Photographs by Tony http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/ 12 rows en-gb 60 Ex London Transport bus RT 1062 http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1760710.html After being sold off by London Transport back in the 1960's RT1062 (registration number JXN 90) worked for several private bus and coach operators ending its days in the Harlow and Hoddesdon areas in the mid 1970's. Its final commercial operator being Golden Boy Coaches of Roydon who had been using it on school contract work. My mate David and I had already expressed an interest in it so it was offered as seen for £200. We struck a deal where we could keep it in their yard so we handed over the cash and set to work on fixing it up. Luckily both London Transport and London Country were still using RT's at the time so spares were no problem. A chance meeting with the man who ran the LT Loughton garage workshop proved invaluable. So many new parts on buses going for scrap found themselves transposed for the badly worn parts on 1062. We had repainted our bus in Woolworth's red which was pretty close to the LT shade. It was only when we parked up close to a bus still in service that it really noticed. We had it taxed and insured as a 56 seat private vehicle and as such only needed an ordinary driving licence. The quirky law was such that if you took the seats out you would have needed a Heavy Goods Vehicle licence to drive it. We had great fun in it until we lost out on our parking agreement and had to sell it. RT 1062 now resides in Canada with its roof cut off taking tourists on city tours while painted yellow.. a far cry from its days working the streets of London Sunday 27 September 2009: After being sold off by London Transport back in the 1960's RT1062 (registration number JXN 90) worked for several private bus and coach operators ending its days in the Harlow and Hoddesdon areas in the mid 1970's. Its final commercial operator being Golden Boy Coaches of Roydon who had been using it on school contract work. My mate David and I had already expressed an interest in it so it was offered as seen for _200. We struck a deal where we could keep it in their yard so we handed over the cash and set to work on fixing it up. Luckily both London Transport and London Country were still using RT's at the time so spares were no problem. A chance meeting with the man who ran the LT Loughton garage workshop proved invaluable. So many new parts on buses going for scrap found themselves transposed for the badly worn parts on 1062. We had repainted our bus in Woolworth's red which was pretty close to the LT shade. It was only when we parked up close to a bus still in service that it really noticed. We had it taxed and insured as a 56 seat private vehicle and as such only needed an ordinary driving licence. The quirky law was such that if you took the seats out you would have needed a Heavy Goods Vehicle licence to drive it. We had great fun in it until we lost out on our parking agreement and had to sell it. RT 1062 now resides in Canada with its roof cut off taking tourists on city tours while painted yellow.. a far cry from its days working the streets of London

Published in Photographs by Tony

]]> Sun Sep 27 2009 Summer Civils Week on the WHHR July/Aug 2009 http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1735775.html It was a very tiring but very rewarding Summer Civils week for all concerned this year. The weather didnt always play ball and the running of trains didnt help us in the track gang to keep abreast of our target for plating and pandrol clipping. However it was great fun with the large family of "workers" getting together again especially with the Cafe dinners, Station BBQ and Paul's Diesel Shed Dinner to round off another successful week. This can be measured in the erection and cladding of the Diesel Shed, A pandrol clipped main line up to the Gelerts Farm turn-out and shoulder ballasted, the red siding extended and rails sorted at PYM and a considerable amount of unwanted material cleared and sold to improve the appearance of the site in general. Monday 3 August 2009: It was a very tiring but very rewarding Summer Civils week for all concerned this year. The weather didnt always play ball and the running of trains didnt help us in the track gang to keep abreast of our target for plating and pandrol clipping. However it was great fun with the large family of "workers" getting together again especially with the Cafe dinners, Station BBQ and Paul's Diesel Shed Dinner to round off another successful week. This can be measured in the erection and cladding of the Diesel Shed, A pandrol clipped main line up to the Gelerts Farm turn-out and shoulder ballasted, the red siding extended and rails sorted at PYM and a considerable amount of unwanted material cleared and sold to improve the appearance of the site in general.

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]]> Mon Aug 3 2009 Rheine MPD in Northern Germany as it is now http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1705200.html Back in the 1970's this locomotive depot was a mecca for rail fans keen on filming the last of the German DB 012 4.6.2's working fast northbound passenger trains. The freights being worked by large 043/044 class 3 cyl 2.10.0's sometimes in pairs. Now the depot building is isolated and rapidly disappearing into the jungle of undergrowth that is enveloping it. The sidings and servicing facilities have long since gone as has the turntable but the semi roundhouse just survives. It can be found at 52/14/58.05N 7/27/32.88E on google earth. If you want to see what it looked like back in the 1970's please view my DB collection. Saturday 30 May 2009: Back in the 1970's this locomotive depot was a mecca for rail fans keen on filming the last of the German DB 012 4.6.2's working fast northbound passenger trains. The freights being worked by large 043/044 class 3 cyl 2.10.0's sometimes in pairs. Now the depot building is isolated and rapidly disappearing into the jungle of undergrowth that is enveloping it. The sidings and servicing facilities have long since gone as has the turntable but the semi roundhouse just survives. It can be found at 52/14/58.05N 7/27/32.88E on google earth. If you want to see what it looked like back in the 1970's please view my DB collection.

