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Driving home the other day, I saw a Chiltern train go whizzing by (on the Chiltern Mainline), and observed it was made up of three three-car 168s - a total of 9 vehicles. I was amazed just how long it was, and I don't recall ever seeing one of Chiltern's trains being this long - not a DMU at...

Got 404s on those images. I got to see inside a genset for a data centre (one of three they had on site). They're basically in something the size of a long ISOtainer, and it's nearly all engine, plus an alternator - that's about all that's in there. They are BIG!

I do love a big engine :D

That's utterly, utterly fascinating! Exactly the sort of thing I love! Thanks :)

A question as simple as it sounds really. We see numerous pictures of the exteriors of locos, and a few of the cabs, but very rarely see what's inside the engine and traction bays. I've seen a few of diesel locos, but I don't think I've ever seen the interior workings of an electric loco. I'm...

All traction is interesting! Granted, 66s are a bit boring because they're pretty much everywhere, but I'm happy to see anything trundle by!

We had four people come down to us in Buckinghamshire from Leeds today, as part of a workshop. I often find project kickoffs or workshops are better in that way. Once things get going, however, you can work remotely using things like Webex/Teams or whatever.

Chiltern Mainline is only about 5 miles (as the crow flies), yet I've never been along the bit. I've been as far as Risboro-London, but never north of there. Thought about it a few times, but alas it was cheaper to drive.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10847/2019/04/04/advanced Is that it?

I'm always very intrigued by the noise the rails make as a train approaches, especially at speed. Jointed track gives the stereotypical 'clickety-clack' sound, but continuous welded rail has a twanging spring sound.

As much as I'd love to see a station for Aylesbury, just a bit further up at EWR just isn't going to happen, based on what I keep hearing - HS2 isn't for the south, it's for the midlands and beyond. I can't see it happening tbh. It's not going to win any more votes for the Tories (it's slap-dab...

On the subject of electrification, I recall many (MANY) moons ago when the original Crossrail was being talked about, it was planned to extend to Aylesbury, via the Amersham line. The intention was to do OHLE, but I do recall lots of talk about it not being overly viable because there were too...

Other than traction current, I'd assume lighting to be a major consumer of power over the network. I'd guess it pips escalators and lifts due to the sheer quantity of lighting there must be.

One would presume NR and the TOCs who manage stations will be installing LED lighting at the least. I'm not sure if the rail industry is subject to it, but I understand there's incentives and levies imposed by Govt to reduce carbon emissions (Carbon Credits I think?). I'd imagine they'd be doing...

Hah! I stand corrected then! It was a studio set. I can only assume the set designers just used whatever had a BR logo on it.

I was a little baffled by that one. Another favourite of filmmakers is to use an American train horn. I think it's more to do with how it sounds, than how accurate it is. The TV sitcom 'Spaced' uses one to cut from a scene in a station to a different shot, and I'm sure there's others (can't...

Does Marylebone have a platform A and B?

I remember the days of the old Class 115s, from what I recall of those just going full bore on the throttle seemed to be the general method for getting out of a station. Similarly, I was on 121020 recently down at Bodmin, and that needed basically wellying all the way back up the hill. So much clag!

Thanks, sounds like a fair bit of redundancy in there.

I assumed it to be DC power, given the thickness of the cables. I assumed the control gear was located on the vehicle with the pantograph, but that seems messy and inflexible as it'd make sense to send a flat current out to all the other cars, and let them do their thing, so it sounds like it's...