Many thanks, I do enjoy filming videos and sharing them with others. I will be returning to the Heritage centre when I have the time as I wish to make a more detailed video about the Mountsorrel Railway and its activities through the ages. Hopefully it will include some information on the locomotives which worked there as well.
i always liked the old dmu"s they where wonderful i am nearly 62 and have very fond memories of them i am from the west country and i know that western champion hauled a train out of mountsorrel a few years ago thank you very much bruce and the gcr
Rode on Iris and her companion many times from Banbury Merton Street to Bletchley via Buckingham back in the ‘50’s. Great to see ‘her’ working and looking so good. A great video, well filmed and presented. I found the captions useful and informative, thanks.
Did the line a few years back on a two car DMU during a steam gala (something to do while waiting for opening time at Quorn) thinking the trip would just go up a siding ...... .......and was amazed to find this compact little branch line with its museum and halts that I'd never even realised was there...... Fantastic job they've done!
Excellent clip and so reminiscent of my early journeys on the Derby Lightweight 2-car units between Leeds Central and Bradford Exchange in the mid-1950s . Must try to do the trip sometime.
Brilliantly done as usual 👍🏻thank you for sharing this as a regular visitor to the GCR…I’ve never travelled this line…of which I will now endeavour to when I can
An interesting enjoyable film. I seem to recall a radio programme in the "Ramblings" series visiting the local group starting to preserve the Mounsorrel branch, presumably in conjunction with the Great Central Railway
And I'm so glad that the local community helped in such a capacity. It's nice to see communities working together. Also it's important to the history of Rothley and Mountsorrel as so many local people were employed by the Quarries.
Thank you for your kind words! I plan to do more videos, admittedly I don't necessarily have a coherent uploading plan as it's a case of as and when projects get completed. I will also be doing well researched videos with voice over commentary.
This is a lovely video. I certainly don't consider it "lengthy" as you say. It is just right. I have just discovered your channel and this is the first video of yours that I have seen. I have also recently become interested in heritage railways and wish I'd been more interested years ago when my cousin, Chris Marlow, was station master at Rothley. He sadly took his own life some ten or more years ago. Your video has inspired me to come and visit. I would love to see the signal box and semaphore signals at Swithland sidings.
I would definitely recommend a visit, there is a lot to observe and see there. I'm sorry to hear about your cousin, but I'm sure there will still be volunteers at the GCR who remember him and worked with him, who may be able to expand your interest and knowledge further.
Indeed it does. I'm glad that the local community managed to pull this off, as the potential was there to lose this chapter of both local and industrial history.
Most informative. I really enjoyed watching that. Iris is such a real Gem and a valuble part of opur railway heritage.. I have many many happy memories from the single car units operated by the Western Region. Thanks for posting!
That's a nice little run, one I'd like to do one day. I know there are other big priorities right now for the GCR, but perhaps one day there will be a regular service on the Mountsorrel Branch - presumably involving sorting out a direct track access from the south. Several other UK heritage railways have the possibility of doing something similar - a chance to use small locos and old coaches (or a single coach DMU) to recreate a true branch line ambiance.
Having really fond memories of 1st gen DMUs (though not this class) I love this. I wish there were mainline registered ones. Especially good was being able to see forward !
It might be inter-company treason, but I wonder what sort of attraction there would be for a season of operation with the GW steam railmotor on this branch, two timetabled trips a day interwoven into the regular main line service...or possibly just regular promoted "bubble car" weekends using either this unit or one of the ex-Chilterns?
Nice work Bruce, as a resident of Mountsorrel and GCR member that was of great interest. Must do that trip while the GCR are still running it , Back to normal in Early April. That old Quarry Branch line could be used more imo. Was Just a kid in the late 50,s and well remember the little Peckett steam engines taking wagons full of granite/stone from the quarry over to the Midland rail head at Barrow, sadly later replaced by a conveyer belt system still used to this day.
You probably remember Elizabeth in use then? I know it's preserved at the Rocks By Rail museum in Cottesmore and is currently under restoration. Will admit I do plan on doing a video on the locos which worked the line, I've just got to find archival images which I can seek permission to use.
@@BAProductions15C Thinking back to those days it was near on impossible to get close enough to the working loco's to see the nameplate on the boiler....the quarry management weren't happy seeing young kids running about the site, and so if spotted we were chased off ! However, living close to the engine shed (our house backed on to the quarry as it was then , close to the railway bridge that still crosses the old A6) we would sneak into the loco shed after the quarry staff had gone home for the evening, even going down the inspection pit beneath a hot loco avoiding hot leaking water ..that could well have been Elizabeth or Doris or The Baron. Local hope is that one day Elizabeth will once more travel along that short length of quarry track.
I remember in the weekly special trains notice when this unit was being used for radio testing it was doing some serious miles, going from Derby research to Inverness and back daily
Yes, I have been researching Iris and the unit got around an awful lot. Hopefully I can do enough research and get enough footage at some point to do a datafile type video on the unit.
@@BAProductions15C I regret not saving one of those STN's now, at the time I found it incredible they ran each day rather than stay over night. I think the unit was out around 18 hours. It did get about as you say but I don't think I ever got a photo of it running
Love this video, my first time on your channel. I have now subscribed and look forward to watching many more of your films. Incidentally, I don't think it is overly long, just right in fact. Thank you.
Having helped a little with the early clearance work with RVP chaps and then lent the odd hand to the community group when they relaid the line, it's great to see it in use. Good video too - lovely and clear. Thank you!
I'll need to check on that. I'm wondering if it was the one and same class 101 BR green DMU called Daisy as used in the Manchester and North wales area until withdrawal in the early 2000's
Thank you for this excelelnt video. It took me back to riding the Derby Lightweights in the Norwich area in the early 60's and remember them all withdrawn on Norwich Shed. I loved the Derby units, they bounced along and I enjoyed them very much and they had lots of chrome. They were better built than the 101's which were very noisy and rattled alarmingly.