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]]> Sat May 30 2009 Spirit Of The Welsh Highland Gala, 2nd-4th May 2009 http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1692917.html A Gala weekend of activities at Gelerts Farm saw the long awaited return of The Buffet Car as well as the reappearance of a Baldwin 4-6-0PT working at Porthmadog. The Baldwin was on loan from The Leighton Buzzard Light Railway and I would like to add my thanks to both the LBLR and the locomotive owners group for allowing their wonderful engine No 778 to work on our line. Both Saturday and Sunday were sunny days and the many visitors enjoyed the delights of buying food and drink in a similar fashion to how it was done when the buffet car first saw service in the late '20's/early '30's. Monday was cold, grey and wet and the poor Baldwin crew must have got soaked because of the loco's open cab to run the loose coupled freight through the morning. In response to a request we also ran a late evening special for the benefit of Ffestiniog Railway Society members and they greatly enjoyed their trip and they were particularly generous in their purchases in the Buffet Car as well. Tuesday 5 May 2009: A Gala weekend of activities at Gelerts Farm saw the long awaited return of The Buffet Car as well as the reappearance of a Baldwin 4-6-0PT working at Porthmadog. The Baldwin was on loan from The Leighton Buzzard Light Railway and I would like to add my thanks to both the LBLR and the locomotive owners group for allowing their wonderful engine No 778 to work on our line. Both Saturday and Sunday were sunny days and the many visitors enjoyed the delights of buying food and drink in a similar fashion to how it was done when the buffet car first saw service in the late '20's/early '30's. Monday was cold, grey and wet and the poor Baldwin crew must have got soaked because of the loco's open cab to run the loose coupled freight through the morning. In response to a request we also ran a late evening special for the benefit of Ffestiniog Railway Society members and they greatly enjoyed their trip and they were particularly generous in their purchases in the Buffet Car as well.

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]]> Tue May 5 2009 Easter Holiday Photo's at the WHHR Porthmadog and on the new WHR(C) extension http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1685634.html Every Easter I bring my mother up to North Wales so she can enjoy a week's break away from her house. As she is in her late '70's she doesnt get away very often. Its an excuse for her (and me) to revisit the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, Porthmadog as well as having a ride this year on the newly opened WHR(C) extension to Beddgelert. The weather was very kind for a change and we enjoyed many days of sunshine while visiting the various lines. The WHHR enjoyed a particularly busy Easter Egg event for the kids on the Sunday with just under 500 people being carried on the train on the Sunday alone. Shop "Lyn" and Cafe "Non" were swamped with visitors and were worn out by the end of the day. You will see some of the crowd scenes in these photo's. A memorable start indeed to 2009 which will probably see the WHHR carrying even more passengers than last year's total of 22,728. The new museum building at Gelerts Farm has the space to do the exhibits justice and there is plenty of activities to keep the kids happy and quiet while visiting the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway site. Monday 20 April 2009: Every Easter I bring my mother up to North Wales so she can enjoy a week's break away from her house. As she is in her late '70's she doesnt get away very often. Its an excuse for her (and me) to revisit the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, Porthmadog as well as having a ride this year on the newly opened WHR(C) extension to Beddgelert. The weather was very kind for a change and we enjoyed many days of sunshine while visiting the various lines. The WHHR enjoyed a particularly busy Easter Egg event for the kids on the Sunday with just under 500 people being carried on the train on the Sunday alone. Shop "Lyn" and Cafe "Non" were swamped with visitors and were worn out by the end of the day. You will see some of the crowd scenes in these photo's. A memorable start indeed to 2009 which will probably see the WHHR carrying even more passengers than last year's total of 22,728. The new museum building at Gelerts Farm has the space to do the exhibits justice and there is plenty of activities to keep the kids happy and quiet while visiting the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway site.

A quick stop off at Toddington to visit the GWR line Ex Great Western tank loco 5619 taking water at Toddington In the car park was a new water tank arrival but the wind was blowing to strong to release the cables around the tank. The wind was gusting across the car park and releasing the cables would have had the tank rolling across the site The new bogies waiting for coach 25 to arrive Inside the Buffet Car All Dr Jarvis can worry about is the concrete water column.. A pity he doesnt worry about what this tells the visitors to the WHR(C).

