British stuff from the Catacombs

[jhb171achill]

jhb171Senior used to make an annual trip to various parts of Brexitstan with the Permanent Way Institution. He started taking colour slides about 1961 or 2 - over the next while I will post some of the pics he took. Few in number, but interesting.

With scant knowledge of railways on that island, I cannot give much (if ANY) information about any of what will follow, but feel free!

Here, a green electric train, but with full yellow end pending, one presumes, a full repaint into BR blue. Presumably London? Mid 1960s - exact date unknown.

[jhb171achill]

One more for tonight.

[Galteemore]

9 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

jhb171Senior used to make an annual trip to various parts of Brexitstan with the Permanent Way Institution. He started taking colour slides about 1961 or 2 - over the next while I will post some of the pics he took. Few in number, but interesting.

With scant knowledge of railways on that island, I cannot give much (if ANY) information about any of what will follow, but feel free!

Here, a green electric train, but with full yellow end pending, one presumes, a full repaint into BR blue. Presumably London? Mid 1960s - exact date unknown.

Looks like a class 415. Could be a Bognor, Portsmouth or Ramsgate train with a code of 42.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_415

Edited October 14, 2022 by Galteemore

[Irishswissernie]

8 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

One more for tonight.

Ex Caledonian Railway shed at Perth . Locos are Pickersgill 0-6-0 and 4-4-0's.

[jhb171achill]

In haste, as I'm en route to the west today...................... a port scene. I wonder if any of those Mk 1 vans are among those that ended up as CIE gennies! Again, unsure of date and location; mid to late 1960s.

[Irishswissernie]

Stranraer Harbour station. Still open today but I think all the ferry services now go from Cairn Ryan on the other side of the Loch, and the Harbour station isn't very convenient for the town being half a mile out on the end of a spit of land. It would make far more sense to build a new station at the old shore end to cater for the town's inhabitants who are probably the only potential travellers today.

[Galteemore]

Yes, Stranraer Town station still existed till quite recently as a PW yard - only lifted 2015-17. Real shame about the Harbour and lack of connections. I used to really value the Newcastle to Stranraer train that meant I could get home from Edinburgh without lugging cases across Glasgow 

Edited October 14, 2022 by Galteemore

[Irishswissernie]

Back in the early 1980's traffic to Stranraer was still quite heavy with through trains from London Euston as well as Newcastle and the regular service from Glasgow. Here is the overnight Boat train from Euston at Glenwhilly where we used to kip down for the night. I caught the day Euston service one day and the guard told me that the train only had some 64 passengers on it.

 

[Dhu Varren]

12 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

In haste, as I'm en route to the west today...................... a port scene. I wonder if any of those Mk 1 vans are among those that ended up as CIE gennies! Again, unsure of date and location; mid to late 1960s.

The CIE Gennies were all converted from two types of 64ft Brake 2nd coaches. The vans in the picture are 57ft Full Brakes.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Dhu Varren

[Blaine]

3 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

In haste, as I'm en route to the west today...................... a port scene. I wonder if any of those Mk 1 vans are among those that ended up as CIE gennies! Again, unsure of date and location; mid to late 1960s.

Push it forward a decade at least Mk3 Cortina and Mk2 Escort make it the late 1970's

Edited October 14, 2022 by Blaine

[Broithe]

43 minutes ago, Blaine said:

Push it forward a decade at least Mk3 Cortina and Mk2 Escort make it the late 1970's

The Cortina could be as early as 1970, even with the yellow plate, but the Escort makes it 1975+.

I can't make out the other car on the ramp.

 

The "Express Parcels" logo may have first appeared around 1972, allegedly.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Broithe

[Ironroad]

I know little of the subject of UK vehicle registrations and photo is not quite sharpe enough to be sure, but the last letter of the registration (year suffix) of the Cortina looks like an "N". That being the case I think that car was registered between Aug 1 '74 and July 31 '75.   So yes, photo probably dates from late  '70s.

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by Ironroad

[jhb171achill]

3 hours ago, Broithe said:

The Cortina could be as early as 1970, even with the yellow plate, but the Escort makes it 1975+.

I can't make out the other car on the ramp.

 

The "Express Parcels" logo may have first appeared around 1972, allegedly.

Fair enough! As I say, I’m not well up on things BR!

[Darius43]

I had an interview for a civil engineering “sandwich” job with BR in 1983 whilst studying for my A levels in Belfast.  They posted a small cardboard return ticket from Belfast York Road to Euston via the Larne-Stranraer ferry.  The NIR and Ferry parts of the journey were fine, as was the train from Stranraer to Carlisle.  On arrival at Carlisle the London train was delayed due to the wires being down but I spotted a reasonably express-like train on an adjacent platform and asked the platform staff if it was going to London.  They confirmed it was so I jumped aboard and it left soon after, heading south.  Rather than the route through Penrith we took the Carlisle to Settle line.  The winter’s day was clear with blue skies and the snow-covered scenery was spectacular.  

After two interviews with BR I didn’t get the job but I have no regrets and things turned out ok career-wise.  I still have that cardboard ticket and vivid memories of a spectacular journey.

