View allAll Photos Tagged fef
#fef #frontendfriday A hot summer Friday in 1959 at Windmill Sidings. Scaffolder Erik, pays little attention to his twin half brother Driver Dave propelling his wheezing old kettle in to the sidings to collect freshly harvested triffid plants. They being much sought by the more adventurous 1950s diner.
#FEF aka Front End Friday.
We’re not seen former ministers from The Ministry of Misery, Teresa & Dizzy Lizzie for some time. The main reason for this is that they’re midway through a nationwide tour of establishments that sell gin and of course champagne, darlings. Though in Little England of olden times, few pubs sell such a decadent fizzy liquor, for here we are deep in cider country, but I’m sure they won’t struggle too much.
After a boozy overnight stop at The Station Hotel (these days known as The Culm Valley Inn) here they are continuing their way to Hemyock where they hope to indulge in more gin and hopefully champagne tasting. But in Little England in these rose-tinted halcyon days of yore, pubs have rather limited opening hours, this being ordered The Ministry of Misery during the Great War. This miserable plan was to try reduce drunkenness and hangovers in the ammunition factories in an attempt to increase productivity and reduce faults, but all people did was to drink more during the reduced opening hours. And then there was the introduction of ‘the lock in’, hush hush.
Rufus Hound has adopted Teresa & Dizzy Lizzie for this step of their tour, they’re cat ladies really, but Rufus has charmed them in to submission with his smouldering ‘please love me’ eyes. He’s such a clever dog🐾.
And finally, Bob Geeza Cat jealousy looks on, and when no one is looking he’ll jump on to the locomotive footplate and follow the trio to Hemyock. Never trust a jealous cat on a mission 😼
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This is a scene on my currently layout build, part of a garage sized continuation of the Hemyock branch line. Still a work in progress, but almost there.
Union Pacific Railroad 4-8-4 Class FEF-3 8444 near Sidney, Nebraska on March 9, 1984, Kodachrome by Jim Altman, Chuck Zeiler collection. Jim labeled the slide: "On way to New Orleans for display at 1984 World's Fair".
Volvo Olympian, Northern Counties Palatine (H49/33F)
First Hants & Dorset (PD)
Southampton, Pound Tree Road
09 November 2011
Scrapped August 2014 (Alpha Recovery, Weetslade)
Union Pacific FEF-3 class 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive # 8444 (aka: 844) with its railran excursion train is stopped at a photo run-by location on the last leg of the round trip back to Denver from Sterling, Colorado, Summer 1980. It is late in the day, but a large crowd of railfans and other observers were out to see the train perform its run-by before continuing back to Denver to arrive in the evening. A couple of tracks over on the left side is a freight train with its caboose at the end. It appears that the tender is being filled with water at this location. Behind the tender is a baggage car that is used for photography and sound recording.
Front End Friday #FEF, not only do you get the front of a locomotive, but also the front of a horse, Hubert in fact, though it might be Herbert, it’s so tricky to tell.
Regular readers will know that this former LNWR Webb Coal tank has been unofficially working on the Combwich line, but now it’s slowly working its way back to its home shed of Shrewsbury. And here it is deep in The Forest of Dean at Fountain Colliery pottering about with a few trucks in no particular order.
Hubert (or it it Herbert?) has just given Colin a crate of moonshine as a thank you for getting him away from the pet food processing plant, but Colin is more of a cider type. Though he is secretly thrilled, even though he’ll be trading it for cider later.
Bob Geeza cat is messing about with George’s identical twin brother who is also called George. Quite why George is following Bob around I’ve no idea, but it makes for a fun photograph I’m sure you’ll agree.
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#FEF aka Front End Friday….
Yesterday evening after finishing my commercial photography work I completely reworked this 13 year old RAW file from the bottom up, or top down, depending on which way you look at it…..
The fiction..
