Railway action if the U.K North west

kevsmith Jun 16, 2019

  1. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Update

    August and September 2023 and we see a varied selection of Rail action in Cumbria and North Lancashire with main line steam, Nuclear moves and the Sunday only workings of pairs of Class 195/0s on the Furness Line and the late Sunday 195/1 working Barrow to Millom. The only 195 diagrammed on the Cumbrian Coast


    Following on from last time there was another DRS Sellafield to Barrow Marine Terminal move, This time just a light engine and some DRS Light engine driver training workings


    We see Class 37.47,57,67,68,86,88. HST Power cars, a couple of tampers and WCR Jubilees and Bulleid Pacifics were the Mainline Steam workings



    I'll drop in some still pictures in

    To whet your appetite

    05/08/2023 Leyland 86 259 1Z87 Carlisle-London Euston (preserved 25Kv A.C electric)
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    13/08/2023 Appleby 67 007 1Z13 Edinburgh-Skipton (ugliest loco on British rail)

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    18/08/2023 Dunnerholme 68 007 and 68 003 Valiant 6C51 Sellafield-Heysham Power station

    19/08/2023 Carnforth 43067 Tangmere and 57 601 Windsor Castle 5Z50 Carnforth WCR-Carnforth Down sidings

    19/08/2023 Carnforth 45562 Sierra Leone (AKA Galatea) and 47 746 Chris Fudge 5Z35 Carnforth-York Holgate sidings

    20/08/2023 Carnforth 195 021 and 195 019 1C52 Manchester Airport-Barrow in Furness

    20/08/2023 Carnforth 195 021 and 195 019 1Y 97 Barrow in Furness-Manchester Airport

    27/08/2023 Roose 195 1211Y96 Barrow in Furness-Manchester Airport

    27/08/2023 Roose 195 006 and 195 008 1C52 Manchester Airport-Barrow in Furness

    01/09/2023 Kirkby in Furness Lidgate UWC 68 003 The Poppy and 68 016 Fearless 6C52 Heysham power station-Sellafield

    03/09/2023 Askam in Furness 195 118 2C31 Barrow-Millom

    04/09/2023 Foxfield 37 405 6Z37 Warrington Arpley-Working Docks

    04/09/2023 Askam in Furness 37 405 0Z38 Workington Docks-Shrewsbury

    06/09/2023 Askam in Furness 88 007 Electra 0Z68 Kingmoor TMD-Carlisle Sth Junction

    07/09/2023 Kirkby in Furness 68 007 Valliant 0Z68 Kingmoor TMD-Carlisle Sth Junction

    07/09/2023 Askam in Furness 43251 and 43272 1Q82 Carlisle-Blackpool North

    09/09/2023 Askam in Furness 88 005 Minerva and 88 006 Juno 6K73 Sellafield-Creve CLS

    09/09/2023 Dalton in Furness 88 005 Minerva and 88 006 Juno 6K73 Sellafield-Creve CLS

    15/09/2023 Kirkby in Furness 68 018 Vigilant and 68 034 Railriders 6C51 Sellafield-Heysham Power station

    16/09/2023 Askam in Furness 47 805 Roger Hoskings and 47 810 Crewe Diesel 1Z62 Carlisle-Milton Keynes

    16/09/2023 Ulverston 47 805 Roger Hoskings and 47 810 Crewe Diesel 1Z62 Carlisle-Milton Keynes

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    17/09/2023 Ulverston195 009 and 195 005 1C52 Manchester Airport-Barrow in Furness

    17/09/2023 Thwaites Flat 195 130 2C31 Barrow n Furness-Millom

    18/09/2023 Askam in Furness DR 77903 6U16 Wigan-Millom

    18/09/2023 Ulverston DR 73930 6J01 Guide Bridge-Ulverston

    21/09/2023 Askam in Furness 68 004 Rapid 0Z68 Sellafield-Barrow MT

    21/09/2023 Barrow Ramsden Dock 68 004 Rapid 0Z68 Sellafield-Barrow MT

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    21/09/2023 Askam in Furness 68 004 Rapid 0Z73 Barrow MT-Sellafield

    22/09/2023 Askam in Furness 68 018 Vigilant and 68 034 Railriders 6C51 Sellafield-Heysham Power station

