Hi All
I went for my 1st proper day at the Wensleydale Railway, and if its ok with everyone I would like to share what a awesome day I had.
1st we had to shunt some carriages off the platform and around the yard and I got to sit in the Class 3 while it was shunting around the yard – awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No clutch or smooth take up of any power anything which I found out when I was thrown from the stool, as it lurched forward - a lot of fun!!
We then had to replace the roof of a class 25, which took up the most part of the afternoon. And of course for the elf and safety Jobsworths a risk assessment was taken, and it was found to be very risky if the wind picked up.
The Class 47 that is there, the one in the picture “Poseidon” and there is another one there – I cant remember what it is I think they are fantastic – its such a shame they have to be kept outside.
In a couple of months I’m going to be starting my Crossing Keepers course, but I cant wait for some more maintenance activities, I liked it so much last Saturday – I’m going back again next Saturday.
I’m a bit worried about posting some pictures (in the link below) encase some Elf and Safety Exec stirs up some trouble or something so I might take them off – what do you guys think?
tinyurl.com/6axu9k9
Regards
PS and many thanks to Bigtee, for the helpful Advice
Last edited by: smokie on Mon 28 Feb 11 at 15:33
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Not trying to be controversial here or cause a fight for the sake of it but I have a genuine question. I have always wondered what all the train movements on the Wensleydale railway are for and what they are doing; perhaps you can shed some light.
To the uninitiated it seems that they are playing with a very big train set - trains moving for no apparent reason around the Leeming Bar end of the line. They move them a bit , then put them back. Occasionally you see one parked for a few days on the Northallerton side of the Leeming level crossing - why? Surely they just use the same engine and carriages for the couple of services a day they operate? I guess there must be something else to it than this but what?
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I have a genuine question. I have always wondered what all the train movements
>> on the Wensleydale railway are for and what they are doing;
They are a business, that operate a transport service to redmire.
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Well, I know that.
What I meant was why does it take so many shunting operations etc to run one train a couple of times a day?
They appear to be for ever shunting stuff up and down at Leeming, seemingly just for the fun of it. Surely there is more to it than this? What are they actually doing?
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Surely there is more to it than this? What are
>> they actually doing?
>>
Dont ask me, I have only been there "properly" the once - I just do what im told to :-)
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>> what are
>> they actually doing?
Playing trains with 12"/ft versions... Thats all preserved lines are, big trainsets! ;-)
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>> Not trying to be controversial here or cause a fight for the sake of it
>> but I have a genuine question. I have always wondered what all the train movements
>> on the Wensleydale railway are for and what they are doing; perhaps you can shed
>> some light.
On preserved railways, siding and shed space for locos and rolling stock is always at a premium, so you often have to park stuff behind other stuff.
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I reckon you should be able to get a drive RV. I turned up at Leyburn one Sunday last summer and the train was cancelled as the driver had called in sick. I'd intended getting the train to Redmire and walking back. Ended up walking there and back but a good Sunday lunch in the pub at Redmire made it worth-while.
John
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I would have to be “knocking on deaths door” for me to cancel driving a train.
Im prepared to give 100% to the WR, and I liked it so much I’m even tempted to give up motorsport marshalling so I can devote more time to it.
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Redviper.
Next time your there ask if you need (PTS) Personal Track Safety certificate to walk about on the track and sidings or maybe just a depot breif is all you need.
PTS is for working on or near the main line but as your a preservation railway the rules maybe different but really i think you should have this as the out come could be the same.!!
If you have not got any get some steel toe capped boots & carry a carriage key in your pocket so your not locked out.
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Hi Bigtee
I had a safety brief, a couple of weeks ago, and we went through Track Safty followed by a tour round the sidings etc
Good call for the boots, turned up in old trainers last saturday, quickly got covered in old desiel that was lying around lol
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When crossing the track DO NOT step on the sleepers always the ballast (rocks) as you will go flying.!! :-)
Also don't wear a hooded coat were just a hat but not over your ears as you may not hear these things.
All this may seem a bit OTT but it's preparing you for the real thing.!!
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Good advice, will certainly take it on board, thanks
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And don't use your mobile... something some of your colleagues seem to forget from time to time, BT! ;-)
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>> And don't use your mobile... something some of your colleagues seem to forget from time
>> to time, BT! ;-)
>>
Why, what happens?
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You are so busy talking to someone you get run over and killed by the train... Trains can approach you very quietly and quickly if they want to, as anyone who has walked alongside a 125mph track will tell you!
