ON SHED NOVEMBER 2010 EDITION
"Preserving the steam locomotive legacy..and more...on film"FRONT PAGE
Bernie Holland sent us this evocative shot.46229 “Duchess of Hamilton” heads the up “Cumbrian Mountain Express” south of Helms Tunnel at Breaks Hall in April 1981. (picture by Keith R. Pirt)
CONTENTS
Welcome.. and site news....
A New member of the Family....STEAMBAY
Comment:Putting Something Back
The Railway Children
Video Highlights
Photographic HighlightsAROUND THE WORLD IN 80 RAILWAYS..
No 6: Paris to Cologne
ON THIS DAY
From THE PRELINGER ARCHIVES.(AT THIS MOMENT 1954)
Why We Need Rail Freight (Freight On Rail)
From Poath Archives: Norfolk & Western Railroad 1940s
FILM: THE GHOST TRAIN by ARNOLD RIDLEY
FOR THE MODELLERS
ALONG THE TRANS SIBERIAN RAILWAY
Christian Wolmar: Engines of War (Book Review)
Adrian Vaughan.
The Intemperate Engineer. Isambard Kingdom Brunel in his own words.
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WELCOME...AND SITE NEWS
Welcome to this November 2010 edition of "On Shed"
There are now 1,631 videos (1,391 one month ago) )and 7,298 photographs (6,128)
in our archives!Page views this month for Steamtube were in excess of 40,000!
And a warm welcome to the new members this last month bringing total membership to 402 - up from 353 last month!
We have taken the decision to make Steamtube..with STNnews and On Shed..a stand alone site. Railtube,with its links to the SMJR site, will also be a stand alone site. If someone would like to take over the administering of this site (Railtube) please let us know.
Thank you for your understanding...Steamtube has grown, and continues to attract new members and content. Long may it continue!
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A New member of the Family....STEAMBAY
Do you have some self-made Steam DVDs to sell? Some self-written, self-made Steam publications? Use the focused steam power of Steam Tube to sell them with us on Steam Bay!
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Comment: Putting Something Back.
A comment read in a railway book in the last month, implied that photographers just take from the heritage railway scene, and dont put anything back. Of course, this was just a general comment, and probably best understood in context.
However, it could also be argued that many photographers are probably members of local railway groups..indeed, many members on Steamtube are active volunteers of heritage lines, and serve on the footplate, in signal boxes, in carriage and wagon workshops, and other essential roles on their respective lines.
So, many are not taking, but actively supporting heritage railways.
Of course, many are not able to share in the active side of heritage railways.
Perhaps there is some way we can help..
Most heritage railways are always on the look out for funding of their particular line. Emergency situations can make serious inroads into their resources. For example, the Severn Valley Railways experience with heavy flooding...and currently , the Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railways dealing with the effects of a serious landslip at Gotherington, which will cost the railway £500,000 in addition to a similar insurance amount.
Steamtube has been donated some film (of the GWSR)which is being edited and will be available as a DVD by the end of this year. From the sales of each DVD, a suitable sizeable donation will be made to the GWSR to assist them with their landslip fund.
Perhaps you know of a heritage line, or locomotive project, that could be similarly benefitted.
If so, donated film of that specific project, preferably,..or offered at a negotiated amount per DVD..would be most welcome.Part of the resulting DVD proceeds would be directed to that particular project.
So, if you have anything along these lines in mind, please contact us at Steamtube (Shedmaster & TFC)
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RAILWAY CHILDREN
In the last couple of months, Steamtube has been made aware of the Railway Children international charity...
This video clip explains their work.....
No doubt members, and visitors, to On Shed would like to be in position to support this charity in some small way.
Steamtube has produced a 70 min DVD "Steam Trains in the West Country". A donation of £3-25 will be made to Railway Children from the sale of each DVD. This is a trailer of the DVD..
We feel sure that you will want to show your support for the millions of children worldwide who do not enjoy the basics of life that we too often take for granted.