    23/09/2023 Furness Abbey Tunnel 68 018 Vigilant and 68 034 Railriders 6K73 Sellafield-Creve CLS 23/09/2023

    Kirkby in Furness (Lidgate UWC) 43067 Tangmere 1Z28 Penrith-Telford

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    23/09/2023 Lindal in Furness 43067 Tangmere 1Z28 Penrith-Telford

    26/09/2023 Askam in Furness 43272 and 43257 1Q47 Derby RTC-Carlisle

    30/09/2023 Askam in Furness 45690 Leander 1Z87 Carlisle-London Euston

    30/09/2023 Lindal in Furness 45690 Leander 1Z87 Carlisle-London Euston (Sanders on full to get up the incline)

    The nights are getting darker , Winters A'coming, but I'll try and get as much as I can

    Kev
     
  2. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    So today we went out to get 35018 'British India Line' running the last steam hauled excursion of the year down the Cumbrian Coast line. This is one of Oliver Bulleids 'Merchant Navy' class 4-6-2s built for the Southern railway and is one of the heavier class of the two designs. It had its streamlined casing and the chain driven valve gear removed by British Rail which inproved reliabilty and maintenance but did little to sort the class tendency to be a bit 'Light on their feet' with a tendency to slip a lot.

    Looking well, in the curious light at Dunnerholme crossing

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    So we jumped in the X-trail and headed over the hill to get it again at Lindal in Furness. Got there in plenty of time and waited, and waited. It showed leaving Barrow 14 minutes late on TOPS but it became apparent that it was lost somewhere. Many texts and Whats App messages later.

    [​IMG]

    It had slipped to a stop on the climb to Dalton Tunnel on wet leaves on the line and was stuck. This is not even the steepest part of the grade and what followed was typical of British railways today

    In their wisdom Network Rail keep Dalton junction signalbox closed on Saturdays. This meant that the train had to come through the Barrow Loop ,mixed in with the regular service passenegr trains. It also meant that the train could not slowly back onto the Dalton Freight loop to get out of the way to wait for assistance. Two of West Coast railway's Class 47s were sent as 'Thunderbirds' to assist it from Carnforth but had to crawl behind a Manchester to Barrow Class 156 which then blocked both platforms at Barrow station. As the Dalton Junction signalbox was shut the 47s could not crossover there but had to go to Barrow to reverse where all three platforms and crossing were blocked

    They finally hooked onto the rear of the stranded charter train and pushed it up the hill 136 minutes late and by the time it got to Carnforth, where the Steam loco comes of it was 142 minutes late. The poor passengers were going all the way back to Bristol and god knows what time they were going to get there!

    Video will be on my next North west Rail action movie

    Kev
     
  3. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Done it as a stand alone video


    Kev
     
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  4. gmorider

    gmorider TrainBoard Member

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    I keep hearing a "high/low" tone. I think the tea is done.
     
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  5. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Beautiful train right there!!:love:
     
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  6. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Days are getting shorter and the 'British India line Steam' railtour was the last of the season so there is less stuff to go out and see but..

    nuclear traffic is holding up well

    68 003 Astute and 68 004 Rapid top and tail two PFA flatrols through Askam

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    The monthly Network Rail test train is now always hauled by HST power crs. In this case 43272 and 45257 from the Rail technical centre in Derby to Carlisle

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    The weekly Heysham Power station service is top and tailed by 68 034 Rail Riders and 68 004 Rapid through Dunnerholme

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    Last month the train operator Trans Pennine Express made the bizarre decision to cease using full sets of brand new trains on their services. rakes of Mk 5 coaches and Class 68s leased from DRS were basically going to be parked in a field. There has been uproar amongst the Rail community.

