Quote:
Originally Posted by Ploughman
If you can find a copy.
Fastline Films Vol 2
Behind the scenes.
Early On Track Machinery
Fastline / Tele Rail
5019399 104478
This DVD features a number of different machines in the 50s / 60s working mainly on the ECML.
Morris Tracklayer, Ballast Cleaner, early tamper,
Long welded train and others
|
Each Saturday HM could put out many ballast trains working all over a large area, I have been as far as Burnley and from York down to Donny.
At this time guards had route knowledge of all the mainlines in our area.
We have worked with ballast cleaners which chucked the ballast down the banking sides to track lifters that could murder a 100 yards of track in a flick of they eye.
I was once on a ballast site at the Leeds end of Thackerley Tunnel which had 3 trains each with 40 spoil waggons on each.
In 1992 HM started on the Leeds,Bradford,Ilkley to Skipton electrification trains.
3 trains every night from Doncaster to site.
We signed on at 1745 to : 02:45, and 00:15 to 09:15hrs.
This lasted for about 2.5 years.
We also lifted CWR from Royston to Wath Road Junction when the Midland route to Sheffield was closed, and all round the Wath /Barnsley area.
One of the first BT I worked was putting in a junction at South Kirby Jct which allowed HST's and LHCS onto the Swinton and Knottgley Route to Sheffield.
This allowed the Midland Main line to close from Normington, Goose Hill Jct through to Wath Road Junction at Mexboro.
All the traffic was re routed through Wakefield Westgate South Kirkby Jct over the S and K to Sheffield
I have all my diaries from this time of what I did, complete with head codes, engine number and restdays and Sundays worked from 1981 through to 2005 .