Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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Southern approach to Kisby level crossing

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Level crossing signs provided at Kisby level crossing

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The accident happened because the tractor driver did not telephone the signaller before crossing the railway to seek permission to cross.

This was a consequence of the tractor driver not being briefed about the requirement to call the signaller and his belief that he could cross safely by looking for approaching trains.

This probably arose because the authorised user, the person owning land on both sides of the level crossing, was not briefing crossing users in a way which resulted in correct use of the crossing, and railway staff were unaware that this was the case until shortly before the accident.

RAIB found that Network Rail was not effectively managing the safe use of Kisby, and some other user worked crossings with telephones, and that this was an underlying factor for the accident.

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Damage to the locomotive

Both of the locomotive’s front windscreens were pushed into the cab on impact with the bale chaser.

The impact with the bale chaser resulted in both of the locomotive’s front windscreens, each with a mass of about 50 kilograms, being pushed into the cab, along with some straw.

This resulted in damage to cab equipment.

It is likely that this would also have caused serious injury to the train driver had he remained in his seat during the collision rather than moving towards the corridor entrance at the rear of the cab.

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Wagon derailment

An empty wagon situated part way down the train derailed before reaching the crossing.

As loads generated by the impact with the bale chaser passed along the train, the sixteenth wagon derailed about 220 metres before the level crossing.

This was the unloaded middle wagon of a triple unit.

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Derailed FWA wagon after the accident​
 
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Recommendations​

RAIB has made two recommendations, one addressed to Network Rail and one addressed to the Health and Safety Executive, as a result of its investigation.

These seek improvements in the management and assurance processes applied to user worked crossings and an additional means of communicating crossing safety information to agricultural workers.

RAIB has also written to several organisations representing farmers asking that they remind their members of the importance of following correct procedures at user worked crossings.

If you wish you can read the full 37 page report here:

 
16th December 2022

RMT, ASLEF and TSSA Unions agree pay deal with Transport for Wales​

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A pay deal with the RMT, ASLEF, TSSA and Unite unions has been confirmed by Transport for Wales in the ongoing national rail dispute.

The overall deal includes a base pay increase of 4.5%, with different parts receiving different pay models.

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said:

“This is great news and highlights how we to do things differently in Wales, securing a fair pay deal via a progressive social partnership with Unions that recognises the value of our rail workers. We strongly urge the UK Government to follow our lead by negotiating a pay settlement with Unions in England so that further strike action and disruption for passengers and freight is avoided.”

James Price, TfW CEO said:

“We are extremely pleased to have reached a deal with all our partners in the industry trade unions – ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite. We’re continuing to work in collaboration with our Trade Unions as we build our social partnership model offering benefits for all.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our partners involved in negotiations and also highlight the importance of supporting our workforce in this cost of living crisis.”

Natalie Feeley, Regional Organiser, Western Region TSSA added:

“After sometimes negotiating in challenging circumstances, TSSA is pleased that we have been able to secure a good deal for our members. This is testament to the social partnership approach which we actively embrace and promote in all of our dealings with the company.”

Alan McCarthy, Regional Co-ordinating Officer, Unite Wales said:

“This continues to be a very challenging time for workers, with no clear signs of the Cost of Living problem easing yet. We’re pleased the social partnership approach fostered by the Trade Unions and TfW has resulted in a negotiated offer that workers felt was fair and voted to accept”

Mick Lynch, General Secretary of RMT said:

“RMT is very committed to achieving a fair deal for all Rail workers. The TFW recognition of the strong RMT mandate in this area helped us make good progress. Welsh Government have clearly shown that Rail disputes can be avoided by meaningful negotiations.”
 
16th December 2022

Decision on Cumbria coal mine given a watchful welcome by Heritage Railway Association​

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4930 'Hagley Hall' at Kidderminster​

The Heritage Railway Association has welcomed planning permission for a new mine in Cumbria cautiously as a more rounded approach to coal.

The heritage rail sector uses a very small amount of coal responsibly with a focus on using the best available quality, with the lowest emissions.

Unfortunately, attempts to discover alternative fuel options for steam locomotive giants such as Flying Scotsman have, as of yet, not become viable.

The Woodhouse mine in Cumbria has long-awaited approval and marks the latest in a growing understanding of the key UK sectors which have no available alternative for coal which means it is being imported from as far away as Columbia and Australia.