    Some of the TPE 68s have started to appear on Nuclear services and the RHTT Leaf busting trains. I would never have imagined this combination appearing

    25kv AC/Diesel hybrid 88 010 Aurora leads 68 020 Reliance (still in TPE livery) on the Saturday Morning, Sellafield to Crewe, Flask train at Dalton

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    All the sevens, 68 007 Valiant leads 88 007 Electra on the same working a week later at Park South

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    We had a royal visit to Barrow by the Princess Royal (Princess Anne) and DRS dispatched a pair of 68s with an FNA-D (empty, of course!) to pose dockside at the Nuclear termional

    68 006 Pride of the North and 68 034 Rail Riders enter the dock with the Nuclear fuel boats Pacific Heron and Pacific Grebe alongside

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    there is a bit more on the video. Sometimes it is just too dark to shoot stills but the camcorders usually manage to get something useable



    At the end of the video is a nuclear train in the snow, This is a taster for the next compilation

    regards

    Kev
     
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  7. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Back after a long absence. My Broken Ankle pretty much stopped most photography in January and February (See my other thread about it)

    Anyway, instead of parping about my issues lets start to get back into the good stuff

    Today was a good day

    Got Brooklyn out of bed so we could get 6K73, The Sellafield to Crewe Coal sidings nuclear flask train at Askam. 68 017 'Vigilant' working in multi with 68 033 'The Poppy' and 88 010 'Aurora' D.I.T (Dead in train)

    [​IMG]

    On Saturdays Dalton Junction Signalbox is closed and the Nukes are pathed through Barrow in Furness rather than the Dalton Loop shortcut. This gives us 20 minutes to drive over the hill to get it again at Dalton in Furness

    Exiting Dalton Tunnel, currently there is a 20 Mph speed restriction through the tunnel so we are getting them opening the thottle as they come through the platform

    You can just see the tunnel in the heat haze from the exhausts

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    Those CAT engines sound good!

    Quick call into Dalton Pie shop and then on to Scout Green on the fierce ascent to Shap summit on the West Coast Main line

    an 88 with its Pantograph up 88 006 'Juno' attacks the bank with a heavily loaded Tesco Intermodal. Although the 88s knock ot nearly 5,400 Horse power, adhesion has always been an Achilees heal of the the bi-Modals
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    Spring hasn't woken the vegitation up yet up here

    The main reason for tramping around the Westmorland Fells this early in the year

    Great Western, Castle class, 4-6-0 5043 'Earl of Mount Edgecumbe' attacks the climb unaided with a Vintage Trains excursion. It sounded so good!

    [​IMG]

    The second steam loco was Tangmere again. Doing a lot of work for West Coast trains at present it looked good

    The Southern Railway Bulleid streamlined 4-6-2 ( Nicknamed Spam Cans by U.K railfans!) went by in fine style but it became apparent that a class 47 diesel on the back 47 815 'Great Western' was in notch 8 and shoving the train up the hill as well

    [​IMG]

    As we trundled over the fells from the M6 to Scout green Brooklyn said " do you think there wll be more than 5 other cars here"

    "Er, Yes"

    [​IMG]


    More soon

    Kev
     
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  8. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    In the space of two days.

    The oldest working main line steam engine in the U.K. Furness 0-4-0 No. 20 in action at the Ribble Steam Steam railway yesterday

    Alan Middleton and the team polish the brassworks before its next run from Preston RSR to the Strand

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    Built by Sharp Stewarts as works number 1448 of 1863 it served the Furness railway as a 'Mineral engine' for many years before being converted into a saddle tank and going industrial service at the huge Barrow Iron and steelworks

    Rescued by the Furness Railway Trust, converted back with the building of a brand new tender, the restoration is quite astounding

    [​IMG]

    Neat eh?

    But how about the oldest working Industrial locomotive in action as well?

    Grant Ritchie were a small locomotive builder in Kilmarnock overshadowed by the prolific Andrew Barcay works who produced thousand of locomotives

    GR 242 of 1894 is a rare surivor

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    Blowing off as it waits to head for the Strand. The track was hand sanded to let it get a grip

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    Tomorrow I'lll do a contrast by showing you the latest, but maybe not the greatest, passenger trains I have encountered today

    Kev
     
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  9. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Maybe not quite as pretty?

