Recent content by WL113

Aston SCC closes early 2027, recontrol to Birmingham ROC.

EWS at Bescot refurbished an ex Southern Region Queen Mary bogie brake van sometime around 2001. The van was used for propelling moves between Walsall Station and Midland Yard. The van carried EWS livery and was used until 2004, it entered preservation at the Gloucetershire and Warwickshire Railway.

Still a few about. Walsall BRSA Club is still with us.

Indeed. That was a pity, it survived quite late too.

Always liked how 24032 came to be preserved. The North York Moors Railway urgently needing a diesel because of the 1976 hot summer and 032 still being in working order at a Stockton scrappie.

This one at Sutton Coldfield Station.

The Grade 6 link in Birmingham ROC (The former West Midlands Signalling Centre) works three workstations: Walsall, Bescot and Stourbridge, All track circuit only, no axle counters, 12 hour roster. 0700-1900 days and 1900-0700 nights. The link is one of the lower grades in BROC. The Saltley...

Rugeley Town station had totems and the modern lights with the station name on the diffusers just before closure in 1965. The station did reopen on in a sightly different location in 1997.

Walsall station flooded many times over the years. There was even a rowing boat provided to rescue the Signalman from Walsall No3 Signal Box..

Ah.. The good old Bardic. Such an iconic part of the railway. I used to enjoy making up some good lamps out of a few tired examples. Yours will be a 3 aspect, used by traincrew and shunters. As said above that washer stops the lens turning to show the yellow. The 4 aspect lamps were used by...

Birmingham Snow Hill Platform 4. As opened in 1987 the new Snow Hill had four platforms. Platform 4 was then converted for use by the Midland Metro trams in 1999. Since 2015 the trams have been running over a new line through the city centre and a stop alongside Snow Hill has been provided. I...

8 hour shifts - always at work. Runs of 7 earlies, a couple of days off then a few lates then 7 night shifts in a row. Absolutely exhausting. yes there was a long weekend every 3 weeks but too tired to do much. 12 hours are obviously longer shifts but far fewer of them, so many days off it...

The TSS Duke of Lancaster has been a familiar sight from the North Wales Coast line and A548 road near Mostyn docks for over 40 years, a former BR cruise ship and ferry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSS_Duke_of_Lancaster_(1955)

Good luck those interviewing for the WMSC. Don't know how much you all know about the location and the roster links/grades etc. but I'll try to give you an idea. Telford workstation: Grade 5 Wolverhampton workstation: Grade 7 Cherwell Valley workstation: Grade 7 North link...

As for the best train company... That has got to be the sadly short lived Wrexham and Shropshire. Excellent customer service, the staff were all amazing. No wonder they got 99% in customer satisfaction surveys. Lovely comfortable Mk3 coaches, the refurbished ones then took it to an even higher...