Real Trains

teddy

Duckmeister
Interesting film Mike. I remember the last steam locomotive I saw in Wales. It was pulling another loco obviously on its way to the scrap yard. Covered in rust and clanking badly it was a sad sight.

teddy
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Kirklees Light Railway

A scenic railway journey from Clayton West to Shelley, in beautiful South Pennine Foothills. Built on the historic Clayton West branch line, the Kirklees Light Railway has developed into a popular destination for young and old. Shelley station, situated high on the valley side offers splendid views. Passengers can enjoy our cosy tearoom which serves light refreshments whenever the trains are running. You are welcome to use our picnic areas, playground and bouncy castles (weather permitting). Our main station at Clayton West boasts a well stocked café and shop , playground, miniature railway, picnic areas and a large free car park.

A 15" gauge running for 3 and 3/4 miles from Clayton West. Six engines in all, four steam and two diesels. This is Fox, a 2-6-2 built in 1987 and based on a Hunslet.

Badger an 0-6-4 saddle tank built in 1991

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Looks worth a visit especially for families.

teddy
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Interesting film Mike. One tends to forget how much work is involved keeping the engines up to scratch, or how long it takes to get steam up from cold.

teddy
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Interesting film Mike. One tends to forget how much work is involved keeping the engines up to scratch, or how long it takes to get steam up from cold.

teddy
The start up was much improved with the advent of Oil burners.
 

Dorsetmike

Member
Apologies for including a film with a diseasel but this I found interesting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6XEVvVRB_4

This tramway was in daily use from 1865 until 1987, even when in daily use numpties would ignore the parking notices and get their cars moved or even towed away; methinks the 'elf and stupidity grannies would have had a few heart attacks if they had to go back to those days, especially with steam locos, them smelly oily boxes on wheels don't look half as threatening as a snorting loco breathing smoke and fire!
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Great piece of film Mike. It reminds me of Aberdyfi. The coal yard was on the wharf, protected by a two foot high wall. Everybody just wandered back and forth across it, and the wharf was shared by THE OUTWARD BOUND SEA SCHOOL. It was also a shortcut to the jetty, used by them and fishermen. The branch line ran down from the station along the beach, and had to be crossed by everyone using the beach or the sailing club. Quite a considerable number of people in the Summer. No fences or keep off signs, but a lot of common sense instead.
http://youtu.be/XuToe-I5ucM At 1.30 you can see the graveyard where several of my relatives are buried. There is a wonderful view over the sand dunes and the mouth of the estuary from there.

http://youtu.be/HcjImIF-dnE This shows some shots of the line coming down the estuary toward the village. Unfortunately I can not find any of the wharf as it used to be

teddy
 

stu

New member
Teddy the second video made me recall the 5 class engines. 'Black Fives' we called them. Arriving for work and finding out it was a Black Five we would be working on always brought smiles to our faces because I can never remember ever having worked on a 'bad one' .
Note of interest; Re; the fire cleaning video. Normally this complete cleaning was done after a certain period of time. Normally on a daily basis only the fire and the smokebox were cleaned.
Often we would be working on maybe a branch passenger train and at night the glow from the burning ashes in the smokebox would light up the track in front! When reaching our destination and run the loco round the train and recoupled, I would often have to open up the smokebox and shovel out the glowing burning ashes on to the track. Sometimes the smokebox would crack with the intense heat.:)
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Ah an all time favorite of mine the Stanier Black Five (4-6-0) particularly in the maroon livery of the LMS also the Stanier F8 was a great loco.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Wonderful programme last night on BBC4 about the renovation of narrow gauge railways following the second World War. Mainly centred on th Talyllyn Railway and the FFestiniog lines. Some wonderful archive film from the early days and interviews from people who had been involved. Also included some film shot with Hugh Weldon (an old friend of my mothers). I will try and see if it is available on disk, or you may be able to access it from I Player. Worth the watching.

teddy
 

teddy

Duckmeister
2nd part of The Golden Age of Steam featured the renovation and preservation of main lines and their locomotives. This was mainly about the branch lines which were closed by Beeching and the wonderful locomotives which were saved. Well worth watching if you can pick up the re runs from BBC 4.

teddy
 

stu

New member
Great video Mike.
Just for the interest, snow can certainly be a hazard on the tracks, but I can never recall a time when we were stopped by snow! Even on branch line working there was always a snowplough fitted loco on hand to clear the way. As for slipping on greasy, or snow covered lines, (we never knew back then about normal snow, different snow, good snow or bad snow!!) the loco sander never failed us. Obviously there were winters of really heavy snow that just maybe slowed us up a mite, but can't recall ever having been stopped completely by the stuff. Worst thing really was having to jump down between loco and coach to uncouple for the loco to run round the train for the return trip, I did come a cropper a couple of times, once by slipping on the railway sleepers and battering my elbow off the loco buffer, and the other when I slipped leaping down on to the track and smashing my jaw off the loco coupling. But, we were tough back then, no health and safety at work to interfere with the work!! We just cursed a few choice expletives, :) spat out the odd tooth, wiped away the blood, and on our merry way!!
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Just watched a ocumentary on the Winter of 1963. A train was snowed in and coud not move due to an avalanche. Two more engines were sent to help and they got stuck too. Mind you it was an exceptionally bad winter.

teddy
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Amerton Railway

A 2' gauge line in Staffordshire it runs for one mile, but boasts five stations. Work started in 1990 and by 1992 the first passenegr train ran. There are a variety of steam and diesel engines but amaoung my favourites are

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Isabella, an 0-4-0 Bagnell built in 1892

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And Jennie a Hunelett built in 2008, yes thats right. Based on the Wren class originally built by Kerr Stuart.

I do love the saddle tanks.

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No 1 Bagnall. Built in 1911 and laying around for the last thirty years she is currently being restored. I can't wait to see the end result.

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There is a variety of rolling stock. This one came from a pleasure park...and is still ging pleasure.

teddy
 

John Watt

Member
I was just watching a Scottish video filmed from the engineer's viewpoint,
a travelogue of rail travel around Scotland.
But that's not why I'm here.

I'm here to say, I am
Master John Alexander Hay Watt,
known to be a Prince of Scotland.

I'll leave you to chug along, while I blow off steam in a new Watt way.
 
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