leslie10646

Hi @jhb171achill, Yes, I still have the 1897 MGWR Working Timetable, as reprinted by Transport Research Associates. Apologies @NorthWallDocker, I missed this post. The IRRS ends up with more funds if I sell direct. Tell me what is of interest. Regards Leslie

The "800" thread has plenty to say about these locomotives. IRRS Journal 53 has a 17 page article by the late David Murray, while Journal 54 has a few pages of comments on the article by two people who knew them well - Loco Inspector Bill McDonnell and Drew Donaldson

Thanks, @seagoebox. The Grand Tour is well covered by my "Lance King in the South" talk, which was the first of a series of four talks which I put together. To illustrate No.801 in colour on the Tour I had to rely on David Soggee's one colour slide of it - he was chasing the tour by car with a few friends one of whom was David Lawrence, whose photo you have shown - Davis must have been standing beside his namesake! David Soggee's input greatly added to Lance's shots, as he, Lance, was on the train! Lance only took black and white that morning, as the light was so poor. The IRRS collection may have them, I must look them up. While we have catalogued a lot of the colour, the B&W is a job still to do! Can you offer an answer to Dave's question as to which "800" did the highest mileage?

802 was withdrawn in 1955, 801 in 1957, but was used from Cork to Mallow on a leg of the 1961 "Grand Tour". @seagoebox is the man to answer this!

An opportunity has arisen top get from about Journals 60 to 150. If there is a demand for some, I'll take it up. PM me if interested, please. I can deliver at Dublin in October. A nominal amount per journal.

This post is out of sequence, as it shows today's big catch. Pure 1970s in full SBB Bling! I've no idea what this train was, the coaches look like some seen in sidings at Brig, but what a delight to see this on our last afternoon, when, on a whim, we took the bus down to watch trains! IMG_6564.MOV

Hi @Warbonnet. re the NEM, we expected nothing else from the Kings of the (Iron) Road! These do look terrific. Like Paul, they're going to be hard to resist with their sound effects. When Paul Isles told me the plans for THAT last year, I thought that the ICR would set a whole new standard, leaving the traditional large manufacturers weeping with frustration. Good luck as you enter the Home Straight.

I'll look for a grubby one!

Tongue firmly in cheek. The modern version! At Spiez, Bern Lotschberg Simplon Railway.

Friday, we looked after domestic matters first, then just before midday took bus down to Spiez. Time to spare before the train to Brig, so photographed a freight IMG_6395.MOV Then a departing inter City: At Brig, we walked out to the front of the standard gauge station to catch a local train to Andermatt, which turned out to be a super modern EMU. Pic of interior follows that of old Motor Coach No.92 on a Zermatt train. Above the spiral at Grengiols - we crossed the bridge below about a a minute ago - on rack and pinion track of course! On arrival at Andermatt after a nice gentle run in a lightly filled train through the valleys - much better than the packed Glacier Express. The line zig zags up the hill behind! Down to Goschenen at the North Portal of the old Gotthard Tunnel in this brand new train, seen on arrival. They are digging a second Base tunnel (50 plus kilometres) and this building deals with spoil brought up from many feet below in the mountain! Look what is still here - a WATER CRANE!!!! and finally our train erupts from the tunnel. IMG_6436.MOV we ran down the big S bend at Essen with the spiral a little lower down and so to Zurich and home.

