Control tower. 1939-40, to 1939 Watch Office with Meteorological Section design by Air Ministry's Directorate of Works. Drawing no. 5845/39. Painted brickwork walls, reinforced concrete floors and roof, with asphalt finish.

 

PLAN: a near-square plan on three floors with wide glazed balconies facing the flying field. The ground floor has the main watch office and pilots' room, forecast and teleprinters, and WCs; at first floor is the main control room backed by the meteorological and signals offices; the rear staircase gives access also to the glazed observation room at second floor level.

 

EXTERIOR: the original steel casements with horizontal glazing bars have been retained almost throughout, including those to the long observation frontages. At ground floor the front has three large 4-light windows separated by brick piers, under a concrete balcony cantilevered out to semi-circular ends, and with a 'nautical' style steel balustrade in four horizontal bars and handrail to simple uprights; at this level is a continuous multi-light window returned to quadrants at each end, above a low breast wall, and with a deep parapet wall taken up as a balustrade to the top deck, which has a further range of full-width glazing to a set-back observation room. The return walls each have a series of tall casements, linked at the upper level by a 'frieze band' under the cantilevered flat slab with the nautical balustrade continued to the rear to the stair tower. The rear faÎade has a single light each side of the projecting stair tower, with a small bulls-eye above a deep stair light, and small lights on the return.

 

Later alterations comprise timber-framed and glazed observation room, and extension over rear doorway. The building is flanked at each side by two-bay and three-bay fire tender and flare stores.

 

INTERIOR: original doors and joinery; solid concrete staircase.

 

HISTORY: This is the best example of this type of control tower after Swanton Morley. It is the most sophisticated Air Ministry design of the inter-war period both in terms of its planning, with a meteorological section incorporated into the design behind the control room. Its distinctly Art Deco treatment strongly recalls the Bauhaus tradition from which this style was evolved. In the second half of the 1930s, increasing attention was being given to the dispersal and shelter of aircraft from attack, ensuring serviceable landing and take-off areas, and the control of movement: the result was the development of the control tower, from the simple watch office of the 1920s, and the planning from 1938 of the first airfields with runways and perimeter tracks. The development of radio communication, and the increasing need to organise the flying field into different zones for take-off, landing and taxiing, brought with it an acceptance that movement on the airfield needed to be controlled from a single centre: control towers thus evolved from the simple duty pilot's watch office to the tower design of 1934 and integration of traffic control and weather monitoring in the Art Deco horizontality of the Watch Office with Meteorological Section of 1939. The control tower became the most distinctive and instantly recognisable building associated with military airfields, particularly in the Second World War when they served as foci for base personnel as they awaited the return of aircraft from operations.

 

From 1930 the Maidstone School of Flying used the area as a private landing ground, which was registered as Maidstone airport in 1932. A satellite of Biggin Hill within Fighter Command's strategically critical 11 Group, West Malling was opened as a fighter station in June 1940, although a series of raids in August and September 1940 rendered the airfield unserviceable for much of the Battle of Britain. It reopened in October of that year, although the station was able to accept a full station only in April 1941. It became a nightfighter station at this time, its Bristol Beaufighter pilots including Guy Gibson and Don Parker - both becoming famous names in Bomber Command, the former for his leadership of 617 Squadron in the Dams Raid and other precision attacks. It was later used by Mosquitos and Typhoons in operations against occupied Europe, including the support of 'D' Day, and became the principal station during 'Operation Diver' in 1944, the name given to the defence of the east and south-eastern coasts against the V1 bomb. It is significant, in this context, that there are no other fighter stations associated with 'Operation Diver' that have survived in a sufficiently complete state of preservation to merit listing: the other key sites in the London area - Northolt, Biggin Hill and Kenley - were placed behind the balloon barrage erected for the operation. With the end of the war, West Malling became the main rehabilitation centre for POWs returning from Germany to Britain. The base was put into 'care and maintenance' in August 1960, and was acquired in 1970 by Kent County Council: in 1972 it became a centre for dispossessed Ugandan Asians, and eventually some of the major buildings were adapted for Local Authority use (notably the Officers' Mess and Building 60), whilst others were retained and incorporated as part of a larger commercial park.

Lancashire Independent Walton's, have quite a varied fleet. This did include quite a few serviceable Optare Spectra's. Back in 2013 K107VLJ, which was new to Wilts & Dorset in 1993, is seen in the depot. It had passed to New Horizon Travel, but by the end of 2012 had arrived with Walton's.

This was a first. I arranged my first ever photo charter for a private group of friends on the Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad. This came about because of my quest to photograph as many street running railroads as I can. A post of photos by a friend ultimately led to a query to the railroad and before I knew it I'd rented the railroad for the day and was selling tickets!

 

The M&H runs about 1000 ft down Brown Street through the center of Middletown passing homes, an old school diner and down an alley beside a busy local grocery. This was what I wanted to shoot, but the railroad offers so much more as you will see.

 

Per the railroad's website, the original Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad Company was formed in 1888 by local businessmen. Construction of the line between its namesake boroughs was completed in 1890. From then until 1976 it was part of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, later the Reading Company. In 1976 upon the coming of Conrail the route was not included in the USRA's final system plan and a group of investors saved the line and created the current Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad, nicknamed "The Milk and Honey Line." Since then they have operated the 7-mile line between their namesake towns providing freight service, and in 1986 they began offering excursion passenger trains which have continued unabated for more than three decades. Freight service is provided to a Univar facility in Middletown that is currently the line's only regular active customer generating several hundred carloads a year. The remainder of the line as far as the bridge over Swatara Creek sees only the passenger trains and the last mile or so into Hummelstown has been out of service since 2011 when Tropical Storm Lee washed out the trackage just north of the bridge.

 

Anyway, the fine folks at the M&H opened their railroad to us, and at our behest put together a mixed freight behind their classic Alco S6 which was built in March 1956 for the Western Maryland. Trailing was a consist of two open hoppers (one ex C&O and one PRR), an old riveted tank car, a PFE reefer, a 1954 CNJ caboose, and a DL&W passenger MU cab car.

 

We ran shoved up through the street and posed the train beside Amtrak's Harrisburg Line main before returning to the yard, running around, and then shoving back to the end of serviceable track at the Swatara Creek bridge. A few photo stops were made on the return trip to Middletown where we wrapped up with some more street running with our train and then a bonus run with a second train. The railroad graciously put together a double header with their other two serviceable locomotives GE 65 tonners number 1 (blt. Aug. 1941 as US Army 7272) and number 2 (blt. Apr. 1955 as Standard Slag 46) a side dump hopper and six revenue modern tank cars. It was a day for the ages!

 

I shot hundreds of images and will have many to share but lets start with this.

 

Here is our little train posed atop the thirty foot high bridge over Swatara Creek that is the border between Lower Swatara and Derry Townships. This was as far as our train could shove as just out of sight to the right is the unrepaired washout dating from nine years ago.

 

Lower Swatara Township, Pennsylvania

Saturday November 14, 2020

Freightliner Class 47 47811 sits in Crewe Basford Hall as an empty shell stripped of its serviceable parts.

It's future at the time of writing is unknown.

One of routinely three or four trams waiting here to be called up to fill in gaps of the regular services on tramlines terminating at Amsterdam Central Station. The square in the bow collector informs the passenger of a non regular service vehicle. The modernised 903 has been preserved and is still serviceable in the Arnhem Open Air museum. © Henk Graalman 1969

SEPTA Norristown Highspeed Line (former Philadelphia & Western interurban)- three more 1989 shots illustrating the brief period of operation of former Chicago Transit Authority 6000-series L cars. SEPTA obtained them as one of the stopgaps to keep operations going until the new fleet arrived (these were later replaced by some modified Philly L cars), the serviceable original fleet of Brill "Bullets" and Strafford cars having dwindled in numbers.

In the first decade of the 21st century, the White Pass & Yukon attempted to rejuvenate its fleet of eleven, GE 90-Class "shovel nose" diesel-electric locomotives by sending them to contractors in the lower 48, where they were extensively rebuilt with new prime-movers and control systems. Unfortunately, the newly overhauled engines developed serious reliability problems, and the contractor went out of business. This, combined with a long history of customer complaints about exhaust fumes from their fleet of Alco DL-535 locomotives left the railroad with a serious power crisis.

 

The resolution to that crisis proved to be the massive machine seen here. Since 2020, the railroad has acquired a fleet of six, brand new, 6-axle, diesel-electric locomotives built by the National Railway Equipment Co. or NRE. Specifically, these 3,000 hp. behemoths are NRE Model E3000CC-DC. These engines now shoulder the burden of the vast majority of the railroad's tourist operations. Each is capable of hauling the railroad's longest tourist trains without helpers. Designed as cab units, these locomotives are able to run facing forward at all times as there are now turning loops at all of the line's destinations, such as White Pass, Fraser, Bennett and Carcross. Although 2 of the units do retain the traditional White Pass yellow & green livery, most of them have been painted in these black and red ("black widow") colors and that appears to be the trend going forward. At least 2 more E3000CC-DCs are on order as of 2025.

 

As for the line's older diesels, just three of each type remain in service. Of the DL-535s, one pair is dedicated to work train service, and the remaining unit is used as a yard goat. A total of 10 of the 90-Class survive, but only three are serviceable and kept as reserve power. The remainder are up for sale.

The same AH-64E landing at Wattisham one evening this week as was photographed back in May. It was the only one operating that evening and was out again less than an hour after this arrival. Is it the only one at Wattisham serviceable?

Oh well I think this shot was worth cropping in even closer - anyone recognise themselves? 😎

Class 40 Indian Summer

After having enjoyed the delights of 40118 on local service 2J66 from Preston-Man Vic, and then again on 1E19 from Man Vic to Leeds - and then a too-long fester at York - the gen was out and finally the late-running 1E71 12.15 Blackpool-Newcastle turned up behind 40152 (Beast!)

In this view we have evidence of my stupidity in baling at Darlington rather than continuing on to Newcastle!

However, at least I got a couple of shots as the driver applied full power and the bashers went crazy - Not sure what that barrier was in aid of 😂😎:)

 

'A day in the life' - log book update:

Saturday 28th July 1984 - 40152 on 1E71 12.15 Blackpool - Newcastle [Load 10x Mark 1s].

YORK

Thirsk

Northallerton

DARLINGTON

 

44 miles

 

This followed two runs earlier in the day with 40118:

40118 on 2J66 06.55 Blackpool - Man Vic.