Very interesting video, Bruce. I visited the Great Central Railway (from Australia) back in September 2018 before travel along the Mountsorrel Branch was available, so now my journey is complete (that is, until the reunification project to Ruddington becomes available. I can understand why it's not in regular passenger use, due to the additional signalling staffing required and the reversal and wrong line moves required to access the branch. I noted the first handsignaller appeared to be removing a point clip after the reversal move, but it was difficult to discern whether or not point clips were applied to the remaining facing point moves as required for passenger train operations. In the State of Victoria from where I come, we had Great Northern type somersault two aspect semaphore signals and a Distant signal at "off" indicated that all associated Home signals AND the Starter signal into the next block section were also "off". None left in regular service now - the last was the Down Direction Distant Signal at Wallan on the north-east line out of Melbourne towards Seymour and this signal was converted to a light signal about two years ago.🙂
Indeed! they are slowly progressing with it, but it's coming along steadily and will definitely be a great addition to the heritage scene once completed.
Great video. Despite having visited the GCR dozens of times I had never travelled on the Mountsorrel Branch - Covid ruined the one time I had arranged such a trip. I only discovered by accident that the branch was being used this month, so I visited last Saturday. Iris was the first train and was packed - standing room only. I was surprised that there's still no direct access to the branch. Instead, time-consuming and laborious reverses and hand signalling are required, which makes it impossible to get much use of what could be a valuable asset.
I would like to think that the popularity of the running days recently might serve as an incentive to smooth out these operational complexities, to allow better heritage integration.
Agreed. This is a valuable asset and I can’t understand why they’re not utilising it more? A few alterations to the track and signalling at Rothley and Swithland would greatly simplify the process of accessing the branch. A few hundred yards of double track south of Rothley to act as a refuge. Unit runs wrong line to Swithland runs into the up refuge accepts the token from signaller and gets the right away for the branch. I know someone who’s a signaller on NR and he seems to think it’s overly complicated.
Thanks for posting this! As an old train driver from the Oslo subway, I remember with horror 1996 until 1998 at the Kolsåsbanen, where I managed to destroy my back, just driving the line back and forth every day. On rails almost as bad as on this video. This since the community revision had been ordered to bet with the money belonging to Oslo kommune, and had for some reason bought up lots of Japanese Yen, and after the crack in Tokyo in 1995, Oslo kommune lost 1.7 billion 1996-NOK, which had to be expropriated from the maintenance budget of all of the community's corporations. Which included the public hospitals, Aker and Ullevål, and the public transport system, including the subway. Something which still today is affecting the hospitals. The subway, is, on the other hand upgraded from 650 v DC catenary into 750 v DC-power rail all the way through; with all level crossings removed, an additional ring rail between Ullevål stadion and Carl Berners plass, and Økern added, and it is in comparison surprisingly well maintained and cared for. The main reason to why I'm happy to have seen this video, is that I never will have to ride this line to discover in what bad shape it is, and what a nightmare it is to drive. This isn't a ride to take if you need to be somewhere in a hurry. It is only a ride for specially interested people who are curious enough, or in a special good company or occasion.
Hey, thanks for leaving a comment. Firstly, very sorry to hear of your back problems, that must have been/ or is rather debilitating to cope with. Secondly, your comment is rather confusing. I don't fully understand the scope of history and maintenance (plus its funding) of the Norweigen railways and it is outside the scope of my interests. That being said, I can firmly state that the railway featured in this video and the railway you describe are two completely different things. Firstly, the railway featured in my video is a preserved railway. The line itself is lawfully restricted to a max operating speed of 25mph (40kmh) and is maintained, in the majority, by volunteer manpower and resources. Therefore, the track quality has to meet certain mandates and certifications for operations in the UK, but the line fully meets that requirement. Secondly, the railway is for heritage use and is not in everyday use. As that is the case, it doesn't pose a risk at all, and to be totally honest, there is nothing wrong with the ride quality. Ride quality is based on a mixture of factors, and as a former professional railwayman yourself, I expect that you recognise this fact. The Journey was made on a train built in the late 50's, converted to it's present format in the 1960's. This train/unit does not have air suspension, nor overly complex riding characteristics like modern railway vehicles. As such it will bump and lurch that is part and parcel of old railway stock. I will also state I filmed this video entirely handheld, I was not using a tripod. Based on that alone, surely it's easy to understand that some ride quality might be over exaggerated by my hand held filming capabilities? "This isn't a ride to take if you need to be somewhere in a hurry." I should hope not, because A) the line is restricted by law to operate at 25mph and B) its a heritage experience, it's not meant to transport people as part of rapid transit in any respect of the phrase! "The main reason to why I'm happy to have seen this video, is that I never will have to ride this line to discover in what bad shape it is, and what a nightmare it is to drive." Well, I am sorry you feel that way about this lovely railway. If you have any interest in UK heritage railways you certainly are missing out by not visiting. The atmosphere lines offer to the public is something special and educational. As for being a nightmare to drive, it's not bad for the guys doing it, I never hear them complain. Good day.
@@BAProductions15C I also do remember the rail joints making a lot of noise whenever driving over them. Today all the rail joints at the Oslo subway are welded together with no disturbing noise, all old wooden sleepers are switched to concrete ones, and the rails are packed and covered with crushed stones. This to steal the heat from the rails during summer heat waves, to avoid sun winding of the rails, which means you would have to slow down to walking speed to avoid derailments. Max regular speed on the Oslo subway is 70 km/h, lowest regular speed is 15 km/h. Unfortunately, passing people often have got a sad tendency of stealing the rather expensive crushed stones; because they are uneducated in relation to why there are so much of them and to what they are for, and thus end up causing an awful lot of delays during the summertime heat waves. It seems like you haven't had access to a proper crushed stone packing machine, and have had to do everything manually by hand. Which is why your rail seem to be as unstable as it is. My comment was not meant as a bashing of your rail; which for museum purposes is fantastic, it was just a silly association to my private memories.
@@BearCY no offense taken. You make sense from the standpoint of what type of ballasting and tamping has been used. In the heritage sector, there is access to rail tampers, but the cost can sometimes outweigh the benefit, or the budget of the railway. It really depends on the heritage railway in question, the size of the line and overall budget. Some heritage railways really struggled, and are still struggling with money income ever since Covid came around. Some lines have thus got less money to afford the higher quality of track work and tamping. On the UK mainline though, that's different. Everything gets the correct grade ballast and is tamped as well for optimal seating of the track on the trackbed. I will admit, at my own observation, there are some main network lines that do require the higher quality ballasting techniques and advanced tamping. It's interesting how ballast, and thus how it is installed can make such a difference.