Thursday was forecast cool and dull, so a travelling "engine bash" day seemed in order. I won't bore you with details, except to say that the loco siding at Spiez had an unusual visitor - a former Austrian 1042 class now owned by one of these spot hire companies. The first new loco of the day was from Konstanz on a train heading for Karlsruhe up the hilly Black Forest railway. Here seen at Singen. The Class 146 is a "Traax" by Bombardier and some of them are twenty years old now. We next sampled a cousin, Class 147.575 which was a new loco for me. This was a return journey to Schaffhausen. 575 out and 577 back (also new) and seen below at Singen. The next loco was very different - a diesel, 245.037, alas had her before, but they look very like the 146s? Here seen at Schaffhausen. More exciting was to see the souped-up oil-burning Class 52 2-10-0 (52.8055) poking its head out of its shed at Schaffhausen. It has many modern features, after ideas by Porta etc. It has been under test after overhaul, so maybe a run next year for me? The railcar in this snip is one with a centre engine unit like GNR railcars D to G. IMG_6378.MOV I now set off hoping to set some loco haulage on the Zurich commuter trains, but alas I didn't look in the right places. However, I hit the big time on Platform 44 (!) at Zurich. The indicators show WHERE the loco is on a train - none, obviously on an EMU - but one showed a loco on either end of a six coach train - BINGO - a Re4/4-hauled train, they run with one of these old engines on either end of a modern double deck set. This was the scene at Kussnacht, where we got off. A fifty year old loco still at work!, 11219 at the front and 11226 at the rear. IMG_6388.MOV Home via Bern with 460.039 (new) which flew along the 200kph stretch as to the manner born. We caught the bus up to the house four minutes after arrival the train in Spiez - Switzerland is like that!

Wednesday was a run to St Gallen. Much more about the place later - it has an Irish context. I was there to visit Zuba Tech, at the same time one of the most expensive model shops on the planet, but also one which turns up a rarity at a reasonable price. I escaped having just spent about CHF70 on a couple of coaches and a non-running Military Green Re4/4. It was intended (as many of my Swiss locos are) for display only, so why worry about it not being able to move? At CHF30, it was a snip. Zurich still uses 50-ish year old Re4/4s on commutter trains - cheaper than buying Class 450 locos which match the suburban double deckers - so they run one at each end of six modern coaches. Not today, though, although I saw quite a few of these nice locos on the return run to Bern and Spiez. First a glimpse inside St Gallen's station building - a fine piece of restoration. And a bit of video as we departed Zurich - the yards go on for miles! Note the Re4/4s, these ones are presumably used on freight and postal trains. Re44s at Zurich.mov So a fairly quiet day, although I spent nearly a couple of hours in the model shop - everything from N to HO, 0, LGB etc. Even superb models of a "Big Boy" in G Scale for under a Grand! Thousands of second hand locos, coaches and wagons. More to come about this place.

Wednesday offered sunny weather, while Thursday was forecast rain, so we set off back to Murren and did our favourite walk again. I timed our return to get us to a place called Meiringen - any of you who are Sherlock Holmes fans will know that this is where Sherlock and Dr Moriarty had their fateful wrestling match at the Reichenbach Falls. It is also the home of a model railway, over the bus garage, about a mile from the station. The owners of large model railways on this forum can eat their hearts out! This is 7mm metre gauge, mainly Furka Oberalp and Rhaetian Railway built on 3/4 levels throughout, masses of spirals inside mountains and an awful lot of it. It takes a train nearly an hour to run from the main station at Dissents (first photo) to get back there! The scenery is variable and some of the connecting tracks are just crude wooden bridges protected by perspex. It deserved longer than I gave it - rain was threatening and it was twenty minutes back to the station! WATCH THE VIDEOS FULL SCREEN as they come up better that way. Disentis station: The main feature is the famous Landwasser Viaduct - built LARGE! A few snips of video: IMG_6331.MOV IMG_6332.MOV And a still of the Glacier Express on the bridge: Three levels visible here. Another viaduct with a local train. IMG_6342.MOV The Glacier again, note snowshed on level below. Part of the "interior" Now THIS is a fiddle yard! All run by a teenager, whom I have cropped out as I haven't got permission to show them, using this computer screen. Approximate track diagram. And finally, a sweep across the "room" starting at the famous "Solis" viaduct on the Rhaetian Railway's World Heritage Albula River stretch - the bridge REALLY is 300 feet above the river! You get an idea of the size of the layout. Worth a visit, but for CHF12 per person, do it on a Saturday when you have time to look at it properly and get your money's worth! We did an evening trip. IMG_6353.MOV

Super, Ernie, thanks. I haven't seen the 2-8-0T on any visit, the others look familiar. The "Train Shed came from a goods station near Basel, I understand. The Bauma people put it to excellent use with rows of tables and benches where folk (lots of locals included) sit and drink beer, eat sausage etc. Their shops are under cover there as well as a couple of rakes of coaches and their coal store! It's a nice set-up with lovely people.