Thank you in advance for your kind support.
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Lets now take a look at video highlights this last few weeks....
Clive Town has uploaded an extensive selection of excellent clips.
Here is one that combines the two best elements...steam and snow!!
...if clip doesnt play, go to: http://steamtube.ning.com/video/a-class-q6-on-coal-empties-1
....and this example from Derek , in South Africa
Grover Cleveland shared this video of iconic locomotive UP844..
On a very wet morning 844 crosses the North Fork bridge deep in the Feather River Canyon of California. The sound is that of the rain beating on our umbrellas.
Tony Wood shared this essential information with us regarding Walschaerts valve gear..
And photographic highlights to savour includes this collection from Bernie Holland..
Find more photos like this on Steam Tube - the home of steam trains on the net!
..and this selection from Jonathan Bowcutt of iconic "City of Truro" at the recent Pontypool and Blaenavon Gala..
Find more photos like this on Steam Tube - the home of steam trains on the net!
Thank you all for your excellent efforts and support of Steamtube. Keep them coming!
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AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 RAILWAYS
We can take the Thalys train from Paris Gare du Nord to Cologne Hbf (about 250 miles), leaving Paris at 0655, and arriving in Cologne 3hours and 14 minutes later.
According to eurdestination.com, "Thalys is the high-speed rail network which connects France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Designed with network flexibility and passenger comfort in mind, you are guaranteed a relaxed and stress-free journey aboard the Thalys fleet of state-of-the-art high-speed trains."
En route we will pass through Brussels, Liege and Aachen.
Cologne-Paris in a Thalys high speed train (Nthusiast on Youtube)
Trains in Cologne (touristviews on Youtube)
Arriving in Cologne, we will notice the magnificent Gothic cathedral, started in 1248, completed in 1880 and In 1996, was designated a World Heritage site. Colognes citizens sometimes refer to the cathedral as "the eternal construction site" (Dauerbaustelle).
Copyright: Andre Bonn www.shutterstock,com 39094960
There are also twelve romanesque churches: These buildings are outstanding examples of medieval sacral architecture. The roots of some of the churches date back as far as Roman times, like St. Gereon, which originally was a chapel on a Roman graveyard. With the exception of St. Maria Lyskirchen all of these churches were very badly damaged during World War II. Reconstruction was only finished in the 1990s.
In addition, Cologne City Hall (Kölner Rathaus), established in the 12th century, is the oldest city hall in Germany, and still in use. The Renaissance style loggia and tower have been added in the 15th century.
Cologne Views..touristviews on YouTube.
With the romantic Rhine river dominating our memories of this magnificent city, we continue on with the next leg of our "Around The World in 80 Railways".....
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ON THIS DAY.......
04/10/19761976: New train speeds into service
British Rail began its new 125mph High Speed Train (HST) service today. The first London-Bristol service arrived three minutes early.
The Inter-City 125 has been introduced to provide a regular high speed service between Cardiff, Bristol and London.
British Rail will extend the HST service to other major cities over the next two years.
A look back to the begining of the intercity 125 hst - blade5859(YouTube)
Powered by two diesel motors the Inter-City 125 has recorded a top speed of over 140mph in trial runs, making it the fastest diesel-powered train in the world.
05/10/1999
At least eight people are confirmed dead and 160 injured after two trains collided near Paddington Station in west London at the height of the morning rush hour.
A Thames Trains 0806 BST from Paddington to Bedwyn in Wiltshire collided with the incoming 0603 BST Great Western 125 express train from Cheltenham at 0811 BST.
Investigations revealed how 31 people died and dozens were injured because of a head-on collision when one of the trains passed a red signal.
Public inquiries were headed by Scottish judge Lord Cullen. He made dozens of safety recommendations and concluded Railtrack, the company then in charge of rail infrastructure and its investment, had failed to respond to earlier warnings about signalling problems.
