PF/UKRT Western Champion 'One Way Wizzo' Railtour 14/4/24

[Magdalia]

this isnt a very good photo but it does show the rake

Location is Taunton, going towards London/Bristol. The rear three quarters group on flickr helped me to find this:

45002

Taunton: shunting a defective coach from an ECS from West Country to Bristol Malago Vale 06/07/1984. Rescanned.

www.flickr.com

Taunton: shunting a defective coach from an ECS from West Country to Bristol Malago Vale 06/07/1984.

The rolling stock looks like it is a standard mid-70s Western Region aircon rake with First Class behind the loco then the restaurant car. There are likely to be more Second Class behind the photographer.

 

[Sun Chariot]

More likely to be Western Region as the signals are of the lower quadrant variety. I am tempted to suggest that it was taken at Taunton.

I failed to spot the tell-tale lower quadrant arms in the background .
The sign mentions crossing via the subway; I wonder which stations on that route, had a passenger subway rather than footbridge?

Edit - above post confirms Taunton.

 

[Haywain]

I failed to spot the tell-tale lower quadrant arms in the background

It was the calling on signals that caught my attention!

Location is Taunton, going towards London/Bristol.

As I suspected (I should have been more confident!). Of course, in the mid-1970s the centre road platforms were out of use, hence the train crossing over on departure.

 

[Ash Bridge]

this isnt a very good photo but it does show the rake, the chap leaning out the window was i believe richard white he worked in control at paddington, whys he in the back coach

This is excellent, many thanks for posting. Do you know for certain if this was the same working as the one I captured, as the weather in your picture looks decidedly murkier in what has been established as Taunton compared to the perfect summers day type conditions prevalent in Exeter only 35-40? miles apart as shown on my shot?

 

[westernpunk]

Full yellow end (just) visible on the loco.


More likely to be Western Region as the signals are of the lower quadrant variety. I am tempted to suggest that it was taken at Taunton.

youre right its taunton same train as ashbridge pic, i only know of 2 other occasions of a western on air cons 1040 on 1c63 1315 padd to cardiff and return aug 75 there is a pic by geoff dowling but cant find it, and the other was just days before it was withdrawn 1058 1a96 1821 padd to twyford 11 jan 77

 

[Forty29]

Intrigued to know why Sunday's Wizzo tour came to an abrupt halt just short of Heyford station ( between Oxford and Banbury). After a few minutes delay 1015 resumed progress giving a bonus thrash through the station as it was in a speed restriction area with enthusiast's on the platform expecting her to just coast through.

 

[Jedipickles]

Intrigued to know why Sunday's Wizzo tour came to an abrupt halt just short of Heyford station ( between Oxford and Banbury). After a few minutes delay 1015 resumed progress giving a bonus thrash through the station as it was in a speed restriction area with enthusiast's on the platform expecting her to just coast through.

Driver couldn't hear the AWS going off for a upcoming speed restriction board

 

[Iskra]

Intrigued to know why Sunday's Wizzo tour came to an abrupt halt just short of Heyford station ( between Oxford and Banbury). After a few minutes delay 1015 resumed progress giving a bonus thrash through the station as it was in a speed restriction area with enthusiast's on the platform expecting her to just coast through.

Yeah, I did think from being on the tour that those at Heyford must have got some very good footage!

 

[StephenHunter]

Yeah perfect really, it’s been a fantastic tour, fully sold out and plenty have been out to see it- I was surprised how young some of the photters were too. A certain Francis Bourgeois was onboard- a very pleasant chap, doing great things for the profile of the hobby. Nice noise too from the loco, and seeing a Western on Blue/Grey Mk2’s at Paddington was very evocative, impressive and nostalgic.

There were two rather sharp brake applications during the trip, which according to the announcement were due to the noise levels in the cab preventing the driver from noticing the TPWS buzzer had activated.

 

[Iskra]

There were two rather sharp brake applications during the trip, which according to the announcement were due to the noise levels in the cab preventing the driver from noticing the TPWS buzzer had activated.

I didn’t hear those announcements at the front, probably also due to the noise levels And to be honest I just enjoyed the thrash on the restarts

 

[Haywain]

I didn’t hear those announcements at the front, probably also due to the noise levels And to be honest I just enjoyed the thrash on the restarts

Didn't hear them in coach H (third from front) either.

 

[43096]

There were two rather sharp brake applications during the trip, which according to the announcement were due to the noise levels in the cab preventing the driver from noticing the TPWS buzzer had activated.