@@BAProductions15C Since I only have got access to Google Translate, and am not familiar with the English nomenclature in relation to railways; only the Norwegian one, I'll have to thank you for the expression of "rail tampers".
I walked up this line years before GCR reinstated it, right up to the large embankment across the line. It was all overgrown then, but I always wondered why it was there. Thanks for the trip.
Enjoyed this video a lot, have often wondered where this branch went to while riding the main line, have great memories of the GCR when i rode on the footplate for a couple of miles on their 9F, i have subscribed...Mal
Cracking video thank you,it's great that the early DMUs have a following now, they were so space age when new, remember travelling Stoke to Wolverhampton aged 5 with my cousin and a great aunt, it'd be a class 104, so happy memories, I've got a model on order from Heljan.
Thank you for your kind words and memories. I just wish I was born in the age where these first gen units were working I the mainline. Would be great to experience.
I think a lot of people always have that sort of sentiment with rolling stock that they are fond of. Being younger, I actually heavily dislike class 180 units on the midland main line, mostly because we gained four of them, whilst we lost the entirety of our HST fleet. Then with time, you find acceptance and appreciation for rhe replacements.
There's similar bridge tunnels at Glenfield Leics and Moodiesburn Nr Stepps in Scotland from the early Railway Days in the 1830-40s where only small Locomotives and Standard Engines with cut down and trimmed cabs could be used these lines lasted till the 60s.
Nunckley Hill Quarry and the operation there is a visitor attraction in it’s own right. It would be beneficial to all concerned if it had regular rail access from the GCR. In high season and at Galas a shuttle service along the branch would no doubt provide a much needed extra stream of income.
Thank you very much for your kind words, it is greatly appreciated! I will be doing more, obviously it just takes time between work and organising things.
Great video - I used to travel on a Derby Lightweight in the late 1960s between Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham. Unfortunately, on the video, reading the script line detracts from the view out of the cab windows.
Good work Bruce. It was made so much easier for you because they did a good job of cleaning the windows. You mentioned outer distant which isn’t quite right but I knew what you meant. Good captions, very interesting 👍
Excellent video of a seldom travelled route. The limited clearance bridge that you mentioned has had a class 37 through it a few times when the line was being ballasted. Not sure if it has enough clearance for a 66. There were rumours of Lafarge using the branch for quarry traffic once the GCR is connected to Network Rail as it would enable them to dispense with the costly conveyor belt operation to Barrow on Soar. I’m not sure if that was fact or hearsay.
Yes, I remember reading that myself some time ago. It could make sense to facilitate using the GCR instead of Barrow sidings, obviously on costing, but also it would mean potentially more paths for varied other freight flows. I think the only downside to using the GCR would be that unless the trains were top and tailed, aggregates services would have to run southwards to Leicester Humberstone Road sidings to run round, if they were to head north.
I'm not 100% sure on that, will need to confer with friends who work with Iris and other DMUs. It's possibly a differing driving style between railways perhaps? I know there may be differences to how gears are changed on differing railways.
Sincerely hope that a few more regular trips on the branch can be woven into the normal GCR schedule. Why have the branch restored if it doesn't get used?
Yes, hopefully the GCR can find a way to integrate the branch further. It definitely adds a different dynamic to the operations of the railway. Also would give something new to long term visitors of the line to explore.
It would be great if you uploaded this without the scrolling text. I read all of it and found it very interesting, however I wanted to watch the journey from the cab. If one does pay respect to the knowledge shared then only a small amount of the footage is watched. I did watch the journey again with some of the window out of view. All in all 7 on 10 !
@Bruce Astill ultimately it's your footage. Maybe leave it as is, with a link in the description to another upload without the text. I'll throw in a classic saying to smooth things over, aimed at myself. If you'd prefer it a different way, blood record it yourself ! 😄
@@chiefstain that's not a bad shout actually, I like that idea. I'm a bit short on time to be on PC at the moment, but earliest chance I get I will happily upload it again and put a link in the description. I think I was just worried about the time it would take etc, however if it makes it more enjoyable for more people, why not? Thank you for provoking the thought process.
Technically, Iris has a BUT 150hp engine, but to all intents and purposes that I know, it is essentially an AEC engine, similar to those in Met Cam units etc. I only say essentially as British United Traction was jointly owned by AEC and Leyland.
Would love to take this train, but circumstances at the moment prevent it. Is this something that runs a few times a year? It seems odd to me that the branch doesn't get a look in with the regular GCR timetable. Missed opportunity, or just additional cost with no commensurate revenue?
I'm not 100% sure how it works with working the branch. I'm not entirely sure if there are complexities involved with running it on a gala day. However, hopefully the GCR see the potential that the branch brings to the overall railway and arrange something a little more frequent.
@@BAProductions15C thank you - I hope it can be incorporated into the GCR "scene" a lot more. Seems daft to have restored it then not to make use of it. Great video, by the way - many thanks for that!
Good video Bruce, except that your info on the Rothley distant signal is incorrect. The distant signal being off means that all other signals associated with it are also off. Having a clear route until the ‘inner home’ signal would mean that the distant signal would be in the on position.
Thanks for the clarification. I will admit I do need to redouble the efforts to understand semaphore signalling arrangements. Colour lights I can get the grasp of like water off a ducks back!
@@chrisderby986 only very briefly, as my role is positioned at a colour light signalling station. As such I've not ever really had any refresher on the knowledge.
@@BAProductions15C yeah didn’t think they would go too in depth with it. I worked with semaphores for 19 years before I moved from EMR to WMT. The Snow Hill, Worcester and Wolverhampton guards work with them but there’s none on any of the routes I work.
Yes, there have been a fair few over the years. Quite useful vehicles, as they can easily operate quieter lines on their own, where there isn't a need for large capacity, but they can also work with other longer units to provide a handy booster of seating for busy periods.
Yes, from capital stock. I need to further ascertain the reason why. I know it was a rather interesting unit in single car format, as it was configured to Yellow Diamond multiple working, so it could only work with other Detby lightweight DMU vehicles fitted with mechanical transmissions. Whether this was a factor or not I'm not sure.
Multiple factors, such as track work tolerances, quality of the track used, safety cases, signalling arrangements etc. The branch probably wouldn't have ever been any faster than 15 mph anyway even when in industrial use.
