Today – in a classic example of weasel words and buck passing – Transport Minister Mark Harper has announced the closure programme has been scrapped. Harper claims that:
““The proposals that have resulted from this process do not meet the high thresholds set by ministers, and so the government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals”
Train operators proposals? What a classic attempt to pass the buck!
This whole process was started by Harper and the Department for Transport back in July when they INSTRUCTED operators to come up with proposals to close ticket offices. It wasn’t the operators idea. Why would it be? Contrary to what some in the media and on the political left claim this wouldn’t have made the operators any more money – exactly the opposite, because under their contracts they get paid a management fee for operating ticket offices. Reduce the size of the pie and you reduce the size of the operators slice of said pie.
This whole debacle is Harper and the Governments fault. They completely miscalculated the levels of opposition to their ‘cunning plan’ and were taken aback at the strength and size of the reactions. 750,000 people responded to Transport Focus’ consultation, many of them from the Tory-voting shires. The issue of access to the network hadn’t been though out – as the results of the consultation made plain.
Don’t be fooled by Harper’s claims and weasel words and when it comes to the next election – remember who’s really responsible for (mis)managing the railways. This government.
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After a busy few days (and with more to come) it’s time for a break. As part of my birthday bash my wonderful wife Dawn has arranged for the pair of us to have a luxury night away in the lake district. We’re in no rush to get there, the weather’s hardly conducive to long walks in the countryside – we can’t even see the other side of the valley through the rain and murk here, but that’s not the point of the trip. It’s chance for the pair of us to have some quality time together in lovely surroundings. Let’s see how the trip goes…
14:50.
We’re on our way cross-country via Skipton and Hellifield. Here’s the rush-hour and sunshine at Clapham. No, not that one – the other one!
16:00.
We’ve arrived at the Wild Boar – which is rather special…
18:15.
Wow! What a lovely place and way to relax. We’ve spent the past couple of hours sat downstairs by the real fire in the bar area having a drink, chatting and watching the residents go by. Now it’s time to dress for dinner. Not too dressy mind – most of the hotel guests are like us and normally wearing walking gear.
21:30.
We’re both stuffed after eating a meatfest in the restaurant. Dawn had the Venison and I had the Mallard. Both were gorgeous, and not something we’d cook at home hence us ordering them. The irony? The dish we both enjoyed the most was a side dish – roasted Butternut squash with pickled Walnuts!
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It’s early but I’m on the rails again. This time heading to Aylesbury from Central London in order to (hopefully) record the first beams of the deck of the new HS2 viaduct being lifted into place. I’ll blog throughout the day when I can. For now, I’ll let this picture do the talking!
08:05.
The job’s been pushed back a couple of hours so I’ve had time to take a trip out to Princes Risborough and back on the first day of the line reopening after the recent blockade.
17:00.
S’cuse the huge gap here, but that’s due to being very busy and also being knackered. Today’s been another fascinating day learning about and seeing modern construction techniques that are making HS2 such a green railway. Forget the absolute dross you hear from ani HS2 protesters, Nimbys and a former BBC Environment Correspondent who’re still chucking out a decade and more old table top calculation, this is the real world and real construction where the UKs’ importing skills from abroad and people who’ve been doing this for years. The old methods went out of the window years ago.
The site I’ve been visiting is that of the Thame viaduct. It’s nowhere near as grand as the iconic Colne Valley viaduct as it’s low-lying (3.3 meters high) and only 880 meters long as its designed to cross a floodplain – and today was an ideal time to see that floodplain in action! The reason for today’s visit was that the girders that form the deck of the bridge have started to be lifted into place and a few of us were invited along to watch the operation.
I’m currently heading back to Yorkshire from Kings Cross after returning to London, so I’ll be adding a few pictures shortly. Bear with me!
17:30.
Here’s some pics from the day.
