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...They were always shoved in front of the loco and looked ridiculous, I don't think that they were used for very long, I recall lines of them dumped at Toton in the late 60's, wasn't it an East Midlands phenomena.

No...I've seen them at Thornaby, and I gather Motherwell had an allocation...

But they were certainly less used than the Toton batch.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Bilbraborns mention of 'aged' Colwick etc.' locomen struck a chord with me as it was the reason I left the footplate after nearly 16 years. The date you started as a loco cleaner was your 'Seniority'

Although my family worked for the LMR part of the railway, I loved the Eastern region engines. I loved all steam locomotives but I had favourites. A few years ago I wrote a poem about the days when m

I was trying not to say a certain word that could get me into trouble.

You're right Rob, this old batch of railway magazines I've found are reminding me of a lot of things, I was reading one on the bog today and theres a picture of brake tenders in use in the NE, I also found the initial publishings of the Beeching Report in 1963, if that had been carried out to the letter we wouldn't have had a railway system left, it makes horrific reading.

It's very interesting to note that my son has just come back on the branch train from Witham to Braintree, put down for closure by Beeching and since electrified and very well patronised with an hourly service direct to Liverpool Street, it makes me wonder how many other lines that were actually closed down would have proved succesful in the long term.

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Having always regretted giving away/losing my boyhood Trains Illustrated collection, I was able some ten years ago - due to an unexpected windfall - to get a full bound set of T!/Modern Railways 1947-1963 from Robert Humm's amazing transport bookshop at Stamford railway station...well worth a drool, if ever you are near Stamford.

A decade on, the tomes remain my staple reading diet...pity that I no longer have the memory to match!

Cheers

Robt P.

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It's amazing what you come across sometimes. A few years ago I was talking to one of the regulars in my ex-father in laws pub in Huddersfield, Cleggie, a real Yorkshire hard nut and Jack the Lad. It turned out that his father had just died and Cleggie had put out a load of his old stuff for the binmen. The next evening I found myself presented with boxes of assorted railway magazines going back to the 1920's, including original Bassett Lowke and Hornby pre war catalogues, amazing stuff. Unfortunately he'd chucked his Hornby Dublo trainset away, sob, but did manage to find an original Dublo LMS Duchess of Atholl, not bad in exchange for a pint of Tetleys, which is all he wanted for these gems, he was just pleased that they would be appreciated.

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In case anyone is interested, 60163 Tornado is running up the ECML tomorrow from Kings X to York, with a water stop at Grantham for 20 minutes at 9:30am and passing through Newark at about 10:00.

We've got 70013 again from Norwich to L. Strt.

Just thought I'd let you know.

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hubby is popping to newark in the morning to see tornado go through again. we had a treat last sunday, oliver cromwell came through netherfield station on its way somewhere!

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1617May0915.jpg

Ayup firbeck,

Pete I took this pic yesterday and tried to get in the same area as your picture in post 115 of your pals at the bottom of the incline (Cromford) so you can compare a "then and now".

I have another pic looking up the incline from roughly the same spot as your other pic, I will post after me dinner

Rog

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1617May0916.jpg

I'll post it now, looking up the incline, notice the two guards vans at the bottom and less track more greenery

hope you enjoy them Pete

Rog

If you want me to send them to you for your files let me know

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Thanks for your efforts Rog, great pictures, it hasn't changed that much apart from the missing track, I notice that the sign situated next to my pals has gone though, no, it wasn't me that knicked it for a change.

I did go for a hike up there about 15 years ago, I remember the brake vans and making the ascent up to the winding engine at Middleton Top, I've got it all on video, but can't play it back at the moment.

In the 60's, that bottom area of the line was shunted by the 47000 class of 0-4-0 tank engines, the first batch was built by the LMS in the 30's then another batch with coal bunkers oddly positioned in front of the cab were built by BR about 1950. If we went on one of fathers inevitable coach tours of the Peak District, we would crane our necks off the A6 to see what was lurking round the small shed down there, usually 47000. When the line wasn't operating at weekends, which was when I took my old B & W pictures, they were stabled at either Rowsley or Derby sheds.

I was surprised to find that the last of the class, 47001, wasn't withdrawn until December 1966, almost at the end of steam, what a shame it wasn't preserved, probably the last steam loco to work the High Peak.

On a slightly different track, during the summer of 1963 we went on a school first year hiking trip around Stanton Moor between Matlock and Rowsley. Our Geography teacher, Jolly Jack, who organised the hike, was a keen railway enthusiast. The point of the hike was to look at various geographical features as part of the course, but, inevitably, we ended up doing a quick viewing of Rowsley sheds as well, thats what made him our favourite teacher, the late, great, much loved by everyone, John Singleton.