PRESTON

Leyland

Chorley

BOLTON

Agecroft Jnct.

Windsor Bridge Jnct.

Salford

MAN VIC

 

31 miles

 

40118 on 1E19 08.40 Man Vic. - Scarborough

MAN VIC

Miles Platting

Park

STALYBRIDGE

Greenfield

Marsden

HUDDERSFIELD

Mirfield

DEWSBURY

Morley

Holbeck East Jnct.

Whitehall Jnct.

LEEDS

 

44 miles

 

Between 1982 and 1984 I spent many happy hours with my friends chasing around the North of England after the remaining Class 40s. At the beginning of 1984, there were still 50 members of the fleet in service, but this had already reduced down to 31 by the time I had 40152 towards the end of July. By the end of the summer timetable, just 25 remained in service, and only 17 of the class survived into 1985, all but 3 being withdrawn over the weekend of 21st/22nd Jan 1985.

 

D200/40122, 40118 and 40012 were kept on just for rail tours, although D200 had a second Indian summer :)

 

Locomotive History

D352 / 40152

D352 was built by the English Electric Company at their Vulcan Foundry Works, Newton-Le-Willows, Lancashire and entered traffic in July 1961 and was an Eastern Region loco for most of its life. It lasted in service until the end for the class in January 1985.

 

Detailed Locomotive History

D352 / 40152

Originally D352 it was built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry and entered traffic in July 1961, allocated to York MPD. It was built with the final variation of nose design featuring a central four-digit headcode panel (although by this date it has acquired a “domino” screen to the panel) and no gangway doors, giving a much neater appearance. 40152 would be for most of its career associated with Yorkshire and the North East being allocated to Gateshead, Thornaby, York or Healey Mills until 1983 when it transferred to Longsight. It received its last classified repair at Crewe works in September 1979 well after withdrawals had commenced and this enabled 40152 to survive in traffic until January 1985 when it was withdrawn. Even then it was still serviceable and was condemned only because it was “surplus to requirements”. However this did not stop 40152 from being broken up almost immediately two months later in March 1985 at Doncaster works. Extra info courtesy of: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john]

 

My interest in the railways waned permanently with the demise of the Class 50s, initially from the Paddington-Oxford route in 1990, and finally when they retired from the Waterloo-Exeter services in 1992.

 

As well as enjoying the thrash, I managed to record many of the trips and railway scenes encountered on film for posterity. Those days are now long gone, but happily the photos remain for me to reminisce over and share. ;)

 

Taken with a Zenith TTL SLR camera and standard lens. Scanned from the original negative with no digital restoration

 

You can see a random selection of my railway photos here on Flickriver: www.flickriver.com/photos/themightyhood/random/

 

'Indian Summer' - a period of happiness or success occurring late in life...English Electric Type 4 1958-1984

Not as it may seem. Anyone who was familiar with the arrangement of stopping places for the various local services which operated from around Christ Church in Doncaster in days of yore will no doubt be thinking that 891GWT had parked a little short of its regular stand. In fact, it is not working the Armthorpe service, from which it had been (unofficially) demoted some years previously, but an enthusiasts' special marking the end of independent operation of Blue Line services. Some of the newer vehicles continued to serve these routes for a while, albeit repainted in the abominable "sh** and sawdust" livery adopted by the new South Yorkshire PTE. 891GWT, the only serviceable Guy vehicle remaining in the fleet at the time of takeover, was not assigned a PTE fleet number as far as I know, and was disposed of fairly rapidly.

There's always some compromise when you recreate an object in Lego, and this build is a fine example of that tenet. On it's own, it's a perfectly serviceable representation of a golf club, but it's very difficult to represent the subtle contours and concave slopes of modern clubs with Lego. I considered building this one 4X larger, but sadly, I just didn't have time.

 

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr.

Appropriate to today`s date, it was thirty eight years ago today that one of the biggest and most complex schedule adjustments took place on London Transport. 4 September 1982 was a landmark date on which the streets of London suddenly had over two hundred fewer Routemasters in service as the first significant withdrawals of fully serviceable RM`s began. Prior to this, only a few had been taken out of use through damage or wear and tear.

 

RM 1424 was withdrawn on that date and as one of the earlier arrivals at the Bus Sales site it got a place undercover. That caused it to become boxed in by later arrivals and it then spent nearly a year and a half below a pigeon roost before being extricated as a suitable bus for sale. When pictured here on 9 February 1984 it was being prepared to go for a chassis clean prior to sale to Piccadilly Bus Tours in Canada to whom it departed on 19 April.

Kostanay / Қостанай, 6 May 2023.

 

A number of these former BVG Berlin double deck MAN buses found their way to Kostanay. Quite an unusual destination for such a type, this is one of the last serviceable ones in operation.

With various components scattered all around and in an advanced state of scrapping, the end was nigh for Class 40 40071 in the yard at Swindon Works on October 12th 1981. It looked as though a long line of redundant 16 Ton coal wagons would follow the class 40 into the melting pot.

The 40 had been built at Vulcan Foundry as D271 and had been new in April 1960. It's first home was at Gateshead (52A) and it seemed to be an Eastern Region allocated machine for most of its 20 year life, having spells at York and Healey Mills. It was fitted with air brakes in April 1973 and renumbered to 40071 the following year. The loco was withdrawn from service in September 1980, but stored serviceable until December the same year, eventually ending-up at Swindon along with other redundant locomotives that were far from life expired but withdrawn due to economic recession and the collapse of heavy industry and the knock-on effect on freight workings across the network.

891GWT was a Guy Arab V with a 73-seat front-entrance body by Charles H. Roe. It was the first of six similar vehicles delivered to S. Morgan Ltd and R. Store Ltd between 1963 and 1967. It was to become the last serviceable one when the company was taken-over by SYPTE in March 1979.

Up to the mid seventies the pre war single trams 396-475 were used for driver training seen here in Amsterdam Nieuw West - Osdorp. This tram has been preserved and still serviceable in the Hannover Wehmingen (D) tramway museum. © Henk Graalman 1969 2498

The contract for route 1 renewed with London General last Saturday, October 1st. New WHV class Wright Eclipse Gemini Volvo B5LH's are due for the route, and I believe delivery is starting, but none have entered service yet. For the time being, the VWL class Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL's inherited from East Thames Buses are carrying on a bit longer.

 

In all probability in its last few weeks in service, VWL27 is seen here on Waterloo Bridge - one of my favourite spots, especially on a sunny afternoon. I would be surprised if these are not withdrawn as a lot of new buses are due with the company over the next few months - off the top of my head the fleets for routes 14, 21, (42), 63, 74, 185, 363, 430, EL1 and EL2 are all due new buses and the loss of routes 19 and 259 will throw up some quite serviceable newer buses.

Our visit to the Czech Republic in March 2022 failed to find one of the few Skoda 22’s in the Usti -nab- Labem fleet but we were lucky enough to find one of last remaining examples of Brno’s dwindling numbers, see earlier upload. A revisit in the December proved the opposite and Usti’s last serviceable Skoda 22Tr was out on all day service, but there was no sign of any in Brno. Whilst in Usti nab Labem we were just about to board Skoda 15Tr number 574 back to town when out of the corner of my eye I spotted something approaching and much to Mrs 8860’s disgust we let 574 go and waited in the cold to see what was approaching and it was as I thought Usti-Nab-Labem 601, dating from 1994 the last of their serviceable Skoda 22Tr’s. As it transpires 601 has become what I think is the last 22Tr left in service world wide as Brno has, (last weekend) withdrawn its last example but not after giving them a special send off, hence the reason for their no show in December.

A look through the electric archives finds the venerable 82003 standing in the rain at Rugby on 11/Jun/1977.

 

The 82s were a small class of electric locos built by Metrovick and unfortunately appeared to suffer a higher than normal proportion of fires, in common with some of the other earlier 25kV electrics.

 

They were relegated to secondary services and at the end of the 70s/into the early 80s most were withdrawn, leaving just two serviceable examples used for empty coaching stock movements into London Euston. A third 82 was kept as a spares donor and was visible in increasingly decrepit condition in a remote siding at Willesden depot, which was next to the DC electric lines into Willesden Junction station. One of the ECS locos was repainted into Intercity livery towards the end of it's career and happily was preserved.

 

Photo copyright © R. Chilton

Following problems with shortages of Snow Ploughs on the Scottish Region BR decided to look at more flexible options of fitting locos with bigger ploughs than the standard Minature Snow Ploughs ( MSP) which were only designed for drifts up to 18 inches deep although hey were used in snow many many times deeper !

 

One type of plough that was considered was the Beilhack Plough , initially trialed on 37124 it was found it would be out of gauge on crossovers and also the class 37 buffer beam was not that strong enough ( even the Class 37s with MSPs aquired slight droops of their bufferbeams after regular ploughing of big drifts) .

 

Class 20s were stored in abundance on the Scottish Region at the time , all serviceable but awaiting the works, so proved suitable both in length and buffer beam strength.

 

The first two to be trialled were 20099 + 20108 and they are seen here at Eastfield TMD Glasgow.

Once the most northerly inhabited spot in the British Isles, this little island has been relegated and Unst has taken that accolade since the lighthouse was automated almost 30 years ago. It isn't even the most northerly point. That honour belongs to a little speck of a rock, Out Stack — out of shot under the brow of this ridge and the bulk of Saxa Vord Hill. Now it's distinguished only by housing the United Kingdom's most northerly lighthouse. Testing the notion that the Kingdom is truly united is not recommended.

 

A lightweight structure was thrown up here in 1854. Winter storms sent breaking waves over Muckle Flugga 60m above the sea level, made a mucking fuddle, and spoiled Plan A. Plan B was required.

 

The replacement North Unst Lighthouse was first lit it 1858. It still stands as a stout little stone-built beacon. Sitting on its substantial rock it got away with being quite a bit shorter than many of it kin.

 

Muckle Flugga got its perfectly normal and serviceable name from the Old Norse descriptive phrase Mikla Flugey said to mean large steep-sided island. True enough! It wasn't until 1964 that the name of the island was transferred to the structure on it making it the Muckle Flugga Ligthouse.

   

I photographed this plane two years ago with an iPhone 12 Pro Max.

__________________________________________

 

USAF C-130 Hercules Propeller Driven Cargo Plane Returns to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

The plane can fly home non-stop from anywhere in the world.

 

I did not have a camera with me, so I used my iPhone 12 Pro Max at its longest focal length.

