Railway General Knowledge.

[Peter Mugridge]

Thank you DerekC. I couldn't think of much, but here's one:

Where is, or will be, the longest continuous tunnel containing a railway that is wholly in the UK (i.e. not including the Channel Tunnel or anything associated with it)?

Is that the Chiltern tunnel on HS2?

 

[SuspectUsual]

The northern line?

 

[alistairlees]

The northern line?

No, afraid not.

 

[alistairlees]

Is that the Chiltern tunnel on HS2?

Not that either

 

[Cowley]

Not that either

It’s probably somewhere up north but I’ll give the Severn Tunnel a go Alistair?

 

[Mag_seven]

How about Crossrail from Custom House to Paddington?

 

[alistairlees]

It’s probably somewhere up north but I’ll give the Severn Tunnel a go Alistair?

Sorry no

 

[alistairlees]

How about Crossrail from Custom House to Paddington?

Good guess but nope. It’s a bit less conventional than all these.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

The GPO underground railway in London?
Or something on the public tube, but how does one define that? I understand that more than half the underground is overground

 

[alistairlees]

The GPO underground railway in London?
Or something on the public tube, but how does one define that? I understand that more than half the underground is overground

Neither, I'm afraid.

To help a bit, "will be" is an important part of the question, which refers to this year.

 

[Mag_seven]

Is it something to do with the new Thames "Super Sewer" Tideway Tunnel?

 

[alistairlees]

Is it something to do with the new Thames "Super Sewer" Tideway Tunnel?

I'm afraid not. It's not in southern England at all, in fact.

 

[xotGD]

Is it associated with a hydro-electric project?

 

[alistairlees]

Is it associated with a hydro-electric project?

No, I’m afraid not, though that’s a little warmer in some ways.

 

[xotGD]

From the new polyhalite mine near Whitby to Teesside?

 

[alistairlees]

From the new polyhalite mine near Whitby to Teesside?

We have a winner! 37,000 metres apparently. Although the material will be moved by conveyor belt, there will also be a maintenance railway running the length of the tunnel.

Over to you xotGD!

 

[xotGD]

We have a winner! 37,000 metres apparently. Although the material will be moved by conveyor belt, there will also be a maintenance railway running the length of the tunnel.

Over to you xotGD!

They'll have to organise a railtour!

OK then, next question:

There are 13 Class 37s in the Colas 'COTS' locomotive pool. Without looking, can you give the numbers of 5 of them?

 

[Cowley]

They'll have to organise a railtour!

OK then, next question:

There are 13 Class 37s in the Colas 'COTS' locomotive pool. Without looking, can you give the numbers of 5 of them?

I’ll give it a try.

37175
37421
Ok now I’m struggling, 37025?

 

[xotGD]

I’ll give it a try.

37175
37421
Ok now I’m struggling, 37025?

All 3 correct. Now can you get another 2 or can someone else get another 5?

 

[SteveyBee131]

37057
37099
37116
37219
37254

 

[xotGD]

37057
37099
37116
37219
37254

All present and correct!

The full list is 025, 057, 099, 116, 175, 219, 240, 254, 418, 421, 607, 610, 612.

Your floor...

 

[alistairlees]

All present and correct!

The full list is 025, 057, 099, 116, 175, 219, 240, 254, 418, 421, 607, 610, 612.

Your floor...

Thank goodness for that. Apart from starting at 001 and ending at 309 I had no idea.

 

[SteveyBee131]

Cool, thanks!

Most of the 37s were built at Vulcan Foundry which for a number of years had a station, Vulcan Halt.

There have been numerous other stations with the suffix Halt over the years. These days however, there are only two that are officially so on the network. Name them both please.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Golf Links Halt?

 

[SteveyBee131]

No, bit further South

 

[alistairlees]

IBM is one, not officially closed yet

 

[SteveyBee131]

It's open, but doesn't officially carry the Halt suffix these days

 

[SuspectUsual]

St Keyne Wishing Well is one of them

 

[Calthrop]

And isn't the other, Coombe Junction Halt (same line)?

 

[xotGD]

So not Haltwhistle then?