06/10/1829
The directors of the Liverpool and Manchester company held a
competition called the "Rainhill Trials" to find the most suitable locomotive.The winner was Robert Stephensons Rocket which was awarded the prize of £500
In 2005, Manchester Museum of Science and Technology re-enacted the Rainhill Trials on a section of the original line.(malboll on YouTube)
08/10/1952 Accident at Harrow and Wealdstone (112 deaths)
15/10/1889 Death of Sir Daniel Gooch
05/11/1967
At least 40 rail passengers have died and 80 more have been wounded after a commuter train derailed in south-east London.
The 19:43 express train was travelling from Hastings to Charing Cross when at 21:16 it crashed off the rails between Hither Green and Grove Park stations near the Southern Region Continental goods depot.
It happened just over a mile from the scene of the Lewisham train crash in 1957 in which 90 people were killed and 175 were injured.
23/11/1984
Almost 1,000 passengers were trapped in smoke-filled tunnels for three hours after a fire at Londons busiest underground station, Oxford Circus.
Emergency services arrived at Oxford Circus within minutes of the blaze breaking out. There were no deaths and only minor injuries.
But the damage caused was substantial, and it is expected to be many days before normal service resumes at the station.
The cause of the fire, which started at about 2220 GMT in a tunnel connecting the northbound Bakerloo and Victoria lines, is thought to have been caused by an electrical fault on a train or in tunnel cabling.
27/11/1965
7029 Clun Castle heads final steam train on WR
Clun Catle features in Tyseley MPD open day in 1968(Filmed by Malcolm Bell)
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FROM THE PRELINGER ARCHIVES
For a view on how important railroads were, and are, to America, this 1954 film from the Prelinger Archives, produced as a public service by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, is very informative...
Follow this link:http://www.archive.org/details/AtThisMo1954
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WHY WE NEED RAIL FREIGHT
To protect the environment
Rail offers a carbon dioxide reduction solution to Government. Transport is responsible for 28% of carbon dioxide emissions in UK and 92% of domestic transport emissions are from road modes.
Tonne for tonne carried, rail freight creates 70% less carbon dioxide than the equivalent road journey. Rail is therefore also more energy efficient than road –
DfT Logistics Perspective Page 8 section10 2008
Rail is rail is safer than long distance road freight using motorways
As HGVs are over 3 times more likely to be involved in fatal accidents than cars due to a combination of size, lack of proper enforcement of drivers hours, vehicle overloading and differing foreign operating standards.- DfT Road Statistics 2008, Tables 3.2 and 3.6, Road Freight Statistics 2008 Section 5.
To relieve road congestion
Remember an average freight train can remove 50 lorries from our roads – Network Rail 2008Rail is able to act as a freight bypass by offering a more reliable alternative as road congestion continues to worsen. Road congestion costs business an estimated £17 billion per annum.
To boost the economy
Rail freight is vital for the future economic well-being of the British economy. It literally keeps the lights on; a quarter of our electricity comes from coal transported by rail. A quarter of maritime containers imported into Southern English container ports are transported by rail in the UK.
Rail freight breaking out of its traditional markets
Consumer rail freight increased by 6.5% in the past year, its seventh consecutive year of growth, despite the recession. The industry predicts that rail freight will have more than doubled by 2030.
Rail freight has a major role to play in reducing the carbon footprint of transport and reducing road congestion; we are campaigning for the right policies and upgraded infrastructure to get more freight transferred to rail. As there is considerable suppressed demand for rail, continued investment in the rail network is vital to sustain jobs and the green economy.
Source: Freight On Rail http://www.freightonrail.org.uk/PDF/FoR%20Flyer%20Final.pdf
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FROM POATH ARCHIVES
Norfolk & Western Railroad 1940s - "Operation Fast Freight" - Historic Freight Trains
In this educational documentary we follow a boxcar eastward on the Norfolk & Western Railroad from Columbus, Ohio to Norfolk, Virginia as a part of 1940s steam-era freight train No. 86. Track repairs and major shop work are also shown.