The lorry arrives with the girder. This is a fine example of how HS2 is spreading wealth around the UK. The crane on the left is on hire from a company in Inverness, Scotland. The HGV bringing the girder in us from a company in Richmond, North Yorkshire, whilst the company manufacturing the girders and pillars is based on the Isle of Grain. Kent.
18:30.
We’ve just left Doncaster and I’m looking forward to getting home. It’s been a long day…
20:20.
Right, I’m home and uploading a few camera pictures of the Thame valley viaduct for your delectation. When I have time I’ll add some more technical details. But for now, this is me signing off!
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
It may be Sunday night but there’s no rest for the wicked. I have a morning appointment to visit an HS2 construction site near Aylesbury tomorrow so I’m travelling South this evening in preparation. This late trip means I’ve been able to enjoy a leisurely day at home with Dawn, which has been lovely, especially as the pair of us were out late last night at a friend’s 60th birthday party. Kath had booked a meal for us all at the Astronomer in the Piece Hall in Halifax where we enjoyed a fantastic array of tapas dishes. It’s the first time we’ve eaten there in this incarnation, but it’s unlikely to be the last. Afterwards we adjourned to the Railway pub (an old favorite) for a last drink before heading home. The Railway has a disco night on Saturday, only this weekend with a Halloween theme. The music’s unashamedly 70s-80s but it always draws a good crowd. It was an ideal place to hide from the rail as it bucketed it down last night!
Thankfully, today’s been dry and sunny so I’ve had time to catch up with some gardening as well as other household chores, whilst still managing a few hours work.
Right now I’m on my way to Leeds on Northern’s 18:52 service from Halifax to Leeds. It’s a quiet, 2-car train as this is a neither here nor there time to be travelling.
20:00.
Leeds station was just as quiet as my Northern train tonight – although the fact it was chucking it doen with rain (again) may have had something to do with it. We’ve certainly had our fair share of the wet stuff over the past week. I was only passing through so didn’t even bother getting the camera out. Instead, I headed for the warmth of the LNER ‘set’Azuma’ set sat in the platform which was ready to form the 19:45 to Kings Cross.
This is another relatively quiet train, although my coach has been graced by a bunch of students who’ve obviously been out for a few beers and are now scoffing their vegan fast food aboard. Frankly, It smells just as greasy and unappetising as the ‘real’ stuff!
21:00.
We’re well on our way to our next stop at Peterborough right now – not that you’d know as it’s pitch black outside. Now the clocks have gone back daylight’s disappearing all too fast. I love the quality of winter light but I do miss those long summer days.
As there’s nothing to see I’ve been keeping busy working on the train. Trying to organise far too many picture folders into one coherent database for filing and to ensure everything productive has appeared on my Zenfolio website our gone out to clients. This is also a useful exercise for ignoring the depressing news that’s coming out of Israel, Palestine – and now Dagestan. Thanks to Homo Sapiens this planet is becoming ever more fcuked up. We seem to be beset by storms, political, social, economic and environmental – fuelled by populist politicians who haven’t got a clue what to do about anything other than cling to power, posture – and lie.
21:20.
We’re now South of Peterborough after being held in the station to let fast services to London overtake us. The trains still quiet although the station (being an important interchange) was full of people swapping between trains. This is like the old days for me. Back in the late 80s early 90s I’d often spend a weekend with an old friend from the Southport diaspora here in Peterborough. On Friday I’d travel up from London after work and return on trains like this. Well, not ‘exactly’ like this – the Class 91s were new in those days, so often it’d be a packed HST that would take me back to Kings Cross. Happy days in many ways.
22:25.
Arrived! I’m now indulging in a spot of night photography at Kings Cross, waiting for my steed in to return to Leeds as the 22:35. Not bad – a 30m turnaround. The weather’s been wet in London earlier but it’s dried out enough to deprive me of the puddles and reflections I’d have liked to have had. Oh, well. Blur shots it is then…
23:30.