Cropped and post-processed in Apple’s Photos app.

______________________________

C-130 Hercules military transport plane heading east over my house and turning south to approach the Davis-Monthan AFB runway from the southeast to the northwest.

______________________________

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_C-130_Hercules

 

C-130 Hercules

Straight-wing, four-engine turboprop-driven aircraft overflying water

USAF C-130E

Role: Military transport aircraft

National origin: United States

ManufacturerLockheed

Lockheed Martin

First flight23 August 1954

Status: In service

Primary users:

United States Air Force

United States Marine Corps

Royal Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force

Produced: 1954–present

Number built: Over 2,500 as of 2015[1]

Unit cost

C-130E $11.9 million[2]

C-130H $30.1 million[3]

Variants:

AC-130 Spectre/Spooky

Lockheed DC-130

Lockheed EC-130

Lockheed HC-130

Lockheed Martin KC-130

Lockheed LC-130

Lockheed MC-130

Lockheed WC-130

Lockheed L-100 Hercules

Developed into: Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules

 

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin.

 

Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medivac, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in a variety of other roles, including as a gunship (AC-130),for

airborne assault,

search and rescue,

scientific research support,

weather reconnaissance,

aerial refueling,

maritime patrol, and

aerial firefighting.

 

It is now the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. Over forty models and variants of the Hercules, including a civilian one marketed as Lockheed L-100, operate in more than sixty nations.

 

The C-130 entered service with the U.S. in the 1950s, followed by Australia and others. During its years of service, the Hercules family has participated in numerous military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations. In 2007, the C-130 became the fifth aircraft—after the English Electric Canberra, B-52 Stratofortress, Tu-95, and KC-135 Stratotanker—to mark 50 years of continuous service with its original primary customer, in this case, the United States Air Force. The C-130 Hercules is the longest continuously produced military aircraft at over 60 years, with the updated C-130J Super Hercules being produced today.[4]

 

Contents [hide]

1Design and development

1.1Background and requirements

1.2Design phase

1.3Improved versions

1.4More improvements

1.5Later models

1.6Next generation

1.7Upgrades and changes

1.8Replacement

2Operational history

2.1Military

2.2Civilian

3Variants

4Operators

5Accidents

6Aircraft on display

6.1Australia

6.2Canada

6.3Colombia

6.4Indonesia

6.5Norway

6.6Saudi Arabia

6.7United Kingdom

6.8United States

7Specifications (C-130H)

8See also

9References

10External links

Design and development[edit]

 

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2014)

Background and requirements[edit]

 

The Korean War, which began in June 1950, showed that World War II-era piston-engine transports—Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars, Douglas C-47 Skytrains and Curtiss C-46 Commandos—were inadequate for modern warfare. Thus, on 2 February 1951, the United States Air Force issued a General Operating Requirement (GOR) for a new transport to Boeing, Douglas, Fairchild, Lockheed, Martin, Chase Aircraft, North American, Northrop, and Airlifts Inc. The new transport would have a capacity of 92 passengers, 72 combat troops or 64 paratroopers in a cargo compartment that was approximately 41 feet (12 m) long, 9 feet (2.7 m) high, and 10 feet (3.0 m) wide. Unlike transports derived from passenger airliners, it was to be designed from the ground-up as a combat transport with loading from a hinged loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage.

 

A key feature was the introduction of the Allison T56 turboprop powerplant, first developed specifically for the C-130. At the time, the turboprop was a new application of turbine engines that used exhaust gases to turn a propeller, which offered greater range at propeller-driven speeds compared to pure turbojets, which were faster but consumed more fuel. As was the case on helicopters of that era, such as the UH-1 Huey, turboshafts produced much more power for their weight than piston engines. Lockheed would subsequently use the same engines and technology in the Lockheed L-188 Electra. That aircraft failed financially in its civilian configuration but was successfully adapted into the Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol and submarine attack aircraft where the efficiency and endurance of turboprops excelled.

 

Design phase[edit]

The Hercules resembled a larger four-engine brother to the C-123 Provider with a similar wing and cargo ramp layout that evolved from the Chase XCG-20 Avitruc, which in turn, was first designed and flown as a cargo glider in 1947.[5] The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter also had a rear ramp, which made it possible to drive vehicles onto the plane (also possible with forward ramp on a C-124). The ramp on the Hercules was also used to airdrop cargo, which included low-altitude extraction for Sheridan tanks and even dropping large improvised "daisy cutter" bombs.

 

The new Lockheed cargo plane design possessed a range of 1,100 nmi (1,270 mi; 2,040 km), takeoff capability from short and unprepared strips, and the ability to fly with one engine shut down. Fairchild, North American, Martin, and Northrop declined to participate. The remaining five companies tendered a total of ten designs: Lockheed two, Boeing one, Chase three, Douglas three, and Airlifts Inc. one. The contest was a close affair between the lighter of the two Lockheed (preliminary project designation L-206) proposals and a four-turboprop Douglas design.

 

The Lockheed design team was led by Willis Hawkins, starting with a 130-page proposal for the Lockheed L-206.[6] Hall Hibbard, Lockheed vice president and chief engineer, saw the proposal and directed it to Kelly Johnson, who did not care for the low-speed, unarmed aircraft, and remarked, "If you sign that letter, you will destroy the Lockheed Company."[6] Both Hibbard and Johnson signed the proposal and the company won the contract for the now-designated Model 82 on 2 July 1951.[7]

 

The first flight of the YC-130 prototype was made on 23 August 1954 from the Lockheed plant in Burbank, California. The aircraft, serial number 53-3397, was the second prototype, but the first of the two to fly. The YC-130 was piloted by Stanley Beltz and Roy Wimmer on its 61-minute flight to Edwards Air Force Base; Jack Real and Dick Stanton served as flight engineers. Kelly Johnson flew chase in a Lockheed P2V Neptune.[8]

 

After the two prototypes were completed, production began in Marietta, Georgia, where over 2,300 C-130s have been built through 2009.[9]

 

The initial production model, the C-130A, was powered by Allison T56-A-9 turboprops with three-blade propellers and originally equipped with the blunt nose of the prototypes. Deliveries began in December 1956, continuing until the introduction of the C-130B model in 1959. Some A-models were equipped with skis and re-designated C-130D.

 

As the C-130A became operational with Tactical Air Command (TAC), the C-130's lack of range became apparent and additional fuel capacity was added in the form of external pylon-mounted tanks at the end of the wings.

 

Improved versions[edit]

 

A Michigan Air National Guard C-130E dispatches its flares during a low-level training mission

The C-130B model was developed to complement the A-models that had previously been delivered, and incorporated new features, particularly increased fuel capacity in the form of auxiliary tanks built into the center wing section and an AC electrical system. Four-bladed Hamilton Standard propellers replaced the Aeroproducts three-blade propellers that distinguished the earlier A-models. The C-130B had ailerons with increased boost—3,000 psi (21 MPa) versus 2,050 psi (14 MPa)—as well as uprated engines and four-blade propellers that were standard until the J-model's introduction.

 

An electronic reconnaissance variant of the C-130B was designated C-130B-II. A total of 13 aircraft were converted. The C-130B-II was distinguished by its false external wing fuel tanks, which were disguised signals intelligence (SIGINT) receiver antennas. These pods were slightly larger than the standard wing tanks found on other C-130Bs. Most aircraft featured a swept blade antenna on the upper fuselage, as well as extra wire antennas between the vertical fin and upper fuselage not found on other C-130s. Radio call numbers on the tail of these aircraft were regularly changed so as to confuse observers and disguise their true mission.

 

The extended-range C-130E model entered service in 1962 after it was developed as an interim long-range transport for the Military Air Transport Service. Essentially a B-model, the new designation was the result of the installation of 1,360 US gal (5,150 L) Sargent Fletcher external fuel tanks under each wing's midsection and more powerful Allison T56-A-7A turboprops. The hydraulic boost pressure to the ailerons was reduced back to 2050 psi as a consequence of the external tanks' weight in the middle of the wingspan. The E model also featured structural improvements, avionics upgrades and a higher gross weight. Australia took delivery of 12 C130E Hercules during 1966–67 to supplement the 12 C-130A models already in service with the RAAF. Sweden and Spain fly the TP-84T version of the C-130E fitted for aerial refueling capability.

 

The KC-130 tankers, originally C-130F procured for the US Marine Corps (USMC) in 1958 (under the designation GV-1) are equipped with a removable 3,600 US gal (13,626 L) stainless steel fuel tank carried inside the cargo compartment. The two wing-mounted hose and drogue aerial refueling pods each transfer up to 300 US gal per minute (19 L per second) to two aircraft simultaneously, allowing for rapid cycle times of multiple-receiver aircraft formations, (a typical tanker formation of four aircraft in less than 30 minutes). The US Navy's C-130G has increased structural strength allowing higher gross weight operation.

 

More improvements[edit]

 

Royal Australian Air Force C-130H, 2007

The C-130H model has updated Allison T56-A-15 turboprops, a redesigned outer wing, updated avionics and other minor improvements. Later H models had a new, fatigue-life-improved, center wing that was retrofitted to many earlier H-models. For structural reasons, some models are required to land with certain amounts of fuel when carrying heavy cargo, reducing usable range.[10] The H model remains in widespread use with the United States Air Force (USAF) and many foreign air forces. Initial deliveries began in 1964 (to the RNZAF), remaining in production until 1996. An improved C-130H was introduced in 1974, with Australia purchasing 12 of type in 1978 to replace the original 12 C-130A models, which had first entered RAAF Service in 1958.

 

The United States Coast Guard employs the HC-130H for long-range search and rescue, drug interdiction, illegal migrant patrols, homeland security, and logistics.