Very difficult to get the head around the 'need' to have double track! The line one supposes is a charity run by volunteers so the cost of laying double track will swallow monies that would help improve everything else! If Europe and the USA run 2000 tonne freight trains and 180mph passenger trains on single tracks very successfully, why why why???
The GCR is the only heritage railway, or indeed place, where you can experience two trains passing each other in a Mainline type situation. This is a big thing for the GCR to promote and thus, it is a unique railway in this aspect. It has helped make the GCR the success story it has become. Gala events are always well attended as a whole and with the double track running, it opens up operational potential. This is great for enthusiasts and the general public alike. The line also holds (although hasn't for a while due to bridges needing work etc) Travelling Post Office train demonstrations. The GCR would not be able to hold some of the fantastic events it hosts, if it did not have double track.
I see that freight trains in part of the USA are very long but slow, to get capacity out of a single line . The rest should be double track where needed but that'll never come unless it's all nationalised I'm afraid .😊
Thought that was the case, and I could easily believe it. Was a resident of Leicester for 27 years and it has it's moments and rough areas and it doesn't surprise me people vandalised it sadly. Shame it was lost.
It's due to the line speed. Not entirely sure on all the speed limits, but I do know that overall, preserved railways operate at a max of 25mph. The Mountsorrel branch itself is only 10mph max speed.
Speed limit on the branch line is 15mph, reducing to ten or 5 in some places, it was after all an industrial branch for moving quarried stone, so it is not laid or maintained to main line standards.
@@lindaweilburg6428 in some respects, that is kind of true, as quite often these sorts of restoration project use second hand rails from the UK mainline network. Rail does wear done over time and usage, so sometimes rail is obtainable second hand. I wouldn't say its overly worn? Just a case that the exacting tolerances that the UK main network demands are far from what's required for occasional preserved running. So much so that track work on the Mountsorrel branch probably won't need to be renewed for good few decades.
It will be considered, however due to the amount of text that was typed, fixed comments would have been more awkward from an editing stance on this occasion. With fixed comments, it would mean I have to break down my paragraphs into several text segments, meaning the viewer would have to read more and pay less attention to the view. Whilst scrolling text is distracting for some, and I do apologise, it does open up more of the screen to take in the visual elements.
I like the scrolling text. It gets more information across in a shorter time than if each screen-width of static text had to be kept on just long enough for people to be able to read it. It's interesting to see the various comments from people who don't like it, because I've never seen any comments of that form on any of Don Coffey's cab-view videos. The only thing he does differently is use a slightly smaller font and lay the text over a black background strip rather than over the moving video, which makes it slightly easier to read. As other people have suggested, you could make two versions of the final edit, identical except for the overlaying of scrolling text on one version.
Well, line speed would have been very different back then. This main line was capable of handling, and did handle, services which operated anywhere upto 90 odd mph, which in the steam days was a bloody good gallop. Obviously, heritage railways cannot operate at that speed.
Very interesting, thank you - we hope to travel over the branch in late May/early June 24.
Fascinating, and a worthy tribute to the hard work of those who restored this unique line. Thank you so much for filming and posting.
Many thanks, I do enjoy filming videos and sharing them with others.
I will be returning to the Heritage centre when I have the time as I wish to make a more detailed video about the Mountsorrel Railway and its activities through the ages. Hopefully it will include some information on the locomotives which worked there as well.
Brilliant video of a unique branch line, Thanks for filming so expertly.
Many thanks!
i always liked the old dmu"s they where wonderful i am nearly 62 and have very fond memories of them i am from the west country and i know that western champion hauled a train out of mountsorrel a few years ago thank you very much bruce and the gcr
Rode on Iris and her companion many times from Banbury Merton Street to Bletchley via Buckingham back in the ‘50’s. Great to see ‘her’ working and looking so good. A great video, well filmed and presented. I found the captions useful and informative, thanks.
Very useful and helpful indeed thanl you
I have really enjoyed this great video, it was so trimendous so A very big thank you to all those who took part in the makeing if this video .
Thank you very much John
A great video, thanks for uploading!
Thank you kindly
Did the line a few years back on a two car DMU during a steam gala (something to do while waiting for opening time at Quorn) thinking the trip would just go up a siding ......
.......and was amazed to find this compact little branch line with its museum and halts that I'd never even realised was there......
Fantastic job they've done!
Excellent clip and so reminiscent of my early journeys on the Derby Lightweight 2-car units between Leeds Central and Bradford Exchange in the mid-1950s . Must try to do the trip sometime.
Fabulous video, love to see old rail lines being restored. Great job.
I would like to experience the Mountsorrel branch line and heritage centre.
Brilliantly done as usual 👍🏻thank you for sharing this as a regular visitor to the GCR…I’ve never travelled this line…of which I will now endeavour to when I can
Thank you very much! I know they are operating for another weekend or two at most? After that I'm not sure when the next time will be.
@@BAProductions15C you’re very welcome and I’ll definitely have a look and hopefully visit
An enjoyable trip well documented and Iris performed quietly and well.
Fascinating and well put together, thanks!
Thank you very much!
A great video. Thanks for posting.
An interesting enjoyable film. I seem to recall a radio programme in the "Ramblings" series visiting the local group starting to preserve the Mounsorrel branch, presumably in conjunction with the Great Central Railway
I was one of these people and my dad helped out getting sorted before the line was put down is was hard work but worth it
And I'm so glad that the local community helped in such a capacity. It's nice to see communities working together. Also it's important to the history of Rothley and Mountsorrel as so many local people were employed by the Quarries.
A pretty little branch.....would like to see it in summer.
A great video of a great part of the Great Central Railway ❤❤❤
Great vid full of info and it wasn't too long!!! Thanks
Thank you for your kind words! I plan to do more videos, admittedly I don't necessarily have a coherent uploading plan as it's a case of as and when projects get completed.
I will also be doing well researched videos with voice over commentary.
This is a lovely video. I certainly don't consider it "lengthy" as you say. It is just right. I have just discovered your channel and this is the first video of yours that I have seen. I have also recently become interested in heritage railways and wish I'd been more interested years ago when my cousin, Chris Marlow, was station master at Rothley. He sadly took his own life some ten or more years ago. Your video has inspired me to come and visit. I would love to see the signal box and semaphore signals at Swithland sidings.
