Day Trip to Liverpool

A 'Desiro' photographed leaving Stafford on an earlier trip

On the 15th May 2010 I made a day trip to Liverpool for the Old Locomotive Committee (OLCO) Annual General Meeting. Although a London Midland 'Desiro' Electric Multiple Unit might not be my choice of motive power, honesty compels me to say that it was a fairly comfortable and fast journey.

I'm always a little sad as I recall all the sidings and signal boxes which have gone but I was cheered when passing over the trellis-work of the Runcorn Railway Bridge. Since 1868, this structure has safely taken trains over the Mersey (and, for a shorter time, over the Manchester Ship Canal). Wikipedia has an article on this remarkable feat of engineering.

I'd not been on this line since Allerton station had been totally rebuilt into a steel-and-glass transport interchange opened in 2006 called 'Liverpool South Parkway (for Liverpool John Lennon Airport)'. Once again, Wikipedia has more information. Before setting off that morning, I'd discovered that this new station offered an easier route to my ultimate destination, Bank Hall Station. Accordingly, I got off at the new station and made my way to the platforms on the third-rail electrified Hunt's Cross - Southport line operated by Merseyrail and called the 'Northern Line'. Within a few minutes, I was aboard a (fairly basic) Class 508 for the last leg of my journey to Bank Hall.

Bank Hall, showing my Class 508 leaving for Southport

From Bank Hall Station, I walked to the venue for the OLCO A.G.M. - the Museum Store where 'Lion' is being prepared for display in the new Liverpool Museum now being built.

'Lion' being prepared for display at the new Liverpool Museum. Coupling rods, outside springs and splashers removed.

My attention was drawn to another 'old friend' also in the Museum Store - the Mersey Railway 0-6-4 condensing tank 'Cecil Raikes'. I'd last seen this locomotive some years ago in the now-closed Steamport Museum at Southport. A fleet of these massive Beyer Peacock locomotives worked the service through the Mersey railway tunnel from 1886 until 1903 when the line was electrified. There's more on the Mersey Railway in Wikipedia here. The preserved locomotive is partly dismantled and the cramped quarters made photography difficult but I took a few pictures which are here.

Next to 'Cecil Raikes' was the preserved Mersey Docks and Harbour Board 0-6-0 saddle tank built in 1904 by Avonside. I last saw this locomotive in the Transport Gallery at the old Liverpool Museum in William Brown Street (now called the 'World Museum Liverpool'). Prior to that (when I was quite young) I remember seeing these engines at work around the docks. There are a few pictures of the Avonside here.

One other artefact in the Museum Store seized my attention - the preserved Driving/Motor Car from the Liverpool Overhead Railway. This railway was the first overhead railway in the world to use electric traction and it operated from 1893 to 1956. See the Wikipedia article for more details. My pictures are here. When young, I'd actually travelled on the Liverpool Overhead in cars like the preserved vehicle - there's a brief description here (the 0-6-0 dock tanks are also mentioned in this post).

The OLCO A.G.M. was rather poorly attended this year and I allowed myself to be appointed as Secretary for the forthcoming year. The Museum Staff had been most hospitable in letting OLCO Members study 'Lion' and providing the venue for the A.G.M. Once the Chairman had closed the meeting, the group of Members travelling by train walked to Sandhills Station to catch a train towards the City Centre. The Chairman and I got off at Moorfields and walked to Liverpool Lime Street station where we caught separate trains. I was able to take a Virgin service bound for London. We stopped at Runcorn and then Stafford, where I got off. The speed of this journey was also impressive. My railway pictures around Merseyside are here.

My pictures of 'Lion' are here. To see my various posts about OLCO, click here.

Diesel Multiple Units

Set 538 stands in Platform 1 at Shackerstone Station

Under British Rail's Modernisation Plan in the 1950s, diesel railcars of various designs were introduced, allowing many steam-hauled passenger trains on lightly-loaded or commuter routes to be eliminated. Design was conservative and made use of 'bus and lorry technology. Allowing sets to be worked in multiple made them versatile. In general, these units were successful, having a long life. A number of these Diesel Multiple Units are now in preservation and the Battlefield Line is home to a 2-car unit and a 1-car unit (the latter invariably called 'bubble cars').

I've previously written about training on the DMU (Click here).

When the Diesel Multiple Units were introduced onto British Railways, there was a major training exercise in converting steam drivers to the new trains. I found a copy of the 'Lecture Notes and Drawings' produced in 1958 and used by the British Railways Diesel Training School at Derby. I've scanned it and uploaded it as a PDF here.

As part of the training programme, the Films Unit produced a series of black and white sound films which are available on YouTube. There are four sections:-

Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Driving
Part 3: Faults & Failures
Part 4: Procedures

I've uploaded my pictures of the DMUs at Shackerstone:-
2-car DMU
1-car DMU

[Lecture notes source moved: 22-Aug-2016]

Modern Railways in Indonesia (2)

The level crossing leading to the airport at Maguwo Station

Although it was very late at night when I arrived at Yogyakarta, I noticed that, as we left the airport by car, we passed over a multi-track level crossing and what appeared to be a modern railway station. Perhaps that's what encouraged me to make a visit to Yogyakarta main railway station on the 12th March 2010, described in Modern Railways in Indonesia. The next day, I left Yogyakarta to fly to Bali from the same airport and, since we had allowed plenty of time for the transfer from my hotel to the airport, I asked if I there was time to visit the airport railway station. It was agreed we should make the minor detour.

