Recent content by 59CosG95

156s/158s/159s replacing loco-hauled across the UK, e.g. 50s & Mark IIs on the WoEML; 37s on the WHL, etc. More reliable, yes, but the enthusiast value certainly dropped (as we do love the whimsy of a loco-hauled service!)

There seems to be a "Save The Digbeth Block Party" event happening this weekend. https://ra.co/news/86163

In the case of the ECML masts, the slimmest of them (152x152 Universal Columns) have been more prone to Lateral Torsional Buckling than its thicker cousins (e.g. 203UC, 254UC, 308x305UC etc) so aren't available in newer design ranges.

Very probably. In fact I think it is, unless you count any stations with more than 2 platform faces (Stirling & Dunblane come to mind). Leven *could* be using UKMS, which is basically S2 but with bits of Series 1; bits of Alstom's cLever range; bits of Siemens' SICAT SA range; and a whole...

Wouldn't imagine so, as that would only apply once the trackwork has been handed over to Network Rail (which, until it's connected to the GWML proper, I rather doubt that it is).

As I suspected.

I expect we probably won't be getting any works related to the power supply in the Crewe area done at the same time.

Checking on Google Maps, there's plenty of room by the National Grid substation itself, although I'm unsure as to where the original NR feeder station would have been. I can imagine, given that the WCML is in a large cutting near Lostock Hall, that any such installation would not be directly...

North Yorkshire's Map function wasn't quite working last night. Sure, I could zoom in and out of the map, but the interactive legend in the corner was AWOL. Must be a bug or something, probably to do with the fact that all the old councils within the former County of North Yorkshire are slowly...

Talking of planning statements, I've managed to dig around in North Yorkshire's Public Access Portal and found the plan & elevation drawings for the Common Lane (CFM/2 & NOC/29) bridge demolition & rebuild at Church Fenton. There are bridge arm registration points fitted to the structure; 2 over...

According to Garry Keenor's excellent "OLE Bible", BR moved away from OCBs (Oil Circuit Breakers) in the 1970s, switching to VCBs (Vacuum Circuit Breakers), which required less maintenance and had a longer service life. VCBs were, however, harder to maintain, so BR then moved to SF6 (Sulphur...

Worth also mentioning that the first OLE supports within the station, seeming built into the canopy, are now visible in the 4th, 5th, and 6th pictures.

Definitely easier to section off, until you get to grid connections. Thankfully, in the case of Oxford, the grid connection (at Foxhall, nr Didcot) is already in place. It's just a question now of un-mothballing the OLE from there to Oxford, including (but not limited to) the switching site at...

Not sure where else to stick this, but Oxhey Grange footbridge on the WCML south of Bushey is due to be demolished at short notice. See link from Network Rail here. I bring it up here as this seems like a potentially decent window to undertake more power supply upgrade works at Bushey, short as...

The Eurostar scrap drags to Kingsbury always left from Platform 5 and were hauled (permissively?) over the North London Incline to reach the ECML, thence taking that to Peterborough. From there, the drags all went via Oakham, Leicester & the Ivanhoe Line before reaching Tamworth. So yes, it...