    The newly introduced Class 197 Civity DMUs built for Transport for Wales. This was the first one I had seen and I'm really not sure about the front end styling

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    Made by CAF the three car units have aluminium bodyshells with each car having a Rolls-Royce MTU putting out 523 HP

    [​IMG]
    CAFs Civity range had already found business from other U.K train operators and what is substantially the same unit looks a lot better in service with the front end design on the ones supplied to Northern Rail

    This is 195 105 on the strange , Sunday only, Barrow to Millom and return working. The only 195 diagrammed for the Cumbrian Coast line despite all the stations having 3 and 6 car stop boards erected

    [​IMG]

    Sister engine 195 104 was involved in a bad derailment on Friday not far from my house at Grange over Sands. It was on the first Manchester to Barrow morning working and hit a eeice of track suspeed over a sinkhole that had appeared overnight

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq7zvx76e1o

    Not my picture (Courtesy of the Civil Engineer). Evidence seems to suggest it was a collapsed culvert coming off Garnge Golf course. As a former on call engineer and emergency response officer for the rail company I worked at lots of questions came to mind



    [​IMG]

    I think this is the first incident the 195s have been involved in

    More soon
     
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  10. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    The Grange over Sands derailment caused all sorts of disruption. a rail replacement bus service was instigated calling at all the stations between Barrow in Furness and Lancaster. This added 90 minutes time to the journey and was a complete pain.

    I've watched TOPS and RTT to look for engineering train activities and today it kicked off

    First up 70 812 ( one of the GE built 'Fuglies') heading from Carlisle NY to Ulverston. At Ulverston the train disappears off TOPS and could only be seen on TRUST as it entered the Engineering possession centrered on Grange

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    next up another Class 70 70 816 , operated by Colas Rail appeared also on a Carlisle NY to Ulverston ballast and track component train.

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    This was being driven by an old mate of mine, Steve decided to give it 'Wigan' on the horns when he spotted me

    Top and tailed on the back was one of my beloved Class 56s. 56 094 is now a rare beast in service

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    After Lindal Summit Steve has to carefully descend the gradient down to Ulverston station.56 094 doesn't help as they aren't working in Multi

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    in their wake trundled Tamper DR 73942

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    video



    more soon
     
  11. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    With repairs completed on the sinkhole the engineering trains were scheduled to return up the Cumbrian Coast to Carlisle NY

    First back on Saturday morning was 56 0894 wit half the wagons

    [​IMG]

    My mate Steve Forest driving and going mad with the horns again when he saw me and Brooklyn

    No 70 on the back though?

    Next was 70 816 also on its own with the rest of the wagons

    So where was 70 812?

    Turned out it had been held back to test the repaired track on the following day. We went to Plumpton Junction to get it and found we had missed it by 3 minutes! However, it was pathed through Barrow which gave us just enough time to go over the hill and get it at Askam

    [​IMG]

    Thye GE built Class 70s divide opinion amongst railfans in the U.K and have attracted some not very flattering nicknames 'Ugly Bettys', 'Fuglies. and 'SuBos' after Susan Boyle a Britains Got Talent winner

    They had an unfortunate history of engine fires, Three that I know of and also the unfortunate 70 012 that was dropped from height back into the hold of the ship due to a lifting gear failure at Newport Dock,severely bending the frame and resulting in it being returned to Erie as a write off

    [​IMG]

    The video



    Kev
     
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  12. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    We were at Carnforth last weekend exhibiting Shasta at the model railway show.

    really busy as the layout is so famous and generates lots of questions about Z scale . I found it almost impossible to get away from the layout as I had so many people to talk too

    So I let Brooklyn, who has reached the ripe old age of 12 years old , loose with the Eos 5D and one of the camcorders. The show is in the heritage station building on the platform so he could skip out whenever something approached.

    Saturday he caught 156 485 on a Lancaster to Carlisle via the Cumbrian Coast

    [​IMG]

    Picture by Brooklyn Brock

    Trailing behind it was 47 815 'Great Western' which had been used to rescue A.C electric 86 401 'Mons Meg' that was at the head of the charter train. This had failed at Rugby. unusual for one of these locos

    [​IMG]


    Picture by Brooklyn Brock

    A class 57 hauled the coaching stock in and 34067 Tangmere was put on. He could barely see over the railings but got this shot of the Southern Railway Bulleid pacific

    [​IMG]


    Picture by Brooklyn Brock

    The following day we knew that the Sunday only working for the Class 195/0 DMUs was on. I photographed them early on heading for Barrow in Furness from Manchester Airport. It was only when I looked at Brooklyn's pictures of them coming back I learned they had run 'Wrong Line' through Carnforth. Rare, very rare

    [​IMG]


    Picture by Brooklyn Brock

    Boys starting to show some talent, as young as he is

    Kev
     
  13. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    After the sinkhole was repaired it wasn't long before the Nukes traffic started running again.