As the coal travels such vast distances to the UK it increases its overall emissions providing a prime example of off-shore pollution with up to five times more CO2 emissions than coal mined domestically.

Heritage Railway Association Chief Executive, Steve Oates, said:

“This decision does give some cautious optimism for heritage rail, although it’s probably too early to say what the direct impact of approval for the mine in West Cumbria will be for our steam railways.

“The mine is still some years away from production and current plans include a large proportion of the coal being exported. Tests will need to take place with the finished product before anyone can give a definitive answer about its use as a steam locomotive fuel, but there is nothing intrinsic about coking coal that would make it unsuitable.

“What is undoubtedly positive is that the approval represents real evidence that a more mature narrative about coal is finally coming to the fore. A number of sectors that are very important to the UK economy – including heritage rail – still have no real alternative to coal. While everyone is committed to exploring alternatives, ending coal extraction in this country before those alternatives are tested and proven is essentially an exercise in increasing and offshoring overall emissions.”
 
With contributions of more than £600m to the UK economy every year, the heritage rail sector is also responsible for employing 4,000 people and supporting over 22,000 volunteers.

Heritage Railway Association members are the foundation for visitor attractions in a diverse mix of towns such as Bridgnorth, Porthmadog and Swanage, which see more than 13 million visits each year.

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Flying Scotsman visiting Swanage Railway​

Using high-quality, low-pollution coal, steam locomotives produce just a small amount of smoke.

Steam coal creates vast amounts of energy alongside high temperatures which are able to be utilised by locomotives.

The majority of what leaves a steam locomotive chimney is actually steam which is simply water vapour.

Approximately 8 million tonnes of coal is used in the UK each year for industries such as steel, cement and power generation which is further to the current increase in coal usage in order to cover the ever-growing demand for power as a direct effect of the war in Ukraine.

High-quality, low-pollution steam coal can be found right on our doorstep in the UK with other countries not having the same calibre of coal and therefore, burn lower-grade fuels such as lignite in the process of energy production which creates far more emissions and is considered to be a pollutant of global concern.

Mr Oates went on to say:

“The HRA is committed to securing a long-term solution to locomotive fuel that will keep international icons like Flying Scotsman in steam for the public to enjoy for decades to come. It’s unlikely that the answer will come in the form of a single golden bullet, so each step like this new mine in Cumbria is a vital step along the road.”

“In the interim, we’re obviously encouraged that the Ffos-y-Fran mine in South Wales is still producing lump coal for heritage railways and that they intend to seek consent for an extension to the existing mining operation. Additionally, the HRA continues to actively support the research and development work being undertaken by Carbon Products Limited to produce new low-emission coal and biocoal products for heritage steam use.”
 
A good close up showing the Network Rail logo below the window where you can see the compartment with seating and the corridor that runs along one side of the coach.

The black boxes located beneath the underframe are battery boxes.

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Close up of the tampo printing of the Generator vent grills.

They look very effective from a distance and this where I think the three foot rule should apply.

The three foot rule in model railroading generally means that if a model or scene looks good from three feet away, it’s a good enough piece of work. :)

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December 18th, 2022

More Rolling Stock Arrived Today for ETHNON RAIL :)

I was surprised today by the arrival of a package from the Post Office - yes, Sunday deliveries!

Now, I've ordered two of these models, both identical but from different sources.

It's the R.6004 Operating Maintenance Crane.

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December 18th, 2022​

SPOTLIGHT

British Rail Class 02​

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The British Rail Class 02 are a class of twenty 0-4-0 diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotives built by the Yorkshire Engine Company in 1960 (first ten, D2850-D2859) and 1961 (D2860-D2869) for service in areas of restricted loading gauge and curvature such as docks.

They had the door to the cab at the rear, with a railed veranda behind the cab; this feature was very unusual on British Rail locomotives, although was used on many Yorkshire Engine Co. designs and is quite normal in North American practice.
 
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These tiny four-wheeled shunters were designed to reach the places other locomotives could not; with a wheelbase of just 6ft they were able to tackle sharply curved lines in streets, docks, warehouses and factories and even use traditional wagon turntables.

They were a direct replacement for the legendary Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ‘Pug’ 0-4-0STs working dock lines in Liverpool, Manchester and beyond.

Around 50 similar locomotives were built for industrial railways, in many cases with electric rather than hydraulic transmission.
 
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As the work they were built for vanished in the 1960s, many of the 20-strong class found further work in industry, with some surviving well into the 1980s before being rescued for preservation.

