Upcoming Games

(UTC times)


Full list
Add a game

Upcoming Events

No events to display

Who's Online

Zecs, Person82, norman B, geswedey, JamesN, 58050, Philo, Andrew G, ozrail, Cedric, jc92 (11 users seen recently)

New to the forum

You are here: Home > Forum > New to SimSig? > Newcomers > New to the forum

Page 1 of 1

New to the forum 30/11/2010 at 20:31 #2060
podgekate
Avatar
5 posts
I started on the railways way back in 1954, as a train recorder at Ordsall Lane No 4 signal box, then I went on to do 2 years national service.
After national service I had my first signal box, Patricroft sidings (Manchester to liverpool line) after that (18 months) I went main line at Barton Moss junction SB, this was a 30 lever frame controling the 4 lines from Manchester to Liverpool then 2 lines over Chat Moss. I left in 1960, but I have always had that railway blood in me.
From records the SB was burnt down in 1990, and up to that point was a block between Eccles and Astley with just an up and down line.
To date the block now runs from Manchester Piccadilly - Eccles - Astley - then Warrington power box takes over,Makes me feel so sad, is this what they call progress?
podgekate.

Log in to reply
New to the forum 30/11/2010 at 20:31 #12719
podgekate
Avatar
5 posts
I started on the railways way back in 1954, as a train recorder at Ordsall Lane No 4 signal box, then I went on to do 2 years national service.
After national service I had my first signal box, Patricroft sidings (Manchester to liverpool line) after that (18 months) I went main line at Barton Moss junction SB, this was a 30 lever frame controling the 4 lines from Manchester to Liverpool then 2 lines over Chat Moss. I left in 1960, but I have always had that railway blood in me.
From records the SB was burnt down in 1990, and up to that point was a block between Eccles and Astley with just an up and down line.
To date the block now runs from Manchester Piccadilly - Eccles - Astley - then Warrington power box takes over,Makes me feel so sad, is this what they call progress?
podgekate.

Log in to reply
New to the forum 30/11/2010 at 20:38 #12720
UKTrainMan
Avatar
1803 posts
Welcome!

Interesting 'Life story'(?), I'm sure you'll get along well with others on here who are also fans of the 'olden days'.

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
Log in to reply
New to the forum 02/12/2010 at 12:55 #12749
kbarber
Avatar
1742 posts
Yep; (self-proclaimed) hon dinosaur here... still pine for the days when levers & block bells were the norm (& still wishing someone in Simsig will create core code for a proper manual frame/absolute block system - if the panels are anything to go by it'll knock the opposition into a cocked hat!) Welcome Podgekate
Log in to reply
New to the forum 11/12/2010 at 16:19 #12864
podgekate
Avatar
5 posts
Thanks for your welcome chaps, Yes! I do miss the old block and levers.
O" Well!
Podgelate.

Log in to reply
New to the forum 11/12/2010 at 20:54 #12871
Signalhunter
Avatar
177 posts
podgekate said:
Thanks for your welcome chaps, Yes! I do miss the old block and levers.
O" Well!
Podgelate.
I love playing with Midland Rotary block instruments. AB beats TCB any/every day of the year.

Log in to reply
New to the forum 12/12/2010 at 19:46 #12879
jc92
Avatar
3685 posts
Online
Signalhunter said:
I love playing with Midland Rotary block instruments. AB beats TCB any/every day of the year.
amen midland all the way. nothing beats a tumbler and rotary block

"We don't stop camborne wednesdays"
Log in to reply
New to the forum 13/12/2010 at 10:16 #12881
kbarber
Avatar
1742 posts
jc92 said:
Signalhunter said:
I love playing with Midland Rotary block instruments. AB beats TCB any/every day of the year.
amen midland all the way. nothing beats a tumbler and rotary block :)

Rotary: now you're talking... gorgeous. Happy memories of rotary block over short sections at Finchley Road before West Hampstead took over.

But I do like the GWR 5VT frame... no backweighting like the Derby products but I prefer the cleaner lines of a frame top at floor level, I find the enormous angle levers work through on Derby frames a bit awkward and GWR locking always seemed just that little bit sweeter.

There; traitor twice in one posting - my father was a bobby on the GN (I'm told I learned to walk on the frame at Spalding No. 1, but those were the days when it had a frame worth seeing).

Log in to reply