    First nuclear traffic on the Furness line
    68 017 'Hornet ' top and tailed with 68 034 'Rail Riders' at the former Plumpton Junction with four FNA-D Nuclear Flask wagons heading for Heysham Power station from Sellafield

    [​IMG]

    I'll come back to Plumpton one day on a seperate thread as , back in the day, this was one seriously, complicated busy Junction

    Now I'm mobile again, although I think my ankle is always going to be an issue going forward, I've decided to revisit some locations I've neglected recently

    Having featured Foxfield in my Ales and Rails thread I ambled up there the other day to get the Sellafield to Heysham. The picturesque station and the still closed 'Prince of Wales' pub and the unique, for the Furness railway, island platform

    68 004 'Rapid' is top and tailed with 68 007 'Valiant'. Valiant was a former Scotrail leased loco and is still in plain blue rather than the 'Compass' livery
    [​IMG]

    On the video I'll post the link to later you can hear the lovely sound of the 'Big Cat' as the driver opens it up when the home signal comes off

    Dalton in Furness station is on a steep downhill grade as the trains come down from the Lindal Summit. In addition there is a 20 mph slack through Dalton Tunnel so the driver came through the platforms quite carefully

    68 009 'Titan' and 68 017 Hornet are hauling two FNA-Ds from the Crewe Coal Sidings ( The DRS Secure compound for nuclear traffic) to Sellafield

    [​IMG]

    They were going so slowly I could nip over the hill and get them again at Askam

    Marsh Side at Kirby in Furness was a favourite spot back when the Class 37 hauled passenger trains were running. The first one in the morning used to catch the low dawn sun in the summer on its flanks

    Sun was in short supply when 68 017 'Hornet' and 68 009 'Titan' ran light engine around the tight curve into Kirby station heading for Heysham. The Cumbrian Fells rise in the background

    [​IMG]

    Dunnerholme crosiing will always be a favourite, only about 1 mile from house but totally rural

    68 007 'Valiant' and 68 004 'Rapid' head for Sellafield

    [​IMG]

    minuites later 88 006 'Juno' and 68 034 'Rail Riders' head for Crewe CLS. At Carnforth, where they come under the 25Kv AC OHL. the Bi-Mode 88 should raise its pantograph and deploy its 5,300 HP for the rest of the journey to Crewe

    [​IMG]

    The 'Old man of Coniston' mountain can be seen a little bit clearer today

    A couple of times over the last few days I've been down to Askam station, 400 yards from my house

    There has been a very young boy called George , accompanied by his grandfather, who has been filming the interesting stuff on his mobile phone mounted on a tripod He was there for the HST Power car hauled Network Rail test train 43272 and 43277

    [​IMG]

    His Grandad admits to knowing nothing about railways, I think young George is going to give him an education!

    late in the day the trick at Askam is too take the picture when the lead loco comes out of the shadows

    [​IMG]

    I've started to sharpen my machete up. When I went to Low Greaves Bridge the other day the Brambles and nettles were already getting to be a real pain

    The video soon

    Kev
     
  14. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    The video



    And the blog

    The derailment of the Northern Class 195s over the Grange over Sands sinkhole and the subsequent closure of the Furness Line meant no Nuclear traffic worked the South Cumbrian Coast line and the Furness line for quite a while . After the repairs were complete the first Nuke to run was on 23/04/2024


    Plumpton Junction near Ulverston

    6C51 Sellafield to Heysham power station 68 017 'Hornet' and 68 034 'Rail Riders' Top and Tail four FNA-D Nuclear Flask wagons return as

    Askam in Furness 6C52 Heysham to Sellafield 68 034 'Rail riders' and 68 017 'Hornet' with three FNA-Ds


    And then it got busy!