 

C-130H models produced from 1992 to 1996 were designated as C-130H3 by the USAF. The "3" denoting the third variation in design for the H series. Improvements included ring laser gyros for the INUs, GPS receivers, a partial glass cockpit (ADI and HSI instruments), a more capable APN-241 color radar, night vision device compatible instrument lighting, and an integrated radar and missile warning system. The electrical system upgrade included Generator Control Units (GCU) and Bus Switching units (BSU)to provide stable power to the more sensitive upgraded components.[citation needed]

  

Royal Air Force C-130K (C.3)

The equivalent model for export to the UK is the C-130K, known by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as the Hercules C.1. The C-130H-30 (Hercules C.3 in RAF service) is a stretched version of the original Hercules, achieved by inserting a 100 in (2.54 m) plug aft of the cockpit and an 80 in (2.03 m) plug at the rear of the fuselage. A single C-130K was purchased by the Met Office for use by its Meteorological Research Flight, where it was classified as the Hercules W.2. This aircraft was heavily modified (with its most prominent feature being the long red and white striped atmospheric probe on the nose and the move of the weather radar into a pod above the forward fuselage). This aircraft, named Snoopy, was withdrawn in 2001 and was then modified by Marshall of Cambridge Aerospace as flight-testbed for the A400M turbine engine, the TP400. The C-130K is used by the RAF Falcons for parachute drops. Three C-130K (Hercules C Mk.1P) were upgraded and sold to the Austrian Air Force in 2002.[11]

 

Later models[edit]

The MC-130E Combat Talon was developed for the USAF during the Vietnam War to support special operations missions in Southeast Asia, and led to both the MC-130H Combat Talon II as well as a family of other special missions aircraft. 37 of the earliest models currently operating with the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) are scheduled to be replaced by new-production MC-130J versions. The EC-130 Commando Solo is another special missions variant within AFSOC, albeit operated solely by an AFSOC-gained wing in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, and is a psychological operations/information operations (PSYOP/IO) platform equipped as an aerial radio station and television stations able to transmit messaging over commercial frequencies. Other versions of the EC-130, most notably the EC-130H Compass Call, are also special variants, but are assigned to the Air Combat Command (ACC). The AC-130 gunship was first developed during the Vietnam War to provide close air support and other ground-attack duties.

  

USAF HC-130P refuels a HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter

The HC-130 is a family of long-range search and rescue variants used by the USAF and the U.S. Coast Guard. Equipped for deep deployment of Pararescuemen (PJs), survival equipment, and (in the case of USAF versions) aerial refueling of combat rescue helicopters, HC-130s are usually the on-scene command aircraft for combat SAR missions (USAF only) and non-combat SAR (USAF and USCG). Early USAF versions were also equipped with the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system, designed to pull a person off the ground using a wire strung from a helium balloon. The John Wayne movie The Green Berets features its use. The Fulton system was later removed when aerial refueling of helicopters proved safer and more versatile. The movie The Perfect Storm depicts a real life SAR mission involving aerial refueling of a New York Air National Guard HH-60G by a New York Air National Guard HC-130P.

 

The C-130R and C-130T are U.S. Navy and USMC models, both equipped with underwing external fuel tanks. The USN C-130T is similar, but has additional avionics improvements. In both models, aircraft are equipped with Allison T56-A-16 engines. The USMC versions are designated KC-130R or KC-130T when equipped with underwing refueling pods and pylons and are fully night vision system compatible.

 

The RC-130 is a reconnaissance version. A single example is used by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, the aircraft having originally been sold to the former Imperial Iranian Air Force.

 

The Lockheed L-100 (L-382) is a civilian variant, equivalent to a C-130E model without military equipment. The L-100 also has two stretched versions.

 

Next generation[edit]

Main article: Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules

In the 1970s, Lockheed proposed a C-130 variant with turbofan engines rather than turboprops, but the U.S. Air Force preferred the takeoff performance of the existing aircraft. In the 1980s, the C-130 was intended to be replaced by the Advanced Medium STOL Transport project. The project was canceled and the C-130 has remained in production.

 

Building on lessons learned, Lockheed Martin modified a commercial variant of the C-130 into a High Technology Test Bed (HTTB). This test aircraft set numerous short takeoff and landing performance records and significantly expanded the database for future derivatives of the C-130.[12] Modifications made to the HTTB included extended chord ailerons, a long chord rudder, fast-acting double-slotted trailing edge flaps, a high-camber wing leading edge extension, a larger dorsal fin and dorsal fins, the addition of three spoiler panels to each wing upper surface, a long-stroke main and nose landing gear system, and changes to the flight controls and a change from direct mechanical linkages assisted by hydraulic boost, to fully powered controls, in which the mechanical linkages from the flight station controls operated only the hydraulic control valves of the appropriate boost unit.[13] The HTTB first flew on 19 June 1984, with civil registration of N130X. After demonstrating many new technologies, some of which were applied to the C-130J, the HTTB was lost in a fatal accident on 3 February 1993, at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, in Marietta, Georgia.[14] The crash was attributed to disengagement of the rudder fly-by-wire flight control system, resulting in a total loss of rudder control capability while conducting ground minimum control speed tests (Vmcg). The disengagement was a result of the inadequate design of the rudder's integrated actuator package by its manufacturer; the operator's insufficient system safety review failed to consider the consequences of the inadequate design to all operating regimes. A factor which contributed to the accident was the flight crew's lack of engineering flight test training.[15]

 

In the 1990s, the improved C-130J Super Hercules was developed by Lockheed (later Lockheed Martin). This model is the newest version and the only model in production. Externally similar to the classic Hercules in general appearance, the J model has new turboprop engines, six-bladed propellers, digital avionics, and other new systems.[16]

 

Upgrades and changes[edit]

In 2000, Boeing was awarded a US$1.4 billion contract to develop an Avionics Modernization Program kit for the C-130. The program was beset with delays and cost overruns until project restructuring in 2007.[17] On 2 September 2009, Bloomberg news reported that the planned Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) upgrade to the older C-130s would be dropped to provide more funds for the F-35, CV-22 and airborne tanker replacement programs.[18] However, in June 2010, Department of Defense approved funding for the initial production of the AMP upgrade kits.[19][20] Under the terms of this agreement, the USAF has cleared Boeing to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) for the C-130 AMP. A total of 198 aircraft are expected to feature the AMP upgrade. The current cost per aircraft is US$14 million although Boeing expects that this price will drop to US$7 million for the 69th aircraft.[17]

 

An engine enhancement program saving fuel and providing lower temperatures in the T56 engine has been approved, and the US Air Force expects to save $2 billion and extend the fleet life.[21]

 

Replacement[edit]

In October 2010, the Air Force released a capabilities request for information (CRFI) for the development of a new airlifter to replace the C-130. The new aircraft is to carry a 190 percent greater payload and assume the mission of mounted vertical maneuver (MVM). The greater payload and mission would enable it to carry medium-weight armored vehicles and drop them off at locations without long runways. Various options are being considered, including new or upgraded fixed-wing designs, rotorcraft, tiltrotors, or even an airship. Development could start in 2014, and become operational by 2024. The C-130 fleet of around 450 planes would be replaced by only 250 aircraft.[22] The Air Force had attempted to replace the C-130 in the 1970s through the Advanced Medium STOL Transport project, which resulted in the C-17 Globemaster III that instead replaced the C-141 Starlifter.[23] The Air Force Research Laboratory funded Lockheed and Boeing demonstrators for the Speed Agile concept, which had the goal of making a STOL aircraft that can take off and land at speeds as low as 70 kn (130 km/h; 81 mph) on airfields less than 2,000 ft (610 m) long and cruise at Mach 0.8-plus. Boeing's design used upper-surface blowing from embedded engines on the inboard wing and blown flaps for circulation control on the outboard wing. Lockheed's design also used blown flaps outboard, but inboard used patented reversing ejector nozzles. Boeing's design completed over 2,000 hours of windtunnel tests in late 2009. It was a 5 percent-scale model of a narrowbody design with a 55,000 lb (25,000 kg) payload. When the AFRL increased the payload requirement to 65,000 lb (29,000 kg), they tested a 5% scale model of a widebody design with a 303,000 lb (137,000 kg) take-off gross weight and an "A400M-size" 158 in (4.0 m) wide cargo box. It would be powered by four IAE V2533 turbofans.[24] In August 2011, the AFRL released pictures of the Lockheed Speed Agile concept demonstrator. A 23% scale model went through wind tunnel tests to demonstrate its hybrid powered lift, which combines a low drag airframe with simple mechanical assembly to reduce weight and better aerodynamics. The model had four engines, including two Williams FJ44 turbofans.[23][25] On 26 March 2013, Boeing was granted a patent for its swept-wing powered lift aircraft.[26]

 

As of January 2014, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Materiel Command and the Air Force Research Lab are in the early stages of defining requirements for the C-X next generation airlifter program to replace both the C-130 and C-17. An aircraft would be produced from the early 2030s to the 2040s. If requirements are decided for operating in contested airspace, Air Force procurement of C-130s would end by the end of the decade to not have them serviceable by the 2030s and operated when they can't perform in that environment. Development of the airlifter depends heavily on the Army's "tactical and operational maneuver" plans. Two different cargo planes could still be created to separately perform tactical and strategic missions, but which course to pursue is to be decided before C-17s need to be retired.[27]

 

Operational history[edit]

 

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Military[edit]

 

USMC KC-130F Hercules performing takeoffs and landings aboard the aircraft carrier Forrestal in 1963. The aircraft is now displayed at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

The first production aircraft, C-130As were first delivered beginning in 1956 to the 463d Troop Carrier Wing at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma and the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB, Tennessee. Six additional squadrons were assigned to the 322d Air Division in Europe and the 315th Air Division in the Far East. Additional aircraft were modified for electronics intelligence work and assigned to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany while modified RC-130As were assigned to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) photo-mapping division.

 

In 1958, a U.S. reconnaissance C-130A-II of the 7406th Support Squadron was shot down over Armenia by MiG-17s.[28]

 

Australia became the first non-American force to operate the C-130A Hercules with 12 examples being delivered from late 1958. These aircraft were fitted with AeroProducts three-blade, 15-foot diameter propellers. The Royal Canadian Air Force became another early user with the delivery of four B-models (Canadian designation C-130 Mk I) in October / November 1960.[29]

 

In 1963, a Hercules achieved and still holds the record for the largest and heaviest aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier.[30] During October and November that year, a USMC KC-130F (BuNo 149798), loaned to the U.S. Naval Air Test Center, made 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 unarrested full-stop landings and 21 unassisted take-offs on Forrestal at a number of different weights.[31] The pilot, LT (later RADM) James H. Flatley III, USN, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in this test series. The tests were highly successful, but the idea was considered too risky for routine "Carrier Onboard Delivery" (COD) operations. Instead, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound was developed as a dedicated COD aircraft. The Hercules used in the test, most recently in service with Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron 352 (VMGR-352) until 2005, is now part of the collection of the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Florida.

