Misc steam railway, traction, station and rail-related news
- Thread starter editor
- Start date
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
There used to be a rather nice caff on that station, and another one at Carrog [I think it was there]
Had some fun there during a railcar/dmu gala a few years ago.
TiG - dmu par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity
Had some fun there during a railcar/dmu gala a few years ago.
TiG - dmu par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity
Last edited:
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
The one I was thinking of - albeit a few years ago - was in the station itself.
Had some very nice scones & coffee there - we had had soup at Carrog ...
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Actually, my visit was prior to the difficulties that resulted in the LR, effectively, going bust ...
and now I want jam and scones myself ...
Last edited:
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Good Grief !
The things that turn up in charity shops !
A few questions about that find ...
was it "expired" [not used, but beyond the "best before date" ?
where did it come from ...
Quite a lot of NR now longer uses dets aka bangers !
[the last ones I handled, nearly three decades ago, I think were made with plain metal cases ...
I do recall them being used back in the 1960s to "celebrate" the last train leaving on the journey home from the far end of a branch line ... the stink on the dmu was potent !]
[a few years ago a utube clip appeared with a freight diesel trundling up & down some sidings at a MPD, blowing up loads of "expired" / "surplus" dets ...]
Railway detonator found in Morecambe charity shop
British Transport Police say detonators are used as an "emergency warning device" on the railways.
www.bbc.co.uk
The things that turn up in charity shops !
A few questions about that find ...
was it "expired" [not used, but beyond the "best before date" ?
where did it come from ...
Quite a lot of NR now longer uses dets aka bangers !
[the last ones I handled, nearly three decades ago, I think were made with plain metal cases ...
I do recall them being used back in the 1960s to "celebrate" the last train leaving on the journey home from the far end of a branch line ... the stink on the dmu was potent !]
[a few years ago a utube clip appeared with a freight diesel trundling up & down some sidings at a MPD, blowing up loads of "expired" / "surplus" dets ...]
Last edited:
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
Good Grief !
Railway detonator found in Morecambe charity shop
British Transport Police say detonators are used as an "emergency warning device" on the railways.www.bbc.co.uk
The things that turn up in charity shops !
A few questions about that find ...
was it "expired" [not used, but beyond the "best before date" ?
where did it come from ...
Quite a lot of NR now longer uses dets aka bangers !
[the last ones I handled, nearly three decades ago, I think were made with plain metal cases ...
I do recall them being used back in the 1960s to "celebrate" the last train leaving on the journey home from the fr end of a branch line ... the stink on the dmu was potent !]
[a few years ago a utube clip appeared with a freight diesel trundling up & down some sidings at a MPD, blowing up loads of "expired" / "surplus" dets ...]
mum-tat found some in the back garden once (at the flat she and dad had before i came along - garden backed on to a railway line in s london.) she put them in a shopping bag and took them round the station (apparently dad was concerned that the whole lot would go off bang on the way)
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
It takes quite a bit of weight and impact to set them off.
I dropped one, many years ago ! and scared myself almost to needing new undercrackers.
Which is when I was learnt some info about their handling.
[how to fit them by hand etc]
Now wondering if they are still used for FOG signals ... ?
Q for davesgcr ?
I dropped one, many years ago ! and scared myself almost to needing new undercrackers.
Which is when I was learnt some info about their handling.
[how to fit them by hand etc]
Now wondering if they are still used for FOG signals ... ?
Q for davesgcr ?
Dogsauce
I’ve got Skol but I’m not a Scholar
We use to find chunks of the old school ceramic ones walking along the tracks of the disused line through our village, most were marked BR(W) but I think there was the odd GWR. I did keep a few of the larger pieces but suspect my Mum got rid of them at some point. From the shape of them I’m not sure how they worked on the rails. The ones they use now are much smaller and strap onto the rails.
Bus Honeygun
This week the score draws are plentiful
Speaking of relics, was surprised to look down whilst stopped at Dalwhinnie recently and see an LMS sleeper chair still in use on the track opposite.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
'a london inheritance' blog has something on the grand plans for london's railways after WW2, which included closing charing cross and cannon street stations, and putting chunks of south london's railways underground.
line 8 looks like an early incarnation of what became the victoria line
London's Railways - Planning For Peace - A London Inheritance
Around this time of year, a number of London stations are in the news for the considerable amount of work that is on-going for rebuilding, the creation of new lines and what always seems to be the inevitable overrunning engineering works. The work at London Bridge and for Crossrail being just...
alondoninheritance.com
line 8 looks like an early incarnation of what became the victoria line
davesgcr
Reading books
Less so , if not at all for fog signalling as most distant signals (bar fixed ones) , are colour light.
