Railways around Coventry

The original - and best!

Hi all This just gets better, in spite of the 'South of Crewe' prohibition yellow strip. Somewhere, I have a colour slide of the same loco when it was being serviced at Willesden, but the pictures on here are fabulous. Thank you all so much

I don't suppose this could be a reincarnation of "City of Coventry" ? No? Didn't think so Or maybe . . . . . another link

To think Philip if Lockhurst Lane train station was still there there would be no need for them to build another station at the Ricoh. I recall at 3 years being taken to the station to watch the steam trains go by, in a coach built pram me in one end and a boy from the street Telfer Road in the other end by a teenage girl who use to take us out from the street.

Quite Morgana, it was yet another example of the short-sighted decision-making which pervaded British Railways.

I missed the Deltic a couple of Saturdays ago "Deltic at Coventry"

Thanks for that - excellent! Missed that as I was eating sausages with Philip!

I like all old engineering, motorcycles/cars/steam loco's, I appreciate it and love to see it/them being used and in the case of the railways and canals I'm in awe of the way folk have rallied around to keep them open. I would never have thought looking at the state of the canals in my early days (1970's) and sitting on the roof of a rusting 9F at Dai Woodhams yard in Barry Island in 1979 that these things would ever become part of our lives again

Just for the records, here's "Jeff Tracey" in action at New Street in 2005

Yes MR, they're the ones, they have some peculiar buck-eye type coupling on them. I've often thought are we the only country in the world that gives names to our locomotives? it must seem odd to an outsider but it does give them more character more so in the days of steam.

No we're not - I don't know in how many countries locomotives are named, but certainly many of the operating companies in Switzerland give names to even to smallest engine As regards the Class 57 Thunderbirds, I'm not sure that it was mentioned previously that they were used extensively during diversions caused by the WCML upgrade in recent years, pulling the Pendolino electric units along non-electrified tracks, such as Nuneaton to Birmingham

Those loco's helping them through sections remind me of the days when the APT was on test on the WCML, here is APT No.370 001 at Rugby early 80's, This would have worked if BR hadn't rushed it out for the press and media, all it needed was another year, now we've got Italian (Fiat Ferroviaria) 'Pendolinos' built on this British technology yet again. Here it's being pulled over the Rugby to Coventry line and Trent Valley line right over to the old Leicester line to hide it in the bushes. I'm standing on what they used to call 'The Wooden Bridge' from Wood St to the GEC works. 370 001 with it's nose literally pushed out of its joint as an 08 shunter drags it off onto the old Leicester line out of the press cameras lens. 08 629 was i seem to remember Rugby's resident shunter (pilot).

There's plenty of local interest in this new publication by Andrew Coward, a 128-page book telling the story of Les Ross - yes, the local DJ and radio personality - and his efforts to preserve "his" electric locomotive, 86259 "Les Ross" Illustrated with hundred of photos, mostly WCML, many around the Midlands - it's a smashing book for those interested in railways in and around the area Here's the front cover

It does contain some images of steam locos and diesels (oh, and yes, there is one of mine in there too!) Recommended!

I noticed that today's announcement regarding new investment in the railways mentions that the line from Nuneaton through to Oxford will be electrified. I imagine this is the Nuneaton - Coventry - Leamington line. If so, that's great news. I wonder if it includes (re)opening a station in Kenilworth?

Hi DBC & Hi all The station at the Ricoh, (sorry City of Coventry Stadium), Hill Top in Nuneaton & Kenilworth are all in the plan, sad to say though, that I will believe it when I see construction start. HS2 controversy has drawn so much attention away from the real infrastructure, I am not sure that anyone knows which pedal to push. I hope it does, DBC.