realtimetomes
More than a Ealing
I have posted a very similar image to this one previously on Flickr but not the details of the events surrounding it.
I decided to go out to catch 1Z53 somewhere near Sherborne, once in the area I found a small lane running parallel with the railway from Wick Road, Milborne Wick to Oborne. I parked the car near a small white brick-built structure which I presumed to be some sort of utilities building, I noticed at this point that the railway was above the road so optimistically I went into a small field behind the white building, closing the gate behind me as I noticed 5 or 6 sheep in there, I made my way a short distance uphill to the barbed wire fence marking the top edge of the field and was pleasantly surprised to find the vantage point/view that can be seen in the image. I set my camera up and began to wait the 30 minutes-or-so until D1015's scheduled arrival. Although the lane was very rural I did occasionally see passing vehicles, at some point I noticed on RTT that the excursion was lingering at Sherborne, then I noticed out of the corner of my eye a police vehicle go slowly down the lane followed by a Network Rail vehicle. A few minutes went by and then - I shall never forget this - a guy in orange overalls appeared by the white box and tree in the image followed closely by a policeman, they were making their way towards me along the ballast beside the track and in true Ealing Comedy black-and-white-film-style Orange Overall Guy (not the policeman) shouted out to me - "OI YOU, DON'T MOVE, I WANT A WORD WITH YOU!". Obviously I wasn't going anywhere because I wanted the picture and because I was brought up to be polite and comply with 'authority figures' instructions but I had the feeling I was in trouble. Sure enough, once they had climbed up to my position (leaning on the fence INSIDE the field) and got their breath back it transpired that some passing busy-body had reported "someone on the railway" to the BTP - according to Orange Overall Guy the excursion was actually being held due to my presence, he was quite angry and rude, the BTP guy was more polite and had much less to say and it seemed clear to him that there was no problem here, I showed them the short walk across the field back to our vehicles on the road down below. Anyway once this was communicated "back-to-base" the working duly proceeded and the three of us had a 10 minute wait (felt like much more), making awkward small talk, to record the image attached. Strangely, after D1015 had passed we left the scene together with Orange Overall Guy insisting on us leaving the way that they had come, along the track, rather than my route down the field (so ironically I had to go over the fence and go "onto the railway" to get back to my vehicle!?!).
One more thing, although the BTP guy was very reasonable he did insist on taking my details (procedure or something) which worried me slightly (I was checking the post for weeks) and to this day I do not know whether I have a criminal record or not or if maybe I am on a terrorist watchlist! - the guy at security at Stanstead did give me a funny look last time I flew from there.
I presume that this view may still be "on" but probably not worth taking a chance - besides hardly anything interesting runs on the Mule anymore!
D1015 masquerading as D1010 Western Campaigner/D1058 Western Nobleman working 1Z53 Okehampton to Waterloo in fine fettle at Oborne (OOG and BTP thankfully out-of-shot).
Anyone unaware of the wonderful series of British films which came to be known as the "Ealing Comedies" made by Ealing (film) Studios should check out "Whiskey Galore!, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Ladykillers and, of course the wonderful The Titfield Thunderbolt - Ealing's first comedy shot in Technicolor).
This locomotive and her classmates were of course no strangers to Ealing in West London during the 60s and 70s as they earned their corn ploughing the Great Western Main Line in and out of London Paddington.
More than a Ealing
I have posted a very similar image to this one previously on Flickr but not the details of the events surrounding it.
I decided to go out to catch 1Z53 somewhere near Sherborne, once in the area I found a small lane running parallel with the railway from Wick Road, Milborne Wick to Oborne. I parked the car near a small white brick-built structure which I presumed to be some sort of utilities building, I noticed at this point that the railway was above the road so optimistically I went into a small field behind the white building, closing the gate behind me as I noticed 5 or 6 sheep in there, I made my way a short distance uphill to the barbed wire fence marking the top edge of the field and was pleasantly surprised to find the vantage point/view that can be seen in the image. I set my camera up and began to wait the 30 minutes-or-so until D1015's scheduled arrival. Although the lane was very rural I did occasionally see passing vehicles, at some point I noticed on RTT that the excursion was lingering at Sherborne, then I noticed out of the corner of my eye a police vehicle go slowly down the lane followed by a Network Rail vehicle. A few minutes went by and then - I shall never forget this - a guy in orange overalls appeared by the white box and tree in the image followed closely by a policeman, they were making their way towards me along the ballast beside the track and in true Ealing Comedy black-and-white-film-style Orange Overall Guy (not the policeman) shouted out to me - "OI YOU, DON'T MOVE, I WANT A WORD WITH YOU!". Obviously I wasn't going anywhere because I wanted the picture and because I was brought up to be polite and comply with 'authority figures' instructions but I had the feeling I was in trouble. Sure enough, once they had climbed up to my position (leaning on the fence INSIDE the field) and got their breath back it transpired that some passing busy-body had reported "someone on the railway" to the BTP - according to Orange Overall Guy the excursion was actually being held due to my presence, he was quite angry and rude, the BTP guy was more polite and had much less to say and it seemed clear to him that there was no problem here, I showed them the short walk across the field back to our vehicles on the road down below. Anyway once this was communicated "back-to-base" the working duly proceeded and the three of us had a 10 minute wait (felt like much more), making awkward small talk, to record the image attached. Strangely, after D1015 had passed we left the scene together with Orange Overall Guy insisting on us leaving the way that they had come, along the track, rather than my route down the field (so ironically I had to go over the fence and go "onto the railway" to get back to my vehicle!?!).
One more thing, although the BTP guy was very reasonable he did insist on taking my details (procedure or something) which worried me slightly (I was checking the post for weeks) and to this day I do not know whether I have a criminal record or not or if maybe I am on a terrorist watchlist! - the guy at security at Stanstead did give me a funny look last time I flew from there.
I presume that this view may still be "on" but probably not worth taking a chance - besides hardly anything interesting runs on the Mule anymore!
D1015 masquerading as D1010 Western Campaigner/D1058 Western Nobleman working 1Z53 Okehampton to Waterloo in fine fettle at Oborne (OOG and BTP thankfully out-of-shot).
Anyone unaware of the wonderful series of British films which came to be known as the "Ealing Comedies" made by Ealing (film) Studios should check out "Whiskey Galore!, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Ladykillers and, of course the wonderful The Titfield Thunderbolt - Ealing's first comedy shot in Technicolor).
This locomotive and her classmates were of course no strangers to Ealing in West London during the 60s and 70s as they earned their corn ploughing the Great Western Main Line in and out of London Paddington.