And blur shots shots it is! Here’s my train returning to Leeds…
I find London stations fascinating places at night, but that maybe because I’ve spent over 40 years haunting them and seen some incredible changes – especially at the likes of Kings Cross. I first spent night-time here back in the 1970s when the area had a terrible reputation for drugs and prostitution. In that respect it was no different to any other gateway to capital cities but as a teenager it had a frisson of danger which made it quite exotic. It’s been cleaned up massively since those days. Back then you could go ‘off grid’ as soon as you left your house. Now, when I wander through the place I can spot the homeless and overnight travelers who gravitate to stations because they’re warm, safe and have power sockets, seats – and wifi! The modern world isn’t all bad – even if we as a developed country still have the stigma of homelessness – but that’s the Tories for you.
Ironic too when I think about it. There were always people exploiting the young homeless in London in those days, but word got around about who to trust or not. Now we know that some of the most untrustworthy people were media personalities. Funny old world…
Right now I’m updating this blog and posting pictures from the ‘Cross wifi. I was going to venture up the road to some old haunts but a signal failure at Finsbury Park has added too much of a wild card. Instead I’ll stay local.
00:30.
The last update. I’m now at Euston before calling it a day. It’s a nightmare of a sation nowadays as it’s far too small for the traffic it handles. The new ‘information’ screens don’t help. Commercial and political pressure has meant the vast majority of space has been given over to advertising.
Folk who’ve missed their trains or who have nowhere else to go are bedding down here too. I noticed one lovely act of human kindness. A young African woman laden down with suitcases is holed up in a corner. One of the station security guards ( who’re hardly paid a kings ransom) stopped to chat, then slipped her a fiver so she could get a coffee in the morning. I sometimes forget that humans can can actually display humanity – and charity.
Right. Enough from me. See you tomorrow.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Last night’s pessimism was thankfully unfounded. It seems Trans-Pennine Express have managed to get four of their class 68s into service today, so I’m off for a day out to meet up with old friends and enjoy a few trips behind these trains before their untimely demise. Or, to borrow railway enthusiast terminology, we’re going to ‘bash’ a few! The sorry saga of the Vossloh built Class 68s and their CAF built coaching sets is worthy of a blog of its own. It doesn’t show the railway in a good light, from TPE themselves right through to CAF, the builders of the coaches. Poor decision making and planning runs through the story like the letters through a stick of rock.
Right now I’m still in a very foggy Calder valley, waiting for a late running 09:22 to Manchester Victoria. I’ll be meeting some friends in the city to catch the first working which will carry us back across the Pennines. Watch this space…
09:50.
We’ve now burst through the Summit tunnel into Lancashire and – as is typical – we have very different weather here. The fog’s lifted, as have the clouds letting the sky tease us with glimpses of clear blue sky.
The change seems to have befuddled my train. The information screens and PA are announcing we’re approaching Low Moor (near Bradford) just as we speed through Saddleworth!
11:20.
The fun begins…
13:05.
We’re back in foggy Yorkshire. What a change from the sunshine of Lancashire. Right now we’re awaiting the road from York to Malton where we’ll be meeting another couple of the group who’ll join us for the stip to Seamer where we’ll pick up a Westbound service back to York. This train’s been busy throughout the trip with a constant churn rate of passengers. These five car sets will be missed when they revert to three car trains.
21:15.
yes, I know, there’s been a huge gap in blogging here. That’s mainly because we’ve been having so much fun together – in real life. Our plans were fluid so the gang ended up meeting up in Malton en-route to Scarbados – sorry Scarborough. Only there was a much more interesting opportunity by changing trains at a pace called Seamer, which allowed us to sample a different Class 68 and Mk 5 set to get us back to York. By which time it was beer o’ clock. So, the four of us adjourned to some of the lesser well-known real ale pubs for a bevvy or two where we could relax, enjoy each others company and talk about all manner of things.
