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  1. J

    Is there any valid reason to why Chester is not electrified (ignoring P7)

    The Crewe and Chester line is, I think, one of those built by Thomas Brassey. Of the approximately 40 overbridges, I think most are his originals, still in good condition and visually attractive, and they give the line much of its character. Whether they are listed, I don't know. But I think...
  2. J

    Incident at Dalston Junction.

    I am just a little concerned by this. Over the weekend 2 - 5 February I stayed at the Premier inn opposite Dalston Junction and a short way to the right, across the road. I am not disabled but am a very overweight barrel of a man, with a top speed only a little above the top speed of a...
  3. J

    Slow freight trains

    Northampton, south end of station.
  4. J

    Competition To Name Bull At Birmingham New Street

    It seems quite a good idea to put this bull (which looked very impressive when it was near the Library tram stop) into the New Street concourse. But I hope that someone knows its weight, and that we can be assured that the concrete floor on which it will stand will be strong enough to support...
  5. J

    Are Charfield Loops (Gloucestershire) used for passenger trains?

    In 2019 I was on a train that used the up loop.
  6. J

    TRIVIA: Stations with Wetherspoons

    I have not yet tried the London and North Western at Birmingham New Street. But I did notice that it is on the extreme Midland side of the station (over platforms 10 - 12 I think).
  7. J

    Longest DMU consists ever in regular service

    I agree that it seems that the 15 coach Voyagers were probably the longest dmu formations run in post-BR times. Strictly demus of course. I always thought that 12 cars was the maximum possible length of combinations of conventional, vacuum braked dmus. But, in Paul Chancellor's RCTS book...
  8. J

    Class 306 AC Conversion

    1656272825 There's an excellent article "DC to AC" by Eric Stuart in the September 2021 issue of British Railways Illustrated (Vol 30 No 12) at pp.520-527. It covers much of the ground in this thread including the GE and LT&S changeover dates. As well as some general electrification history. Its...
  9. J

    Closed lines for storage of rail stock

    Quite a bit of the Whitchurch - Chester (Tattenhall Junction) line was used for storing condemned wagons (nearly all 16 ton mineral wagons I think) between the final freight closure of the line in November 1963 and tracklifting in 1965. I think most of the storage was north of Broxton, at the...
  10. J

    Avanti running "Empty Coaching Stock" in both directions

    On the evening of Tuesday 19 April, at about 8.5 pm, a pair of empty Voyagers (but with most train lights on) passed Warrington Bank Quay on the Up Goods. I'm sure there was some reason for this, but cannot easily guess what.
  11. J

    Blackpool lines- decline and fall

    The November 1964 closure of Blackpool Central rather than North of course seemed barmy to all who prefer to travel by rail, but I think the concept of closing Blackpool Central and using the site of its approaches all the way from Blackpool South, including the site of the carriage sidings...
  12. J

    British Transport Hotels in the 1970s & 80s

    I have enjoyed many very pleasant stays at some of these hotels in the past, mostly over fifteen years ago, and mostly when railroving. I have particularly appreciated their generally very comfortable rooms, and grand staircases. These days I use lifts but when I was a bit fitter I descended...
  13. J

    Manchester Photograph — Any Ideas of the Location?

    The box in the picture is Stalybridge No.4.
  14. J

    Rules for switching out signalboxes or workstations.

    I think Pontrilas can switch out.
  15. J

    What was the regular service pattern and trains (units) on the CLC in the 1980s?

    When I first started using the CLC, 1975 to 1980, the service was all DMU. The fasts called only at Widnes (ex Farnworth) and Warrington Central, Oxford Road and Piccadilly where they usually terminated in P14 and started back about 5 minutes later. These were four car units with the two outer...
  16. J

    A couple of questions regarding the AM10 and AM12 EMU's

    I was very fond of these units, particularly AM10s. I nearly always rode in the motor coach and enjoyed the music! Merle Haggard's post (20 March) is interesting. I am sure that an AM10 and an AM4 were definitely not meant to work in multiple. But because it was never actually forbidden, it...
  17. J

    Maidenhead signalbox

    And Onibury still in use.
  18. J

    Paddington to Hereford via Gloucester

    I think most of the Gloucester - Hereford services (via Ross) were self-contained although I would not be surprised if some services attached a through coach from Paddington. A few may have worked (unadvertised as through services) Hereford - Cheltenham; but advertised as separate Hereford -...
  19. J

    Triangle sign

    Thank you all very much. I hadn't noticed the small number above the triangle.
  20. J

    Triangle sign

    Can anyone please explain the meaning of the sign showing a black triangle in a white circle. I looked through a catalogue of signs but could not find it. These appear to be multiplying all over the network. From videos that have been put online in the last two years or so, I have noted just...

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