Railway General Knowledge.

[Cowley]

From what I remember it was this four, but I’m not sure about 40118.

40012 Preserved
40060 Scrapped
40118? Preserved
40135 Preserved

 

[SteveM70]

From what I remember it was this four, but I’m not sure about 40118.

40012 Preserved
40060 Scrapped
40118? Preserved
40135 Preserved

Spot on. 40060 met its fate at Vic Berry’s, the others survived

 

[Cowley]

Spot on. 40060 met its fate at Vic Berry’s, the others survived

Thanks. I was a bit obsessed with those four class 40s back in the day.
Let’s go for another question about departmental locos numbered in the class 97 series...

Can someone provide the 97xxx and original TOPS numbers of five locomotives that still exist in preservation today?

 

[xotGD]

Some half-answers:

Class 24 - 24081 / 97201?
Class 31 - 972xx
Class 46 - 9740x Ixion

 

[Cowley]

Some half-answers:

Class 24 - 24081 / 97201?
Class 31 - 972xx
Class 46 - 9740x Ixion

Correct half-answers though.

 

[xotGD]

Class 08 - 97806?

Edit, I've now checked and discovered that it isn't an 08! Oh well...

 

[Cowley]

Class 08 - 97806?

Edit, I've now checked and discovered that it isn't an 08! Oh well...

Well you’re definitely leading at the moment so prepare your next question.
(if nobody comes up with more by the time I log in tomorrow it’s yours sir).

Edit - @xotGD the floor is yours.

 

[xotGD]

Just spotted the edit handing me the floor.

Right then, a question on 'Roarers':

Classes 81 to 85 were each constructed in a different town or city in the UK. Can you name the location for each? Bonus points for the names of the builders.

 

[SteveyBee131]

It was some time ago that I read about them so I'm probably rather rusty!

81, BRCW (sub-contracted from Associated Electric Industries), West Midlands
82, Beyer Peacock, Manchester
83, North British, Glasgow
84, English Electric, Newton-le-Willows
85, BR, Doncaster

 

[xotGD]

It was some time ago that I read about them so I'm probably rather rusty!

81, BRCW (sub-contracted from Associated Electric Industries), West Midlands
82, Beyer Peacock, Manchester
83, North British, Glasgow
84, English Electric, Newton-le-Willows
85, BR, Doncaster

That is all the right places, all the right builders. Only error is 83 and 84 are the wrong way round. Very impressive!

The floor is yours...

 

[SteveyBee131]

Wow, thanks! I can't think of anything just now, so let the factory floor be open!

 

[341o2]

May I ask a seasonal one. The music to one Christmas carol was inspired by the composer staying in a cottage overlooking a railway and observing a certain activity.
What was it, who was he, and the name of the carol please

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Might the activity have been snow clearance?

 

[341o2]

The railway was not in any way affected by adverse weather, although this does feature in the words of the carol.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Cold, frost, wind, trees and everything white?

 

[Calthrop]

Cold, frost, wind, trees and everything white?

Hey -- that's the right metre for "We Three Kings". Could that be (part of) the answer ?

 

[341o2]

Afraid not
What were the trains doing? An everyday event until the railway was modernised. Not weather related.
The composer stated
"I sat down and wrote (what?)...after idly watching (what?) from the window of a cottage in Gloucester which overlooked the Midland Railway. In an upstairs room I looked out on iron railings and the main Bristol to Gloucester railway line, with (what?)

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Given the location, is the composer Sir Edward Elgar?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Elgar lived in Malvern, not by the line, I think
Engines had to be fired up and warmed for hours before they were moved, am I getting closer/warmer?

 

[xotGD]

In the bleak midwinter

 

[341o2]

Neither In the Bleak Midwinter, although there are parallels, nor the firing of locomotives.
The carol is a loose translation from the German, the original with music by Michael Praetorius is as just likely to be performed.
Beeching didn't just recommend closing lines and stations, what was one area of railway operation that he found extremely inefficient?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Silent night, Stille Nacht?
..
Beeching: double/multiple manning?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Elgar lived in Malvern, not by the line, I think

Ah, of course.

 

[341o2]

no, what did Dai Woodham concentrate on, hence the survival of nearly every steam loco in his yard.
Silent Night was written to reflect a world at peace
This carol refers to a flower and geneaology

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Breaking up wagons and coaches, but (and I know that it'll be obvious when I see it) ... I can't see the connection!

 

[xotGD]

I saw three unfitted freights come rolling by on Christmas Day in the morning.

 

[341o2]

Maybe not a good example, Beeching saw the utilisation of the railways wagon fleet very inefficient.

the composer..."I sat down and wrote ..after idly watching some shunting from the window of a cottage in Gloucester which overlooked the Midland Railway. In an upstairs room I looked out on iron railings and the main Bristol to Gloucester railway line, with shunting trucks bumping and banging"

 

[341o2]

I saw three unfitted freights come rolling by on Christmas Day in the morning.

I missed that, many a true word said in jest!

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Sounds like the troublesome trucks, Awdry? Maybe not%)

'Es ist ein Ros'* entsprungen' comes to mind, dunno what that is in English
* horse or rose?

 

[341o2]

Between yourselves, you basically have the answers, the only missing bit is that the composer was Herbert Howells and the words loosely translated from Es is ein Ros entsprungen, to read

A Spotless Rose is blowing,
Sprung from a tender root

Can you decide between yourselves who takes the floor