Highly regarded by crews for their Rolls-Royce engine, all-round visibility and unique (for a BR locomotive) rear platform for shunting staff, they continue to play a useful role in shunting and engineering work at heritage railways.

One locomotive, D2860, was even claimed by the National Railway Museum as the perfect shunter for its Great Hall in York.
 
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With the changes in the role of the British railway system and the closing of many of the facilities in which the Class 02 locomotives worked, they were increasingly surplus to requirements.

The first locomotives were withdrawn in December 1969 from the Preston division of the Midland Region and by the end of 1971 there were only four left in service with British Rail.

Of these, three survived long enough to enter the BR Total Operations Processing System computer system: 02001 (formerly D2851), 02003 (D2853), and 02004 (D2856), and all three were withdrawn in June 1975 from Allerton TMD.

Being between nine and fourteen years old when withdrawn, they were still capable of work, and eleven were sold to private industry, with the remaining nine being scrapped.
 
Entering service as the English Electric Type 3, the British Rail Class 37 diesel locomotives were built at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows in a Co-Co configuration, based on locomotive designs for export markets.

Built to undertake both freight and passenger work across all BR sectors, these engines proved highly reliable and, after overhaul, many survived in service across the network into the 1990s.

Side view

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British Rail first placed an order for forty-two Class 37 locomotives in January 1959, the first of which was delivered in November 1960, entering service on 2 December with the last of this original batch complete by mid-1962, by which time subsequent orders had been placed.

The last of the 309 locomotives built was delivered to the Western Region on 9 November 1965, originally numbered in the range D6700-D6999 and D6600-D6608.

Opposite side view

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Close up of Network Rail logo

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Who is Network Rail ?

Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an "arm's length" public body of the Department for Transport with no shareholders, which reinvests its income in the railways.

Network Rail's main customers are the private train operating companies (TOCs), responsible for passenger transport, and freight operating companies (FOCs), who provide train services on the infrastructure that the company owns and maintains.

Since 1 September 2014, Network Rail has been classified as a "public sector body".

To cope with fast-increasing passenger numbers, (as of 2021) Network Rail has been undertaking a £38 billion programme of upgrades to the network, including Crossrail, electrification of lines and upgrading Thameslink.

In May 2021, the Government announced its intent to replace Network Rail in 2023 with a new public body called Great British Railways. In 2022 it was announced that Great British Railways would not replace Network Rail until 2024.
 
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Close up of Nameplate

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Network Rail announced that one of their Class 97 locomotives have been named after the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways.

The nameplates for the Class 97 was unveiled at Minffordd railway station on Friday 12th April 2019.

The naming was to celebrate Network Rail Wales and Borders’ partnership with the Welsh heritage railway community.

This nameplate reads ‘Rheilffyrdd Ffestiniog ac Eryri/Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways’.

The Ffestiniog Railway runs from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog and is the oldest narrow gauge railway and the Welsh Highland Railway, which runs from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, is the UK’s longest heritage railway.

Representatives from Network Rail, Transport for Wales and other industry bodies attended the ceremony, with Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Assembly Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd and Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism unveiling the name.

Minffordd railway station was chosen for the naming ceremony, due to its location on the Cambrian Coast Line and close proximity to Ffestiniog and Welsh Highlands Railway.

The locomotive is part of a special fleet of three Class 97s that solely work on the Cambrian line.

The Cambrian line runs from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli and was the first line to trial the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS), a system which sees traditional track-side signals replaced by an in-cab system.
 
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Many Class 37 Locomotives were refurbished in the 1980s, extending their life.

As a result, the Class 37 remains in service to this day as one of the longest serving classes on British railways.

Second-hand locomotives have been exported to railways in France and Spain whilst in the UK many locomotives no longer required to work have been preserved.
 
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Network Rail possesses 5 Class 37 locomotives.

One of these, No. 37217, is in storage whilst the other four have undergone extensive refurbishment.

The refurbished locomotives have been reclassified Class 97/3, with the Class 97 designation reserved for departmental locomotives under the TOPS system.

These four were used by Network rail as part of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) trial project on the Cambrian Line.

The class was chosen because of its original fitment with both air and vacuum braking, a feature which will allow them to pull both modern freight trains as well as steam specials.
 
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The 'blue star' sign you can see on the front of the loco is a coupling code, for locomotive multi working, indicating that the loco uses a Electro-pneumatic system.
 
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