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Post by kevsmithnkp on Aug 12, 2017 15:21:18 GMT -5
Another year on and this time it was our Carlisle Kingmoor depot's turn to host our charity open day. This was going to be the first time the public were going to get close to our new Class 88 25kv/Diesel hybrid locos so were expecting a lot of interest. I headed up on the Friday to do the prep stopping at the rural station of Kents Bank to catch one of our Class 37s on the Carlisle to Lancaster train. This is not how it appears, in the U.K the trains run on the left and 37 401 'Mary Queen of Scots' is working push-pull propelling from the rear  The loco is painted in the classic 1980s 'Big Arrow' livery As the weather deteriorated I nipped off the M6 motorway to catch the 88 hauled 'Tesco' ascending the notorious climb up to Shap Summit on the West Coast main line. If anything was going to catch these 5,800 Hp Bo-Bos out it was bad rail conditions on a heavy intermodal train  You can see how bad the weather was by the rain on the lens but it flew past me with no difficulties Once at the depot first order of the day was the first shunt. 88 001, working on its CAT disel engine, was used to dig out the snowploughs and some freight stock to make room.  We positioned EMD built 66 301 by the car park ready for its naming ceremony the following day. This was to be the first 66 to be named and I was pestered constantly by people wanting to know in advance what it was to be called  Back soon with more Kev |
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Post by kevsmithnkp on Aug 13, 2017 9:46:31 GMT -5
In contrast to the ultra modern 88s we had brought a couple of the Class 20s along. We only have three left in active service, ready for this years leaf fall season where they will be used on the RHTT (Rail head treatment train). they have no restriction on loading gauge or axle load so can get down branch lines other locos can't access 30 302 and 20 312 have just arrived behind 37 059  You can spot the bodyshell is roughly the same on the 88s and Diesel only 68s. This 68 is in a plain blue colour scheme for now as it is going to be on the TPE (Trans Pennine Express) loco hauled trains and will be wrapped in their colour scheme nearer the time  To add a bit of drama we had positioned 88 010 on the 'Ski Ramp' a facility we use to load rolling stock straight onto a semi trailer  88 008 was picked up on the jacks to let people see underneath  More soon |
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Post by kevsmithnkp on Aug 13, 2017 9:56:12 GMT -5
to show the various colour schemes the 68s carry we lined them up alongside, from L-R Chiltern, standard DRS and Plain Blue  The weather was starting to get a bit rough by now. So the queue on Saturday morning had started early in the morning  With the depot filling up quite quickly there was a dash to the main shed when the heavy rain kept returning  This year we had moved the the merchandise stall into the stores loading bay (Much to the annoyance of the stores lads!) but it was a lot more sheltered than the marquee used in previous years  37 425 was left with its nose doors and hatches open  Kev |
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Post by kevsmithnkp on Aug 13, 2017 10:06:00 GMT -5
It was good to see a lot of families attending and enjoying seeing real railways close up  One of the major attractions was the cab visits into the Class 88 and 68 cabs. Not unlike something from Star Trak the high tech control desk was a revelation  Just after lunch the excursion train we were running came onto the depot to be tanked. The passengers had got off at carlisle Citadel station so we had another surge of visitors shortly after 68 004 arrives onto the fuel road.  Kev |
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Post by kevsmithnkp on Aug 13, 2017 10:22:42 GMT -5
Now.. The name. By early afternoon the weather was rotten and I had to keep going back to the modular building to dry the cameras out but we stuck to the timetable anyway 66 301 was named 'Kingmoor TMD'. this name was previously carried by one of our 37/6s which has now been sold  Following this was the auction of some nameplates and headboards with some serious money being bid. Diesel plates are now as collectable as steam. For example the 37 fifty plates were fetching £2,300 each and the 47 number and Pullman Crest £1,500  In total we raised nearly £30,000 for charity which made all the effort worthwile. Now I know some of you will be thinking not like Kev not to sneak some steam in! Ah but We did have a steam loco just not full size. 'Whillan Beck' a Krauss built 15" gauge 4-6-2 has recently been brought over to the famous Ravenglass and Eskdale railway in Cumbria having had a very chequered career over the last few decades.  To make it even more interesting they decided to have it delivered in the same fashion some of the original locomotives were delivered to the line in the 1920s, By Steam road haulage  Fowler road engine was going to haul it from Kingmoor to the companies headquarters at Ravenglass following the show  |
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Post by kevsmithnkp on Aug 13, 2017 10:27:39 GMT -5
Now obviously progress was not going to be very rapid, you did not want to get stuck behind this on the A590 but to help things along an ancient Scamell road tractor was on the rear pushing with a traction bar as backup  Videos ? Of course And using some of the same footage a Class 88 video showing the locos on their introduction out onto the main line I'll d o a separate thread on the Ravenglass and Eskdale shortly Cheers Kev |
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Post by domi on Aug 14, 2017 7:06:36 GMT -5
Still pleasant to see these good old Class 20 that once ran in my native Burgondy, France...  Dom |
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