The hour we’d set aside turned into several. but what a lovely day. For me it was a chance to enjoy my birthday with some close friends without any pressure to ‘do’ things.
Now I’m back at home as we’ve gone our separate ways. The trains I’ve caught have been packed – so much for the claims no-one’s travelling by rail anymore. What surprised me is that it wasn’t just trains syphoning folk into Leeds, people were travelling much wider. A night out in Halifax? Some folk were going for it!
Now it’s time for me to relax back home and sort out a few pictures. Tomorrow Dawn and I are out with different friends (the five from the 6) to celebrate Kath’s birthday, but there won’t be a train in sight…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
A day I’m glad is over to be honest. The weather here in’t Calder valley has been wet and miserable but that didn’t matter so much as I’ve spent the vast majority tied to my computer. First I had to sort out and edit pictures from yesterday as some are needed immediately for my next article. That took quite a while. Then I ended up wasting a couple of hours in a frustrating battle to get a new Fitbit. My ‘old’ one (just out of warranty) died last weekend when the battery gave up the ghost because it refuses to charge. After some to-ing and fro-ing with Fitbit they agreed to send me a voucher for 50% off a new one. Not perfect, but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Then I tried to use the voucher code. No-go. Repeatedly, for several days. So, today I contacted then again. Sorree – we’ll send you a new voucher code. Which they did. Only this time it was only for 35% off. Oi! I complained. After much more to-ing and fro-ing they apologised and said they shouldn’t have given me 50% as in the UK we’re only entitled to 35% (I wonder why?). But, a deal’s a deal. Only they couldn’t send me a new voucher. Oh no. Now I have to buy a full price Fitbit and they’ll refund 50%. Eventually, when it’s shipped – which may be days…
All this took over two hours to sort out as there’s no-one on the end of a phone, it’s a keyboard chat. The frustrating thing? They insisted on a copy of the order details to be sent to them. Eh? You’ve already got everything – I’m buying it off you! So, after faffing around with screenshots, they finally (albeit with an apology) said ‘OK’. Now I have to wait and see what happens.
This faff didn’t exactly put me in a good mood, but I gritted my teeth and finished writing my RAIL article, doing my very best not to let sarcasm slop over into it when I was writing about some recent political puffery. OK, maybe the Subbie is going to have to wield a judicious scalpel…
So, everything done and sent off I realised it was late and I’d promised to cook, which was just as well as I needed the therapy. Now I can add a fresh batch of Chana Masala to today’s accomplishments. At least the decks are now clear for tomorrow when I’m having a bit of a day out as a celebration of becoming a Beatles song. I’ll leave you guessing as to which one! The day might not go to plan as the idea was to enjoy a ride behind one of the last Trans-Pennine Express Class 68s and Mk 5 sets before they’re withdrawn at the December timetable change. Problem is, TPE have very few working sets and locos left and only one Class 68 is shown as being out tomorrow. Hopefully the spanner-monkeys will be busy on the other one overnight…
In the meantime, here’s a picture of what I’m hoping to enjoy…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
There’s been a change of plan. I was meant to be staying at home writing but the weather has changed and given me chance to do the exploring I need to complete an article. So I’m off to Sheffield, although I can do some writing and research on the way. Feel free to follow me through the day and see what I get up to…
09:55.
Not a bad day for being out! Here’s the view across Sowerby Bridge and the Calder Valley taken from my walk up the hill to Spring Edge on the way into Halifax.
10:45.
Hmm, timetables on the Calder Valley seem to be up the spout this morning due to late running. On the bright side I walked straight onto a busy Halifax – Hull service that was ready to depart so I should easily make my connection at Leeds for a Cross-Country service to Sheffield.
11:50.
All’s going well. The 11:11 Leeds – Sheffield is a 9 car so I’ve managed to find a seat, plug in the laptop and do some writing. Now we’re on the apprach to Sheffield where I’ll be swapping train for other public transport.