 

In 1964, C-130 crews from the 6315th Operations Group at Naha Air Base, Okinawa commenced forward air control (FAC; "Flare") missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos supporting USAF strike aircraft. In April 1965 the mission was expanded to North Vietnam where C-130 crews led formations of B-57 bombers on night reconnaissance/strike missions against communist supply routes leading to South Vietnam. In early 1966 Project Blind Bat/Lamplighter was established at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand. After the move to Ubon the mission became a four-engine FAC mission with the C-130 crew searching for targets then calling in strike aircraft. Another little-known C-130 mission flown by Naha-based crews was Operation Commando Scarf, which involved the delivery of chemicals onto sections of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos that were designed to produce mud and landslides in hopes of making the truck routes impassable.[citation needed]

 

In November 1964, on the other side of the globe, C-130Es from the 464th Troop Carrier Wing but loaned to 322d Air Division in France, flew one of the most dramatic missions in history in the former Belgian Congo. After communist Simba rebels took white residents of the city of Stanleyville hostage, the U.S. and Belgium developed a joint rescue mission that used the C-130s to airlift and then drop and air-land a force of Belgian paratroopers to rescue the hostages. Two missions were flown, one over Stanleyville and another over Paulis during Thanksgiving weeks.[32] The headline-making mission resulted in the first award of the prestigious MacKay Trophy to C-130 crews.

 

In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, as a desperate measure the transport No. 6 Squadron of the Pakistan Air Force modified its entire small fleet of C-130Bs for use as heavy bombers, capable of carrying up to 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) of bombs on pallets. These improvised bombers were used to hit Indian targets such as bridges, heavy artillery positions, tank formations and troop concentrations.[33][34] Some C-130s even flew with anti-aircraft guns fitted on their ramp, apparently shooting down some 17 aircraft and damaging 16 others.[35]

  

The C-130 Hercules were used in the Battle of Kham Duc in 1968, when the North Vietnamese Army forced U.S.-led forces to abandon the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp.

In October 1968, a C-130Bs from the 463rd Tactical Airlift Wing dropped a pair of M-121 10,000 pound bombs that had been developed for the massive B-36 bomber but had never been used. The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force resurrected the huge weapons as a means of clearing landing zones for helicopters and in early 1969 the 463rd commenced Commando Vault missions. Although the stated purpose of COMMANDO VAULT was to clear LZs, they were also used on enemy base camps and other targets.[citation needed]

 

During the late 1960s, the U.S. was eager to get information on Chinese nuclear capabilities. After the failure of the Black Cat Squadron to plant operating sensor pods near the Lop Nur Nuclear Weapons Test Base using a Lockheed U-2, the CIA developed a plan, named Heavy Tea, to deploy two battery-powered sensor pallets near the base. To deploy the pallets, a Black Bat Squadron crew was trained in the U.S. to fly the C-130 Hercules. The crew of 12, led by Col Sun Pei Zhen, took off from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in an unmarked U.S. Air Force C-130E on 17 May 1969. Flying for six and a half hours at low altitude in the dark, they arrived over the target and the sensor pallets were dropped by parachute near Anxi in Gansu province. After another six and a half hours of low altitude flight, they arrived back at Takhli. The sensors worked and uploaded data to a U.S. intelligence satellite for six months, before their batteries wore out. The Chinese conducted two nuclear tests, on 22 September 1969 and 29 September 1969, during the operating life of the sensor pallets. Another mission to the area was planned as Operation Golden Whip, but was called off in 1970.[36] It is most likely that the aircraft used on this mission was either C-130E serial number 64-0506 or 64-0507 (cn 382-3990 and 382-3991). These two aircraft were delivered to Air America in 1964.[37] After being returned to the U.S. Air Force sometime between 1966 and 1970, they were assigned the serial numbers of C-130s that had been destroyed in accidents. 64-0506 is now flying as 62-1843, a C-130E that crashed in Vietnam on 20 December 1965 and 64-0507 is now flying as 63-7785, a C-130E that had crashed in Vietnam on 17 June 1966.[38]

 

The A-model continued in service through the Vietnam War, where the aircraft assigned to the four squadrons at Naha AB, Okinawa and one at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan performed yeoman's service, including operating highly classified special operations missions such as the BLIND BAT FAC/Flare mission and FACT SHEET leaflet mission over Laos and North Vietnam. The A-model was also provided to the South Vietnamese Air Force as part of the Vietnamization program at the end of the war, and equipped three squadrons based at Tan Son Nhut AFB. The last operator in the world is the Honduran Air Force, which is still flying one of five A model Hercules (FAH 558, c/n 3042) as of October 2009.[39] As the Vietnam War wound down, the 463rd Troop Carrier/Tactical Airlift Wing B-models and A-models of the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing were transferred back to the United States where most were assigned to Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units.

  

U.S. Marines disembark from C-130 transports at the Da Nang Airbase on 8 March 1965

Another prominent role for the B model was with the United States Marine Corps, where Hercules initially designated as GV-1s replaced C-119s. After Air Force C-130Ds proved the type's usefulness in Antarctica, the U.S. Navy purchased a number of B-models equipped with skis that were designated as LC-130s. C-130B-II electronic reconnaissance aircraft were operated under the SUN VALLEY program name primarily from Yokota Air Base, Japan. All reverted to standard C-130B cargo aircraft after their replacement in the reconnaissance role by other aircraft.

 

The C-130 was also used in the 1976 Entebbe raid in which Israeli commando forces carried a surprise assault to rescue 103 passengers of an airliner hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. The rescue force — 200 soldiers, jeeps, and a black Mercedes-Benz (intended to resemble Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin's vehicle of state) — was flown over 2,200 nmi (4,074 km; 2,532 mi) almost entirely at an altitude of less than 100 ft (30 m) from Israel to Entebbe by four Israeli Air Force (IAF) Hercules aircraft without mid-air refueling (on the way back, the planes refueled in Nairobi, Kenya).

 

During the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas) of 1982, Argentine Air Force C-130s undertook highly dangerous, daily re-supply night flights as blockade runners to the Argentine garrison on the Falkland Islands. They also performed daylight maritime survey flights. One was lost during the war. Argentina also operated two KC-130 tankers during the war, and these refueled both the Douglas A-4 Skyhawks and Navy Dassault-Breguet Super Étendards; some C-130s were modified to operate as bombers with bomb-racks under their wings. The British also used RAF C-130s to support their logistical operations.

  

USMC C-130T Fat Albert performing a rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO)

During the Gulf War of 1991 (Operation Desert Storm), the C-130 Hercules was used operationally by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, along with the air forces of Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the UK. The MC-130 Combat Talon variant also made the first attacks using the largest conventional bombs in the world, the BLU-82 "Daisy Cutter" and GBU-43/B "Massive Ordnance Air Blast" bomb, (MOAB). Daisy Cutters were used to clear landing zones and to eliminate mine fields. The weight and size of the weapons make it impossible or impractical to load them on conventional bombers. The GBU-43/B MOAB is a successor to the BLU-82 and can perform the same function, as well as perform strike functions against hardened targets in a low air threat environment.

 

Since 1992, two successive C-130 aircraft named Fat Albert have served as the support aircraft for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team. Fat Albert I was a TC-130G (151891),[40] while Fat Albert II is a C-130T (164763).[41] Although Fat Albert supports a Navy squadron, it is operated by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and its crew consists solely of USMC personnel. At some air shows featuring the team, Fat Albert takes part, performing flyovers. Until 2009, it also demonstrated its rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO) capabilities; these ended due to dwindling supplies of rockets.[42]

 

The AC-130 also holds the record for the longest sustained flight by a C-130. From 22 to 24 October 1997, two AC-130U gunships flew 36 hours nonstop from Hurlburt Field Florida to Taegu (Daegu), South Korea while being refueled seven times by KC-135 tanker aircraft. This record flight shattered the previous record longest flight by over 10 hours while the two gunships took on 410,000 lb (190,000 kg) of fuel. The gunship has been used in every major U.S. combat operation since Vietnam, except for Operation El Dorado Canyon, the 1986 attack on Libya.[43]

  

C-130 Hercules performs a tactical landing on a dirt strip

During the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the ongoing support of the International Security Assistance Force (Operation Enduring Freedom), the C-130 Hercules has been used operationally by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, the UK and the United States.

 

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), the C-130 Hercules was used operationally by Australia, the UK and the United States. After the initial invasion, C-130 operators as part of the Multinational force in Iraq used their C-130s to support their forces in Iraq.

 

Since 2004, the Pakistan Air Force has employed C-130s in the War in North-West Pakistan. Some variants had forward looking infrared (FLIR Systems Star Safire III EO/IR) sensor balls, to enable close tracking of Islamist militants.[44]

 

Civilian[edit]

 

A C-130E fitted with a MAFFS-1 dropping fire retardant

The U.S. Forest Service developed the Modular Airborne FireFighting System for the C-130 in the 1970s, which allows regular aircraft to be temporarily converted to an airtanker for fighting wildfires.[45] In the late 1980s, 22 retired USAF C-130As were removed from storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and transferred to the U.S. Forest Service who then sold them to six private companies to be converted into air tankers (see U.S. Forest Service airtanker scandal). After one of these aircraft crashed due to wing separation in flight as a result of fatigue stress cracking, the entire fleet of C-130A air tankers was permanently grounded in 2004 (see 2002 airtanker crashes). C-130s have been used to spread chemical dispersants onto the massive oil slick in the Gulf Coast in 2010.[46]

 

A recent development of a C-130–based airtanker is the Retardant Aerial Delivery System developed by Coulson Aviation USA . The system consists of a C-130H/Q retrofitted with an in-floor discharge system, combined with a removable 3,500- or 4,000-gallon water tank. The combined system is FAA certified.[47]

 

Variants[edit]

 

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C-130H Hercules flight deck

 

A U.S. JC-130 aircraft retrieving a reconnaissance satellite film capsule under parachute.

 

C-130s from the: U.S., Canada, Australia and Israel (foreground to background)

 

RAAF C-130J-30 at Point Cook, 2006

 

Brazilian Air Force C-130 (L-382)

For civilian versions, see Lockheed L-100 Hercules.