Rather stupidly, I asked AI whether there would be steam at Bauma - a standard gauge operation on a piece of freight-only SBB track. AI said yes, so up early for the nearly three hour run on the train to get there. The sight of a completely dry river bed, suggested that even the recent rain would not be deemed enough to allow steam. And the place was seamless. The next train was a little diesel and after photographing it and the rather nice old electric unit seen below, so we spent a bit on souvenirs (like "Locomotive Pasta" - in the shape of little locos), a look in their second hand bookshop and a "Wurst" for lunch, we rejoined a S Bahn train down to Lake Zurich at Rapperswil. The S Bahn units are like the GNR 1930s railcars D - G, with the power unit in the middle. They ride a good deal better. A few shots below of their rolling stock. And finally, that central power unit in these very nice S Bahn trains. Monday was given over to going over the design for a book I am doing - not an inch of travel. Tuesday's activities had a modelling theme and how!

I sympathise with you, Eoin, over the matter of copyright issues when trying to make public what was formerly private research. I like to think that most of the photographers whose works found themselves copied into such research would take the broad view that it was better that their photos got used to the good of all, but it's never that simple. I have the same problem with the late, and much missed, Steve Rafferty's deep research into GNR carriages - also full of downloaded photos. Given a lot of time, these "illustrations" could either be replaced with others, or the copyright issues resolved. That's why we desperately need some of you younger folk to step forward and help with these tasks - I'm eighty, and two lifetimes wouldn't allow me to do the things I'd like to do. I have to hope that the IRRS Archive has a branch wherever I end up .........

Videos at end, if you don't want to read the blurb!. We needed a rest today and the shopping had to be done. Beat this - 1107hrs bus, down to Spiez, shopped, caught 1138 bus back, so that we were putting the "messages" away within forty minutes. Next, to Bern with 460.001 (new, whooppeeee) to explore a bookshop selling railway books. I managed to suppress a desire to buy the "Lotschberg Railway", the French speaking version of "The Great book of the Bern Lotschberg Simplon" (a translation from the German). If I tell you that second hand copies of the German version (400 pages of dense details and lovely photos and even [aintongs) are on the secondhand market for €400, you'll realise that I was very tempted at an expanded version in French for CHF89. This new edition is 500 pages and much updated! BUT, as I was browsing their secondhand books I spotted a book "Our Railways" - Unsere Eisenbahnen - by the late Harald Nave, whom I had met - super photos and a snip at CHF12. So the expensive French book is still there! I'm thinking very hard about it! To get to this shop, you cross the Louise Bridge which offers great views of trains entering or leaving Bern main station. Sorry about orientation - I was holding my phone through wire mesh, as they were repairing the bridge. Enjoy! First a standard Class 460 pulling a double decker set - we've been on lots of these. IMG_6252.MOV Then a "Nina" unit and a "Mutz" double decker unit crossing each other. IMG_6254.MOV Then a "Mika" unit being overtaken by a double deck "Mutz" set. IMG_6259.MOV And finally the Piece de la Resistance - a set sitting at signals and restarting just as a 460 over takes with a double decker set with an embedded 460 before some extra single deckers - a common sight on this very busy railway! IMG_6266.MOV It was amazing how much there was to film in twenty minutes or so - this is just a sample. Hopefully STEAM to morrow!

Absolutely terrific, Angus. Great work. You've no excuse not to run lengthy "Fairs Specials" in N gauge!

