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Shred`s UK trips.

shredder1

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Just had a catch up on this thread.

The usual entertaining read, and a reminder that the Foxfield and Dufftown Railways still require a visit from me (to say nothing of the museum at Threlkeld, which I'd not heard of previously).


Thank you very much, so many of them in the UK, I still have a lot of preserved sites to do, mainly in the west country now, but still a few in the southern and East Anglia, like the Mid Suffork, East Kent in the south and the Hythe Pier Railway, must do that one, in the West the Bodmin, Launcester, Okehampton, Buckfastleigh Linton and Barnstable, so many :)
 
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Cowley

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Thank you very much, so many of them in the UK, I still have a lot of preserved sites to do, mainly in the west country now, but still a few in the southern and East Anglia, like the Mid Suffork, East Kent in the south and the Hythe Pier Railway, must do that one, in the West the Bodmin, Launcester, Okehampton, Buckfastleigh Linton and Barnstable, so many :)
Do give me a shout if you come down this way Shred.
Even I haven’t done the L&B yet (stood on the platform mind).
The Launceston Steam Railway is a gem, but there’s others that I haven’t done: The Helston Steam Railway, The Plym Valley.
Think I’ve done all the rest in Devon and Cornwall including some not so well known ones like the Lappa Valley.
Still need a few in Dorset though...
 

shredder1

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Do give me a shout if you come down this way Shred.
Even I haven’t done the L&B yet (stood on the platform mind).
The Launceston Steam Railway is a gem, but there’s others that I haven’t done: The Helston Steam Railway, The Plym Valley.
Think I’ve done all the rest in Devon and Cornwall including some not so well known ones like the Lappa Valley.
Still need a few in Dorset though...


Yes I need all those Cowley, I`ll definitely let you know mate, it will be next year now of course.
 

shredder1

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Peak Forest. Friday 31st August and Saturday 1st September 2018.

I was driving down to Peakrail for the Heritage Shunter gala and staying in Derbyshire on the Friday night. I always stop off at Peak Forest when I`m driving down the A6, you never know what might turn up. DRS Class 37, 37716 and Colas Class 56 56105 are still on quarry duties, GBRf Class 66`s, 66770 and 66781 were operating on Friday evening with 66119 on the yard. Saturday evening on my return home, Class 60, 60059, EWS Class 66`s, 66047 and 66062, were in the yard while Freightliner tool empties back to Tunstead and returned through Peak Forest light engine to Hope Sidings.

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melling.104/media_set?set=a.1851175531596624&type=3&fb_dtsg_ag=AdwYFav7uxOlo1H1t3FeK6bPWV5B_evbrU7Dztuf_lSVaQ:Ady8f03XH45_N5ap1rA0FD7mkIOJ2gH5XCiK0LWbsQAePA
 

shredder1

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Peak Rail, Heritage Shunter Trust Gala. Saturday 1st September 2018.

I drove down to Peakrail for the Heritage Shunter Trust gala. leaving Manchester on Friday evening and driving initially to Peak Forest, I always call in to see what`s around, when travelling in this direction, (see other album for more details).

I stayed in Hartington Hall YHA, a former Stately Home set in the beautiful Derbyshire Dales, and it cost me a tenner for the night, so cheap enough and it is a great place to stay and additionally saved me the drive down on Saturday morning. I stopped for a fish and chips tea at the Coaching House, Buxton, before continuing to Hartington Hall, a few local ales in the lovely village of Hartington and I later retired to the Hall for an excellent night`s sleep.

I was up showered and out for 07.30, so not too early a start and I decided to drive over to Matlock for breakfast and treated myself to scrambled egg on toast and a few cups of coffee to revive me in “the Crown”.

I then drove up to Rowsley South, Peakrail, for the event. This is the second shunter gala I`ve attended and it was just as good as the first one, although on this occasion a number of exhibits were left under covers, a little bit more effort might have been made to remove these for the event, a few however were removed partly, so you could get some photographs of the shunters underneath.

The ticket price was £16 for the day offering guards van rides between the shunter depots and the entrance, and you were allowed to walk everywhere for photographs and take as many guard’s van rides behind a variety of shunter traction, throughout the day, so pretty good value, but I would have gladly paid £20 to see more of the exhibits uncovered.

