Direct Rail Services Kingmoor depot open day 2017

[kevsmiththai]

Once again we had our big company charity open day organised. This year it was a our Carlisle Kingmoor depot as it alternates with our Crewe Gresty bridge facility and was to be the first event to feature the new 25Kv Ac/Diesel hybrid class 88 Bo-Bos.

 

Friday was spent shunting the yard and marking out the car park for all the visiting trade stands and Railway societies. The wind was a bit wicked and one marquee nearly went over the fence before we screwed it down!

 

 

 

A pair of EMD Built class 66s stand waiting with 66 301 positioned ready for its naming ceremony the following day.

 

37 259 had brought two of our venerable Class 20s from Barrow Hill depot. These are planned to be used on the RHTT (Rail head treatment train) this autumn as they can get up some of the trickier branch lines barred to heavier locos.

 

 

Our Class 68s are now becoming well established and we lined three different liveried ones up in front of the shed

 

The shortest lived colour scheme will be this plain blue. These locos are due to be allocated to the new TPE and will be wrapped in their livery nearer the time

 

 

The Chiltern rail class 68s, leased from us, work out of London Marylebone station to the West Midlands and are not named apart from one example

 

 

 

 

[kevsmiththai]

We picked 88 008 up with the jacks to give the visitors a different perspective

 

 

and 88 010 was parked on the Ski Ramp!

 

This is a loading facility to get rolling stock onto low loader trailers in case you were wondering!

 

So a very wet Saturday morning dawned which did nothing to deter the enthusiasts who were queuing from early on

 

 

With the gates open the depot filled up quickly

 

 

As did the merchandise stall situated in the stores loading bay this year, which turned out to be a good move as the weather got worse.

 

[kevsmiththai]

The difference in front end design between the 2017 built 68 029 and the Class 57 front which dates from the early 1960s is evident here

 

 

and 37 425 looks ancient by comparison

 

 

We did the cab tours for the public as before but this year the main attraction was the cab of the Class 88 which would not be out of place in Star Trek

The queues for these were long and lasted all day.

 

 

 

 

For the first time we decided to auction off some nameplates from withdrawn or sold locomotives for charity

 

 

The Class 37 plates went for up to £2,500 each side and the 47 number plate and Pullman crest were topping £1,500 each

 

and the name of the 66?

 

'Kingmoor TMD' which had previously been on one of our 37/6s. One look at the picture tells you all you need to know about the weather

[kevsmiththai]

Now I'm sure there are some of you going Diesels, Electrics Hmmmmm very nice

But...

We did have steam

 

Just not that big

The Ravenglass and Eskdale railway, the world famous 15" gauge preserved line in Cumbria have acquired a 1929 Krauss built 4-6-2 that has had a chequered history from Spain. To deliver it the 'Lal Ratty' as the line is nicknamed they decided to haul it from the open day to their Ravenglass HQ by road pulled by 'Providence' a traditional Fowler Showmans engine in the fashion some of the lines original locomotives arrived back in the 1920s

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back up power was an equally ancient Scammell lorry. This could act as a helper with a traction bar at the rear

 

The loco is having an new tender constructed and is to be named 'Whillan Beck' following a public vote

[kevsmiththai]

Videos?

 

Friday and Saturday at the open day including the shunts to get it all lined up

 

 

using some of the same footage but with main line action is this compilation of the Class 88s in action on driver training and Anglo-Scottish intermodals including one romping up Shap in the pouring rain on the Tesco service

 

 

cheers

 

Kev

Edited August 8, 2017 by cteno4
Fixed YouTube embeds

[cteno4]

Thanks kev,

 

Looks like a very good time was had by all!

 

Jeff

[Kiha66]

Thanks for sharing kev! Looks like a great event, shame about the foul weather. Wish I was a bit closer! Great photos.

[miyakoji]

The loco is having an new tender constructed and is to be named 'Whillan Beck' following a public vote

I'm glad the result wasn't Trainy McTrainface.

[Kiha66]

I'm glad the result wasn't Trainy McTrainface.

Nonesense, this one will be Steamy McSmokestack