I dread to think what is going to happen up in Edinburgh when the trams start running regularly.

---

Old enough to know better(but)still young enough not to care

We have had trams in Croydon for years now. When they were building the system I was driving a bus, I hated it with a passion and could never see why it was needed.

Now with my free "oldies pass" I use them all the time, best way to get around locally!!

Here is 2545 in the middle of Croydon last August.



They are numbered 2530 through to 2559. This follows on from the highest numbered tram in the original London Transport tram numbering system. 2529 was the highest numbered tram in London.

While there have been a few accidents, I suspect that most people would agreed the benefits outweigh the disadvantages

---

Meanwhile, 'oop North, I heard a strange whistle echoing down the valley. Well, unusual for this part of Yorkshire.

"Big Jim" was in steam...





Big Jim is an authentic S160 from the US. From wikipedia:



"Built as works number 8758 by the Lima company of America in 1945, No. 5820 was shipped to Britain and then almost immediately to France to help with the World War II war effort. After the war had ended, it went to Polish Railways where it was numbered Tr203.474 and allocated to Katowice shed.

During the 1970s, Polish steam was in decline while the British preservation movement was growing. No. 5820 was brought to Haworth in November 1977 and became known as 'Big Jim'. It reverted to its USATC number the following summer and starred in 'Yanks'.

No. 5820 was withdrawn from service in 1992. After a heavy overhaul, the locomotive returned to service in early 2014 in inauthentic BR unlined black livery as No. 95820. Boiler ticket expires in 2023."

That "early 2014" was this weekend....


(Note the added 'Rebuilt 2013 Haworth' plate)



And while we're here, let's pause to remember John Clark


(from the train)


(sadly no 'Landlord' today)

And so we say goodnight...

Richard, really not a train fan, but loved the pictures. Thanks for remembering John Clark. :-)

---

Nice pictures, Richard.

Some Americans would say it was "ugly Eurocrap" and may or may not retract the statement when told it's a Lima. I try to be a bit more open-minded. But really, it needs a headlight and bell somewhere on the smokebox front. ;)

Today I got pictures of UP 1996, the Southern Pacific heritage unit, with 7400 trailing, wearing a pink ribbon on the sides in support of breast cancer research. Perhaps I'll post some pics later.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

The US has had some ugly engines. Those early art deco attemps at streamlining were ugly as sin.

---

[/quote]

Old James

Nice pictures, Richard.

Some Americans would say it was "ugly Eurocrap" ....

Well, some Europeans might feel that American locos have too many of their working bits exposed in public. What on earth is that pump tacked on to the smokebox as an apparent afterthought?

Compare and contrast a British visitor to the same 'Steam Spectacular' weekend:





Though the 'Great Marquess' was built for passenger work, and Big Jim for freight (so not a fair comparison), she still has a cleaner outline, don't you think?

Personally I have always had a soft spot for Bullied's Q1 design.

---

.


A person who makes no mistakes, creates nothing.

I have always found the Baldwins to look like "real" engines, with bits and pieces hanging off here and there. Like this Mikado.



Maybe this is because the CNR did the same with their house-built engines, which were still in use when I started hanging around the rail yards as a wee lad. Some of the European engines of the same vintage look like toys to me, without all the working stuff out where you can see it.

---

This is what you a proper train.

What on earth is that behind the tender? Not one of these, surely?


(Last seen on UK TV in a drama about the 1963 'Great Train Robbery', filmed on this line and shown just before Christmas)

And the one behind might be familiar to you, too - 'City of Wells'.

The US has had some ugly engines. Those early art deco attemps at streamlining were ugly as sin.

I absolutely agree on that. The ones where the streamlining is designed in from the beginning are much better. SP GS4, N&W J, etc.

Richard, I also agree that that air pump hanging on the front is pretty ugly, but it seems very un-American for it to be there. Like maybe the British stuck it there because there wasn't room for it where it should be.

As to stuff hanging out, I'm sure some American executive decided pretty early on that exposing accessories makes them easier to maintain while hiding them away doesn't do anything to help the bottom line.

Some railroads don't even wash their engines, on the theory that a dirty engine pulls freight just as well as a clean one.

Anyway, I personally would be quite happy to ride behind and take pictures of that one and a lot of other stuff you guys have, if only I could afford the trip. Unfortunately, I can't even afford to ride the few we have operating here.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Richard, I also agree that that air pump hanging on the front is pretty ugly, but it seems very un-American for it to be there. Like maybe the British stuck it there because there wasn't room for it where it should be.

As to stuff hanging out, I'm sure some American executive decided pretty early on that exposing accessories makes them easier to maintain while hiding them away doesn't do anything to help the bottom line.

It might have been added somewhere in Europe, to cope with multiple braking standards - as shown on the coach it has just pulled into the station.