Significant military variants of the C-130 include:

 

C-130A/B/E/F/G/H/K/T

Tactical airlifter basic models

C-130A-II Dreamboat

Early version Electronic Intelligence/Signals Intelligence (ELINT/SIGINT) aircraft[48]

C-130J Super Hercules

Tactical airlifter, with new engines, avionics, and updated systems

C-130K

Designation for RAF Hercules C1/W2/C3 aircraft (C-130Js in RAF service are the Hercules C.4 and Hercules C.5)

AC-130A/E/H/J/U/W

Gunship variants

C-130D/D-6

Ski-equipped version for snow and ice operations United States Air Force / Air National Guard

CC-130E/H/J Hercules

Designation for Canadian Armed Forces / Royal Canadian Air Force Hercules aircraft. U.S. Air Force used the CC-130J designation to differentiate standard C-130Js from "stretched" C-130Js (Company designation C-130J-30s).

DC-130A/E/H

USAF and USN Drone control

EC-130

EC-130E/J Commando Solo – USAF / Air National Guard psychological operations version

EC-130E – Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC)

EC-130E Rivet Rider – Airborne psychological warfare aircraft

EC-130H Compass Call – Electronic warfare and electronic attack.[49]

EC-130V – Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) variant used by USCG for counter-narcotics missions[50]

GC-130

Permanently Grounded "Static Display"

HC-130

HC-130B/E/H – Early model combat search and rescue

HC-130P/N Combat King – USAF aerial refueling tanker and combat search and rescue

HC-130J Combat King II – Next generation combat search and rescue tanker

HC-130H/J – USCG long-range surveillance and search and rescue

JC-130

Temporary conversion for flight test operations

KC-130F/R/T/J

United States Marine Corps aerial refueling tanker and tactical airlifter

LC-130F/H/R

USAF / Air National Guard – Ski-equipped version for Arctic and Antarctic support operations; LC-130F previously operated by USN

MC-130

MC-130E/H Combat Talon I/II – Special operations infiltration/extraction variant

MC-130W Combat Spear/Dragon Spear – Special operations tanker/gunship[51]

MC-130P Combat Shadow – Special operations tanker

MC-130J Commando II (formerly Combat Shadow II) – Special operations tanker Air Force Special Operations Command[52]

YMC-130H – Modified aircraft under Operation Credible Sport for second Iran hostage crisis rescue attempt

NC-130

Permanent conversion for flight test operations

PC-130/C-130-MP

Maritime patrol

RC-130A/S

Surveillance aircraft for reconnaissance

SC-130J Sea Herc

Proposed maritime patrol version of the C-130J, designed for coastal surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.[53][54]

TC-130

Aircrew training

VC-130H

VIP transport

WC-130A/B/E/H/J

Weather reconnaissance ("Hurricane Hunter") version for USAF / Air Force Reserve Command's 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron in support of the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center

_________________________________

Substituting for a shortfall of a serviceable Desiro DMU, BDZ liveried Class 55, No.55195 rattles into Devnya station around 30 minutes behind schedule leading just a single coach service forming 28205, the 15:52 departure from Dobrich to Varna.

Two lengthy rakes of empty MBA scrap wagons stretch across the middle of Tidal Yard, these bring in scrap metal to the adjacent Celsa steelworks. Most of the other stock is stored or little used, there is another serviceable rake of MBAs at the far back behind a rake of MEA/SSA which are also still used for slag traffic. Majority of the other wagons are BEA, SPA, VGA used to carry steel rod, bar and coil from the works, although the works output by rail seems rather limited nowadays?? If you have really good eyesight a class 08 can just be made out in the back left shunting 3 wagons into the rear of the works.

Leyland Fleetline 1697 was a double deck until the early eighties. After an encounter with Wargrave railway bridge at Newton-le-Willows parted the upper deck from the rest of the bus it was thought that its future was doomed.

However, a need for a short single deck at Bury depot for the Summerseat service led to GMT's engineers to look into using the perfectly serviceable lower deck as the basis of a single deck for the above purpose. Strathclyde PTE used similar converted Atlanteans on an inter station link service in Glasgow and one was inspected [but not used in service] by GMT before making a decision on the accident damaged Fleetline.

The work was authorised and the conversion was carried out by Northern Counties. An extra emergency window was fitted to the nearside and shrouds added over the rear 'pods' to give the body strength.

The quirky little bus is seen in Ramsbottom in April 1987 with the beige North area GM Buses names.

45017 stands in platform 4 at Derby awaiting to depart 1V71 a Sunday morning express for Western Region, 22nd February 1976.

 

Locomotive History

45017 was built at Derby works and entered traffic in April 1961 as D23. It was allocated initially to Derby but was transferred to Leeds Neville Hill five months later and moved across the city to Leeds Holbeck in December 1962. It would spend the next twenty five years allocated to Holbeck before it was transferred to York in May 1978. A year later in May 1979 it transferred to Tinsley and its final transfer was to Toton in March 1984. It was withdrawn in August 1985 but reinstated a month later for training use at Toton and renumbered ADB968024. The exact nature of the training that ADB968024 was used for is unclear and re-railing has been mentioned, however in July 1987 it was still serviceable and used at the Midland Railway Centre on passenger duties. By 1988 it was dumped at Tinsley and was broken up at MC Metals, Glasgow in November 1991.

 

Praktica LTL, Orwochrome UT18

PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU FAVORITE

 

"When the Reverse Flash causes trouble through time, a team is assembled of the greatest heroes through out the ages!"

 

so this was a random idea i had last night. thought it was cool so here's a cover. Probably not going to do a series anytime soon though. also i know i forgot the s in corps.

 

Left to right

 

Black Canary I: the original golden age black canary. always liked the mother/daughter idea with bc, and plus if dinah the second inherited her powers from her mom, then maybe she gets them running around in the future. just food for thought.

 

Batman Beyond: who the fuck doesn't love batman beyond. i knew i wanted him on the team. as for design, nothing really new

 

The Flash: a long time hero and time traveler, he's the perfect leader for this pack of misfits.

 

Reverse Flash: This mysterious flash wana-be is going around messing up the time stream, but because of his actions the infinity corps is born. design wise, based him a lot off of the flash show. not super happy with the helmet, but what that's life.

 

Jonah Hex: the experienced old-timer who doesn't take anyone's shit. perfect for second in command. probably my favorite of this bunch. love the coat with torso with the head.

 

Booster Gold: The new hero on the block who first encountered the reverse flash in the distant future, who went back in time to get help of the real flash. nothing that really to talk about design wise. its serviceable

Recently transferred from Southend to Harlow to assist a continued shortage of serviceable buses, Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban GN07AVB (3815) works along Stansted Road in Stansted Mountfitchet with an afternoon route 510 service to Harlow Bus Station 18/06/18

... So we went for a sort of scouting mission type drive around south wicklow to catch the sunset and possibly find new shooting locations...

But inevitably the weather had other plans and the sky just became duller and greyer as the evening progressed...

 

This lone tree caught my eye and I persuaded James to stop the car just so we could get at least one shot out of the evening -

I managed to cajole him to climb through brambles, a hedgerow and a barbed wire fence to get access and to his credit

he didn't kick me out of the car later when we discovered a perfectly serviceable gate into the field 50 meters up the road...

 

CC always welcome...

 

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17 December 1993, RAF Leuchars

 

A sick Raven of the 429th ECS photographed on Leuchars' VAS ramp on a bitterly cold December morning in 1993, having diverted in as "Cube 81". The Raven was one of four which staged through Lakenheath on 22 November, departing Dhahran en route back to Cannon. Three of the aircraft departed on 24 November, however 67-0039 remained at Lakenheath due to serviceability issues. It eventually left on 16 December but only got as far as Leuchars. It remained here over Christmas and returned once more to Lakenheath on 12 January.

A celebrity without intention, X221 ANC (2221) was transferred to Wales for its final year in service after spending every other serviceable year in and around Merseyside. It never lost its coast of original Arriva livery and the pricey tins of 'interurban' paint were not being spared on a bus that could not see action beyond the end of the year, DDA specifications were making sure of that. It managed to see into November, which was fair game as it was living on a short wick essentially throughout the year and had indeed been withdrawn and reinstated at one point. A classic summer shot at Llandudno sees 2221 departing on the 11:15 Conwy to Llysfaen No.14 service. Buses in this livery have been visible at this location for 17 years, but not any more.

 

8th August 2015.

On a warm Spring evening, a three-car Class 101 DMU with Driving Motor Brake Second 51219 leading, was departing from Dawlish with an all-stations 18.23 Exeter St Davids to Paignton service on May 31st 1989.

This was the period when following the banishment of almost new Class 142 Skipper units to the North, still serviceable first generation DMU sets were drafted in to the West Country to keep services running, prior to the appearance of Class 150/2 and Class 155 Sprinter units.

Quite a number of the serviceable Streamliners were unable to attend the SL22 event, either because they are on broad gauge bogies, working, or both.

 

On our way over for SL22 we stopped off at Sea Lake in Victoria to photograph Southern Shorthaul Railroad's former Victorian Railways broad gauge S317/S312 loading their grain train at Sea Lake in Victoria.

 

At the Streamliners 2016 event, S317 was a participant as it was then on standard gauge bogies, while S312 was non-operational at the time and privately owned.

 

DJI_0067_edit

This tiny triangular gem is something a bit different, both in terms of its design as well as what equipment was used to capture it: a lens from 1978. View large!

 

While my usual gear to photograph snowflakes is a Canon MP-E 65mm F/2.8 1x-5x macro lens, coupled with a set of extension tubes and often the Lifesize Converter EF in the mix, there are many other options. The just-described setup gets me 12:1 magnification, but I can easily get 10:1 magnification with another Canon lens which debuted in the late 70’s. The Canon 20mm F/3.5 “macrophoto” lens.

 

This lens is designed to operate on bellows with an RMS thread adapter. The whole setup cost me around $350, though the prices of the lenses vary when they appear on eBay (currently none are for sale, but completed listings can give you an idea). Attached to a fully extended Canon Auto Bellows, the magnification achieved is roughly 10x. Funny enough, it’s the lens I was holding when I took an ultraviolet self portrait of myself: donkom.ca/uv-selfie.jpg - I don’t have a geekier looking lens. :)

 

This configuration of lens and bellows has no ring flash mount, so that was attached with a generous amount of Gaffer’s tape. The viewfinder was dim, E-TTL seemed much less effective and it was a bit more cumbersome to use. If you play your angles right, you can rotate the rail to the side (normally intended for vertical shooting) and use it as a very sturdy handle when handholding shots like this, so long as it doesn’t get in the way.

 

Using this lens was a fun experiment, though it’s not one I will practically revisit as my main setup gives me higher quality results. Still, it’s a very serviceable combination of components from before I was born!