You mean AWS.

 

[12LDA28C]

There were two rather sharp brake applications during the trip, which according to the announcement were due to the noise levels in the cab preventing the driver from noticing the TPWS buzzer had activated.

I don't know what a TPWS 'buzzer' is but if you mean AWS, that would be a horn and if it was missed, the train would be brought to a stand. The same with a TPWS activation/intervention.

 

[StephenHunter]

I don't know what a TPWS 'buzzer' is but if you mean AWS, that would be a horn and if it was missed, the train would be brought to a stand. The same with a TPWS activation/intervention.

Isn't TPWS the upgraded version of AWS?

 

[12LDA28C]

Isn't TPWS the upgraded version of AWS?

There's rather more to it than that, especially with the latest version of TPWS.

 

[HST43257]

Driver couldn't hear the AWS going off for a upcoming speed restriction board

In our coach we remarked that this must be rubbish to some extent. We believed was a second man in the cab who had been seen to be in great conversation with the driver, so I don’t know what’s really stopping the driver from hearing AWS.

 

[StephenHunter]

In our coach we remarked that this must be rubbish to some extent. We believed was a second man in the cab who had been seen to be in great conversation with the driver, so I don’t know what’s really stopping the driver from hearing AWS.

Very noisy cab area due to the thrash of the engine.

 

[Iskra]

The presence of ear defenders in the cab does support that it might be a noisy environment.

 

[43096]

The presence of ear defenders in the cab does support that it might be a noisy environment.

It doesn’t support that at all. Any preserved loco will have technical minder(s) with it who will need to go into the engine room, where they will need ear defenders. So probably just a convenient place to keep them.

 

[Ash Bridge]

I think the ear defenders are more likely provided if the need arises to enter the locos engine room for whatever reason, I’m happy to be corrected if this isn’t the case though?

 

[Cowley]

I think the ear defenders are more likely provided if the need arises to enter the locos engine room for whatever reason, I’m happy to be corrected if this isn’t the case though?

Yes that’s what I’d have thought too.

There’s a nice bit of in cab footage here, which although isn’t at full speed gives a bit of an idea of the cab environment:

 

[D6130]

Very, very noisy....what with the engines and transmission!

The diesel-hydraulic locos always had a reputation for being both noisy and hot in the cabs.

 

[Ash Bridge]

It doesn’t support that at all. Any preserved loco will have technical minder(s) with it who will need to go into the engine room, where they will need ear defenders. So probably just a convenient place to keep them.

My apologies @43096 hadn’t seen you had posted this, and clearly well before mine!

Yes that’s what I’d have thought too.

There’s a nice bit of in cab footage here, which although isn’t at full speed gives a bit of an idea of the cab environment:

Excellent footage Mr C, do you not think the Class 52 horn does such a mighty locomotive a bit of a disservice though?

 

[D6130]

do you not think the Class 52 horn does such a mighty locomotive a bit of a disservice though?

.....although it's not as bad as the awful Southern Region EMU-style 'Raspberry' horn that announced the arrival of a Deltic, IMHO!

 

[westernpunk]

Very, very noisy....what with the engines and transmission!

The diesel-hydraulic locos always had a reputation for being both noisy and hot in the cabs.

i can vouch for that i was once lucky enough to have a cab ride 1056 ply to exe on 1a55 overnighter ( i knew the secondman no names mentioned some of you might know him) and as we were ascending hemerdon he took me in the engineroom , course no ear protection and. then noise was just incredible, the other thing that was very noticeable was how much the loco swayed

 

[Ash Bridge]

.....although it's not as bad as the awful Southern Region EMU-style 'Raspberry' horn that announced the arrival of a Deltic, IMHO!

Actually I was going to mention class 55 along with the 52, despite the fact they are my all time favourite type of locomotive I’m 100% in agreement with you there @D6130.

 

[43066]

Isn't TPWS the upgraded version of AWS?

It’s a separate system, albeit alloyed with AWS.

 

[Strat-tastic]

My apologies @43096 hadn’t seen you had posted this, and clearly well before mine!

Excellent footage Mr C, do you not think the Class 52 horn does such a mighty locomotive a bit of a disservice though?

Whenever the high tone sounds I think there should be a party blower rolling out the front with a feather on the end

 

[Forty29]

Yeah, I did think from being on the tour that those at Heyford must have got some very good footage!

We did indeed!

 

[tnxrail]

Great trip D1015 seemed to run fine, everyone where I sat also enjoined the journey.