Here we have the mid morning mixed train from Bridgwater arriving behind 58086 sometime in the mid-1950s. This particular engine had the honour of being the last Johnson 1P 0-4-4 engine running on British Railways. But sadly suffered its ultimate demise in 1959 after many years pottering about from nowhere to almost nowhere in this most remote and almost forgotten part of Somerset. I think it’s a real shame that none lasted into preservation, they’d be so useful, so much so, that if I was Elon Musk I’d commission a new build, but sadly I’m just a cynical photographer and model maker who is getting on a bit living in an unfashionable but pleasant part of outer suburbia.
The reality…
I built the loco as a teenager in 1982 from a Craftsman etched brass kit. It was all assembled with superglue, despite at the time being told that it wouldn’t last 5 minutes. Of course they were right, soldering would be so much better, but it’s still in one piece to this day and runs beautifully. But I have to confess to having the chassis fully rebuilt by a professional in recent years.
I’m not really a loco builder, despite being able to create miniature wonderlands to what I hope is to a reasonable standard. However I’m mechanically inept when it comes to things that have to move. But luckily these days I can buy stuff that needs to move off the shelf. That said, I’m very good at building track from individual components, just not engines. The carriage is from a Ratio kit depicting a Midland Railway suburban coach. I’m not sure they lasted in to BR days. But it looks the part, and I won’t tell if you won’t. And for the nasal finger pointers, it’s a milk tank wagon behind the coach, not fuel. Though it has been known to transport moonshine occasionally.
The Photo…
It was taken on a Canon G9 using a long exposure - the exif data telling me that it was 5 seconds long at 80 ISO with an f8 aperture - the smallest on this particular camera model. I do wish they’d go down smaller, but I imagine the designers don’t really have model railway photography in mind, and of course diffraction might be an issue with such a tiny sensor. So to gain greater depth of field I focus stack - you can Google that if interested.
I recall the lighting was a single domestic bulb in the ceiling, the single point light source giving a single crisp shadow rather like sunlight. I admit the sky is a cheat, for the backscene finishes just a few inches above the distant tree line, so the brick garage wall is covered by a genuine summer storm sky taken above the Somerset Levels near Glastonbury last summer. With this in mind my more recent layouts have far taller backscenes, but when I started building Combwich in 1980, I didn’t think I’d be pointing a camera at it years later.
Union Pacific ALCO FEF-3 class oil burning 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive # 8444 (aka: 844) leads a railfan excursion train that is stopped at the station in Sterling, Colorado, July 1980. This photo was taken fairly soon after the train arrived from Denver and a little later it will be turned on a wye track that is situated a short distance ahead of the locomotive. Eventually the train will depart on the return leg of its trip back to Denver. Numerous passengers, railfans, photographers, cab crew members and observers are out and about looking over the scene.
Poole Bus Garage
on Sunday 17 October 2021
is Go Ahead South Coast / More Bus
Optare Solo
3716 MX53 FEF.
Union Pacific FEF-3 class Northern 4-8-4 oil burning steam locomotive is seen while leading a rail fan excursion train that is stopped on siding in Colorado during the summer of 1980. At this time the train is waiting to be passed by a long manifest freight train on a track not seen to the right. While waiting to photograph the freight train, I figured I would go ahead a capture the front end of the steam locomotive at this time. After traveling perhaps seventy miles, the locomotive is not that dirty. You may observe the fireman leaning out of his cab window.
Easter Monday scene of VDL SB200, Wright Pulsar 2, 3756 YJ61 FEF on a 2 working, Wrexham to Oswestry, with the Welsh alternation captured as Croesoswallt. Location is the end of Gobowen Road in Oswestry, just before joining Oswald Road, literally a short distance of the route before reaching the bus station.
A number of tries failed here over time with passing cars imbedded in the front and back of the scene, typically due to been a busy location, but recent times we live in have allowed options.
Calling in at Romford station on its way to Harlow is Go-Ahead London 945 YN56 FEF, working the single daily journey on route 575. Friday 5th February 2016. DSCN35755.
Scania N94UD OmniDekka-East Lancs 10.6m. Formerly Metrobus 945.
