Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 01:15 29 Mar 2024
- Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45
- Easter getaways hit by travel disruption
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
29th Mar (1913)
Foundation of National Union or Railwaymen (*)

Train RunningShort Run
21:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
Delayed
21:45 Penzance to London Paddington
23:45 London Paddington to Penzance
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 29, 2024, 01:25:53 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[98] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[97] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[86] Return of the BRUTE?
[74] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[53] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[23] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Legal Highs  (Read 4959 times)
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« on: June 14, 2015, 12:06:03 »

Last evening I stood on a footbridge in Lockleaze for 20 minutes, in the drizzling rain, waiting for 1Z54 to come up Ashley Bank. During my wait various 150s, 158s, HSTs (High Speed Train) and Voyagers went past, and that was pleasantly diverting, but by crikey the main attraction put them in their place... You could hear the loco's beats echoing off the sides of the valley soon after it passed Stapleton Road, and the exhaust was nothing short of vulcanic as the crew dealt with the greasy rails, a 715 ton trailing load and a stiff gradient. It was, in the traditional sense of the word, awesome.

I though it would be a good idea to stand directly over the tracks as the train passed under the bridge, failing to spot the fact that there were fairly large gaps between the wooden decking boards (and of course no smoke deflectors these days). I swear I lost some hairs off my legs, and later I found clinker in my underpants.

I like electric trains - they're fast, efficient, modern; everything a railway should be.

I like diesel trains - they're... well, some of them are quite fun. And they get you there, mostly.

But I see why it is that, 60 years after it became hopelessly outmoded, people still give up vast amounts of time and effort to keep steam traction running on the main line. Thanks!
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
PhilWakely
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 2007



View Profile
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2015, 12:29:23 »

Last evening I stood on a footbridge in Lockleaze for 20 minutes, in the drizzling rain, waiting for 1Z54 to come up Ashley Bank. During my wait various 150s, 158s, HSTs (High Speed Train) and Voyagers went past, and that was pleasantly diverting, but by crikey the main attraction put them in their place... You could hear the loco's beats echoing off the sides of the valley soon after it passed Stapleton Road, and the exhaust was nothing short of vulcanic as the crew dealt with the greasy rails, a 715 ton trailing load and a stiff gradient. It was, in the traditional sense of the word, awesome.

I'll trump your 150s, 158s, ......   with 'several 143s'   Smiley 

I've just spent an hour on the new bridge taking the Exe cycleway over the railway at Powderham - along with three or four other hardy souls and it was all worth it to watch, hear and smell Britannia on the Torbay Express come past!
Logged
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2015, 15:12:21 »

I find the smell of coal smoke, whether it comes from a steam engine or a house chimney, strangely attractive. Some people enjoy petrol fumes, maybe because they associate them with power, speed and the thrill of racing ^ or maybe for other reasons (sniffing petrol was a common legal[?] high when I was a teenager) ^ but it makes me feel a bit sick, although I can appreciate the associations; and diesel fumes have a disgusting wax and swimming pool smell to me (does anyone like the smell of diesel?). I'm sure all of them are unhealthy. Nevertheless, coal smoke smells quite nice to me. I wouldn't go as far as seeking it out, mind.
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
chuffed
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1499


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2015, 15:47:05 »

Have you 'squirreled' the clinker away for future use ? Huh
Methinks your fur may be more ' sciurus carolinensis' than 'sciurus vulgaris' after that experience !
Logged
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 17865


I am not railway staff


View Profile Email
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2015, 00:10:53 »

I find the smell of coal smoke, whether it comes from a steam engine or a house chimney, strangely attractive.

Coal smoke - particularly when mixed with steam from an engine - is good: wood smoke is even better, in my opinion.  Wink

Petrol and diesel fumes are generally disgusting.  Cry
Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Rhydgaled
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1500


View Profile WWW
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2015, 10:20:58 »

Not sure about coal smoke, but the smell of unburnt petrol (eg. when putting fuel in the strimmer, not the exhast that is emmitted when running it) isn't too bad if encounted briefly.

The really nice smell however is the smell of steam from a steam engine, not the smoke coming out the chimmey but the white clouds which are sometimes emmitted from the cylinders (or that vacinity). Not sure what it is, perhaps some lubricant on the moving parts which smells when it gets hot?
Logged

----------------------------
Don't DOO (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) it, keep the guard (but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea if the driver unlocked the doors on arrival at calling points).
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2015, 12:25:36 »


...wood smoke is even better, in my opinion.  Wink


Fruit-wood smoke and cow poo, on a clear bright frosty morning - there's a heady combination...
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
Western Pathfinder
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1528



View Profile
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2015, 14:04:14 »

Castrol R Oil now that's a great smell also good old fashion Creosote on a fence in the sun as it warms up .
Logged
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2015, 21:30:38 »


...wood smoke is even better, in my opinion.  Wink


Fruit-wood smoke and cow poo, on a clear bright frosty morning - there's a heady combination...
Cow poo, or cow-poo smoke? Probably depends on the exact location and sloppiness of the poo...
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
Red Squirrel
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5190


There are some who call me... Tim


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2015, 19:53:18 »

If anyone's interested, my brother's video of the event is on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLsvFe6ukHA

It did cross our minds that it might have been better if he'd pointed the cameraphone at me instead of the train - it would have been a shoe-in for You've been Framed.
Logged

Things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could.
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page