(not that it will ever reach 100 mph on our little preserved branch line that winds steeply into the hills)

Some railroads don't even wash their engines, on the theory that a dirty engine pulls freight just as well as a clean one.

Was that before they'd heard of air resistance?

Anyway, I personally would be quite happy to ride behind and take pictures of that one and a lot of other stuff you guys have, if only I could afford the trip. Unfortunately, I can't even afford to ride the few we have operating here.

Enjoy as if you were.


(starting right from the junction station with the main line)

Richard, I also agree that that air pump hanging on the front is pretty ugly, but it seems very un-American for it to be there. Like maybe the British stuck it there because there wasn't room for it where it should be.

As to stuff hanging out, I'm sure some American executive decided pretty early on that exposing accessories makes them easier to maintain while hiding them away doesn't do anything to help the bottom line.

It might have been added somewhere in Europe, to cope with multiple braking standards - as shown on the coach it has just pulled into the station.


(not that it will ever reach 100 mph on our little preserved branch line that winds steeply into the hills)

That could be.

Some railroads don't even wash their engines, on the theory that a dirty engine pulls freight just as well as a clean one.

Was that before they'd heard of air resistance?

Locomotives, at least American ones, are such big, boxy things anyway that I doubt a bit of dirt will make much difference in their poor aerodynamics. Back in the 1980s, EMD built three demonstrators of its new GP60 with the corners of their cabs rounded as an experiment in reducing wind resistance. They found that it made a difference, but not nearly enough of one to justify the extra manufacturing cost.

There are other efforts in this area, though. Some railroads insist that the doors of empty boxcars be closed to reduce drag. Empty coal hoppers and gondolas have been found to be almost as hard to move at high speed as loaded ones because of wind. And it is known that there is significant drag between the containers on double stack trains. Union Pacific has recently implemented a sloped dummy container to put on the front of stacks to at least help there a bit. (I forget its formal name.)

Anyway, I personally would be quite happy to ride behind and take pictures of that one and a lot of other stuff you guys have, if only I could afford the trip. Unfortunately, I can't even afford to ride the few we have operating here.

Enjoy as if you were.


(starting right from the junction station with the main line)

Thanks!

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

With this being a 'special event' weekend, there were loads of photographers around, both stills and video - these are popping up all over YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4QMMAWr1BU seems to have got out and about more than most, and gives a good flavour of our little line, as well as the locos.

"oldies pass"

LSM and I have them from when I worked for the system in Edmonton,
I just love not paying for things.

Baldwins look like "real" engines

I spent my younger years living out side of Halifax in the country.
The main line from upper Canada whent by our place about two hundred
yards away. I can still see in my minds eye the sight of those engines
puffing out great smoke rings into the clear blue summer sky....

---

With this being a 'special event' weekend, there were loads of photographers around, both stills and video - these are popping up all over YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4QMMAWr1BU seems to have got out and about more than most, and gives a good flavour of our little line, as well as the locos.

Nice. Big Jim does have quite a bark, whereas Nunlow has more of a woof, when it can keep a grip on the rails.

The double header in the next to last clip sounds nice, too, especially with the echo.

Big Jim's whistle sounds nicely American, too.

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Big Jim's whistle sounds nicely American, too.

I live about three miles from the junction station at the bottom of the line, on the other side of the main valley. It was hearing Big Jim's whistle when I went out to collect my newspaper on Saturday afternoon that reminded me to dig out the camera and head into town on Sunday. I'd seen an advance announcement, but forgotten about it...

And whilst in BR service a lot of British locos, were, well black and boring.

For sheer power you can't beat the "Big Boy" and I don't think it looks boring at all, quiet the reverse. Love to see one of those in steam!!



If you want to talk boring, guess what train made the fastest ever run from London to Brighton on the 11th September 2005

Well one of these.



Well this actual one 377 472

Here is the video

London Brighton Speed Run September 2005

---

I know as well as you do that you like British steam engines

Well actually only because they are the only ones you can see in the UK!!

I actually like all types of trains.

First time I went to the US, this was quite a highlight



Standing on the platform at Gettysbug station as this totally ordinary SD40-2 passed.

As was seeing this Amtrak GE P40DC at New London,last year pulling New Haven stock



The Americans lost interest in railways from the 40's onwards when the car took over, whilst Dr Beeching tried we never really did. We still think steam is great.

I just like trains and am just as happy taking pictures of 34046 rushing through South Croydon


As I am a pair of 37 class diesels pulling the Network Rail test train.

---

Actually Bernie, the H8 2-6-6-6 Allegheny can/could beat a Big Boy, as the H8 had more horsepower(7,498 hp) than any other steam loco according to the wiki.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-6-6-6#History

Oh and the 4014 is being converted from coal to oil fired.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_Big_Boy#Restoration_of_4014

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's