the end of the line in reverse, the driver coasted to the end, and then went into forward so gently, we could hardly feel the transition. Several of us remarked on the smoothness of the move.

rower40 · « **Reply #148 on:** 20 September, 2011, 11:23:20 am »

Thread Bump.

Brand-new steamy goodness (Tornado) was parked briefly outside my window. It has since departed southbound with its support coach.

Kim · « **Reply #149 on:** 20 September, 2011, 03:24:27 pm »

Accidental trainspotting, but I couldn't help but note that the HST power car I loaded my bike next to on the way back from Scotland on Sunday was confusingly named "DELTIC 50 1955-2005". I assume that's a commemorative title.

(This one actually dispensed electrons.)

Author Topic: Trainspotters. Why? (Read 93424 times)

robbo6