    30/04/2024

    Askam in Furness. We first see 68 004 'Rapid' and 68 033 'The Poppy' pass with 6C53 Crewe CLS to Sellafield with a mix of FNA-Ds and PFA flatrols. They came back through on 6C51 Sellafield to Heysham power station which I didn't film and them came back that evening as 6C52 Heysham Power station to Sellafield with two FNA-Ds

    Next ( in the dark) an interloper Freightliner 66 525 on a Crewe Basford Hall to Sellafield engineering move

    01/05/2024

    Kirkby in Furness

    68 017 'Hornet' and 68 009 'Titan' on 6K73 Sellafield to Crewe CLS

    Two days later, the morning of 03/05/2024, they returned as 6C53 with two FNA-Ds seen first at Dalton in Furness. There is a 20mph speed restriction through Dalton Tunnel which gave me time, despite the Dowdales school run traffic, to flip over the hill and catch it again at Askam

    The same two locos came back south at lunchtime , Light Engine on 0C51 Sellafield to Heysham Power station. I went back, for the first time in ages, to Marsh Side at Kirkby in Furness. A favourite haunt back when the DRS class 37s were working the passenger trains on the Cumbrian Coast.

    And back again , seen at Askam on 6C52 Heysham Power station to Sellafield

    07/05/2024 was a busy day

    Up to Foxfield to get 68 004 'Rapid' and 68 007 'Valiant' T&T a single FNA-D. Can't wait for the Prince of Wales pub there to re-open!

    Askam, another interloper Colas HSTs 43277 and 43272 on 1Q47 Network rail test train Derby RTC to Carlisle

    After a slight gap down to Dunnerholme for the first time this year

    Nearly, but not quite, arriving at the same time

    68 007 'Valiant' and 68 004 'Rapid' returning from Heysham

    and then the only Class 88 seen recently, 88 006 'Juno' leads 68 034 'Rail Riders' on 6K73 Sellafield to Crewe CLS

    08/05/2024

    for the second day running 6K73 ran, Sellafield to Crewe CLS. Seen at Kirkby Lidgate UWC Level crossing. 68 004 'Rapid' and 68 007 'Valiant'


    This morning I went to Roose station on the Barrow loop and to my suprise three of the freightcar fleet I was responsible for before I retired turned up behind 68 009 Titan

    BNFL 96901, 902 and 903 were heading back to Sellafield following heavy overhaul at Wabtecs Doncaster works

    [​IMG]

    Kev
     
  15. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    So Me and Brooklyn headed out to Foxfield Saturday teatime to catch the Lakelander charter train on the Carlisle to Nottingham leg

    Hauled by SR 34046 rebuilt West Country Class 'Braunton' one of the LSL Fleet with the Saphos trains rake of coaches

    Chatting to Liam, the signaller in Foxfield signalbox, we asked if Brooklyn could stand on the signalbox steps

    Boy done well, EOS 700D and a Sigma 18-200mm lens

    [​IMG]
    Picture by Brooklyn Brock

    Trains don't go fast round this bend

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    Picture by Brooklyn Brock

    I was further down the island platform filming but got all the elements of Foxfield

    The station. station master house, Signalbox and the soon to be re-opened ( we hope) Prince of Wales pub

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    we then shot over the hill to get it again at Plumpton Junction as the train went the long way round through Barrow

    The light was evil!

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    on the way home I took Brooklyn to see the two Class 195 DMUs involved in the Grange over Sands Sinkhole derailment which have been dumped in the Ulverston Engineering sidings sdince being recovered. But wait, 195 133, the one that stayed on the track had gone. 195, 104 which has quite a bit of damage was still there and they must have done some shunting to get 133 out.

    Looking on TOPS today showed a weird move from Barrow Carraige sidings to Newton Heath Depot in Machester. 5J55 was pathed as Loco hauled, trailing load 400 tones and a max speed of 27 mph

    So we figured that one of Barrow's other 195s was going to be dragging it to Manchester

    Wrong

    Proudly carrying the muck and rust from the incident and with copious amounts of Seagull 'Guano' on the roof it came through Dalton in Furness with 195 117 behind it. I'm not sure it was running though and suspect 117 was pushing controlled from the front cab

    [​IMG]

    104 still languishes in the sidings and I'm waiting to hear if any of the heavy haul truckers are coming to take it out by road

    [​IMG]

    Because I'll be there with my camera

    Kev
     
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  16. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Well. it has been busy

    My new favourite photo location, Kirkby Pool Viaduct, is now a lot more accesible now the endless rain has stopped. You have to trek across the Marshside fields to get to it but I've been there so often the sheep have got used to me now!

