The Rail Enthusiast thread

[Andy in Germany]

A few views of the Siebenmühlental (Trans: valley of the seven mills) cycleway which follows an old railway. The line curves east from the main metro line to the airport in Leinfenden, and goes south around a tight S-curve to reach the head of the valley. I'm guessing this station was once Musberg:

A few hundred metres further on:

The line crosses several viaducts as side valleys join the Siebenmühlental. These were refurbished a few winters ago:

The former Steinenbron station, now home to a sculptor who kindly made signs for lost tourists:

And finally Waldenbronn, some kilometres from Waldenbronn.

I must admit to knowing the square root of not very much about the line, but I think it was probably killed off by the curves and gradients which would make passenger traffic pretty slow, and probably the wood traffic didn't pay as much as was hoped.

I'll probably ride it again and at some point I'll get around to finding out more...

 

[flake99please]

My first 37 of the year.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Still one of the most handsome locomotives around. Where was the picture taken?

 

[flake99please]

Still one of the most handsome locomotives around. Where was the picture taken?

Craigentinny Depot

 

[CharlesF]

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/big-boy-locomotive-route-and-stops

 

[Andy in Germany]

A couple of images from the last couple of days:

Local train out in the country operated by a Bombadier Talent low-floor railcar. Very comfortable and supplied with ample cycle space and buttons to request stops at smaller halts.

Opportunistic snapshot at Ulm of some of the new units coming on stream. These are in the colours of the state of Baden-Wurttemberg and I noticed they only show ownership with a small logo on the front. These are owned by SWEG, the Sud West Eisenbahn Gesellshaft which itself is owned by a local government in the Freiburg Region and owns some branch lines outright. Local governments have a lot more financial clout and willingness to run rail companies in Germany, it appears they are also happy to bid as service providers outside of their region. Mess in the foreground is for the new Ulm-Stuttgart high speed line, which even Deutsche Bahn now admit is a white elephant, and will take seven more years to build...

Photo of the sort of train I used between Ulm and Stuttgart. This isn't the train I travelled on, but I waited until one came past to take a photo.

The things I do for you lot, honestly.

In case anyone missed it, here's an interior shot:

It's a double deck train so I travelled upstairs and enjoyed the view.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I had to go to a Garden Centre, with Senior Management this afternoon, when I'd got home from work
I suggested one that's been rebuilt, by new company, on the site of a previous centre
It used to be Savills, at the top of Garforth Cliff, on the 'Selby TurnPike' (A63), between the junctions with the 'Aberford & Wakefield TurnPike' (A642), and Peckfield Bar, where it crosses the Barnsdale Road (Castleford - HookMoor/Aberford)

Now, anyone who's local to there, may know that when it was Savills, it had a 10" gauge (??) railway in the grounds

Surprisingly, even after 10 years (plus??) , there's still track in-situ!
One section crosses the access path to the Aquatics/Koi centre, & illustrates where it entered the garden centre, as the 'station' was inside

Around the side of the car-park , & crossing a bridleway (Green Lane, quite appropriately!) to Garforth, there's still track semi-buried!




Here; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/271855

Oh!!!, & I had to buy the plants

 

[EltonFrog]

Have you seen this in the news. Totally pointless vandalism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-48326572

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Have you seen this in the news. Totally pointless vandalism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-48326572

 

[DCBassman]

Have you seen this in the news. Totally pointless vandalism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-48326572

No words.

 

[NorthernDave]

Whilst out trundling around today, I rode up part of the Aire & Calder Navigation Canal, at Castleford
When you reach a certain point there's a diversion onto a permissive route

Then, you pass under this...……….
It's now in a perilous state, with the paths 'caged' in thick plywood!!