The thing is, one of the kids borrowed a cine camera off his dad and filmed the whole episode in colour, Firbeck being buried in bracken, the whole hike and particularly Rowsley sheds. We were treated to a school viewing of it, then that was that.

I bumped into the bloke at a BGS school reunion and the first thing we talked about was that film which he promised to put onto VHS and send to me. It never happened, not surprising, it was a very emotional meet up for us all. I'll have to track him down, colour film of Rowsley sheds in 1963 must be pretty unique, I wouldn't be surprised if the High Peak shunters were on there.

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The two lines joined at Bagthorpe Junction

IIRC, the short, steep climb up from Arnold Road was something like 1 in 18.

Surely the 'rathole' tunnel itself took the GNR beneath the GCR...

Cheers

Robt P.

Hi Rob, sorry for late reply, was on holiday, assume by two lines you mean the one I mentioned plus the branch going off to the left from the main down gcr? Yes the rathole did take the GNR branch under the GCR, I don't think I inferred otherwise? however it had it's own bridge carrying arnold rd over it, touch wood a couple of photo'd photo copies will be here! (no they won't, battery is flat will post later)

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I've been trying to find out about the steepest railway gradients, information is very conflicting and I can't find any reference to Bagthorpe anywhere.

According to reports, the steepest incline in the UK at the moment is part of the Docklands Light Railway at 1:17, but thats a modern thing.

I remember being banked up Lickey by 4 pannier tanks, train engine a Jubilee, and hanging out the back window all the way, but that was considered to be merely the longest incline at 1:37 for several miles.

We once went on holiday to Folkestone and father rather foolishly booked a guest house near the Harbour Incline, the noise from the bankers was horrendous, pannier tanks again, and went on for most of the night, 1:32 I believe.

I also recall the bank out of Exeter St Davids to Central, now that was steep, I remember the Maldon Quarry ballast train getting stuck, now you've got me going, I'll dig out some of my old pictures.

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For you railway buffs on here, I took this of the bankers at Folkestone Junction after they'd shoved the diverted Golden Arrow up the incline:-

scan0043-1.jpg

This was August 1959 by the way, the train engine, City of Wells was being watered in the sidings:-

scan0042-1.jpg

On to August 1964, this is a Class U attacking the bank out of Exeter St Davids, according to my notes it was being shoved by 2 Class Z 0-8-0's. note the incline on the track:-

scan0040-1.jpg

On the same day, we happened to be at Exeter Central when the Malden ballast train got stuck in the tunnel, crap picture, but there were so many locos trying to drag this train up the bank, as I recall, the train engine was a Hall, assisted by the Standard and a 2_6-4 tank, with the usual Z class bankers on the end, I have a picture of them, but can't find it:-

scan0041-1.jpg

To finish off, a little known bank, out of Manchester Exchange/Victoria, here are the local bankers awaiting their tour of duty, April 1966:-

scan0039-1.jpg

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  • 5 weeks later...
Hi Rob, sorry for late reply, was on holiday, assume by two lines you mean the one I mentioned plus the branch going off to the left from the main down gcr? Yes the rathole did take the GNR branch under the GCR, I don't think I inferred otherwise? however it had it's own bridge carrying arnold rd over it, touch wood a couple of photo'd photo copies will be here! (no they won't, battery is flat will post later)

Hi Ashley,

Did you get your battery recharged? I used to cycle past the rathole every day on the way to and from school. It would be great to see photos of it.

Thanks!

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I came across these pictures in an October 1964 copy of Modern Railways magazine, the bottom picture shows a train climbing out of the Rat Hole, I've seen another picture in one of these old magazines showing a steam hauled freight blasting up there, but can I eck as like find it, no way.

scan0090.jpg

Incidentally, I can never remember seeing a diesel on a Friargate passenger train myself, it must have been pretty boring going through the Sherwood Tunnels and not having your compartment filled with yellow, pungent, sulphurous smoke.

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Thanks for that...can't recall seeing a rat hole picture, as the steep climb began, before!

Also surprised to see diesel locomotion too - an early Class 31, which may still be around...

Vaguely remember that John Henton had some pictures published, in a 1950's Trains Illustrated, of the climb taken from Bagthorpe Jct box - perhaps to accompany one of the several interesting articles he wrote for the TI at that time. Currently, too hot and weary to begin a search!

Cheers

Robt P.

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