Union Pacific Railroad 4-8-4 Class FEF-2 821 at North Platte, Nebraska on September 19, 1957, Kodachrome by Dick Rumbolz, Chuck Zeiler collection. Number 821 was built by Alco in August 1939 (c/n 69162) and retired in May 1959.
Union Pacific FEF-3 #844 smokes it up as it storms out of Rawlins, WY and towards Hadsell. 844 is on a special public relations trip which will take the big ALCo to Boise and Pocatello, Idaho before returning to Cheyenne.
UP 844 ~ PCYRO2 ~ Rawlins, Wyoming
Union Pacific's Rawlins Subdivision
04.18.2017
Not Sacramento built!
On a beautiful September day Union Pacific FEF-3 #844 basks in the morning sun in front of the old Southern Pacific General Shops. Countless steam locomotives passed through the Sacramento Shops in its heyday and even though 844 was not one of them the 1944 vintage ALCO looks right at home in front of what was once the home base for UP's 'Overland' partner.
UP 844 ~ 150th Anniversary Special ~ Sacramento, California
09.28.2012
Denver Union Station with Union Pacific railfan excursion train, led by modern FEF-3 class 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive # 8444, with railfans & passengers seen on the platforms waiting for departure time at Denver, Colorado, July 1980. The original number for steam locomotive # 8444 was # 844. On another platform track is the soon to be departing Denver & Rio Grande Western Rio Grande Zephyr that is bound for Salt Lake City. The Union Pacific railfan excursion train is bound for Sterling, Colorado with a return trip back to Denver all on the same day. These UP railfan excursion trains were really loaded with passengers and were very much looked forward too.
Union Pacific FEF-3 class 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive # 8444, is seen leading a rail fan excursion trip at the start of a photo run-by in Colorado, July 26, 1980. The rail fans and photographers are out to capture the action of this event. This has to be among some of the heaviest smoke clouds that I've seen. This block signal location is 1411, at KERSEY. Notice how well the conventional jointed section rail has been installed along this main line.
UP 844 proves its mettle slugging it out on the mainline between Pocatello and Ogden with Ed Dickens at the throttle.
The lack of diesels would probably blow away the many strange conspiracies of the railfan world regarding UP steam, but unfortunately the people who would most benefit from such enlightenment love their outdated 1990's paywall forums instead. :P
Front End Friday #FEF
Deliberation Dave watches Driver Andrew bring his Barclay built engine down the 1 in 20 grade out of the colliery. With full wagons it can be quite exciting watching the move as the loco and wagons sway and bounce around at ever increasing speed, especially if the rails are wet and greasy. Dave is a brave man, for the chances of being hit by flying coal are quite high. But we were tougher in olden times.
Beryl’s rebuilt Austin 7.5 can be seen behind The Pedant & Armchair to the left. I’m not sure of the reason, because it’s not a pub she frequents as a rule, its customers being mostly dull old men with adenoidal voices who’d rather pontificate over the width of flangeway clearances than chat to a ‘gurl’. Mother warned them about such creatures. Maybe she’s just dropped by for a pint of milk for her tea, for the pub sells more milk than beer, so it’s aways fresh and it’s conveniently on her way home. But why park at the rear of the pub when she could simply have pulled up at the front? Thoughts…..
Austin 7.5, what’s that, a typo? No, not at all, for when they rebuilt the engine, they overbored it a little and modified it to run on a 50/50 mix of moonshine and ‘Super’ for extra performance, it increasing the horsepower rating from the factory 7.2 to 7.5 - though unofficially it’s nearer 10 if the moonshine is particularly volatile.
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Help support the creation of these miniature scenes and photography www.buymeacoffee.com/Nevardmedi3
Front End Friday aka #FEF
It’s not generally known that the Highbridge line closed for a week in the early 1950s. This was due to an administrative error at HQ in that there London due to some faceless civil servant minion ticking the wrong box on some paperwork. In olden times such errors were frequent, much of it being due to the chaos caused by the aftermath of WW2.
