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The best rail day of the year - so far - 14/02 London!

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RJ

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Well I got up early and caught a bus to Victoria. I saw an electric 360 at Vauxhall. All my pics of the new Enviro Tridents were blurred :(.

I took the Victoria Line to Finsbury Park

I saw 47709 + 47712 Blue Pullman - WHERE WAS THE CLAG???

Then I went back down to Victoria, where Virgin were giving out free First Class tickets. Hopefully they'll still be giving them out when I'm back from my holiday on the 5th of March :)

At Clapham I saw Yellow TRT 999701 - never seen that one before. Also saw 66232 with a long consist of yellow NR stuff. A Juniper emerged from Clapham Yard.

I then went to Kensington Olympia and saw MR 59002, FL 66517, EWS 66038, kettle 45231 and Frag 73107.

I took the tube to Paddington, had a spot of lunch and then took the 205 to Marylebone. I waited for about 20 minutes. Chiltern's diesels don't half smoke. Can you believe that 165014 clagged more than 47709??? Anyway, I asked the staff where the Bubble was. They were extremely helpful and even phoned Control! It was at South Ruislip. I boarded at 168 which I automatically assumed to form the 13:50 to Birmingham. I was only on for a minute, when the doors closed! The driver then rammed it into the 165 behind! A cleaner told the driver I was on the train and luckily I got off. The pair then ran ECS out of Marylebone!!! Unfortunately I missed the arrival of the Bubble.

BR Livered 960014 was there, a filming special! It stayed for about 10 minutes, then it left with a party of staff and a camera at the centre front.

I then went to Ealing, where I obtained a pass to take many pics. I saw two Hanson 59s, Acton Yard to Merehead, and vice versa 5 minutes later. Then 60041 passed through with Park Royal - Angerstein. I saw one of the most beautiful sights ever - two rainbows, about 160 degrees of each, truly mezmerizing :). 66577 passed through with an early 6M80 Dagenham-Calvert. 66555 was stood at Acton with bins.

I took a train to Paddington, then High St Kensington, then Olympia. The Cathedrals Express railtour arrived early. After that left, I took a 377 to Harrow to see the mail. Actually, it was a perfect hour late. Buses run in twos, but trains??? I then decided that I couldn't be bothered to wait for the mail (ex-DRS 87028 hauled), so I headed home. A third railtour was running (VSOE) but I would have had to wait an hour after I got to Victoria to see it.

It was a great day and pics will be along soon!
 
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Coxster

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joea1 said:
Well, they did at Victoria!
It just means they're being well looked after etc. No reason for the driver thrashing it when it's not needed.
 

Jim

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joea1 said:
Well, they did at Victoria!


37419 clagged in the morning on the last day, but not in the afternoon, it depends what the drivers like. They were being driven PROPER, so they last...........
 

AlexS

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It all depends on the driver - get to the top of a steep bank where you can see the bottom and watch the plumes grow :)

As for units clagging, the 165s have the same engines as a lot of Arriva's 158s (the ex Central versions), and they clag a lot for units.
 

RJ

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All of them were just like this! Nothing like FGWL's boring examples.

y4g9sn.jpg
 

Dennis

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joea1 said:
All of them were just like this! Nothing like FGWL's boring examples.

Don't forget that First use top grade expensive diesel not the cheaper stuff that Chiltern must be using.
 

Techniquest

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What is it then jonb? I'm curious, as most units I see have exhaust fumes looking like that, especially if they're due for a major exam or working up a tough route.
 

RJ

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Dennis said:
joea1 said:
All of them were just like this! Nothing like FGWL's boring examples.

Don't forget that First use top grade expensive diesel not the cheaper stuff that Chiltern must be using.

Well I think that Chiltern's have more character :). Some of FGWLs have a half decent startup, but don't smoke like that when actually running.


I'm curious, as most units I see have exhaust fumes looking like that, especially if they're due for a major exam or working up a tough route.

All of the 165s I saw leave Marylebone were like that. The drivers seemed more than happy to full power the unit out of the station, release at the pointwork, then full power again up the gradient. The 168s were even worse! The only one which was tame was the 121 :). I'm beginning to think that Marylebone was built with a clear glass top ;)
 

Dennis

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I think its a question of the amount of exhaust visible - the DMU shown I would describe as clagging very mildly (not really enough to get excited about) whereas this is proper clag...

DSCF0016.JPG

BTW, for clag fans, at ~10.15 for the last two Fridays the Maroon 31 (can't remember the number) has been started up at Westbury opposite platform 3 where it has been, and still is, parked. What a clagtastic sight (can see it from my window at work:D ).