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Public Domain Films.
The Ghost Train (1941) – Full Movie
This film is based on the famous stage play of the same name written by Arnold Ridley, best known for his role of Private Godfrey in the 1970s BBC programme "Dads Army"
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FOR THE MODELLERS
Simon Martin has kindly given "On Shed" permission to make use of some of the excellent films in his series at www.britishrailwayseries.com
Here is an example.......
"A Great Problem Goes West!" - Original Air Date, 17th August 2007.
This is very first episode of "The British Railway Series", in one part, with partially restored soundtrack. There are annotations showing the many problems with the filming and various character/face mixups and similar!
This episode received many cuts and additions from its original script, "Tale of the Unnamed Engine". Unfortunately most of the footage from that filmed script is long gone, with only some shots from this episode extant from the original intentions.
This episode, being the most popular of the episodes in viewership, was digitally restored, grains and all, to celebrate the 100,000 views the original has received since its uploading in August 2007.
You can find more information on the original Episode One here:
http://www.britishrailwayseries.com/e...
More next month........
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ALONG THE TRANS SIBERIAN RAILWAY
CROSSING THE YENESEI RIVER
SOURCE: http://www.google.ru/intl/ru/landing/transsib/en.html
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CHRISTIAN WOLMAR: ENGINES OF WAR (BOOK REVIEW)
Railways and locomotives are not just limited to peacetime use.
In our memories, we may wish to associate them with happier times…day trips to the seaside, going on holiday to some other location at home (UK) or overseas, perhaps.
When pushed, we will recall the use of the railways in the great evacuations from London at the start of the Second World War…and the use of the London Underground as emergency air raid shelters.
But the railways, and locomotives have had a much more sinister, and deadly use…..as “engines of war”.
The disappointing results of technology were noted by Orville Wright, one of the inventors of the airplane. During World War II he wrote the following to Henry Ford:
“: “Wilbur and I thought the plane would hasten world peace. So far it seems to have done the reverse. I suspect when you introduced mass production —one of the great inventions of the ages—you little thought it would be used . . . in building tanks for world destruction. It seems that no beneficial thing can be introduced without some one finding a vicious use for it.”
And so it has proved to be, in all aspects of life and industry….
Christian Wolmar’s latest book..”Engines of War” traces a siimilar theme in the use of the railways in war, and for war, since the middle of the 19th century…
The book’s chapters are:
1. War Before Railways
2. The Railways called Into Action
3. Slavery Loses Out To The Iron Road
4. Lessons Not Learnt
5. The New Weapons Of war
6. The War The World Anticipated
7. The Great Railway War On The Western Front
8. Eastern Contrasts
9. Here We Go Again
10. Blood On The Tracks
Whilst not exhaustive…and the author makes no claims to being a military historian…there is enough evidence and reasoning here to demonstrate amply the undeniable fact that the railways made it possible to conduct wars over larger areas, and for longer times, than was possible previously.
As the last chapter’s title so well expresses it….there is “Blood on the Tracks”
For the student of railway history, this is an essential read , filling the gaps of other volumes.
You can obtain your copy from the author at www.christianwolmar.co.uk and other good book shops.
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Adrian Vaughan.
The Intemperate Engineer. Isambard Kingdom Brunel in his own words.
Adrian Vau
ON SHED NOVEMBER 2010 EDITION
The Midlander hauled by 6201 Princess Elizabeth (John Edkins)
6024 King Edward 1 (Fred Lewis)
Western Highlands June 28-30,2010 (Roni)
Cornish Riviera Express, Dawlish. 26 June 2010 (XxBec3509)
The latest ORR figures issued on 24th June show consumer rail freight is growing and increasing market share despite the recession, through a combination of domestic intermodal and international traffic which proves that rail is moving out of its traditional markets. Here are some examples If you drill down behind these figures.