It was still in use, in the 80's
The closure of the pits, subsequent flooding/'settlement'/subsidence, have all contributed to the condition, as well as the mercurial nature of the River Aire, when in flood

View attachment 463953 View attachment 463954 View attachment 463955 View attachment 463956

It did carry the line, from Castleford, to Allerton Bywater, Ledston Station, Kippax, eventually joining the network at Garforth

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/559819
Scroll down, to Ledston Station, & beyond; http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/Castleford Garforth.htm

I was on the track, to the right (north) of the Aire; http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/images/donations/Ralph Rawlinson/Castleford Garforth/Birdseye Castleford Viaduct view west.jpg

The idea of re-opening that Castleford - Garforth line keeps getting mooted, last time was about 5 years ago. Supposedly to cope with the vast increase in population out that way, although I'm not sure where the capacity would come from once they reach Garforth as the Leeds - York line, we're repeatedly told, is already operating a full capacity due to limited access into Leeds across the viaduct from Marsh Lane.

On a slightly related note (forgive the semi-rant), Northern's new timetable starts today and I see that they're either trying to kill off the often over subscribed commuter traffic between Halifax - Bradford Int - Leeds, or just don't care.
Previously the four trains an hour from Hfx to Lds were fairly evenly spaced, not quite every 15 minutes, but it worked.
Now there will be rush hour trains at 15:59, 16:07 and 16:15 then nothing until, 16:43 almost half an hour later.
Then it's 17:01, 17:09 and 17:15, before a long gap to 17:42.
Meaning if you finish work on the hour in the upper part of the town centre (Lloyds?) or at Dean Clough, you've got a race to the station to get what is now bound to be a packed xx:15 service, or a long wait. To add insult to injury, the xx:15 service is the local stopper from Huddersfield which is generally a 2-car Pacer...

And this on top of persisting with the ridiculous decision to stop virtually all the trains through to York stopping at any of the stations east of Leeds other than Church Fenton, meaning a stressful change is required at Leeds adding a minimum of 20 minutes (but often nearer double that) extra travelling time per day for anyone travelling to Cross Gates, Garforth, East Garforth or Micklefield - or the planned new P&R station at Thorpe Park.

 

[pawl]

Just watched a programme about the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on ITV.
8 pm Friday on channel 5.If you are interested in steam trains it is worth a watch

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Just watched a programme about the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on ITV.
8 pm Friday on channel 5.If you are interested in steam trains it is worth a watch

A wonderful line!!

Nice to see that 5428 is back in service

He was well before my time, but we still have a memorial to the man himself, in Wakefield
Sadly, even though there's an official portrait in there, it bears none of his published work


View: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208447386174484&set=a.10206883847206987&type=3&theater

 

[classic33]

The idea of re-opening that Castleford - Garforth line keeps getting mooted, last time was about 5 years ago. Supposedly to cope with the vast increase in population out that way, although I'm not sure where the capacity would come from once they reach Garforth as the Leeds - York line, we're repeatedly told, is already operating a full capacity due to limited access into Leeds across the viaduct from Marsh Lane.

On a slightly related note (forgive the semi-rant), Northern's new timetable starts today and I see that they're either trying to kill off the often over subscribed commuter traffic between Halifax - Bradford Int - Leeds, or just don't care.
Previously the four trains an hour from Hfx to Lds were fairly evenly spaced, not quite every 15 minutes, but it worked.
Now there will be rush hour trains at 15:59, 16:07 and 16:15 then nothing until, 16:43 almost half an hour later.
Then it's 17:01, 17:09 and 17:15, before a long gap to 17:42.
Meaning if you finish work on the hour in the upper part of the town centre (Lloyds?) or at Dean Clough, you've got a race to the station to get what is now bound to be a packed xx:15 service, or a long wait. To add insult to injury, the xx:15 service is the local stopper from Huddersfield which is generally a 2-car Pacer...

And this on top of persisting with the ridiculous decision to stop virtually all the trains through to York stopping at any of the stations east of Leeds other than Church Fenton, meaning a stressful change is required at Leeds adding a minimum of 20 minutes (but often nearer double that) extra travelling time per day for anyone travelling to Cross Gates, Garforth, East Garforth or Micklefield - or the planned new P&R station at Thorpe Park.

Platform 31/2 in the Interchange in use yet?

 

[sheddy]

Just watched a programme about the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on ITV.
8 pm Friday on channel 5.If you are interested in steam trains it is worth a watch

ITV or CH 5 ?