After our fun on the Sud Ramp, the other day, We took our aching legs for a long ride on trains over the last two days. Thursday; to Zurich, intending to catch a German IC train to Stuttgart as far as Singen - I'm looking for Class 147 haulage. The Interrail App said that the train had been cancelled, but the train was definitely on the HUGE departure board at Zurich. A train was there, but not five nice white double deckers - the Swiss had turned the incoming train round at Singen and laid on an ERSATZ Zug of 450.060 (new) pushing three blue double deckers as far as Schaffhausen, managing 72max on the way: we continued by EMU to Singen. There we did find a return IC, 147.559 (had it before!) pushing five double deckers. IMG_6194.MOV The line is a mix of single and double in Germany, then restricted by curves on to Zurich. We did 83 before the 53 mph curves and after the Schaffhausen stop, 75 before terminating. By the way, this is First Class in those IC coaches. Compare with the awful seats in a British train! I managed to choose an EMU train back to Bern, but got 460.044 for the second time this trip back to Spiez. Today, Friday, was forecast for 30 degrees, so being on a train seemed a good idea - Swiss air-con is pretty good. First, the 0947hrs bus, seen here at Spiez on arrival - there was one other passenger on the bus! which gave us plenty of time to get 460.082 (old!) with a train of double deckers on the 1023hrs to Romanshorn as far as Zurich (again?). En route, I had a call from my publisher to say that a book which I have compiled was ready to check - so no travel on Monday! The idea was to - find somewhere cheaper to eat than Spiez (CHF 90 would probably be cheap - £80 sterling). The IC was running on time (!), but first an original Re4/4 came in to Platform 14 and posed for the photo! Then we caught the 1237hrs IC (for Stuttgart) as far as Singen. 147.589 was new and did 76 in Switzerland and 86 in Germany! At Singen, the plan was to catch a Regional Express heading for Karlsruhe up the Schwarzwald Bahn which is pretty steep even in some of the early stages. The 146 on the train of four double deckers did 86 before the first stop at Engen, then climbed up the curving track at 55 to Immendingen. We were stopped for an on-coming train to clear the single line on the next section, but then shot off to 86 before Donaueschingen (source of the Danube, of course). I thought that this place would be awash with eateries, but had to ask directions to find the town and a fairly up market hotel which did superb veal Wiener Schnitzel, salad and German Bratkartoffeln as I remember them - washed down by a pint of local Pilsner. Not cheap, but about twenty quid cheaper than Switzerland! We had to get a move on to catch our train, not helped galloping up and down stairs to deal with a last minute change of platform (yes, late-running), so I had to pause to get my breath before walking through the train to the First! 146.238 just managed 87mph before Singen. The incoming train from Stuttgart was a quarter of an hour late, so DB had a set on hand to run the Swiss part of the journey for those joining at Singen. 147.566 was an "old" engine for me and managed 72 before the 55mph curves into Schaffhausen where a mob of people were waiting to join us. I might comment that this station stretches for a couple of kilometres - try modelling that! Now, out past the Rhine Falls: and so to Zurich: Another EMU back to Bern, badly checked, so a bit of a scamper to catch the connection to Spiez which was 460.077 (new!). I jumped on at the Standard class end of a nine single decker coach train and slowly progressed down a very full train. Lots of young Swiss in uniform, going home for the weekend - if you're planning to invade Switzerland - do it at the weekend! Eventually, I got to the first of three First Class coaches, which was nearly empty after the packed coaches in front. The ticket collectors checked our coaches first and enthusiastically ejected half a dozen youngsters who were "trying it on" - every seat has a massive "1" on it, so no real excuse. We touched a hundred mph on the run to Thun, then had a long wait for our bus at Spiez - they're hourly after 8pm! Hard work, but a great day all the same. I'll sleep tonight!