I also took a few trips on Peakrail behind a former NCB steam loco and Peak Class 44, D8 Penyghent, you to buy a separate ticket for Peakrail at a further £8 senior rate, still good value though, but it did catch a few people out who thought they`d bought a day ticket for both railways.

The various factions at Peakrail, Heritage Shunter Trust the engineers at Darley Dale don`t have a good word to say about each other and certainly don`t work together, the ordinary volunteers are fine and friendly enough, but from what I can gather it appears to be at management level, such a shame really, because they all do a first class job and contribute significantly to the preservation movement, but potentially lose so much through a lack of communication and economies of scale.

I had a fantastic day though and thanks both Peakrail and the shunter trust for a job well done. I returned via Buxton, stopping for another fish and chips tea at the Coaching House, before calling in at Peak Forest to see what was happening and then driving home, it had been a great trip.

http://www.peakrail.co.uk/heritageshunterstrust/

https://heritageshuntertrust.wixsite.com/hst1

https://www.facebook.com/groups/300...535908509064064&notif_t=group_comment_mention
 

Cowley

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Peak Rail, Heritage Shunter Trust Gala. Saturday 1st September 2018.

I drove down to Peakrail for the Heritage Shunter Trust gala. leaving Manchester on Friday evening and driving initially to Peak Forest, I always call in to see what`s around, when travelling in this direction, (see other album for more details).

I stayed in Hartington Hall YHA, a former Stately Home set in the beautiful Derbyshire Dales, and it cost me a tenner for the night, so cheap enough and it is a great place to stay and additionally saved me the drive down on Saturday morning. I stopped for a fish and chips tea at the Coaching House, Buxton, before continuing to Hartington Hall, a few local ales in the lovely village of Hartington and I later retired to the Hall for an excellent night`s sleep.

I was up showered and out for 07.30, so not too early a start and I decided to drive over to Matlock for breakfast and treated myself to scrambled egg on toast and a few cups of coffee to revive me in “the Crown”.

I then drove up to Rowsley South, Peakrail, for the event. This is the second shunter gala I`ve attended and it was just as good as the first one, although on this occasion a number of exhibits were left under covers, a little bit more effort might have been made to remove these for the event, a few however were removed partly, so you could get some photographs of the shunters underneath.

The ticket price was £16 for the day offering guards van rides between the shunter depots and the entrance, and you were allowed to walk everywhere for photographs and take as many guard’s van rides behind a variety of shunter traction, throughout the day, so pretty good value, but I would have gladly paid £20 to see more of the exhibits uncovered.

I also took a few trips on Peakrail behind a former NCB steam loco and Peak Class 44, D8 Penyghent, you to buy a separate ticket for Peakrail at a further £8 senior rate, still good value though, but it did catch a few people out who thought they`d bought a day ticket for both railways.

The various factions at Peakrail, Heritage Shunter Trust the engineers at Darley Dale don`t have a good word to say about each other and certainly don`t work together, the ordinary volunteers are fine and friendly enough, but from what I can gather it appears to be at management level, such a shame really, because they all do a first class job and contribute significantly to the preservation movement, but potentially lose so much through a lack of communication and economies of scale.

I had a fantastic day though and thanks both Peakrail and the shunter trust for a job well done. I returned via Buxton, stopping for another fish and chips tea at the Coaching House, before calling in at Peak Forest to see what was happening and then driving home, it had been a great trip.

http://www.peakrail.co.uk/heritageshunterstrust/

https://heritageshuntertrust.wixsite.com/hst1

https://www.facebook.com/groups/300...535908509064064&notif_t=group_comment_mention
Mmm, class 44s.
I still haven’t been behind one...
Do you remember them in service Shred? There’s something a bit mystical about them with their pilot scheme headcode discs.
 

Keith Jarrett

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I managed to see all of them but never been hauled by one so that will be a "treat" for me. I started bashing a bit too late to get any 44s - February 1978 was when I really started going all out for haulage.
But I do not ever remember seeing any turn a wheel ion anger apart from on a farewell railtour or two.
 

