50s in the 80s

(All pics copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - CLASS 50

I generally order railway stuff in my own mind by line rather than motive power, but I've departed from that today with this post featuring the iconic class 50s around the network in the 1980s. Always one of my favourite locos which exuded real power!

I will add numbers, locations and dates later!

diesel depots

FACEBOOK - DIESEL DEPOTS

We do do requests at the Rail Thing - in fact many of the Rail Thing Facebook groups have been in response to a request!

Latest is Rail Thing - Diesel Depots. So if you have any photos of any of the numerous depots around the UK (or, of course, further afield) please upload. I'm sure there are also many interesting stories that can be told!

To join just click this link.

D10000

Something a little different today. These are press agency shots of the LMS prototype main line diesel no D10000 in the suburbs of north London, pulling freight trains.

Diesels are becoming an endangered species and I've been buying up diesel slides and negatives for some time now. Their death will be caused by Peak Oil, and it will be a brave person indeed who forecast that they'll still be around in 30 years.

And their replacements? Electric locos of course where it's economically viable to electrify routes, and a whole new range of  ultra-modern steam locos (presumably wood burners) on non-electrified routes.

derby 1956

ED7 (copyright Rail Thing)

(41535 copyright Rail Thing)

The Rail Thing is still busy buying up negatives of a wide range of railway items. These two were both taken in the year I was born, in Derby. Eventually the aim is that we will provide a full service for railway revival and heritage projects, and that quality photographic prints of all these subjects will be available.

salisbury 1983

(All 27.10.1983)

Salisbury was always a favourite photographic location for me. In the 80s, like today, it was exclusively diesel operated, but still had very much a steam and 60s atmosphere. Of course back then I regretted missing the steam period, but then I reckon we all feel we were born a few decades too late!

The point is - get down there and photograph everything that goes through NOW - it's even easier with digital photograpy. Nothing stays around long on the railways, or stays the same. One thing is for certain - in thirty years time there'll be no diesels at Salisbury. All trains will be electric or steam!

diesels under the wires

(Photos Leyland, 24.5.1985 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - RISE AND FALL OF THE DIESELS

I'm firmly convinced that diesels will have all but vanished from our railways by 2040. This is because of Peak Oil, which will make the running of these machines totally uneconomic, and is now official government policy. We'll see all railways either electrified or run by a new breed of steam locomotives, using super efficient wood burning as power.

The above four pictures all show diesels running under the wires at Leyland on the West Coast Main Line back in May 1985.

I'd encourage all railway enthusiasts to photograph this transitional form of transport whilst they still can! Once they are gone they really will be gone for good.