BMES: Another Driving turn...

 

Hi all.. Been a while since I last posted anything from BMES so here's another post for you all.. Today saw me once again back down at the Riverside Miniature Railway in Burton-on-Trent on a driving turn. Today's turn would see me driving the club's Class 08 locomotive, a diesel outline battery operated locomotive. I arrived on site just before 10am, to find Dave and his wife Mel already on site... shortly followed by Mike and his Wife Paula, after signing in and a chat with Dave, Mel and Mike, Adrian & Michael arrived, with Paul not far behind them.

Pleasantries complete, Michael and myself proceeded to fetch the 08 out of the container assisted by Connor who had also arrived on site.... Being the first locomotive on the track has its advantages. I was able to complete several laps without issue, and before long I soon found myself handing over the controls to Connor for a couple of laps, while I rode as a passenger. 

After a couple of laps with Connor driving, I resumed my position as driver for a few more laps of the track. A brief stop between laps allowed for a photo opportunity, with thanks to Connor for the photo.. even if it was slightly out of focus.. ah well. Other locos on site included Dave's 0-6-0 Simplex Clementine as well as Paul's 7 1/4 0-6-0 quarry tank loco.

"Smile Now" (Pic - C.Harvey)

Sadly after a few issues with Dave's engine resulting in me and the trusty club 08 having to push him back to the steaming bay, Dave declared his loco a failure leaving just myself and the Club 08 and Paul's 0-6-0 loco giving train rides. 

After a couple more hours of running, Paul decided to call it a day, shunting the ground level stock back into the container before disposing of his engine, dropping the fire and blowing down.

After few laps later I also decided to call it a day, assisted by Connor, I began the task of packing the 08 away followed by the riding truck. The end to another fun enjoyable day. Cheers all, Jake...

Please note any views or opinions expressed in this blog are merely personal and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person, group or organisation. 

A visit to Severn Valley Railway...

Evening all.. Today saw me take surprise unplanned trip to Severn Valley Railway, following a text from my dad yesterday morning informing me that he had booked us both tickets to travel on the railway. This would be the first time I had visited the railway in over year following the Autumn Steam Gala in 2019. The day with the old favourite early start, waking up at around 6:30am. Cook breakfast eaten, and now washed and changed, we left the house around 7:15am, arriving at Kidderminster just after 8:30am. After collecting our tickets from the Booking office we went and sat on the station concourse and waited to be allowed to board the train. Our locomotive for the day would be Ex LMS Ivatt 2-6-0 No.43106. Aka the 'Flying Pig'. 

At 10am, we were given permission to board the train. Once boarded, we quickly found our compartment seats that we had booked and settled down for the journey to Highley. At 10:15am we departed Kidderminster for Highley, and eventually Bridgnorth... After a brief stop at Bewdley to pick up passengers, we continued our journey to Highley passing through Northwood Lane Halt and Arley. Due to the current pandemic restrictions, trains aren't able to stop at either station as they would usually.

Our arrival at Highley saw everyone get off the train, and the locomotive moved into a siding to allow a down train to pass from Bridgnorth, bound for Kidderminster. After watching 43106 shunt her train into the siding, we proceeded to head into the Highley Engine House... For those who don't know, Highley Engine House is a museum building where locomotives that are awaiting overhaul are stored undercover within the museum building. The museum is briefly mentioned in a previous post here.

"Little and Large"

While in the Engine House, I took the opportunity to take photos of various locomotives currently on display within the museum, One photo in particular can be seen above, featuring Ex WD 2-10-0 No.600 "Gordon" and visiting Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway 4-6-2 Pacific No.7 "Typhoon". After a brief walk round the museum, we decided to head back to the station to wait for 43106 to shunt her train back into the platform.

While waiting on the platform, Ex BR (W) 1500 0-6-0 Pannier Tank No.1501 arrived with the second train of the day from Kidderminster. After a brief stop on the platform, 1501 departed leaving the platform clear for 43106 to bring the empty train into. Before long we were back on the train and on our away once again bound for Bridgnorth. On arrival at Bridgnorth, we had just over two hours to kill before our return journey to Kidderminster.

After filming 2857 depart with a down train for Kidderminster, we headed back onto the station grab some lunch while 43106 shunted her train from Platform 2 into Platform 1 for the return journey.

Lunch finished I decided to walk up to the engine to take a photo of 43106, before posing for a photo next to next her. Before long it was time to return to our seats for the journey back to Kidderminster. Unlike the outward journey, the return journey saw us make a brief stop at Hampton Loade to exchange the single line token with the signal as well as to pass 2857 waiting in the platform with a Northbound service for Bridgnorth. 

"Smile Now" (Pic - N.Bonner)

Tokens exchanged we were soon underway again, this time passing straight through Highley Station slowing only for speed restrictions. Before long we were back in Bewdley where we would pass the third train service in operation hauled by Ex GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0 Pannier Tank No.7714. 

After a brief stop at Bewdley to set down passengers, we soon arrived back into Kidderminster. The end to another successful day. After grabbing one last photo of 43106, we headed back towards the car... after taking a quick photo of 40106 which was sat in the Bay Platform. Until next time... Cheers all.. Jake...