12:45.
I’ve exchanged train for tram. Now I’m exploring areas of Sheffield I’ve not visited in years!
14:25.
Now I am off piste. Here’s a clue…
18:50.
Sorry for the blogging gap but I’ve been busy exploring an area I’ve only passed through before so never got to know. The Don valley out to Stocksbridge proved to be really interesting for a whole host of reasons – most of which I’ll have to blog about later as I’m currently writing this update from my phone whilst sat in the luggage bay of a Cross-Country Voyager from Sheffield to Leeds!
Stocksbridge isn’t the easiest place to get to by public transport. The trams run out at Middlewood. After that its buses, which aren’t that frequent or reliable. There’s a lot of house building in the valley bottom. Much of it cheek by jowel with the old railway. That said, the railway’s really on the wrong side of the valley to be much use. Plus, the original stations closed 60 – 70 years ago. The land surrounding them is now completely built up.
22:30.
Back at home after a very interesting day that’s left me with a lot of mixed feelings and a whole load of stuff to write about if I had the time, but tomorrow I’ve an article to finish on the back of some of today’s research.
I love my job. I love being able to explore the way I have today – even when the experiences aren’t always positive – although I have to say the interactions I’ve had with the residents of the Don valley I’ve met and talked to have been good. That said, seeing someone proudly flying an Ulster Volunteer Force flag in their back garden was rater jarring. I wish I had time to write more about my trip. Instead, I’ll have to leave you with a couple of pictures.
I’ll publish more pictures and links to the article after it’s published. Until then…
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
‘Tis been another quiet day here at Bigland Towers. The weather in the Calder valley’s been wet and miserable these past few days although we’ve been lucky (for once) to escape the flooding that’s affected other parts of the UK, including areas that I was in just a few days ago – like Chesterfield. It’s no laughing matter for those affected and flooded out of their homes or businesses. We know – we’ve experienced it here.
That said, I couldn’t help but laugh at the insanity of comments from our Environment Minister, Thérèse Coffey, who’s managed to outdo the classic railway PR blunder about ‘the wrong kind of snow’. Apparently, the flooding that’s been experienced is due to the rain coming from the ‘wrong’ direction. I shit you not! Here she is being quoted in the Guardian newspaper. Christ on a bike – how do these talentless people end up in Government – and stay there, rotating between one useless job to another? If you voted for these people – hang your head in shame (and do the right thing next time).
Away from the weather I’ve been busy researching and writing my next article for RAIL magazine, which will look at a route across Northern England which is a shadow of its former self but what’s left is very much worth visiting. I’ve also been planning the next few days which will see me out and about, looking at the present and future of the UK railways rather than reflecting on the past. Oh, and somewhere in all that I’ve a birthday to celebrate as I’m about to be a Beatles song. I’ll leave you to guess which one.
Right, time to go, which means leaving you with a picture. What to choose? Umm – how about this one? Fed up of rain and grey skies? OK, here’s a toast-rack tram crossing the old Carioca Aqueduct in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil at sunset on the 7th August 2002.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
This morning certain national and other newspapers are uncritically rehashing a DfT press release, claiming that money released from scapping phase 2 of HS2 is going to fund new bus services next year.
This is very frustrating because those newspapers and journalists are helping the government publicise the con. Not one of the journos has stopped to think, do any analysis, or ask any awkward questions. For example, discussing the theoretical size of the slice of a non-existent pie rather than pointing out the fact the pie itself doesn’t exist. Is it any wonder people in the UK are so woefully ill-informed when members of the 4th estate become an uncritical arm of government propaganda?
Here’s the DfT press release journalists have cut and paste to cobble their stories together from.