Cheers

Darius

[Broithe]

10 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

I had an interview for a civil engineering “sandwich” job with BR in 1983 whilst studying for my A levels in Belfast.  They posted a small cardboard return ticket from Belfast York Road to Euston via the Larne-Stranraer ferry.  The NIR and Ferry parts of the journey were fine, as was the train from Stranraer to Carlisle.  On arrival at Carlisle the London train was delayed due to the wires being down but I spotted a reasonably express-like train on an adjacent platform and asked the platform staff if it was going to London.  They confirmed it was so I jumped aboard and it left soon after, heading south.  Rather than the route through Penrith we took the Carlisle to Settle line.  The winter’s day was clear with blue skies and the snow-covered scenery was spectacular.  

After two interviews with BR I didn’t get the job but I have no regrets and things turned out ok career-wise.  I still have that cardboard ticket and vivid memories of a spectacular journey.

Cheers

Darius

I did a Mechanical Engineering course at what was then North Staffs Poly. There was a tradition of trying to get the administration to record fake students. One of the lads had an older brother who had been there, so he knew about all this and was prepared. It was a 'sandwich course, so we all had "sponsors" as they called them, and this employment would be noted, as each lecturer took your details at the start.

He mentioned that there was a lad who was not there at the time, which was fairly plausible and was asked if he knew much about him. He said that he thought his name was Eric Worthington and he worked for Bass in Burton. They spotted Worthington E as soon as they wrote it down, of course.

But they didn't spot Dick Marsh, who was supposed to work from BREL in Derby, where another lad, who didn't turn up all the time, also did. Eventually, they got fed up of this Dick Marsh, who seemed to never turn up much and wrote to Derby to complain about him.

A couple of weeks later, they got a reply from Sir Richard Marsh, Chairman of the British Rail Board, apologising and saying that he'd been a bit busy.

[hexagon789]

10 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

In haste, as I'm en route to the west today...................... a port scene. I wonder if any of those Mk 1 vans are among those that ended up as CIE gennies! Again, unsure of date and location; mid to late 1960s.

For completeness, the DMU parked in the platform is a Swindon-built InterCity unit of Class 126.

The unusual feature of these units was that there were two styles of driving motor - one as per your photo with a full-width cab but also a design with a half-cab and gangway, allowing a walk-through six-car formation to be made up.

They entered service from August 1959 and the final two units in traffic lasted until January 1983. One unit is preserved in working order at Bo'ness near Linlithgow.

 

[Darius43]

6 hours ago, Broithe said:

I did a Mechanical Engineering course at what was then North Staffs Poly. There was a tradition of trying to get the administration to record fake students. One of the lads had an older brother who had been there, so he knew about all this and was prepared. It was a 'sandwich course, so we all had "sponsors" as they called them, and this employment would be noted, as each lecturer took your details at the start.

He mentioned that there was a lad who was not there at the time, which was fairly plausible and was asked if he knew much about him. He said that he thought his name was Eric Worthington and he worked for Bass in Burton. They spotted Worthington E as soon as they wrote it down, of course.

But they didn't spot Dick Marsh, who was supposed to work from BREL in Derby, where another lad, who didn't turn up all the time, also did. Eventually, they got fed up of this Dick Marsh, who seemed to never turn up much and wrote to Derby to complain about him.

A couple of weeks later, they got a reply from Sir Richard Marsh, Chairman of the British Rail Board, apologising and saying that he'd been a bit busy.

Small world.  Before we moved to Belfast in 1978, we lived in Newcastle-under-Lyme.  Dad worked for Michelin in Stoke.

Cheers

Darius

[Broithe]

4 hours ago, Darius43 said:

Small world.  Before we moved to Belfast in 1978, we lived in Newcastle-under-Lyme.  Dad worked for Michelin in Stoke.

Cheers

Darius

Michelin is just offices and a bit of retreading these days, and that's looking a little shady, but still sort of 'there', unlike most of the rest of Stoke's industries.

One of "our lads" worked there from 1974-78, I think he left as soon as he got some paperwork - Ian Cowie, Scottish, so he might have ended up at Dundee, I suppose.

[Darius43]

Yes it’s a shame what had happened to Michelin UK - both factories in Northern Ireland are gone now, Mallusk in 1982 and Ballymena more recently.
 

[leslie10646]

The sight of Ernie's Stranraer to Euston train brought back memories of journeys in that sleeper.

A few years before, it would have been hauled by Britannia and a Black Five double-heading. Never managed to do that combo and it was this century before I added Stranraer to "Steam-hauled" Track Map.

Latest addition to said map was joining Nurnberg to Bayreuth behind a "01" German Pacific three weeks ago!

A useful "link" as it connected my travels with the Hof Pacifics in the 1970s with the rest of my "steam track" which makes its way back, by a rather wiggly line across Germany and Holland, via Hook of Holland (and a steam ship across the North Sea) to the nearest station to where I'm sitting now! It's only taken fifty years to make that connection.

Time for bed, before I start weeping in memory of many eighty mile an hour runs with those Pacifics.........