Common sense, but some NR operatives seem to have forgotten the rule...
Last edited by: hobby on Tue 1 Mar 11 at 09:16
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>> If you have not got any get some steel toe capped boots & carry a
>> carriage key in your pocket so your not locked out.
Or locked IN!
I used to carry my old mans carriage key when i was commuting on the class 411 EMU's. Nothing better than sitting in the spare guards or drivers seat when the train was heaving with standing passengers.
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And don't use your mobile... something some of your colleagues seem to forget from time to time, BT! ;-)
Only on the main line and not in cabs, However i carry one in my pocket but don't use it as above only on platform and not inside a 91 as it will be fried.
Had a breif other day about phones must be raising it's head again read it and signed it thats me screwed.
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>> Only on the main line and not in cabs, However i carry one in my
>> pocket but don't use it as above only on platform and not inside a 91
What a awesome looking Loco, I still think that it look modern compared to todays Loco's
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The only problem with a emu or the 91 is there's no diesel engine. ;-(
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steel capped boots are £16 a pair in asda
get some pronto as its easy to crush toes otherwise or trip and break a toe
sounds good what you are doing by the way
have you considered walking round with one of those pumpy oil cans and looking the business to onlookers? ;-)
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Thanks Zero
That's a good idea about the oil can, however I've already made a start by sauntering around in my fluorescent orange jacket lol
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>> Thanks Zero
Sorry "Bellboy"
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Yes that's true a electric loco does not have the same prescence as a huge great desiel I dont think
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Now if you want huge great engines in the UK there's only one engine that you need to stand by...
www.shakespeareexpress.com/tlw/6229.htm
Nothing, but nothing, beats an LMS Duchess when it comes to "massive" in the UK... As they couldn't squeeze any more loco within the loading gauge! Big, powerful and beautiful all at the same time...
Last edited by: hobby on Tue 1 Mar 11 at 09:30
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I know it's been posted before but this site tells you where you can go to watch steam engines in action each week:
www.beholder.co.uk/steam/ (select 'stations with steam' in the drop-down)
Not much activity at the moment - it gets busier in the summer.
Last edited by: Focus on Tue 1 Mar 11 at 09:41
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>> about phones must be raising it's head again
Travel around like I do and you'll know why... I may be wrong and its contractors rather than NR staff that are doing it, but there has been a marked increase in the numbers we see doing it these days, the Rules are clear...
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The rules are clear yes.
So is the rule to Block the line before you go down on it or set up a safe system of working with a COSS and lookouts.
BUT in an emergency it's amazing how all this goes out of the window to get the job done.!
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BT, the ones I've seem are not in emergency situations... Thats why you've had the safety brief, obviously someone else has noticed it as well...
Railway safety is good simply because the whole system is bound by rules which make any action a railwayman takes as safe as possible for themselves and other workers and passengers... as long as he follows the rules... most accidents occur when they don't... Even in emergency situations it is more sensible to follow the basic rules first... Protection of the line, etc., before diving in and trying to get everyone off the train...
When things go wrong you'll usually find that its because someone wasn't following the rules... Same as any other walk of life, like the roads, its just that Railways are much more controlled than most...
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A death on the WR, worker or visitor, could well mean the death of the WR.
They and you have to take safety seriously.
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Those wacky chaps at the Wensleydale Railway are really getting to be a pain. Currently the roads around the Bedale/Leeming Bar area are in a right state. As part of the A1 upgrade a slip road off the A1 has been closed and a diversion put in place. The result of this is that a journey that should take 5 minutes (Leeming Bar to Bedale) is taking 40 minutes simply due to the weight of traffic using the diversion route. Part of the signed diversion, using a new junction, takes you over a level crossing of the WR. This particular crossing is that the terminus end of the WR services at Leeming. The bit past the crossing goes to Northallerton but is not part of the WR services. So what do the WR guys do in the middle of the rush hour but close the crossing so they can shunt an engine onto the unused part and leave it there for a while. Just add a few extra minutes to everyones journey, back the traffic up a bit more and hack everyone off.
These guys just do not seem to care.
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I'm told the upgrade is several months ahead of schedule.
This has caused the main contractors an unforeseen cashflow problem.
They have had to pay suppliers/sub-contractors to do the work, but their payments from the Highways Agency are still staged as per the original contract.
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Day at the WR - Dr Prunesqualler