It is normally left running for an hour or two. If I can get time off work, might go and take a proper look this week.
 

RJ

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Truesay. I must say, the top clagger duff I've seen recently is 47854. Seen since the 4th Feb-

47145 - Clagged a bit at Olympia
47709 - Clagged at Victoria, nothing at Finsbury Park
47712 - Dead on both occasions
47818 - A bit of smoke today coming around Channelsea Curve - nothing leaving Stratford
47841 (w/ dead 47150) - Was running at speed but nothing seen
47854 - By far the most beastly, with kettle style clag at Hounslow
 

joy54.gen

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You haven't seen clag until you've seen a failing 37 trying to climb up to Corrour Summit and keep cutting out. Every time it was re-started massive clouds of black smoke were deposited onto Rannoch Moor. Shame it couldn't go any further than Rannoch.
 

Jim

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I quite like the new Enviros actually (went on 1 Wednesday) Forgot to get a shot. (I take it we are on about the 1's on the 24?)
 

richa2002

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Come on then show us. I bet it's nothing compared to a proper loco giving all it's got :? I suggest people who are too used to units get out and see some proper locos like 37s/47s on preserved lines or if you can, the mainline.
This is a proper loco but you have described this as clag, this is just typical diesel exhaust:
http://images3.fotopic.net/?iid=y4x94s&outx=600&quality=100
Here's the caption: A HST showing it's usual behaviour!! (CLAG!)
Now this is what proper clag is (apologies about quality):
43093_Clagging.jpg
http://www.rich.mjspencer.com/images/43093_clagging.gif
 

Julian G

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i can't find the image,
nice HST behaviour (is that image from a Video?)
 

jonb

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Richard Armstrong said:
Come on then show us. I bet it's nothing compared to a proper loco giving all it's got :? I suggest people who are too used to units get out and see some proper locos like 37s/47s on preserved lines or if you can, the mainline.

Here, Here!
 

Techniquest

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Too right! Units DON'T clag. These unit fans need to see the real world of railways and bash a proper train! Get a good trip behind a 37 and you'll be converted! You'll get clag then!
 

Julian G

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So explain to me what was coming out of that 159 as it accelerated at Clapham Junciton then?
Clag? Smoke?
 

86242

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Richard Armstrong said:
Come on then show us. I bet it's nothing compared to a proper loco giving all it's got :? I suggest people who are too used to units get out and see some proper locos like 37s/47s on preserved lines or if you can, the mainline.
This is a proper loco but you have described this as clag, this is just typical diesel exhaust:
http://images3.fotopic.net/?iid=y4x94s&outx=600&quality=100
Here's the caption: A HST showing it's usual behaviour!! (CLAG!)
Now this is what proper clag is (apologies about quality):
43093_Clagging.jpg
http://www.rich.mjspencer.com/images/43093_clagging.gif
As that is not a 'real loco' it can't be clag! ;)
 

richa2002

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Oh no! Not that discussion. :)
--- edited ---
Julian G said:
i can't find the image,
nice HST behaviour (is that image from a Video?)
Thanks. It is a still from a video. Just to let you know, I'm not having a personal dig at you. I just think the word 'clag' is overused.
 

Dennis

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Richard Armstrong said:
Oh no! Not that discussion. :)
I just think the word 'clag' is overused.


All these people from electric trainland getting excited by a few wisps of diesel fume. ;)

Will we mourn the passing of bus clag too when the whole country follows London and introduces fuel cell and electric buses?

Shouldn't we all try and be a bit more environmentally friendly and object to claggy locos? :argue:
 

Techniquest

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Just to let you know, yesterday I couldn't see that shot of the ex-VT 43. Now I can, all I can say is HELLFIRE! The rear one appears to be doing just as well! I'd like to know how long they'd been idling!

But then 43144 at BTM that one day, thick black chimneys of clag, wish I'd had the camera! The beast has since been cleaned up and provides a decent offering, but not something that's a potential health hazard if breathed in...

And yes, I agree with Dennis on the fact that it is EMU and OHLE followers that get excited by the tiniest bit of exhaust, as seen in the earlier shot of 43041. That was just 'breathing' by the loco. 43179 on Sunday, on the rear of the 1425 to London, however, now that was clagging nicely, thanks to help from the wind blowing towards me I got a nice dose of it every 5 seconds. Loved it.

As for objecting to 'clagging' locos, is that a Greenpeace supporter over into Trowbridge?

Seriously, I agree to some extent on that, but even so, rail contributes less than 1% of the fumes going up into the air IIRC.
 
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