However the little people weren’t going to suffer without a rail service, for no alternative bus service had been provided or for that matter even been thought of. More active communities keen to keep their rail service would frequently borrow an ancient engine from the local museum to keep trains running. In olden times most town museums had an ancient engine in fully working order just in case. It could be borrowed for up to 3 weeks using a library card. You could also borrow wagons and passenger carriages too, but failure to return on time could result in a 1d fine per day - that I believe is around 25p in today’s money, but I’m happy to be corrected.
Here we are at Catcott Crossing as such a train blasts through with a healthy head of steam helped more than a little by moonshine drenched steam coal. Regulars of these posts will notice triplets Waving Wayne, Waving Wally and Waving Willy cheering the reinstatement of their rail service. Several of you I know have been missing Bob Geeza Cat and will be pleased to see his appearance on the locomotive tender.
And finally, it’s believed that The Titfield Thunderbolt Ealing Comedy was inspired by activities such as this on the Highbridge line, but of course that might just be complete nonsense.
Thank you to Kernow Model Rail Centre and Rapido Trains UK for making this photo possible.
I would assume that First's P829 FEF (34129) is being scrapped, but it seems strange to have most of its roof and windows cut away like that, as if an open-top conversion. Almost the whole 'interior' has been removed. 09/08/14
First Essex 41541 LK53 FEF leaves Basildon bus station on route 15A. Wednesday 5th April 2017. DSCN40781.
TransBus Dart-Caetano Nimbus 10.5m.
London United TA283 LG02 FEF on the 57 in Eden Street, Kingston. Sunday 30th June 2013. DSCN24883.
TransBus Trident-TransBus ALX400 9.9m.
Withdrawn on 10th November 2014 it was sent to Ripley, Barnsley for scrap the following year.
It’s Front End Friday aka #FEF again.
Dudley and Deliberation Dave watch the little locomotive potter in and out of the colliery pulling and pushing wagons to and from the canal coal wharf just out of shot to the left.
And whilst Dudley is normally looking at his darn notebook, today he’s testing a new fangled radio control unit. He finds this easy because he doesn’t have to change his navel gazing pose too much, which is helpful seeing he’s made of 3D printed resin.
“Radio control” I hear you sniffle, accompanied with by an adenoidal grunt as you spill your cup of tea all down your white shirt mother freshly ironed for you. Well, here’s the story; the engine has been fitted with a complex arrangement of steam powered levers and other paraphernalia which allows it to be driven remotely - Dudley in this case.
Sadly, for fireman Barclay, he has to remain in the cab moving coal around and tending to the fire. But at least at breakfast time he’ll be able to enjoy the sausages, egg and bacon all to himself that will shortly be simmering on his shovel, also known as a ‘footplate man’s fry-up’. Delicious.
Union Pacific 4-8-4 FEF-3 class ALCO Northern steam locomotive # 8444 with its railfan excursion train performs a photo run-by in Colorado, summer 1980, The steam locomotive really made a massive amount of very dark black smoke for the photographers.
It’s that #FEF or #frontendfriday many in social media land get excited about. It’s particularly popular with diesel fanatics and soft porn fanciers for some reason - though ‘mother’ won’t be impressed with the latter. I’m sorry it’s not a Class 37 or a Deltic, but I don’t have too many diesels, so this is about as diesel loco-horny as it gets. But there are many more sites out there, especially featuring loco hungry traction maintenance depots for the disappointed who need that multi loco English Electric fix, ideally in BR banger blue of course.
Anyway, and finally: here’s the morning goods from Evercreech Junction arriving at Combwich, which today is most unusually hauled by old ‘sad eyes’, aka a Class 22. It’s loco 13 and a Friday - specially for those glass half empty types, of which there are many, especially when the major toy train manufacturers announce their forthcoming releases for the year.
I missed a trick here, for I should have posted this load of nonsense on Friday 13th a couple of weeks ago. Sorry.