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Author Topic: Automated train spotting?  (Read 1760 times)
grahame
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« on: January 09, 2021, 09:35:45 »

I have come across this Recording bird feeder project and wonder if it would be a good idea for the webcams that show railway lines to have further smartness added to them to record a detailed log / album of the trains passing, unit numbers, etc - a good way to help the enthusiasts who note down all the numbers, allowing them to do that remotely rather than having to stand on the platform end.

My own noting down and ticking off numbers as a child ... 5001 to 5053, 5101 to 5262 and 5701 to 5795 my local fleet will give you some idea of just how long ago that was ... predates modern electronics and I'm not sure whether I would welcome the help of a webcam ...
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Gordon the Blue Engine
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« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2021, 09:56:50 »

I still have my 1960 Observer's Book of Railway Locomotives of Britain, which has an alphabetical list of named locos at the back.  I'd underlined all the ones I'd seen (I remember getting bored "spotting" un-named locos) - this included all the Kings bar 2 (06 and 26), mainly seen at Snow Hill and Leamington Spa, and Pitchford Hall, which I now have as a Hornby 00 model. 

Travelling to and spending many cold hours on a station platform was definitely good for the soul and far better than a webcam -  and got me out of the house which pleased my Mum as well!
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Worcester_Passenger
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« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2021, 14:22:43 »

My own noting down and ticking off numbers as a child ... 5001 to 5053, 5101 to 5262 and 5701 to 5795 my local fleet will give you some idea of just how long ago that was ... predates modern electronics and I'm not sure whether I would welcome the help of a webcam ...

I recognise that set of numbers (though I'm less convinced by 5795). But what about 5301 to 5356?
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grahame
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« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2021, 14:49:43 »

I recognise that set of numbers (though I'm less convinced by 5795). But what about 5301 to 5356?

Yes - those look like a series I missed out.  As I recall 5780 to 5795 were the ex Newcastle 2 car units with the larger newspaper and luggage vans than the 5701 to 5780 series.  So depending on when you were around there, the 5795 number could be out of place for you.

EDIT TO ADD (Automatic Dropping Device) - from various Wikipedia pages:

Quote
In the earlier, Southern-style 5001-5053, 5101-5260 series, most units (all of which were one class only) comprised a driving motor open saloon including brake at each end of the set. sandwiching a trailer open and a high-density (6 per side) trailer ten-compartment vehicle with access from the passenger doors; there was no gangway down the coach.

The production vehicles in the BR (British Rail(ways)) series 5301-5370 had slightly higher capacity motor coaches, identical vehicles at each end of the set, with an internal partition splitting the saloon into two smaller ones, and a pair of identical trailers each comprising 5 compartments and a 5-bay open saloon, with the compartment end of each coach always back-to-back with its neighbour.

When the South Tyneside line was de-electrified in January 1963, all but one of the 1951 EPB stock was transferred to the Southern Region

Class 416/2 Standard BR MK (Milton Keynes) 1-TYPE stock, 5701-5779 (subsequently renumbered 6202 - 6279 from 1983), and the former Tyneside units, 5781 - 5795

So ... there was no 5780.  5261 and 5262 were mixed Southern and BR series units, made up from vehicles left over after collision writeoff from other units. (5005, 5008 and 5009 also varied from standard)
« Last Edit: January 09, 2021, 15:03:36 by grahame » Logged

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Worcester_Passenger
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« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2021, 15:24:51 »

Clearly after my time...!
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eightf48544
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« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2021, 17:05:07 »

Surely 5001 to 5053 were Castles
5101  to 5262  were a mix of 2-6-2T (51s) and 2-8-0T (52s) and
5701 to 5795 0-6-0PTs

Saw all the Castels incluidng 100 A1 Lloyd's and 111 Viscount Chirchill ex Great Bear plus 4082 (really 7013) on KG VI funeral train.

All Kings and Tanneroners.
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grahame
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« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2021, 17:05:39 »

It's all coming back ... 5001 to 5053 were Southern Bullied with a smooth run from the room down the side of the carriage. 5101 to 5260 were Southern Bullied with a gutter line between the room and the sided of the carriage and 5301 to 5360 were more modern coach bodies from early BR (British Rail(ways)) days.  There were also 2 car Bullied units but they never made the South Eastern division; 5701 upwards were BR style like 5301 to 5350; a similar set of carriages (extras, or units split up?) were used on the Tadpoles, but that, of course, should be covered on the North Downs line section and not in "Lighter Side".
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grahame
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« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2021, 17:07:20 »

Surely 5001 to 5053 were Castles ....

Can't help wondering if the Western folks saw the numbers in use on Southern, thought "what wonderful numbers" and decided to use them too.   After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
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grahame
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« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2021, 20:40:40 »

As we're in "lighter side", I suspect I can digress somewhat ... friends from my youth





And I thought this one was a real bargain looking for a new home in preservation until I saw "photo".
One of the Tyneside units with the large luggage van:

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