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]]> Mon Apr 20 2009 German Colliery Winding Engines photographed in the early 1970's http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1650332.html These two massive steam winding engines were used to bring the coal up from the mine workings many hundreds of metres below the ground. They were supplied by two different heavy engineering companies.. EPR AG (Eisenhutte Prinz Rudolph) of Dulmen WestPhalia who were established in 1842 and (Werf) Gute Hoffnungshutte of Sterkrade- Duitsland (Also listed as Walsum and Oberhausen).. a company with a long history of manufacturing large marine triple compound steam engines. I will try to locate my records to identify where these collieries were in Germany but I doubt these machines still survive. For all their size and weight they were perfectly balanced and there was no vibration even when they were running at full speed. Saturday 7 February 2009: These two massive steam winding engines were used to bring the coal up from the mine workings many hundreds of metres below the ground. They were supplied by two different heavy engineering companies.. EPR AG (Eisenhutte Prinz Rudolph) of Dulmen WestPhalia who were established in 1842 and (Werf) Gute Hoffnungshutte of Sterkrade- Duitsland (Also listed as Walsum and Oberhausen).. a company with a long history of manufacturing large marine triple compound steam engines. I will try to locate my records to identify where these collieries were in Germany but I doubt these machines still survive. For all their size and weight they were perfectly balanced and there was no vibration even when they were running at full speed.

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]]> Sat Feb 7 2009 Misc. WHR(P), Gelerts Farm & Ffestiniog Railway Photos http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1621889.html These are odd pics taken at various times when I've been up with either my son or with my neighbour's kids. Their interest didnt stretch to mine when it came to narrow gauge railways.. Monday 8 December 2008: These are odd pics taken at various times when I've been up with either my son or with my neighbour's kids. Their interest didnt stretch to mine when it came to narrow gauge railways..

NG15-120 One of the Bagnall 4-4-0T's Poor Welsh Pony.. how much better if she was to be loaned to Gelerts Farm Museum for long term conservation. My late father admiring Russell Ex LT buses at Porthmadog Waunfawr when it was a construction site. The approaching curve into Waunfawr Before the new bridge was installed. The first signs of the approaching new railway.

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]]> Mon Dec 8 2008 The disused London Road Station in St Albans http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1621202.html Soon after starting work in St Albans I had been told about this forgotten railway station along the London Road. I'd found it hard to believe that a station site in the middle of the town could have survived intact for so long after closure and added to the story was that WW2 tanks were stored there. I was intrigued enough to wander down one lunch time and when I walked down the overgrown approach road it was a surprise to find it was all true. Some 10 years later the site has been cleared and developed but the main station building has been restored as an office. It can be located on google earth at 57'44'42.29"N/ 0'19'40.05W where you can still make out the platform alignment. The line use to connect Hatfield to St Albans Abbey where the train would reverse and continue to Watford. (This last section is still open) I have no idea who owned the tanks or where they went. But in a city where land development has been rife for years it was certainly an odd place to find. Saturday 6 December 2008: Soon after starting work in St Albans I had been told about this forgotten railway station along the London Road. I'd found it hard to believe that a station site in the middle of the town could have survived intact for so long after closure and added to the story was that WW2 tanks were stored there. I was intrigued enough to wander down one lunch time and when I walked down the overgrown approach road it was a surprise to find it was all true. Some 10 years later the site has been cleared and developed but the main station building has been restored as an office. It can be located on google earth at 57'44'42.29"N/ 0'19'40.05W where you can still make out the platform alignment. The line use to connect Hatfield to St Albans Abbey where the train would reverse and continue to Watford. (This last section is still open) I have no idea who owned the tanks or where they went. But in a city where land development has been rife for years it was certainly an odd place to find.

An old wagon body being used as a store. I'm standing on the loop platform looking across at the main station building.. not that it can been seen clearly More like a scene from a horror film than where trains once ran Looking under the A1081 on the trackbed towards Hatfield A failed brick arch that has now been repaired The station canopy Standing on the platform looking in the direction of the Abbey station. Would be easy to step off the platform at this point as it was so overgrown. A stack of old engine blocks wait vainly for the next train Not the sort of thing you would expect to find in the middle of St Albans in the late 1990's The remains of the goods shed Its difficult to imagine there was much goods traffic from such a city location The former goods yard office. How the station appeared soon after closure. Looking south west towards St Albans Abbey Station The goods yard crane pivot A very grand station facade that probably never had much business.