 

As for this snowflake, triangular crystals are rather uncommon, as are colours from thin film interference, but we have them both here. The triangular shape happens, at least in theory, due to the aerodynamics of the crystal as it moves through the cloud. If it stays in a static direction without tumbling, one side will face the oncoming water vapour and grow at a faster rate than the others. Those leading edges will also gather a little more water vapour, making for an asymmetric shape. Alter patterns in different ways, and you get all sorts of non-six-sided symmetry. Two sides longer than the other four has been seen as well, all based on how a snowflake is pointed. Reminds me of Vick’s cough drops I had as a child!

 

If you’d like to know more about the science of snowflakes with an exhaustive and comprehensive tutorial on how to photograph and edit these little gems, check out my book Sky Crystals:

Hardcover: www.skycrystals.ca/book/

eBook: www.skycrystals.ca/ebook/

 

Other things you might be interested in:

2018 Macro Photography Workshop Schedule: www.donkom.ca/workshops/

 

2018 Ice Crystals Coin from the Royal Canadian Mint featuring my snowflakes: www.mint.ca/store/coins/coin-prod3040427

 

“The Snowflake” print, taking 2500 hours to create: skycrystals.ca/product/poster-proof/

 

Photo Geek Weekly, my new podcast: www.photogeekweekly.com/

After acquiring the Milwaukee Road, the Soo Line found itself power short and began procuring new units from a number of sources. Between 1986-1987, used locomotives were purchased from Helm Leasing and other providers, as there was an interest to rebuild high horsepower units prior to the SD60s arriving.

 

One such instance was the procurement (or furtherance of the lease) of former Conrail SDP45s. My notes are a bit bare on this particular subject matter, but I can confirm the units were stored as serviceable on Conrail and were conveyed to the Soo where they sat in Shoreham yard for a period of time. Whether they were unsuited to rebuilding or otherwise, they were sent back east, eventaully ending up in the hands of VMV and working on the Chicago, Central & Pacific. They were eventually returned to VMV and released for other uses - most notably on the Southern Pacific.

 

J. David Ingles captured this image of the group headed off of Soo property at Duplainville, Wi on November 14, 1987.

891GWT was new in 1963 to S. Morgan Ltd. It was a Guy Arab V fitted with 73-seat front-entrance body by Charles H. Roe of Crossgates, Leeds. It was the first of six similar vehicles delivered over a four year period and this also became the last, as it was the only serviceable Guy bus in the fleet at the time of take-over by South Yorkshire PTE in March 1979. They parked it for three months before sending it for scrap.

And so it begins. If rumours are proved to be true, this will be the final year of the 20s which will be withdrawn from service at the end of this years RHTT programme with worn wheelsets. DRS's serviceable class 20 numbers have been reducing year on year for the past few seasons. Last year's programme saw 66s and 68s slipped into the schedule when availability of the five remaining locos for two diagrams could not be maintained and this year only three serviceable locos appear to be available - 302, 303 and 305 and as far as can be told other than a trip to Gresty they have been laid up pretty much for 9 months since the end of last years service.

 

So it was worthy of a late lunch to catch 20302s first daylight arrival into Sheffield from the east, suitably in welcome sunshine. The locos parked up in a decent location - they have been known to wait half in sun, half shade, and not being able to wait for the 1 1/2 hours for their departure on my flying visit and look back towards the station to see the reason for their arrival which the leaves turning from green to yellow before (like the locos) their impending fall from grace and doom. The leaves (albeit different ones) will return next year, but what will be the traction. The sticking point for 66s is the tunnel north of Chapeltown through only which 20s, 37s (without roof horns) and Black 5s may pass.And 68s can't run Sheffield to Meadowhall due to gauge issues.

At the beginning of 2010 things on the north end of the former Bangor & Aroostook RR were not looking good. With the economy in the toilet and the housing industry at a standstill, the forest products business (the bread and butter of the B&A and later Montreal Maine & Atlantic) was way down. At the beginning of the winter I was getting not so subtle hints to "get your pictures of the north end of the RR now". Easier said than done when the north end of the railroad is hours away from home and trains only run during the week. I soon found out that the MMA changed the working days of the #110 train out of Squa Pan that serves the branches to Presque Isle, Caribou and Easton to include Saturdays. Often the job featured one of the four remaining serviceable ex B&A units (ex ATSF GP7u's 21 & 23, original B&A GP9 79 and original B&A GP7 100). In February, the MMA started the abanondment process on most of the north end of the RR. Eventually the State of Maine stepped in and bought the trackage and leased it to Irving's newly formed Maine Northern Railroad.

 

As the light fades, MMA Train #110 is southbound swinging off the Presque Isle Branch, passing a line of centerbeams stored on the abandoned former Washburn cutoff. It will be dark before the train returns to Squa Pan.

 

Mapleton, Maine

February 6, 2010

High ISO, but serviceable. JW Marriott Star Pass Resort, Tucson, AZ

This restored SP Railroad No. 2467 is located at the California State Railroad Museum located in Old Sacramento State Historic Park. According to Wikipedia it is "one of 15 heavy 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1921, designated the P-8 class. 2467 was retired from service in 1956....Although serviceable, SP 2467 is currently on display while on loan from its operator, Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc., to the California State Railroad Museum" in Sacramento, California. Where I get to see it every time I to go Old Sacramento, which is often.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Pacific_2467

Stagecoach took over operation of hourly Bradfield circular services 61 and 62 following the demise of Powells last August. This was slightly surprising given that the company has relieved itself of the other rural SYPTE-funded minibus work it operated, shedding the 23, 24, M92, 58, 44, and 107 over the past 18 months. Stagecoach previously operated the Bradfield routes over 20 years ago though, as the company did not have a depot in Sheffield at that time, they were worked from the former Whites depot at Calver.

 

Optare Solo YN07OSE (47467) is seen here at Stacey Bank with the 10:10 62 clockwise circular from Hillsborough. This is currently the only serviceable Solo at Ecclesfield with what was until a few days ago the second currently at Chesterfield. The second Bradfield vehicle has therefore been a full size Enviro 200 for the past few days.

Class 40 Indian Summer

After having enjoyed the delights of 40118 on local service 2J66 from Preston-Man Vic, and then again on 1E19 from Man Vic to Leeds - and then a too-long fester at York - the gen was out and finally the late-running 1E71 12.15 Blackpool-Newcastle turned up behind 40152 (Beast!)

In this view we have evidence of my stupidity in baling at Darlington rather than continuing on to Newcastle!

However, at least I got a couple of shots as the driver applied full power and the bashers went crazy - The fine art of flailing - now a distant memory 😂😎:)

Darlington shed (stabling point) can be seen in the distance.

 

'A day in the life' - log book update:

Saturday 28th July 1984 - 40152 on 1E71 12.15 Blackpool - Newcastle [Load 10x Mark 1s].

YORK

Thirsk

Northallerton

DARLINGTON

 

44 miles

 

This followed two runs earlier in the day with 40118:

40118 on 2J66 06.55 Blackpool - Man Vic.

PRESTON

Leyland

Chorley

BOLTON

Agecroft Jnct.

Windsor Bridge Jnct.

Salford

MAN VIC

 

31 miles

 

40118 on 1E19 08.40 Man Vic. - Scarborough

MAN VIC

Miles Platting

Park

STALYBRIDGE

Greenfield

Marsden

HUDDERSFIELD

Mirfield

DEWSBURY

Morley

Holbeck East Jnct.

Whitehall Jnct.

LEEDS

 

44 miles

 

Between 1982 and 1984 I spent many happy hours with my friends chasing around the North of England after the remaining Class 40s. At the beginning of 1984, there were still 50 members of the fleet in service, but this had already reduced down to 31 by the time I had 40152 towards the end of July. By the end of the summer timetable, just 25 remained in service, and only 17 of the class survived into 1985, all but 3 being withdrawn over the weekend of 21st/22nd Jan 1985.

 

D200/40122, 40118 and 40012 were kept on just for rail tours, although D200 had a second Indian summer :)

 

Locomotive History

D352 / 40152

D352 was built by the English Electric Company at their Vulcan Foundry Works, Newton-Le-Willows, Lancashire and entered traffic in July 1961 and was an Eastern Region loco for most of its life. It lasted in service until the end for the class in January 1985.

 

Detailed Locomotive History

D352 / 40152

Originally D352 it was built by English Electric at the Vulcan Foundry and entered traffic in July 1961, allocated to York MPD. It was built with the final variation of nose design featuring a central four-digit headcode panel (although by this date it has acquired a “domino” screen to the panel) and no gangway doors, giving a much neater appearance. 40152 would be for most of its career associated with Yorkshire and the North East being allocated to Gateshead, Thornaby, York or Healey Mills until 1983 when it transferred to Longsight. It received its last classified repair at Crewe works in September 1979 well after withdrawals had commenced and this enabled 40152 to survive in traffic until January 1985 when it was withdrawn. Even then it was still serviceable and was condemned only because it was “surplus to requirements”. However this did not stop 40152 from being broken up almost immediately two months later in March 1985 at Doncaster works. Extra info courtesy of: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john]

 

My interest in the railways waned permanently with the demise of the Class 50s, initially from the Paddington-Oxford route in 1990, and finally when they retired from the Waterloo-Exeter services in 1992.

 

As well as enjoying the thrash, I managed to record many of the trips and railway scenes encountered on film for posterity. Those days are now long gone, but happily the photos remain for me to reminisce over and share. ;)

 

Taken with a Zenith TTL SLR camera and standard lens. Scanned from the original negative with no digital restoration

 

You can see a random selection of my railway photos here on Flickriver: www.flickriver.com/photos/themightyhood/random/

 

'Indian Summer' - a period of happiness or success occurring late in life...English Electric Type 4 1958-1984

A shortage of serviceable 66's this week saw a Class 37 drop on the South Yorkshire RHTT , making it's first appearance of the season at Sheffield Midland , 37402 waits to depart working the 3S12 0745 Sheffield - Sheffield with 66304 for company .

 

30 11 21

What began as a non-railfanning day ended in a hot pursuit of a class 44 steamer...

 

With a befriended family and my railfan friend we set out for Rudolstadt in the Saale valley. After taking a tour around the castle we wanted to have picknick near the railway station. Munching away sandwiches at having a look at the trains running past. Diesel-powered by that time. We haven't really started to spread the blanket when the crossing gates were lowered, but the whistle blowing was a steam whistle. The single steamer passed the station without stopping but slowed down for a red signal. We ran to grab a look, from behind it could be either a class 41 or 44.