I would definitely recommend a visit, there is a lot to observe and see there.
I'm sorry to hear about your cousin, but I'm sure there will still be volunteers at the GCR who remember him and worked with him, who may be able to expand your interest and knowledge further.
Just shows what can be achieved when ordinary people get together.
Indeed it does. I'm glad that the local community managed to pull this off, as the potential was there to lose this chapter of both local and industrial history.
@@BAProductions15C -1
@@chrissingle7811 I'm sorry?
Brilliant video. I’m a fireman at the GCR and have yet to travel the branch so this was really interesting
Most informative. I really enjoyed watching that. Iris is such a real Gem and a valuble part of opur railway heritage.. I have many many happy memories from the single car units operated by the Western Region. Thanks for posting!
Not a problem, glad you enjoyed the video thanks!
That's a nice little run, one I'd like to do one day. I know there are other big priorities right now for the GCR, but perhaps one day there will be a regular service on the Mountsorrel Branch - presumably involving sorting out a direct track access from the south. Several other UK heritage railways have the possibility of doing something similar - a chance to use small locos and old coaches (or a single coach DMU) to recreate a true branch line ambiance.
Really enjoyed this ...thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Fantastic filming Bruce. thanks for sharing.
Very interesting scenery.
Having really fond memories of 1st gen DMUs (though not this class) I love this. I wish there were mainline registered ones. Especially good was being able to see forward !
It might be inter-company treason, but I wonder what sort of attraction there would be for a season of operation with the GW steam railmotor on this branch, two timetabled trips a day interwoven into the regular main line service...or possibly just regular promoted "bubble car" weekends using either this unit or one of the ex-Chilterns?
I will admit, the GWR railmotor would be a fantastic sight! Maybe the NER Railcar as well?
Nice work Bruce, as a resident of Mountsorrel and GCR member that was of great interest. Must do that trip while the GCR are still running it , Back to normal in Early April. That old Quarry Branch line could be used more imo.
Was Just a kid in the late 50,s and well remember the little Peckett steam engines taking wagons full of granite/stone from the quarry over to the Midland rail head at Barrow, sadly later replaced by a conveyer belt system still used to this day.
You probably remember Elizabeth in use then? I know it's preserved at the Rocks By Rail museum in Cottesmore and is currently under restoration.
Will admit I do plan on doing a video on the locos which worked the line, I've just got to find archival images which I can seek permission to use.
@@BAProductions15C
Thinking back to those days it was near on impossible to get close enough to the working loco's to see the nameplate on the boiler....the quarry management weren't happy seeing young kids running about the site, and so if spotted we were chased off !
However, living close to the engine shed (our house backed on to the quarry as it was then , close to the railway bridge that still crosses the old A6) we would sneak into the loco shed after the quarry staff had gone home for the evening, even going down the inspection pit beneath a hot loco avoiding hot leaking water ..that could well have been Elizabeth or Doris or The Baron.
Local hope is that one day Elizabeth will once more travel along that short length of quarry track.
I remember in the weekly special trains notice when this unit was being used for radio testing it was doing some serious miles, going from Derby research to Inverness and back daily
Yes, I have been researching Iris and the unit got around an awful lot. Hopefully I can do enough research and get enough footage at some point to do a datafile type video on the unit.
@@BAProductions15C I regret not saving one of those STN's now, at the time I found it incredible they ran each day rather than stay over night. I think the unit was out around 18 hours. It did get about as you say but I don't think I ever got a photo of it running
Thanks for a really peaceful ride!
A well produced & informative video. Thank you for your efforts.
Excellent. Thank you.
Love this video, my first time on your channel. I have now subscribed and look forward to watching many more of your films. Incidentally, I don't think it is overly long, just right in fact. Thank you.
Thank you for the kind words! many thanks for subscribing!
I love a bit trivia .
Keep the vlogs coming.
Great video - thank you 👍
No problem! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Lovely,thank you for the History too!
Lovely video chief. We shall have to repeat this when she's back home. You can be sat in the SM seat then, instead of in the saloon!
That would be wonderful!
I also want to do a datafile type video on Iris too, hopefully I can negotiate to allow filming to happen
Thanks for making this thoroughly entertaining video of an often unseen branch..
Having helped a little with the early clearance work with RVP chaps and then lent the odd hand to the community group when they relaid the line, it's great to see it in use. Good video too - lovely and clear. Thank you!
Thank you! And I'm glad that you were part of the reopening process of the line, for which I'm thankful to all volunteers.
Now that WAS interesting. Thank you...
Glad you enjoyed it
A great video. Thank you.
Not a problem, I enjoy making films, so I'm glad that people appreciate my efforts.
@@BAProductions15C me too but I am never going to be in the cab to video! Have been a member of GC since early/mid 70s. But not been on the branch.
Fun view from the cab.
A great video, thanks, beautifully filmed. Iris is a dear little train!
Excellent video, A1 production. I found it full of history & entertaining
Great
Thanks for sharing your excellent video. One day I hope to ride these rails.
Thank you! It's a pleasure, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Definitely can recommend a ride on the branch and a look round the museum at Nunckley Hill.
Excellent video, enjoyed that.
Glad you enjoyed it
Superb video - well done.
Thank you!
I remember when I commuted from Boston to Peterbro' (and thence to London), there was a two-car dmu named 'Daisy'.
I'll need to check on that. I'm wondering if it was the one and same class 101 BR green DMU called Daisy as used in the Manchester and North wales area until withdrawal in the early 2000's
Thank you for this excelelnt video. It took me back to riding the Derby Lightweights in the Norwich area in the early 60's and remember them all withdrawn on Norwich Shed. I loved the Derby units, they bounced along and I enjoyed them very much and they had lots of chrome. They were better built than the 101's which were very noisy and rattled alarmingly.
Very interesting video, Bruce. I visited the Great Central Railway (from Australia) back in September 2018 before travel along the Mountsorrel Branch was available, so now my journey is complete (that is, until the reunification project to Ruddington becomes available. I can understand why it's not in regular passenger use, due to the additional signalling staffing required and the reversal and wrong line moves required to access the branch.