Still very much in use for protection of the line during engineering works (to mark out possession limits and work sites) , and of course for protection of failed trains and / or in emergency situations where appropriate. (despite GSMR and radio communications)
davesgcr
Reading books
mum-tat found some in the back garden once (at the flat she and dad had before i came along - garden backed on to a railway line in s london.) she put them in a shopping bag and took them round the station (apparently dad was concerned that the whole lot would go off bang on the way)
I hope someone on the railway was asked some searching questions regarding that "find"- right thing to do. (though I bet the station staff were a bit surprised , but in those days staff were multi-functional and could be expected to understand these things.)
In certain challenging areas , not unknown for kids to steal them from various places and locations.
We make a point in showing dets to school visits at the signal box (they are quite safe and not charged) , with assurances if they ever come across one to give it a wide berth and tell an appropriate person. Not to be trifled with.
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Working on a narrow-gauge line, I think we "lost" dets out of the rule book before I qualified, apart from the PW dept. However, the year after that, I was on the "big" railway when the train I was on decided to get a failed ejector, and the poor loco gave up dragging the consist about halfway between Marston Green and B'ham Intl. The guard put dets down - what a bang from the closest one !
and the following train gave us a shove into international. A bit more shunting and a thunderbird came up from Coventry to take the train on. It must have set off almost as soon as the train I was on reported the failure.
I don't know about the other pax but I enjoyed the variation to my journey ! [and the overall delay wasn't that significant].
Just wish I had had a camera to record the events ...
davesgcr
Reading books
One of my neighbours related how he enjoyed the slight delay to his journey home on Thameslink when his knackered train was assisted forward by the following train which exploded the 3 protecting dets on the approach.
Part of the enjoyment was that it was in the "new" Blackfriars station , with both great flashes and of course impressive sound effects. They obviously told the passengers etc what was going on lest someone call out the police etc.
I greatly regret not putting down dets in front of the very last BR train from Wimbledon to West Croydon (a wedged 2 car set with a driver who had swopped specially for the job) , alas the good idea to do so was only realised too late and making the arrangements would have meant a late start. So the moment passed ,as did the service. For the avoidance of doubt , I was 100% qualified to do so. So the dets went back to the office.
davesgcr
Reading books
Once in anger , and yes , they did work and put a signal back.
Many times for training people out on sidings - with special commentary on what you do in 3d rail areas. Simple and effective (but you still have to apply secondary protection measures)
Bus Honeygun
This week the score draws are plentiful
Unusual method of winter point heating in Chicago. Seems quite old fashioned:
Chicago trains drive through fire
The tracks are set alight to prevent them from freezing over in snowy weather.
www.bbc.co.uk
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
But effective - and if the fire goes out, you can see that is what has happened.Unusual method of winter point heating in Chicago. Seems quite old fashioned:
Chicago trains drive through fire
The tracks are set alight to prevent them from freezing over in snowy weather.www.bbc.co.uk
Unlike the lpg-fired point heaters ... which can [if rarely] blow out or runout of gas !
davesgcr
Reading books
Jet Engine Snow Blowers
In 1947 First experiments were made using Jet Engines as a snow blower for the railways. The experiments were carried out at, Dowlais, near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wakes, UK.Two Rolls Royce RB.41 Nene Turbojet Engines were mounted side by side on a 12 ton container wagon. Each provided 5000 LBF...
Only in Dowlais in 1947 - good idea but it blew out the ballast and distorted the track.
In a moment of desperation in the evil winter of 1981 we were reduced to burning cardboard boxes to clear packed ice. Not very succesfully I have to say.
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
Diamond Crossing, Nagpur, India
editor
hiraethified
I see your Diamond Crossing, Nagpur, India and raise you a Diamond Crossing, Newcastle Central Station!
Watch Renewal of Crossings at East End of Newcastle Station - BFI Player
A rather aesthetically pleasing railway jigsaw puzzle gets solved by gangs of workmen in raincoats as they assemble, for the time, the largest railway crossing in the world.
player.bfi.org.uk
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
I don't have an image to hand ...
How about a mixed gauge diamond crossing ?
www.festipedia.org.uk
Operating that has to be carefully co-ordinated between the Cambrian Coast and n-g lines ...
How about a mixed gauge diamond crossing ?
Cae Pawb - Festipedia
Operating that has to be carefully co-ordinated between the Cambrian Coast and n-g lines ...