Thanks, Ivan. Duly corrected! You're lucky that I survived to tell the story of today's trek, at several points I was gasping for breath (I have COPD and asthma) and my legs were like jelly, I was so knackered. The BLS (the otherwise admirable Bern Lotschberg Simplon) publish a leaflet encouraging walks by the Nordramp and the Sudramp of their amazing railway - that is the line from Frutigen (near Spiez) up to Kandersteg, through the 14.61kms of the Lotschberg tunnel and then down to Brig - a rise and fall of about 1,500 feet. The well-informed will know that this line has all but been surpassed by the 34.5km long Lotschberg Base Tunnel which cuts out the climb and greatly reduceds journey times. I had walked some bits of the North Ramp twenty years ago, but this was my first (and not to be repeated) try on a part of the South Ramp. The best bit, I am told, if from Hohtenn to Ausserberg, but at 10kms, I deemed that was one to leave until we had got some practice in! Having noted that Ausserberg to Eggersberg was six kilometres, I thought that achievable. Now, the railway is running constantly downhill, but NOT the path. It started with an uphill hike through the village of Ausserberg, then when I thought we were meant to duck under the railway, the signs seemed to point me straight ahead - more uphill. Then I met this: Yes, it means what you think it does, but being properly Irish, I ignored it, stating that it only referred to road vehicles. Up and up we went, following a contour with a sheer drop on one side until we got to this - Yes, that's a GATE and there was no path beyond - in fact if you look carefully, you will see that it is further protected by an electric fence. This was 90 minutes out and we were faced with another ninety back, having achieved little and my legs nearly gave out. I DID manage a poor bit of video - the sun is at right angles on the other side of the train! These are "MIKA" units Class RABe 528, if you prefer, built by Stadler and based on their famous FLIRT units. Built 2021 onwards. The canalised river below is THE RHONE and you can see the brilliant views which you get down into it from trains on the BLS line which remains a monument to the men who had the vision to built it and the many unfortunate (mainly Italians) people who lost their lives on the construction. Mika at Ausserberg.mov One of the tunnel mouths and a stretch of track. It was somewhere near the second photo where I should have left the road and skirted a field on an unmade path, it seems! Never mind, by God's Grace, I survived. After three hours, having fully retraced our steps to Ausserberg station, we caught a train on to Brig and came back the quick way behind 460.087 (had her a couple of days ago) on eight double deckers and five single deckers! Seen at Spiez: first a hefty diesel shunter - then the resident "Thunderbird" Loco: and what is becoming the inevitable "Vectron" on a 32 40ft container train. After that back to domestics like shopping for tea and a second trip by bus to grab another SIX bottles of palatable Rose (from Syrah grapes) for about £3 a bottle - Richard can bring them home in his car! I think I'll try riding a few trains tomorrow - easier on the legs and the nerves!

Thanks @BSGSV for correct the little slip. We'll see what AI makes of it. Now, Paul, you should know better than to put these dreadful stories around - even if two out of the three were perfectly plausible! We Irish need to shout a lot more about Dr Drumm and his trains - they were half a century ahead pop their time, but seem to have worked well enough - did your Dad say anything about them, @jhb171achill?

I'll take a chance. If the Secret Service arrest me meanwhile, having read my stated intentions, I will be chairing the meeting from behind bars!

Thanks, Bob, for that reminder of one of the really great films! Some good railway scenes in it, too! Now, for today. The sun was shining, we caught an earlier bus down to Spiez station than we'd planned, caught an earlier train throughout, so that we were sitting in Murren enjoying a coffee looking over at the Jungfrau before midday. Then off on the walk - to my amazement and after letting my fitness go to pot, I survived the 90 minute walk very well. Of course, it is: a) DOWNHILL, you drop 500 feet in five kilometres; b) You stop after about fifty minutes for soup and a beer and enjoy the views you can see below. c) You speed up over the second part if you think that you might miss the cable car at Grutschalp. First, a bit of film of the little BLM train (two years old, replacing ones which had been there since Adam was a boy) - passing - as every school boy or girl knows - The Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau (left to right). Make sure that your sound is up - nice wheel screech! IMG_6134.MOV Said lunch was taken here - Then a shot on the second part of the walk which is partly among trees: IMG_6143.MOV We did well on the second part of the walk and caught an earlier cable car down to Lauterbrunnen, then the BOB train down to Interlaken where we caught an Intercity back to Spiez - just 4 single deck and eight double deck coaches - haulled by 460.068 (new) and pushed by 460.061 (old). The weather forecast is OK,so maybe another walk with more railway interest tomorrow.

And we're looking forward to YOUR BCDR talk to the IRRS London in January, Patrick. It'll be on Zoom, so everyone of this site should be on-line for a record attendance that night. I'll post the Zoom codes nearer the time!

Good man, @BSGSV, for admitting your typo. As Paul said, we all do it - don't look back through my 2,000 odd posts - my dyslexic typing will be the downfall of me. If you can remember where you posted it, please could you go back and edit the post to say what you meant to say! Then AI will get it right next time! Thanks, too, for pointing out that the appendix listed the "facilities - I believe that the CIE Working Timetables did the same, which is a useful piece of information to have when memory has failed us.