Out and about for a couple of days

kevsmith May 23, 2017

  1. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Recently my work duties took me to Crewe for a couple of days. This has always been a major rail-hub and centre for railway manufacturing and maintenance from the old days of the LNWR through to British railways. Needless to say I had my camera bag with me so I thought I’d do a mini journal for the back end of last week.


    Travelling down on the Northern rail DMU it sort of got off to a surprise start when I suddenly realised as we approached Carnforth that there was a steam loco coming the other day. This was the Southern railway Bulleid Merchant Navy class 4-6-2 35018 ‘British India Line’ nearing completion after 37 years of on-off restoration. Scrabbling for a camera I got a quick snapshot as it trundled past. Bizarrely the loco is finished in plain black, a colour it never carried in service and even weirder it was carrying the nameplates off ‘Bodmin’, A West country Class light pacific. Currently being tested in the Carnforth depot limits it is due out on test trains shortly before joining the U.Ks main line Steam fleet.

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    Changing trains on to one of Virgin railways smooth quite tilting Pendolino EMUs, which did the section from Lancaster to Crewe in less than an hour I spent a few minutes at Crewe station before checking in to the hotel but spotted a familiar steam loco outline over at the Crewe heritage centre
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    60103 (LNER 4472) ‘Flying Scotsman’ really needs no introduction as it is perhaps the most famous steam loco worldwide and was positioned at the museum for a couple of days prior to working some excursions down to South Wales

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    Weather wasn’t great, sadly, and the loco was slated to leave the museum on Friday morning and what followed was a fiasco. A victim of its own success, huge crowds turned out to see it but over fifty idiots trespassed on the track near Cam and Dursley resulting in delays of over an hour and causing the British Transport police to request that any future moves are kept secret (Good luck with that one!)

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    Kev
     
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  2. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Back at the quiet museum is the first attempt to introduce a tilting train on to the West Coast line. The APT Advanced passenger train was a near miss, sadly killed off by the British Press who slated it on its introduction despite it not being that bad at all. Fortunately a few cars survived the cutting torch.

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    The museum has turned the old Crewe North Junction signalbox into a high level observation platform so rail fans can watch trains passing on the Main line and the ‘Chester’. The full lever frame has been preserved inside the box

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    Some of the locos previously on display have moved over to the LNWR Depot but Class 47 47 712 Lady Diana Spencer was present restored in Scotrail livery.

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    As was 37 108 under restoration

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  3. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    On the Chester line two of our new Class 68s returned after a working along the North Wales line, 68 025 Superb and 68 001 Evolution approach the Junction at Walking pace.

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    West Coast Railways made an appearance with what seemed to be a normal light engine move until I noticed the by pass hose going into the cab of the second loco. This is usually an indication that there was a problem with the air brake on the class 47 loco and the rear two were providing additional brake force. 37 516 on the point followed by 47 854, 47 832 and 47 237.

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    The following morning a walk through the extensive railyards south of the station brought us to Gresty Bridge depot where Class 88 AC/Diesel hybrid 88 003 Genesis was waiting to be hauled to the Severn Valley Railway gala.

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    Seen in the company of Class 68s 68 027, as yet unnamed, and 68 023 Achilles.

    Kev
     
  4. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Taking the locos we were using that morning we passed 'Caledonian Sleeper' train allocated Class 92 waited at the south end. 92 043 is finished in the Sleeper train colour scheme

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    Back in Cumbria the Furness and Coast lines basked in spring sunshine


    37 401 Mary Queen of Scots trundles through the scenery at Thwaites Flats with the 08.45 Barrow to Carlisle

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    Southbound two class 68s head a Sellafield to Crewe working


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    Short video at



    Cheers

    Kev
     
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  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    All kinds of variety and activity. Nice!
     
  6. Eagle2

    Eagle2 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Do still like the lines of the 37's!
     
  7. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Kev, I believe you told us that the cars with the 68's had something to do with a nuclear power plant. However, I'm curious why two 68's are required to pull just two cars. The cars obviously are not that heavy judging by the extremely rapid acceleration of the stopped train following the meet.

    Also, many thanks for your latest photo essay. I always enjoy them because your commentaries are from the railroad insider's perspective.
     
  8. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    I thought I posted a reply here, Kev, thanking you for the coverage, nice fan trip. I also asked if you knew where the Royal Scotsman was traveling to, and mentioned that "idiots" were not exclusive to the USA. Must have forgot to hit "Post Reply."
     
  9. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Because of the nature of the load, which is classified as 'Dangerous Goods' there are always two locos on the front in case one fails. It is not the sort of train you can leave in a siding over night, if you get my drift!
     
  10. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Aha, thanks.
     
  11. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    A couple of days more, out and about

    37 425 skirts the shore line of the Duddon estuary a couple of miles from my house with the Teatime Barrow to Carlisle working. This loco carries different nameplates on either side 'Sir Robert McAlpine' on one side and 'Concrete Bob' on the other

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    At our Crewe depot brand new Class 68 68 030 in plain blue, and still unnamed, sits alongside 68 017 'Hornet'. The 68 is fresh off the boat and is undergoing commisioning

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    68 031 sits under the gantry in the lift shed

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    On the walk back to Crewe station Merchant navy Class 35028 'Clan Line' just need final painting and nameplates restoring and will be back on the main line

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    Kev
     
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  12. katmaan100

    katmaan100 TrainBoard Member

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    Kev, I am enjoying your pics and descriptions. Thank you.
    You mentioned that the 68030 was fresh off the boat.
    Does that mean it was shipped or just an English saying?

    Ignore a West Texas hick that has visited England, if any offense.
    Again Thank you for posting.
     
  13. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    No, they are literally 'off the boat'. They are built in the Stadler (Formerly Vossloh) works in Valencia in Spain. Shipped to the U.K and unloaded at Workington Docks a few miles from our Carlisle Kingmoor depot. A team of fitters check them out and they are then hauled up to the depot for commissioning.

    Kev
     
  14. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Regarding 37425, sir Robert Mcalpine and concrete Bob is same guy who build the viaducts on the west highland line.
     

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