I noted the first handsignaller appeared to be removing a point clip after the reversal move, but it was difficult to discern whether or not point clips were applied to the remaining facing point moves as required for passenger train operations.
In the State of Victoria from where I come, we had Great Northern type somersault two aspect semaphore signals and a Distant signal at "off" indicated that all associated Home signals AND the Starter signal into the next block section were also "off". None left in regular service now - the last was the Down Direction Distant Signal at Wallan on the north-east line out of Melbourne towards Seymour and this signal was converted to a light signal about two years ago.🙂
Nice looking track.
Great video. Be a fantastic line once the 'link' is back in place.
Indeed! they are slowly progressing with it, but it's coming along steadily and will definitely be a great addition to the heritage scene once completed.
Great video. Despite having visited the GCR dozens of times I had never travelled on the Mountsorrel Branch - Covid ruined the one time I had arranged such a trip.
I only discovered by accident that the branch was being used this month, so I visited last Saturday. Iris was the first train and was packed - standing room only.
I was surprised that there's still no direct access to the branch. Instead, time-consuming and laborious reverses and hand signalling are required, which makes it impossible to get much use of what could be a valuable asset.
I would like to think that the popularity of the running days recently might serve as an incentive to smooth out these operational complexities, to allow better heritage integration.
Agreed. This is a valuable asset and I can’t understand why they’re not utilising it more?
A few alterations to the track and signalling at Rothley and Swithland would greatly simplify the process of accessing the branch.
A few hundred yards of double track south of Rothley to act as a refuge. Unit runs wrong line to Swithland runs into the up refuge accepts the token from signaller and gets the right away for the branch. I know someone who’s a signaller on NR and he seems to think it’s overly complicated.
Lengthy? Yes. But fully justified ! Probably a unique insight......... Thank You !
Thanks for posting this!
As an old train driver from the Oslo subway, I remember with horror 1996 until 1998 at the Kolsåsbanen, where I managed to destroy my back, just driving the line back and forth every day.
On rails almost as bad as on this video.
This since the community revision had been ordered to bet with the money belonging to Oslo kommune, and had for some reason bought up lots of Japanese Yen, and after the crack in Tokyo in 1995, Oslo kommune lost 1.7 billion 1996-NOK, which had to be expropriated from the maintenance budget of all of the community's corporations.
Which included the public hospitals, Aker and Ullevål, and the public transport system, including the subway.
Something which still today is affecting the hospitals.
The subway, is, on the other hand upgraded from 650 v DC catenary into 750 v DC-power rail all the way through; with all level crossings removed, an additional ring rail between Ullevål stadion and Carl Berners plass, and Økern added, and it is in comparison surprisingly well maintained and cared for.
The main reason to why I'm happy to have seen this video, is that I never will have to ride this line to discover in what bad shape it is, and what a nightmare it is to drive.
This isn't a ride to take if you need to be somewhere in a hurry.
It is only a ride for specially interested people who are curious enough, or in a special good company or occasion.
Well, it is a heritage/preserved railway that only runs passenger services at 25mph. It hasn't been a high-speed railway in about 60 years.
Hey, thanks for leaving a comment.
Firstly, very sorry to hear of your back problems, that must have been/ or is rather debilitating to cope with.
Secondly, your comment is rather confusing. I don't fully understand the scope of history and maintenance (plus its funding) of the Norweigen railways and it is outside the scope of my interests. That being said, I can firmly state that the railway featured in this video and the railway you describe are two completely different things. Firstly, the railway featured in my video is a preserved railway. The line itself is lawfully restricted to a max operating speed of 25mph (40kmh) and is maintained, in the majority, by volunteer manpower and resources. Therefore, the track quality has to meet certain mandates and certifications for operations in the UK, but the line fully meets that requirement. Secondly, the railway is for heritage use and is not in everyday use. As that is the case, it doesn't pose a risk at all, and to be totally honest, there is nothing wrong with the ride quality.
Ride quality is based on a mixture of factors, and as a former professional railwayman yourself, I expect that you recognise this fact. The Journey was made on a train built in the late 50's, converted to it's present format in the 1960's. This train/unit does not have air suspension, nor overly complex riding characteristics like modern railway vehicles. As such it will bump and lurch that is part and parcel of old railway stock. I will also state I filmed this video entirely handheld, I was not using a tripod. Based on that alone, surely it's easy to understand that some ride quality might be over exaggerated by my hand held filming capabilities?
"This isn't a ride to take if you need to be somewhere in a hurry." I should hope not, because A) the line is restricted by law to operate at 25mph and B) its a heritage experience, it's not meant to transport people as part of rapid transit in any respect of the phrase!
"The main reason to why I'm happy to have seen this video, is that I never will have to ride this line to discover in what bad shape it is, and what a nightmare it is to drive." Well, I am sorry you feel that way about this lovely railway. If you have any interest in UK heritage railways you certainly are missing out by not visiting. The atmosphere lines offer to the public is something special and educational.
As for being a nightmare to drive, it's not bad for the guys doing it, I never hear them complain.
Good day.
@@BAProductions15C I also do remember the rail joints making a lot of noise whenever driving over them.
Today all the rail joints at the Oslo subway are welded together with no disturbing noise, all old wooden sleepers are switched to concrete ones, and the rails are packed and covered with crushed stones. This to steal the heat from the rails during summer heat waves, to avoid sun winding of the rails, which means you would have to slow down to walking speed to avoid derailments.
Max regular speed on the Oslo subway is 70 km/h, lowest regular speed is 15 km/h.
Unfortunately, passing people often have got a sad tendency of stealing the rather expensive crushed stones; because they are uneducated in relation to why there are so much of them and to what they are for, and thus end up causing an awful lot of delays during the summertime heat waves.
It seems like you haven't had access to a proper crushed stone packing machine, and have had to do everything manually by hand. Which is why your rail seem to be as unstable as it is.
My comment was not meant as a bashing of your rail; which for museum purposes is fantastic, it was just a silly association to my private memories.
@@BearCY no offense taken.
You make sense from the standpoint of what type of ballasting and tamping has been used. In the heritage sector, there is access to rail tampers, but the cost can sometimes outweigh the benefit, or the budget of the railway. It really depends on the heritage railway in question, the size of the line and overall budget. Some heritage railways really struggled, and are still struggling with money income ever since Covid came around. Some lines have thus got less money to afford the higher quality of track work and tamping.
