Ely West Loop

[Flange]

Anybody know what traffic is using the Ely (Adelaide) West Loop? The track is shiny so something is going round, Middleton sand maybe.

[bramleyman]

Anybody know what traffic is using the Ely (Adelaide) West Loop? The track is shiny so something is going round, Middleton sand maybe.

Yes it does and according to what I have been told, twice a day now, but yet to be confirmed.

[Flange]

Thanks. I will keep trying at that location. If you get any more info I'll be glad to hear it.

[bramleyman]

I live near Downham Market, so may well meet you there sometime. I will ask another Enthusiast I know, if he can confirm it for you, as his son watches the sand train(s) every chance he gets.

[Flying Pig]

There's at least 2 different sand trains - a Heavyhaul & DBS one.

I snapped DBS 6E88 - the 12:39 Middleton Towers to Goole Glassworks (arr 20:37) near Runcton.

[bramleyman]

There's at least 2 different sand trains - a Heavyhaul & DBS one.

I snapped DBS 6E88 - the 12:39 Middleton Towers to Goole Glassworks (arr 20:37) near Runcton.

Down the road from me. Runcton that is. I caught sight of one heading back into Lynn one afternoon last week as I was returning home from that way, but too late to see loco.

[Flange]

Thanks boys. Turns out there are 2 a day but it took 5 visits to the loop to see, and video, a train going round it, no. 66010 seen in the photo, travelling much faster than I expected and creating an ear splitting flange squeal ( ear plugs required if you ever go there).

[bramleyman]

Pleased to see you finally got it. I popped to Runcton this morning to see the NR HST going to King's Lynn. Had I stayed longer, I daresay I would have seen the sand train, but had a neighbour with me who I promised to drop off in town.

[Flying Pig]

Ha! I went into to KL today to catch the 11:56, and reached the station just as the NMT was pulling out of pl2. Pity as I could have snapped it if I'd been 5 minutes earlier.

Do you know if this was a scheduled visit, or did it come to assess the appalling ride between Ely and Lynn ? (Speaking of which - I see that no sooner did the ESR come off at Ely Dock jn than a new one sprouted up at the Cam bridge near Chesterton). :rolleyes:

Cheers, FP

[bramleyman]

I had a tip-off by phone on Thursday, that this was coming down to Lynn, so unable to answer your question Flying Pig, sorry.

I can recall an HST visiting Lynn many years ago, and pleased to say I was on it following our DMU failure between Litteport and Downham Market, resulting in the DMU being terminated at the latter. I even have photo's of it in Lynn, but no date recorded. All I can recall is that it was prior to November 1989.

[Flying Pig]

Oh dear. The single line between Littleport & Downham appears to be cursed. It seems that if a train is going to fail, it will happen there in the most inconvenient and difficult to reach-by-road place. I'm told that's why the Royal Train always carries an RST (Rolling Stock Technician) in the back.

In fact I lost a pantograph in there fairly recently, but managed to coast out of the section.

Bramleyman - what was the occasion for the HST to visit Lynn ? Presumably some sort of special ?

Cheers, FP

[bramleyman]

Oh dear. The single line between Littleport & Downham appears to be cursed. It seems that if a train is going to fail, it will happen there in the most inconvenient and difficult to reach-by-road place. I'm told that's why the Royal Train always carries an RST (Rolling Stock Technician) in the back.

In fact I lost a pantograph in there fairly recently, but managed to coast out of the section.

Bramleyman - what was the occasion for the HST to visit Lynn ? Presumably some sort of special ?

Cheers, FP

As far as I am aware it was doing checks in the region. It also went to Norwich.