Note some important points;
This funding won’t be available to sometime (unspecified) in the next financial year – subject to all the usual caveats about bids, business cases, approvals etc. No-one knows what it will actually be spent on. No-one actually know where it’s really coming from. The press release makes some wild guesses on what it ‘could’ be spent on – like this;
“While it is up to local authorities in partnership with operators to decide how best to use the funding, the new funding for next year is enough to support up to 25 million miles of new bus services across the North and Midlands”
Note the word ‘support’. They mean subsidise. Sunak himself is quoted as claiming this;
“We’re backing buses with one of the biggest ever support packages and keeping bus fares down to ensure the country’s favourite means of transport is more affordable for millions of people”
*More* affordable? The Government has already announced it’s keeping the fare cap, so how does this make buses ‘more’ affordable? It doesn’t. It’s yet more weasel words and part of Sunak’s con. This is yet another example of Sunak’s ‘illustrative’ claims that will never be delivered before the next election when he’s out on his ear.
There’s also a huge financial elephant in the room here that not a single journo has picked up on. This is using Capex as Opex.
Let me explain. Capex (capital expenditure) is when you invest money in long term assets which are an investment for the future – such as building a new green railway with a design life of 120 years that actually generates a return. Opex (operational expenditure) is money spent on short-term, day to day expenses, like wages – or subsidising bus fares! You need to replenish that money every year because once it’s spent it’s gone. There’s a good explanation here.
Instead of having a new green railway, the modern spine of our crumbling network which is beset by Climate Change we’ll have what to show for the money? Nothing – apart from the abandoned, half built structures on HS2’s route to Crewe – a monument to Rishi Sunak and this governments short-term thinking and lies.
It’s no wonder some perceptive commentators are calling Sunak ‘Truss lite’. This is similar to her economic madness of borrowing money from the markets to fund tax cuts.
Yet again Rishi Sunak is trying to con you with ‘jam tomorrow’ – and large sections of the media are helping him to do it.
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
On Thursday at Barrow Hill roundhouse near Chesterfield, Positive Traction showcased their new Class 08 shunting locomotive which has been converted from diesel to battery electric power, making it free from carbon, NOx and particulate emissions. The re-engineered locomotive (08308) has several other improvements and refinements, updating an English Electric design that dates back to 1934.
The beauty of converting an 08 compared to building a completely new design is that the 08 has ‘Grandfather rights’ so doesn’t need to go through a time-consuming acceptance procedure as it’s ‘simply’ a re-engined existing design, although that description doesn’t really do this locomotive justice.
The old English Electric diesel engine’s been replaced with Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) 88kwh batteries supplied by Lithion Battery Inc. Up to six ‘plug in’ batteries can be fitted under the new, lower body which has replaced the fuel tank, engine and radiator assembly. The batteries and control equipment module are designed to be able to be changed in minutes using a forklift truck.
The existing cab and control desk has been retained although visibility has been improved by fitting extra windows front and back. The compensate for the 19 tonnes of weight removed 10 and 20mm thick steel plates have been fitted above the frames. The cab’s also been enhanced with double-glazing, roof-mounted heating, ventilation and an HVAC unit.
Other improvements include standard BMAC light clusters, regenerative braking and CCTV whilst the connecting rod bearings have been replaced with oil-free Vesconite units made in South Africa. These bearings reduce maintenance and prevent oil loss-making the shunter an attractive proposition in depots and lines where pollution is a concern.
A further improvement is that the 08e prototype is rated at 450hp, 50hp higher than a conventional 08. Tractive effort has been increased from 35,000lbf to 45,000lbf (200kn) the same as a Class 33 locomotive.
Whilst only a prototype the potential of these conversions is clear. UK railways (mainline, industrial and preserved) still rely on the 08 for many duties. Converting these to 08e would make a real difference to yards and railways around the country, continuing the quest to cut carbon emissions and pollution.
Here’s a selection of pictures from the day.
And finally, here’s a video of the 08e in action. The loco still has its EE506 traction motors – hence the traditional sounds – even if there’s no longer the burble from the EE 6KT engine!
I’ve a small favour to ask… If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website – https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/