On the UK mainline though, that's different. Everything gets the correct grade ballast and is tamped as well for optimal seating of the track on the trackbed. I will admit, at my own observation, there are some main network lines that do require the higher quality ballasting techniques and advanced tamping.
It's interesting how ballast, and thus how it is installed can make such a difference.
@@BAProductions15C Since I only have got access to Google Translate, and am not familiar with the English nomenclature in relation to railways; only the Norwegian one, I'll have to thank you for the expression of "rail tampers".
I walked up this line years before GCR reinstated it, right up to the large embankment across the line. It was all overgrown then, but I always wondered why it was there. Thanks for the trip.
No problem, I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thank you!
hartelijk bedank voor deze mooie video opname . 💥💥💥groeten uit belgie . 🌍🌍🌍 julien . 👮
Not a problem, I'm glad you enjoyed this film.
Best regards from the United 🇬🇧
@@BAProductions15C hartelijk bedank voor uw snelle reactie . ✍✍✍ik wens jullie nog veel rij plezier, en de groeten uit belgie . julien 👮
Enjoyed this video a lot, have often wondered where this branch went to while riding the main line, have great memories of the GCR when i rode on the footplate for a couple of miles on their 9F, i have subscribed...Mal
Cracking video thank you,it's great that the early DMUs have a following now, they were so space age when new, remember travelling Stoke to Wolverhampton aged 5 with my cousin and a great aunt, it'd be a class 104, so happy memories, I've got a model on order from Heljan.
Thank you for your kind words and memories. I just wish I was born in the age where these first gen units were working I the mainline. Would be great to experience.
I hated the DMU's when they replaced the N2's and Gresley Quad-Arts on the LNER. Now, of course, I think they are wonderful!
I think a lot of people always have that sort of sentiment with rolling stock that they are fond of.
Being younger, I actually heavily dislike class 180 units on the midland main line, mostly because we gained four of them, whilst we lost the entirety of our HST fleet. Then with time, you find acceptance and appreciation for rhe replacements.
運転してる気分になります😊
"Iris" Een bijzonder fraai motorrijtuig.
Yes, Iris is indeed a lovely example of a Railcar.
There's similar bridge tunnels at Glenfield Leics and Moodiesburn Nr Stepps in Scotland from the early Railway Days in the 1830-40s where only small Locomotives and Standard Engines with cut down and trimmed cabs could be used these lines lasted till the 60s.
At last, got my head around it. Some achievement.
Nunckley Hill Quarry and the operation there is a visitor attraction in it’s own right. It would be beneficial to all concerned if it had regular rail access from the GCR. In high season and at Galas a shuttle service along the branch would no doubt provide a much needed extra stream of income.
Hello my new friend! Great cockpit shots, excellent video 👍🚂🚋🚞
Best wishes
Thank you very much for your kind words, it is greatly appreciated! I will be doing more, obviously it just takes time between work and organising things.
🎉 that should read ( in the making OF the video
Great video - I used to travel on a Derby Lightweight in the late 1960s between Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham. Unfortunately, on the video, reading the script line detracts from the view out of the cab windows.
I forgot they operated around Birmingham.
@@BAProductions15C Yep. I used the train to go see my girlfriend - beats using a car.
Good work Bruce. It was made so much easier for you because they did a good job of cleaning the windows. You mentioned outer distant which isn’t quite right but I knew what you meant. Good captions, very interesting 👍
Thank you very much Don! Yeah revision of semaphore signalling required!!
@@BAProductions15C Sub’d 👍
Thank you!
Excellent video of a seldom travelled route. The limited clearance bridge that you mentioned has had a class 37 through it a few times when the line was being ballasted. Not sure if it has enough clearance for a 66. There were rumours of Lafarge using the branch for quarry traffic once the GCR is connected to Network Rail as it would enable them to dispense with the costly conveyor belt operation to Barrow on Soar.
I’m not sure if that was fact or hearsay.
Yes, I remember reading that myself some time ago.
It could make sense to facilitate using the GCR instead of Barrow sidings, obviously on costing, but also it would mean potentially more paths for varied other freight flows.
I think the only downside to using the GCR would be that unless the trains were top and tailed, aggregates services would have to run southwards to Leicester Humberstone Road sidings to run round, if they were to head north.
Will Leicester north to Rothley ever be double tracked?
By the way good vid
Iris is een bijzondere dame, het koesteren waard.
Yes, indeed.
She is unique, being the only single car version of the design of unit.
It looks like this is one of the quieter DMUs.
Sort of? It sounds just as loud as any other 1st generation DMU as far as I'm concerned. However compared with more modern units, yes Iris is quieter.
Early change of gears, are the ratios different on former yellow diamond DMUs?
I'm not 100% sure on that, will need to confer with friends who work with Iris and other DMUs.
It's possibly a differing driving style between railways perhaps? I know there may be differences to how gears are changed on differing railways.
Sincerely hope that a few more regular trips on the branch can be woven into the normal GCR schedule. Why have the branch restored if it doesn't get used?
Yes, hopefully the GCR can find a way to integrate the branch further. It definitely adds a different dynamic to the operations of the railway. Also would give something new to long term visitors of the line to explore.
It would be great if you uploaded this without the scrolling text. I read all of it and found it very interesting, however I wanted to watch the journey from the cab. If one does pay respect to the knowledge shared then only a small amount of the footage is watched.
I did watch the journey again with some of the window out of view. All in all 7 on 10 !
I may consider this an option, I appreciate it is distracting to some.
@Bruce Astill ultimately it's your footage. Maybe leave it as is, with a link in the description to another upload without the text. I'll throw in a classic saying to smooth things over, aimed at myself. If you'd prefer it a different way, blood record it yourself ! 😄
@@chiefstain that's not a bad shout actually, I like that idea. I'm a bit short on time to be on PC at the moment, but earliest chance I get I will happily upload it again and put a link in the description. I think I was just worried about the time it would take etc, however if it makes it more enjoyable for more people, why not? Thank you for provoking the thought process.
Great video. Do these units use AEC engines, the same as DMUs ?
Technically, Iris has a BUT 150hp engine, but to all intents and purposes that I know, it is essentially an AEC engine, similar to those in Met Cam units etc.