 

[Brendan8056]

I love the picture of 5132, it is indeed a Bulleid style 4EPB. I even recognised the location, the building with the chimney stacks is on the appoach to London Waterloo. It is still there today, looks the same. Also the shadow of the signal gantry confirms this.

This means 5132 is probably heading to Guildford via Cobham, judging by the 42 headcode. Many of the 4EPBs had full yellow ends applied in the late 1960s, according to records, March 1968 for this unit.

When I was travelling to school this was a regular unit , as units 5101-5132 were allocated to Wimbledon Depot.

It is a great shot, much harder nowadays with so few windows to lean out of.

   

[jhb171achill]

The next one. year and location, anyone?

[hexagon789]

25 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

The next one. year and location, anyone?

Between 1979 and 1988.

It's an ex-Class 24, no. 24061. She was taken over by the Railway Technical Centre in 1975 and renumbered as per your photo in 1979, withdrawn 1988.

Hence it must be between 1979 and 1988.

As for location, I'd guess the RTC at Derby, given it was based there and another Test Vehicle - 'Laboratory 1' - is also in shot.

Edit: in fact, it is definitely the RTC at Derby, I've just looked at a photo and the main building is 100% that one.

Edited October 17, 2022 by hexagon789

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, hexagon789 said:

Between 1979 and 1988.

It's an ex-Class 24, no. 24061. She was taken over by the Railway Technical Centre in 1975 and renumbered as per your photo in 1979, withdrawn 1988.

Hence it must be between 1979 and 1988.

As for location, I'd guess the RTC at Derby, given it was based there and another Test Vehicle - 'Laboratory 1' - is also in shot.

Edit: in fact, it is definitely the RTC at Derby, I've just looked at a photo and the main building is 100% that one.

Excellent stuff, Hexagon! Thank you. I’ll go on posting Senior’s British stuff, as good information like this will be the result.

[jhb171achill]

OK, next one:

[Irishswissernie]

Stirling station I think.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Irishswissernie

[Galteemore]

That fits. Loco is shedded at St Rollox. Built in 1957, withdrawn in 1966. Note the Caprotti valve gear.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Galteemore

[Georgeconna]

Some bang just behind the buffer!

 

[jhb171achill]

Tonight's contribution:

[hexagon789]

1 hour ago, jhb171achill said:

Tonight's contribution:

Top photo is a 4CEP (4 Coaches, Corridor, Electro-Pneumatic brakes - TOPS Class 411) Southern Region 3rd Rail EMU. 90mph; 1,000hp; based on the BR Mk1 coach design. These lasted from 1956-2005. Not sure of location.

Other photo is a Class 319 at Gatwick Airport, these are 4-car dual-voltage EMUs introduced in 1987 for the Thameslink Bedford-Brighton cross-London project. 100mph; 990kW/1,328hp; based on the Mk3 design.

Some remain in service with Northern and WMR, others have been converted to 769s for Northern, TfW and GWR by adding diesel engines to the driving trailers.

The livery in both cases  is Network SouthEast, essentially the London & South East commuter area, introduced as a separate business sector of British Rail in 1982 as London & South Eastern and relaunched as NSE by new manager Chris Green in 1986 with a new livery (he had just transferred from ScotRail and had already made several improvements with branding and services etc).

Some 4CEPs retained NSE until the 2000s, but the last 319s in this colours were repainted in 1994.

So it's between 1987 and 1994 for the second photo at least.

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by hexagon789

[jhb171achill]

Steam this time - Barry. I may have posted this before, but here goes anyway.

.

 

I have to say I like this one....

[Galteemore]

Thankfully the Bulleid looks much healthier now…..34072 ‘257 Squadron’

Edited October 19, 2022 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

Luxury executive transport today. I think that between the two carriages, this thing had at least two, and possibly three wheels......and a stop and go button in the driver's cab.

.

Now an orange and black one. Must be at Leixlip (Druggie).

[Irishswissernie]

Top one is at what remains of Saltburn station. Coaches were 4 wheeled junk heaps which we had to put up for years on the Haltwhistle to Newcastle line, this particular class (143) were all transfered away from the North East to the South West and Bristol area but their close sisters the Class 142 soldiered on until a few years ago.

Edited October 20, 2022 by Irishswissernie

[hexagon789]

34 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

I think that between the two carriages, this thing had at least two, and possibly three wheels......and a stop and go button in the driver's cab.

Class 143 Pacer, they have the same controls as the 15x series Sprinters:

7-notch power controller

Westcode 3-step EP brake

Often derided as "nodding donkeys" due to the motion caused by the fixed four-wheel chassis when travelling at speed. Last of these was withdrawn in May 2021.

Each vehicle has 2 axles/4 wheels, the design was based on British Rails High-Speed Freight Vehicle and was tested to 140mph!

The livery is the original BR Provincial, later Regional Railways, livery.

36 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Now an orange and black one. Must be at Leixlip (Druggie).

Strathclyde Public Transport Executive Strathclyde Red and Black.

Class 314 25kV ac EMU, 880hp/75mph. They entered service in 1979, last unit withdrawn December 2019.

Looks like Newton (Lanarkshire) station in the photo.