Cowley

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I managed to see all of them but never been hauled by one so that will be a "treat" for me. I started bashing a bit too late to get any 44s - February 1978 was when I really started going all out for haulage.
But I do not ever remember seeing any turn a wheel ion anger apart from on a farewell railtour or two.
I’ve heard that they’re quite loud compared to the other Peaks, but I’ve only ever seen 44004, and only on display never actually running.
 

shredder1

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Mmm, class 44s.
I still haven’t been behind one...
Do you remember them in service Shred? There’s something a bit mystical about them with their pilot scheme headcode discs.

Yes saw them all on the Midlands, always a few on Toton when we visited the depot
 

shredder1

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I managed to see all of them but never been hauled by one so that will be a "treat" for me. I started bashing a bit too late to get any 44s - February 1978 was when I really started going all out for haulage.
But I do not ever remember seeing any turn a wheel ion anger apart from on a farewell railtour or two.

I`m not really a haulage basher, always been a shed basher so may have been behind the 44`s but can`t remember. I`d cleared them all by the end of the 60`s, although we were most interested in chasing steam back then, everything was changing so quickly.
 

shredder1

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I’ve heard that they’re quite loud compared to the other Peaks, but I’ve only ever seen 44004, and only on display never actually running.

I thing they are slightly louder D1 to 10, I always knew them for their names with being a fell walker I`ve also climbed them all apart from Tryfan,
 

Cowley

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I thing they are slightly louder D1 to 10, I always knew them for their names with being a fell walker I`ve also climbed them all apart from Tryfan,
That’s pretty cool that you’ve climbed nearly all of them.
Completely off subject but also pretty cool - I just heard on the radio that it was 50 years ago this week that Led Zeppelin played their first gig together. :smile:
 

xotGD

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I thing they are slightly louder D1 to 10, I always knew them for their names with being a fell walker I`ve also climbed them all apart from Tryfan,
That's just made me think of a good trivia question:

Which jockey rode the most Deltic racehorses?
 

55013

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Looks like a nice day out.
I agree that it's a great shame that the various parties at Peak Rail have fallen out - I remember a gala that saw several of the HST fleet using the full line - that happened in both 2003 and 2004.
 

shredder1

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Looks like a nice day out.
I agree that it's a great shame that the various parties at Peak Rail have fallen out - I remember a gala that saw several of the HST fleet using the full line - that happened in both 2003 and 2004.

Yes I remember that, but yes a great shame, thank you.
 

shredder1

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That’s pretty cool that you’ve climbed nearly all of them.
Completely off subject but also pretty cool - I just heard on the radio that it was 50 years ago this week that Led Zeppelin played their first gig together. :smile:

50 years, goodness, I saw them first at Shepton Mallet in 1970, the infamous Bath Festival, blew me away, it was the first time I`d seen Roy Harper too. In fact I`ve just treated myself to a Jimmy Page EDS 1275 Gibson copy twin neck 6 and 12 string
 

shredder1

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Bodmin and Wenford Railway. Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd September 2018.

A long weekend, leaving work on Friday afternoon to take a late train down to Exeter via Bristol. I was meeting up with a friend from RailUK, who had very kindly offered to put me up for the night, another Nick. After a change of trains at Bristol and a few quick phots of the new Great Western Azuma`s, I caught a Great Western Turbo down to Exeter St Davids and a taxi out to Nick`s. Nick not only gave me a bed to sleep in, he also gave me a house to myself, so I guess he must have heard about my snoring. I arrived at Nick`s just after 01.00, and had a pleasant half hour sat round an outside log fire on his land, drank his beer and later retired to one of his houses, I slept like a log.

The plan was to photograph the double headed class 37`s on the Pathfinder Marshes and Cornishman rail tour as it passed through Exeter St Thomas, before driving down to the Bodmin railway for the diesel gala. Nick very kindly woke me up with a brew and later made a bacon sandwich for me, before his other friend Paul called round and the three of us got into Nick`s van, snapped the Pathfinder tour at Exeter St Thomas and then drove down to Bodmin General. It was a very wet day and the rain was relentless and didn’t stop once.