The station was called Maguwo and situated on the route to the east of Yogyakarta. The line runs more-or-less east-west at this point. To the east of Maguwo lies Brambanan (coded Bbn), to the west Lempuyangan (coded Lpn). To the west of Lempuyangan is the station at Yogyakarta I'd visited the day before. Once again, the 3 foot 6 inch gauge track was in good condition - high-poundage flat-bottom rail with modern rail fastenings, concrete sleepers and adequate ballasting.

In contrast to the main station at Yogyakarta which had colour-light signalling, signalling at Maguwo was semaphore using 'German' or 'Dutch' style equipment. In the U.K., of course, we adopt 'left-hand running' with semaphore signals normally mounted on the left (yes, I know railways didn't always put signals on the left). Signal arms always extend to the left of the post, looking at the front. On the Continent, with 'right-hand running', it's logical to mount signal posts on the right hand side, with the signal arm extending to the right. Logical, maybe, but after years of 'reading' British semaphores, I always have trouble when looking at foreign semaphores and it takes an effort of will to convince myself that an arm sticking out to the right is the front of the signal, rather than the back of a signal for the opposite direction).

Conveniently, the signal box was on the platform so I could readily see the 'turnover' mechanical signalling frame with double-wire control of points and signals. The signalman happily let me into the box to take a series of photographs. It was no flattery to tell him I couldn't remember seeing a cleaner installation - everything gleamed.

The line is double-track with right-hand running but loops are provided through the station giving two through lines and two platform loops. The loop on the north side can be used in both directions. The level crossing is situated just at the start of the four-track section to the east of the station and is provided with a gatekeeper's hut. The signal box diagram should clarify the arrangements:-

Click on the image for a larger view

The station buildings and platforms were new and very clean. The main facilities (including the signal box) were on the north side whilst the south side had only simple waiting facilities and a foot crossing for passengers to cross to the north side. Having recorded the signal box, I dashed around the station taking more pictures. By this time, a train was expected from Brambanan direction so we stayed to watch.

The lemon-yellow DMU came slowly into the platform, stopping with a few coaches overhanging the short platform. The driver was happy for me to photograph him and the driving cab. After pausing for a couple of minutes, the DMU departed with a roar and a blast of hot air from the diesel engine mounted in a compartment behind the cab.

The pride of both the signalman and the driver in their work was very obvious. Although I'm interested in the hardware, it's people, not machines, who make a railway succeed.

More pictures

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In a Spin with Pete Waterman

Pete Waterman has been associated with spinning turntables since the early days of his musical career. But on the 1st May 2010 the phrase gained a new meaning as Pete Waterman kindly inaugurated the new turntable at Peak Rail.

It's been a major project to dig out the original turntable pit at Rowsley, re-brick, completely rebuild the turntable acquired from Mold Junction, install, commission and carry out the required inspections but on 1st May 2010 this work reached a triumphant conclusion. Peak Rail had organised a '48624 Steamy Special' day and I was rostered for the morning turn on the '8F' with Dave. 'Royal Pioneer' was shed pilot, with Richard and Robin. We came off shed about 9.45 a.m. and moved to the south end of the 6-coach train via the run-round loop. A long string of immaculate diesels were waiting on the adjacent road for their turn to 'go for a spin'. We hooked onto the stock and John, the guard, gave the load as "six - 225 tons". Pete Waterman arrived and a few photographs were taken.

At about 10.15 a.m., we departed on the first round trip to Matlock Riverside, travelling tender-first to Matlock. By the time we arrived back at Rowsley, there was a large crowd around the turntable and plenty of people elsewhere. We uncoupled the coaches and, once we had the instruction, moved 'light engine' across to the turntable siding. Rob was our shunter and he called us back and 'set' us on the turntable, where we 'screwed down' the handbrake. The 'vacuum tractor' which turns the turntable using the partial vacuum created by the braking system on the lcomotive had been tested with various locomotives but not with 8624. Once the long hose on the turntable had been connected to the front vacuum hose on the locomotive, I started both large and small vacuum ejectors and Pete Waterman engaged the tractor. I fully expected the LMS ejector to be equal to the task but I was surprised at the speed and smoothness of the operation as we were turned through 180 degrees. Pete Waterman made a very well-received speech inviting admiration for the achievements of volunteers all over the country who have re-created steam railways. He then joined us briefly on the footplate and drove the locomotive clear of the turntable, before leaving for another engagement.

I then had the new experience of putting 8624 on the south end of our waiting train with the locomotive facing south. With this new orientation, we took the second service to Matlock Riverside. Of course, a driver will have memorised a series of suitable 'marks' to be able to stop in the correct position at each station but with the engine turned the driver is on the opposite side and a new set of 'marks' are required. We reached Matlock Riverside without incident, where we stood for a while whilst photographers recorded the scene.

After running-round the train, we returned to Rowsley running tender-first. The standard Stanier tender is not ideal running tender-first as far as visibility is concerned, so it's particularly important that the driver and fireman work together as a team.

Once again, we ran round our train and (still a little late) departed on the third round trip to Matlock. Again, we had to run round our train before setting off up the bank to Rowsley. Back at Rowsley, I ran round for the last time before being relieved by Gary, the afternoon driver.

8624 performed flawlessly and the operation of the turntable was a delight. Congratulations should go to all the staff and volunteers whose restoration efforts made this special day possible. More pictures.