I only say essentially as British United Traction was jointly owned by AEC and Leyland.
@@BAProductions15C Thanks for replying Bruce.
@@exb.r.buckeyeman845 no problem! I love having conversations with viewers and other people, can lead to some good discussions thumbs 👍
Would love to take this train, but circumstances at the moment prevent it.
Is this something that runs a few times a year? It seems odd to me that the branch doesn't get a look in with the regular GCR timetable.
Missed opportunity, or just additional cost with no commensurate revenue?
I'm not 100% sure how it works with working the branch. I'm not entirely sure if there are complexities involved with running it on a gala day. However, hopefully the GCR see the potential that the branch brings to the overall railway and arrange something a little more frequent.
@@BAProductions15C thank you - I hope it can be incorporated into the GCR "scene" a lot more. Seems daft to have restored it then not to make use of it.
Great video, by the way - many thanks for that!
Good video Bruce, except that your info on the Rothley distant signal is incorrect. The distant signal being off means that all other signals associated with it are also off. Having a clear route until the ‘inner home’ signal would mean that the distant signal would be in the on position.
Thanks for the clarification. I will admit I do need to redouble the efforts to understand semaphore signalling arrangements. Colour lights I can get the grasp of like water off a ducks back!
@@BAProductions15C didn’t you do semaphore signals as part of your initial rules training with EMT?
@@chrisderby986 only very briefly, as my role is positioned at a colour light signalling station. As such I've not ever really had any refresher on the knowledge.
@@BAProductions15C yeah didn’t think they would go too in depth with it. I worked with semaphores for 19 years before I moved from EMR to WMT. The Snow Hill, Worcester and Wolverhampton guards work with them but there’s none on any of the routes I work.
A single-car multiple unit. Well, well.
Yes, there have been a fair few over the years. Quite useful vehicles, as they can easily operate quieter lines on their own, where there isn't a need for large capacity, but they can also work with other longer units to provide a handy booster of seating for busy periods.
What camera did you use?
Withdrawn 1967, before the last steam train?
Yes, from capital stock. I need to further ascertain the reason why. I know it was a rather interesting unit in single car format, as it was configured to Yellow Diamond multiple working, so it could only work with other Detby lightweight DMU vehicles fitted with mechanical transmissions. Whether this was a factor or not I'm not sure.
Why isn't the branch 25mph like the rest of the rly ?
Multiple factors, such as track work tolerances, quality of the track used, safety cases, signalling arrangements etc.
The branch probably wouldn't have ever been any faster than 15 mph anyway even when in industrial use.
"Single car DMU" sounds rather self-contradictory (considering that DMU means "diesel *multiple* unit").
Indeed, it does, but since the single car can interact in multiple working with other DMUs it makes sense.
Very difficult to get the head around the 'need' to have double track! The line one supposes is a charity run by volunteers so the cost of laying double track will swallow monies that would help improve everything else! If Europe and the USA run 2000 tonne freight trains and 180mph passenger trains on single tracks very successfully, why why why???
That's its USP, the only double track heritage railway in the UK. It used to be the Great Central main line
The GCR is the only heritage railway, or indeed place, where you can experience two trains passing each other in a Mainline type situation. This is a big thing for the GCR to promote and thus, it is a unique railway in this aspect.
It has helped make the GCR the success story it has become. Gala events are always well attended as a whole and with the double track running, it opens up operational potential. This is great for enthusiasts and the general public alike. The line also holds (although hasn't for a while due to bridges needing work etc) Travelling Post Office train demonstrations. The GCR would not be able to hold some of the fantastic events it hosts, if it did not have double track.
I see that freight trains in part of the USA are very long but slow, to get capacity out of a single line .
The rest should be double track where needed but that'll never come unless it's all nationalised I'm afraid .😊
Belgrave & Birstall station was in a bad state and its condition worsened by frequent vandalism so the decision was made to demolish it.
Thought that was the case, and I could easily believe it. Was a resident of Leicester for 27 years and it has it's moments and rough areas and it doesn't surprise me people vandalised it sadly. Shame it was lost.
dave
why so extremely slow ?
It's due to the line speed. Not entirely sure on all the speed limits, but I do know that overall, preserved railways operate at a max of 25mph. The Mountsorrel branch itself is only 10mph max speed.
Why on earth so slow.???
Speed limit on the branch line is 15mph, reducing to ten or 5 in some places, it was after all an industrial branch for moving quarried stone, so it is not laid or maintained to main line standards.
I thought maybe old rail.@@BAProductions15C
@@lindaweilburg6428 in some respects, that is kind of true, as quite often these sorts of restoration project use second hand rails from the UK mainline network. Rail does wear done over time and usage, so sometimes rail is obtainable second hand. I wouldn't say its overly worn? Just a case that the exacting tolerances that the UK main network demands are far from what's required for occasional preserved running. So much so that track work on the Mountsorrel branch probably won't need to be renewed for good few decades.
The scrolling text is distracting. Please consider fixed comments.
It will be considered, however due to the amount of text that was typed, fixed comments would have been more awkward from an editing stance on this occasion. With fixed comments, it would mean I have to break down my paragraphs into several text segments, meaning the viewer would have to read more and pay less attention to the view. Whilst scrolling text is distracting for some, and I do apologise, it does open up more of the screen to take in the visual elements.
I like the discreet rolling text. Please keep it!
@@royfearn4345 Like Don Coffey uses.
I like the scrolling text. It gets more information across in a shorter time than if each screen-width of static text had to be kept on just long enough for people to be able to read it. It's interesting to see the various comments from people who don't like it, because I've never seen any comments of that form on any of Don Coffey's cab-view videos. The only thing he does differently is use a slightly smaller font and lay the text over a black background strip rather than over the moving video, which makes it slightly easier to read.
As other people have suggested, you could make two versions of the final edit, identical except for the overlaying of scrolling text on one version.
At this speed I’m not surprised railways died in the 1950’s!
Well, line speed would have been very different back then. This main line was capable of handling, and did handle, services which operated anywhere upto 90 odd mph, which in the steam days was a bloody good gallop.
Obviously, heritage railways cannot operate at that speed.
Smart motorway’s do work, it’s the idiots behind the wheel who are ignorant of how to drive on them.
I'm sorry? Have you commented on the wrong video?