I took a number of trips up and down the line, both with Nick and Paul and alone. It’s an interesting line and goes in two directions from Bodmin General, one line goes to the main line connection at Bodmin Parkway and the other line travels north to Boscarne Junction, Boscarne was the junction of the original Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway (later London and South Western Railway, and then the Southern Railway) and the Great Western Railway. At one time the location was quite a busy place, with trains heading to and from Wadebridge, Padstow, Wenfordbridge, Bodmin North, Bodmin General and Bodmin Road.

Towards the end of the day I said by goodbyes to Nick and Paul, who were leaving earlier, before I returned to Bodmin Parkway and caught a train back to Plymouth and spent a little time on the station. The Pathfinder 37`s came in after I arrived at Plymouth and stayed in the platforms for 30 minutes which gave me chance to get a few more photographs before it departed.

I later caught a Cross Country Voyager back to Bristol Temple Meads for the night. The Pathfinder tour was in the platforms as I arrived, so I went under the subway to take a few more photographs of it, but it departed before I had chance. I stayed in the Old Porthouse Hostel, a large accommodation located around the dock area and only a 10 minute walk from Temple Meads railway station, it was still raining when I arrived and it was good to get a hot shower before getting my head down for the night, I slept well and despite the rain, it had been a good day and in some excellent company, thanks Nick, must do it again mate.

http://www.bodminrailway.co.uk/stations

Friday night, Bristol Temple Meads

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melling.104/media_set?set=a.1877568668957310&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melling.104/media_set?set=a.1878007572246753&type=3
 

AnthonyRail

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Sorry I didn’t get chance to get down, Saturday wasn’t the best of days. Pleased you got to see the 37s.

Give me a shout when you’re down this way again.
 

shredder1

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Bristol to Severn Valley Steam Gala. Sunday 23rd September 2018.

It was still raining when I left the Old Porthouse accommodation in Bristol and made my way back through the docklands to Bristol Temple Meads railway station. I was down to a coffee and a Cornish Pasty at the station for breakfast before boarding a train to Gloucester, which because of engineering works was diverted via Severn Tunnel Junction, so a nice run around the river. It was still raining when I arrived at Gloucester and I changed there for Worcester Shrub Hill. Nice to see so many of the new West Midland Railway liveried Class 170`s at Worcester, it does look quite a tasteful livery.

I wasn’t waiting long before a West Midland Class 172 Turbostar dmu took me up to Kidderminster and the Severn Valley Railway, I arrived just before midday and the rain had stopped by this time. The Severn Valley steam gala was in full swing and I decided to stay around Kidderminster for the afternoon, the sun came out later and it turned out to be a great day.

Locomotives running were, visitors, LMS Princess Coronation No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland, LMS Royal Scot No. 46100 Royal Scot, BR Britannia No. 70000 Britannia, LNER Q6 No. 63395 and home fleet, No. 7802 Bradley Manor and 'Flying Pig' No. 43106., Autotrains with No. 1450, using one (push-pull), 813, and heavy freight loco 2857.
One near disaster though, my £3,500 Nikon, I thought I had the strap over my head, I didn't, I was on the overbridge at Kidderminster, top of the steps, it bounced off two steps and landed on the concrete path below, funny how these things always go in slow motion, I really thought that was it, game over, two heart attacks later, I picked up the camera, tried it, it worked, lens fine everything fine, a slight scratch on the battery pack, amazing!!! PHEW!

I stayed until the last of the sun light left the sky and caught a West Midland Turbostar to Gatton Bridge, changing for a Class 350 to Wolverhampton and then a direct Cross Country Voyager to Manchester Piccadilly, Metrolink tram to Bowker Vale and just in time to catch a bus home for 22.00, it had been a fantastic weekend.,

https://www.svr.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melling.104/media_set?set=a.1878016935579150&type=3
 
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Cowley

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Well I must say it was a pleasure to meet you and share a beer by the fire. Hopefully see you again when you’re down next. Paul enjoyed the Saturday too. Shame about the weather though as it’s quite a pretty line in places.
I’ve got an action shot of the 37s powering through Exeter St Thomas with the back of you in it too...
2DDFEFB9-32E3-4905-9225-3D36D9764349.jpeg
:lol:

I put my hand up to my mouth and broke out in a sweat when I started reading about the camera there. That was very very close to a disaster.
 

shredder1

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Well I must say it was a pleasure to meet you and share a beer by the fire. Hopefully see you again when you’re down next. Paul enjoyed the Saturday too. Shame about the weather though as it’s quite a pretty line in places.
I’ve got an action shot of the 37s powering through Exeter St Thomas with the back of you in it too...
View attachment 52977
:lol:

I put my hand up to my mouth and broke out in a sweat when I started reading about the camera there. That was very very close to a disaster.


Hahaha, sorry for spoiling your shot Nick, yes I`ll be back. Was lucky with the camera, cant believe it bounced :)
 

AnthonyRail

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That’s one amazing weekend u had.

You should have u own tv show.

Where does this weekend take you travels
 

AnthonyRail

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I have a dilemma of either going to WSR for double headed black manors or Dartmouth for the blue king on load 11 coaches with class 25 on rear. I just can’t decide. There’s never enough days to everything.
 

shredder1

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I have a dilemma of either going to WSR for double headed black manors or Dartmouth for the blue king on load 11 coaches with class 25 on rear. I just can’t decide. There’s never enough days to everything.


Well if it was me I`d be heading for the Dartmoor, but mainly because its one I havent done, plus the blue king looks great and I love 25`s, I`ve seen double headed Manors a few times at Llangollen, still be nice to ride them on the WSR :) Im up at the North Yorks for two days and next weekend the Bo,ness and Kinneil for the two Caley`s
 

shredder1

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North York Moors Railway,(Day 1).
North York Moors Railway, (Day 1), Saturday 29th September 2018.

Friday evening and I drove over to Brighouse, to meet up with Rob who has recently defected to Yorkshire and we drove over to York for the night, staying in the Safestay Hostel at Micklegate. It was a good first night. I met Rob in the bar once we had settled and they had a guitar on the bar, so I spent most of the evening drinking beer and playing guitar to everyone. We left York at 07.00 for the drive up to Pickering for the North York Moors steam gala.

Leaving the car parked up at Pickering, we took breakfast in Pickering station and caught the first train out up to Grosmont at 09.00 behind BR Standard Tank 80136, changing for Thompson B1 1251 top and tailed with Class 25 D7628 leading for the run out to Whitby. On arrival at Whitby however we only had ten minutes in which to catch a bus back to Goathland, because the Whitby train didn’t return for 2 hours and the bus service was also two hourly.

Arriving back at Goathland Rob decided to get some mileage in behind the various traction, while I took the next train back to Grosmont and largely spent the rest of the day taking photographs around the station and loco sheds and also catching up with another mate John. It was a busy day and I managed to get some good photographs before eventually meeting up with Rob on the last train from Grosmont to Pickering the 19.20, and then driving back to York for our second nights stay in the Staysafe Hostel.

We headed back to the hostel bar, but they`d actually ran out of beer, so we went out on the town and found an old-fashioned pub in the middle of York, so had a nice evening out. A strange thing happened after retiring to my room for the night, Rob was booked in a different room, so didn’t know what went on until the next morning. I was woken up by a staff member at 01.00 in the morning and told that I was in the wrong bed, I`d been in the same bed since Friday, the one they had given me when I arrived, this however was a new chap on reception who apparently had cocked up the bookings, he demanded that I get out of the bed or he`d call the police, it was like Faulty Towers. He actually came in the dormer room, turned the lights on, woke everyone up and then told me to calm down after I blasted him for what he had done. I`m afraid I lost it a little and he bolted out of the room, but by that time he had disturbed my night’s sleep, and everyone else’s also, but I did get off again eventually.

I caught up with him in the morning and demanded an apology, reluctantly he apologised, but only after I had another go at him. I`m presently in the process of writing to the head office, this idiot should have never been left in charge, it was just crazy. Apart from that though, it had been a great day.

https://www.nymr.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melling.104/media_set?set=a.1886109508103226&type=3
 

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