Great Western Coffee Shop

A 57 has failed so the 08 got a run out tonight with the ECS for the sleeper:

http://twitpic.com/186doc
http://twitpic.com/186f1m

An unexpectedly pleasant end to the day!

Amazing to think these nearly 60 year old machines are still in front line service doing exactly what they were designed for. Top stuff!

You know - I may have my own share of rail nightmares - I think I am the 21st centuries reginald perrin (although this year I've gone UDI and worked from home and no one has complained yet - maybe its old age!)

Maybe my absence is why no major f ups on the cotswolds......

anyway - I have never seen somethng that odd - and I would have noticed it!

Why do nice noticable things never happen when I'm around

Yep really versatile locos pull well but not fast.

Spent a happy morning on one shunting East Croydon Goods (long Gone).

Remember the Reading pilot disapearing wrong line down the Up Relief towards Tilehurst and coming back a little later hauling a dead 47 and 6 Mark 2s XC train.

Used to see tham at Wimbledon working the Norwood - Wimbledon via Waddon pick up goods.

Did one of my apprenticeship mechanical phase tests honing a set of bearings on an 08 at OOC, also they were good for learning about the basics of diesel electric traction and series and parallel running of traction motors no good though for learning about field diverts though

 ??? That's all Greek to me ;). Wot I do know is they got 3 axles coupled together and always look like they be travelling backwards! :D

Them 3 axle coupling have white metal journal bearings, these white metal journals at made slightly oversize to the axle to make the fit just so the meal is scraped by hand checking the fit as you go with a die called engineers blue

Eh?  ;D

Great pics!

Would love to have seen it in action.

Boppy.

I had thought that getting an 08 from Old Oak into Paddington would involve a small festival of paperwork (I'm assuming they have no ATP, OTMR, etc etc) so it's good to see that sensible things like this do still happen!

As a former Shunter, The Job not the Loco, it's one hell of a Ride bouncing around on the Shunters Platform at the front of these 08's, it might only be 15 MPH but in rough yards....... GREAT FUN.

Yep I'm back.

And a very warm welcome back, too, smokey!  ;) :D ;D

Indeed! Well said, Chris. Really good to see you back, Smokey.

TPWS is required, and they are fitted! Not sure if the OTDR is standard on these and as I have taken my name off the traction I don't get on 'em enough when at the Marsh lately to have noticed.

Happened again last night!

Always puts a smile on my face to see "Dusty" sitting there at the end of platform 1.

And again this morning!

One of the great things about havng Paddington controlled from a hut at Slough the signalmen haven't a clue what the loco is pulling the sleeper empties so long as they don't cause any delays.

Would have thought they had granfather rights from (Acton) OOC to Padd. 

Don't see why they don't do this as a matter of course- has always seemed a bit of a waste of a 57 just to haul in the empty stock for a mile or so.

Or alternatively grab a few of those spare MK3 DVTs form Long Marston and operate the sleeper in push-pull mode.

Not many drivers sign the 08 afaik. Apparently one will take the 08 if at all possible, probably him driving  ;)

given the reliability of the 57's in the west and steep gradients on parts of the route probably a bad idea, however i agree it would save money if all things were even

08836 was on the sleeper ECS out of Paddington this morning, I had an excellent view of it, the Tube train I was on overtook it on the approach to Westbourne Park!