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]]> Sat Dec 6 2008 WHR(P) "18th" Civils Week July/Aug '08 http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1555649.html My son Robert joined me for this working visit, the 18th Civils Week, which took in a point installation, upgrading rail through Pen-y-Mount halt to 75lb on baseplates and extending the new platform. For our traditional Wednesday treat we were granted special permission to walk the construction site from the end of our operating line on Phase4 to the site of the "Osprey loop" at Pont Croesor. Monday 4 August 2008: My son Robert joined me for this working visit, the 18th Civils Week, which took in a point installation, upgrading rail through Pen-y-Mount halt to 75lb on baseplates and extending the new platform. For our traditional Wednesday treat we were granted special permission to walk the construction site from the end of our operating line on Phase4 to the site of the "Osprey loop" at Pont Croesor.

The week's fun begins My son wondering what he has let himself in for Three trains at Pen-y-mount The civils gang wilting in the heat

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]]> Mon Aug 4 2008 WHR(P) 24/25th May 2008 Point installation at the Wharf http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1518159.html The date set for the installation of the redundant Traeth Mawr point at the Wharf coincided with the week I had arranged to give my mother her annual visit to Porthmadog. Sadly she managed to fall over in the Aberglaslyn Pass on the first day and she suffered a fractured and dislocated shoulder which required her to be kept in overnight at Bangor Hospital. While she rested at the Guest House I was able to help Nick Pell grease a few fishplates at the Farm Halt on the Wednesday. At the end of the week I was able to help Nigel and the Civils Gang for 2 days with the point installation. Tuesday 27 May 2008: The date set for the installation of the redundant Traeth Mawr point at the Wharf coincided with the week I had arranged to give my mother her annual visit to Porthmadog. Sadly she managed to fall over in the Aberglaslyn Pass on the first day and she suffered a fractured and dislocated shoulder which required her to be kept in overnight at Bangor Hospital. While she rested at the Guest House I was able to help Nick Pell grease a few fishplates at the Farm Halt on the Wednesday. At the end of the week I was able to help Nigel and the Civils Gang for 2 days with the point installation.

Progress on the Buffet Car Nick Pell controlling train movements The start of the point installation Just after the point had been dragged out of the siding The gang taking a breather Not to sure what was happening up on the coal dock but I thought it needed recording Lady Madcap's wheelsets which should hopefully be fitted soon. More progress on Russell's boiler Repairs being undertaken on Kinnerley The frames of NGG15 No 120 Nigel's prize foxglove which survived the weekend

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]]> Tue May 27 2008 WHR(P) Hunslet Weekend May 2008 including visit to Boston Lodge to see progress on Lyd http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1505715.html WHR(P) Hunslet Weekend May 2008 including visit to Boston Lodge to see progress on Lyd Tuesday 6 May 2008: WHR(P) Hunslet Weekend May 2008 including visit to Boston Lodge to see progress on Lyd

Lyd on display in the Boston Lodge Paint Shop The Boston Lodge headshunt Chairman James keeping tabs on site operations Not many WHR sleepers are in their original positions but a few are if you know where to look The last of the old WHR will soon be swept away to create the new link. Here are probably the last two or three sleepers from the original line

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]]> Tue May 6 2008 WHR(P) Spring Bash March 2008 http://tonystatham.fotopic.net/c1472293.html These photos record the work undertaken by the WHR(P) Civvies gang during the annual Spring Bash event. The main effort of the week was assisting in the WHR(C) project by laying track south from P-Y-M to just short of Cae Pawb Crossing. (This being to give space for the setting out of the "center drop" catch point which arrived at P-Y-M by lorry and was brought down on wagons over the newly laid rails.) We were kindly assisted on the Tuesday by the WHR(C) Tuesday Gang together with other WHR(C) members on other days. You can also watch a video record of what happened on youtube.com. Go to the site and search either WHR(P) or Spring Bash or for user ta455driver Sunday 9 March 2008: These photos record the work undertaken by the WHR(P) Civvies gang during the annual Spring Bash event. The main effort of the week was assisting in the WHR(C) project by laying track south from P-Y-M to just short of Cae Pawb Crossing. (This being to give space for the setting out of the "center drop" catch point which arrived at P-Y-M by lorry and was brought down on wagons over the newly laid rails.) We were kindly assisted on the Tuesday by the WHR(C) Tuesday Gang together with other WHR(C) members on other days. You can also watch a video record of what happened on youtube.com. Go to the site and search either WHR(P) or Spring Bash or for user ta455driver

Snow on Tuesday morning Tuesday Gang at PYM RAF keeping an eye on our progress Parts for Russell

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]]> Sun Mar 9 2008