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    In a picture that will not make much sense to USA Railfans a Classic Class 37, 37 405 ( Formely a DRS engine but now owned by HNRCL and leased to Colas) hauls a single ICA China Clay wagon from Arpley to Workington Docks. The Vee Tank had just come off a General repair and was on its way to rejoin the rest of the fleet

    [​IMG]

    returning light engine later that afternoon


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    A pair of 68s drift down towards Park South Junction, Top and Tailed on the Sellafield to Heysham Power station Nuclear Flask working

    68 007 Valiant still wears its plain blue colour scheme after having its Scotrail branding removed

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    Returning later with 68 003 Astute now leading. Seems the engineer recognises me!

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    I used to photograph here years ago. This is at Askam but the other side of the crossing looking towards Park. There wasn't a single tree back then!

    Beer O'clock,,back in a minute

    Kev
     
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  17. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    The video is rendering now ( The CPU Fan is going nuts) and the video finishes with 34046 'Tangmere' on Yesterdays steam excursion at Kirkby Pool

    It looks so clean it could almost be a model

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    Now then, scroll back up to the photos of 'Braunton These are actually the same loco class. 'Tangmere' is an unrebuilt Battle of Britain class 4-6-2 in original condition. 'Spam Can' streamlining, BFB driving wheels, Oil bath, internal chain driven, valve gear and the best steaming boiler ever on British Railways

    'Braunton' is a rebuilt one with the streamline casing removed, Conventional Walschearts valve gear and smoke deflectors. Its a testament to the rapid withdrawal of BR Steam and their subsequent dumping in the Barry Scrapyard that both types survived

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    The other split personality is the sub divison of the claas. The names were divided between 'West Country Class' named after important locations on the Souther Railway and , because they were introduced in the height of the pivotal Air battle of WW2 the 'Battle of Britain' class. These were named after RAF Airfield, hence 'Tangmere', Famous planes 'Spitfire' or key British people involved in the decisive destruction of the Luftwaffe which ended Hitlers hope of invading England i.e '34051 Sir Winston Churchill'

    Video link tomorrow, probably

    Kev
     
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  18. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Cumbrian Coast line action in May 2024


    A busy May with some interesting things to watch out for. Loads of class 68 and 88 action


    68 009 through Roose with three KXA-C Nuclear flask wagons returning from overhaul at Doncaster works


    The 195 (195 133) that stayed on the track at the Grange over Sands derailment finally cleared to run to Newton Heath under its own power


    37 405 hauling a single ICA tank to Workington Docks


    Two Bulleid Pacifics, Braunton and Tangmere on excursion trains . Tangmere lifted its safety valves just as it passed under the Footbridge at Kirkby station which must have made all the people on it jump!


    Locations include Plumpton Junction, Askam in Furness ( Station and White bridge), Kirkby in Furness (Station and Kirkby Pool Viaduct), Foxfield, Park South, Dalton in Furness and Roose


    I've started experimenting using three Camcorders at Kirkby Pool. One static looking down the long straight past Angerton Hall to Foxfield, another static one looking at the viaduct and one used to do a panning shot around the estuary to the station






    Kev
     
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  19. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Kev, that 34046 'Tangmere' is a real beauty. Great shots! (y)(y)(y)
     
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  20. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Variety is the spice of life

    The Network Railt est train used to be Class 37 hauled but the availability of redundant HST power cards saw quite a few rail operators acquiring some. Colas have deployed them on the test train

    43272 drifts through Dalton station. 43277 is on the rear

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    The weedkiller made a couple of passes this week

    Askam, not spraying EMD Built 66 727 and 66 754 Top and Tailed

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    retutning later the same day with 66 574 on the point. Still not spraying

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    the following day at Kirkby definetly spraying, slightlt disconcerting when you are this close!

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    Back through Askam in full spray mode

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    Todays Steam was Braunton again. On the Lakelander, Carlisle to Leeds. Brooklyn hadn't been to Kirkby Pool Viaduce before but he aced it with this picture. Not bad for a 12 year old!

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    Stood on the stile after he put the camera down.The Hi-vis jacket he got for Christmas still s too big but he'll grow into it

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    Braunton was immaculate as well. Hard to believe that Braunton and Tangmere are the same class of locomotive

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    on Wednesday the Blue Pullman is coming through on a charter train, Hopefully the light will be as good as this

    Kev
     
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