So we persuaded to wrap up and try to follow the steam engine.

The chase ended at Göschwitz where we finally stood face to face with the 44 2453. The three-cylinder steamer was brought there to provide steam for hot water while the large power plant was down for summer maintenance.

The 44 2453 was built back to burning coal in 1982, the rebuild date 27.10.82 is visible on the buffer. Basically the steamer was still fully serviceable but only was used for heating purposes. And had that looks.

 

Göschwitz, July 11, 1987

Something of a rarity in the West Midlands, Edinburgh Haymarket based 40162 crosses Oxley viaduct with empty stock from the nearby carriage sidings on 28th November 1982.

 

Just a week later 40162 was reported as stored serviceable at Haymarket but it was condemned on 14/12/82. It remained there until 25/06/85 when it was moved to Millerhill Yard for scrapping. [Ref. Class 40 Motherlist]

 

118'4339

Probably now the UK's biggest Shunter provider, Railway Support Services (RSS) are based out of Rye Farm, Wishaw near Sutton Coldfield. With customers such as Abellio, Arriva Traincare, Axiom Rail, DB Cargo, EMD, EMT, GBRf, Hitachi and LNER amongst others.

As well as Shunter hire, repair and overhaul is also offered by the firm with an expertise in Class 08/09 'Gronks'. Customers such as AV Dawson, Bombardier, HN Rail, Mendip Rail and Serco (amongst others) have all had locos receive attention here.

 

In this scene, assisted by a pole, Mendip Rail's, 08650 is seen nearest the camera on site for attention. The loco celebrated it's 60th birthday earlier this year having been introduced as D3817 in 1959. First shedded at Newport, it's entire career has been spent in the South. After a little over a decade in South Wales, the loco headed to Ashford before finishing it's BR career allocated to Eastleigh. Foster Yeoman purchased the loco in 1989 meaning it has now worked in private ownership for as long as it had for BR.

 

In front is 'EWS Doncaster' liveried 08995 owned by the Shillingstone Project and is in secure storage here. In the latter years of its life, Doncaster Carr depot became the EWS/DB shunter specialist site and a number of gronks that received heavy repairs received a revised EWS livery with dark grey roof and 'Doncaster' wording applied under the EWS cab side beasties logo. Not sure of the full list but I am aware that 08428, 08802, 08909, 08993, 08994, 08995 and 09106 all received this treatment.

08995 is one of 5 Class 08's that received modifications to run on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in South Wales. This saw the locos height being reduced with them often being referred to as 'Cut down cabs'. An initial 3 locos, 08991/2/3 were converted at Swansea Landore and entered service in 1985. 08991 and 08992 didn't last that long in service and were both officially withdrawn by 1987, 08993 surviving as it was a dual braked example. 08994 and 08995 were converted in 1987, 08995 being converted from 08687 but with a lot of parts coming from 08991 before its scrapping. It's EWS career saw it used in the general Gronk fleet with notable spells at Canton, Hoo Jn, Mossend, Thornaby, Westbury and of course Doncaster.

It's most famous assignment was probably, along with sister locos 08993 and 08994, the hire to Carillon for use on the Manchester Metrolink track renewal project commencing in 2007, based at the ELR in Bury. The loco's reduced overall height making them ideal with the lines bridges and infrastructure. It's DBC career ended with storage at Crewe IEMD before disposal to Shillingstone Project in 2015.

 

On the left hand side, are the 2 latest arrivals in the form of 08784 and 08598.

 

08784 had arrived from the GCRN at Ruddington for repairs including to it's generator. Starting life in the Spring of 1960 as D3952, a product of BR Derby works, it's first 'home' was Old Oak Common. It is perhaps best known to me for it's long allocation to Allerton through the 1990's and early 2000's clinging on to it's BR blue livery until it's 'Super E' exam at Ferrybridge depot in 2003, being one of the last of the class to be treated at the site. The remainder of it's EWS/DB career was pretty standard, all bar for a joy riding incident at Tinsley in 2006. Withdrawal came in 2011 at Toton where the loco remained until it's sale in to preservation in 2016 to the GCRN. The loco seems likely to go on hire via RSS in a similar arrangement to sister loco 08922 when repairs are complete.

 

And finally, a new Gronk for me, 08598, still carrying Potter Group bright yellow livery, is on site for repairs fresh from AV Dawsons, Middlesbrough. Another loco that is celebrating it's 60th this year, being introduced as D3765 way back in 1959. The locos first allocation was Manchester Longsight and stayed in the Manchester area for the first 15 years of it's life or so. Withdrawal from BR came early with less than 30 years service, laid up from Crewe Diesel in 1986. Sold in to private ownership, the loco had several owners before it's most notable time with the Potter Group at both it's Knowsley and Ely terminals. AV Dawson's purchased the pilot in 2017 and put it straight to use working alongside their 2 serviceable gronks 08600 and 08774. Of note the loco retains its Potter logo's on the cab sides but thankfully has lost the ghastly caging that was applied over the windows during its time with the group.

  

1001 stands at Rye with a Hastings to Ashford service. The unit is covering for a shortage of serviceable DEMUs.

Former Royal Navy Harriers in use with the School of Flight Deck Operations make some welcome gyrations during the ill-fated 2016 RNAS Culdrose 'Air Day'

 

Used to train future deck handlers, here - still live grey painted ex Fleet Air Arm's No.801 Squadron marked BAe Sea Harrier FA.2 XZ440/DD40 keeps close company with all black

two seat BAe (HS) Harrier T.8N ZB603/DD/T03

 

Fully serviceable, the controls are limited so they cannot get airborne

 

If you look on Google Earth and check out the station's 'dummy' carrier deck they now have at least four new 'mock' F-35 Lightning II's along with the above Sea Harriers, plus Sea King and Wessex helicopters all in use for training

 

IMG_4879

Spearmint is high in beneficial antioxidant compounds that help protect against and repair damage caused by free radicals.

 

Good for Digestive Upsets. Spearmint is commonly used to help relieve symptoms of indigestion, nausea, vomiting and gas. ...

High in Antioxidants. ...

May Aid Women With Hormone Imbalances. ...

May Reduce Facial Hair in Women. ...

May Improve Memory. ...

Fights Bacterial Infections. ...

May Lower Blood Sugar. ...

May Help Reduce Stress.

_______________________________________________

Synonyms---Garden Mint. Mentha Spicata. Mackerel Mint. Our Lady's Mint. Green Mint. Spire Mint. Sage of Bethlehem. Fish Mint. Menthe de Notre Dame. Erba Santa Maria. Frauen Munze. Lamb Mint.

Herb.

This common garden mint is not a native of these islands, though growing freely in every garden, but is originally a native of the Mediterranean region, and was introduced into Britain by the Romans, being largely cultivated not only by them, but also by the other Mediterranean nations. It was in great request by the Romans, and Pliny according to Gerard says of it: 'The smell of Mint does stir up the mind and the taste to a greedy desire of meate.' Ovid represents the hospitable Baucis and Philemon scouring their board with green mint before laying upon it the food intended for their divine guests. The Ancients believed that mint would prevent the coagulation of milk and its acid fermentation. Gerard, again quoting Pliny, says:

'It will not suffer milk to cruddle in the stomach, and therefore it is put in milk that is drunk, lest those that drink thereof should be strangled.'

Many other references to it in old writings - among them, that of the payment by the Pharisees of tithes of Mint, Anise and Cumin - prove that the herb has been highly esteemed for many centuries. Mint is mentioned in all early mediaeval lists of plants; it was very early grown in English gardens, and was certainly cultivated in the Convent gardens of the ninth century. Chaucer refers to 'a little path of mint's full and fennell greene. '

Turner states in his Herball (1568) that the garden mint of his time was also called 'Spere Mynte.' Gerard, in further praise of the herb, tells us that: 'the smell rejoiceth the heart of man, for which cause they used to strew it in chambers and places of recreation, pleasure and repose, where feasts and banquets are made.'

It has, in fact, been so universally esteemed, that it is to be found wild in nearly all the countries to which civilization has extended, and in America for 200 years it has been known as an escape from gardens, growing in moist soils and proving sometimes troublesome as a weed.

Parkinson, in his Garden of Pleasure, mentions 'divers sorts of mint's both of the garden and wilde, of the woods, mountain and standing pools or waters' and says:

'Mint's are sometimes used in Baths with Balm and other herbs as a help to comfort and strengthen the nerves and sinews. It is much used either outwardly applied or inwardly drunk to strengthen and comfort weak stomachs.'

The Ancients used mint to scent their bath water and as a restorative, as we use smelling salts to-day. In Athens where every part of the body was perfumed with a different scent mint was specially designated to the arms.

Gerard says of its medicinal properties:

'It is good against watering eyes and all manner of breakings out on the head and sores. It is applied with salt to the bitings of mad dogs.... They lay it on the stinging of wasps and bees with good success.'

Culpepper gives nearly forty distinct maladies for which mint is 'singularly good.'

'Being smelled into,' he says, 'it is comfortable for the head and memory, and a decoction when used as a gargle, cures the mouth and gums, when sore.' Again, 'Garden Mint is most useful to wash children's heads when the latter are inclined to sores, and Wild Mint, mixed with vinegar is an excellent wash to get rid of scurf. Rose leaves and mint, heated and applied outwardly cause rest and sleep.'

In the fourteenth century, mint was used for whitening the teeth, and its distilled oil is still used to flavour tooth-pastes, etc., and in America, especially, to flavour confectionery, chewing gums, and also to perfume soap.

Mint otto's have more power than any other aromatic to overcome the smell of tobacco.

The application of a strong decoction of Spearmint is said to cure chapped hands.

Mice are so averse to the smell of mint, either fresh or dried, that they will leave untouched any food where it is scattered. As mice love Henbane and often prove very destructive to a crop, it has been suggested that their depredations might be checked if some mint were planted between the rows of Henbane.

It is probable that Spearmint was introduced by the Pilgrim Fathers when they landed in America, as it is mentioned among many other plants brought out from England, in a list given by John Josselyn. When in this country apparently found growing wild, it occurs in watery places, but is rather rare.

Professor Henslow (Origin and History of our Garden Vegetables) does not consider it truly native to any country. He says:

'The Garden Mint (Mentha viridis, Linn.) is a cultivated form of M. sylvestris (Linn.), the Horse Mint, which is recorded as cultivated at Aleppo. Either M. sylvestris, or some form approaching M. viridis, which is not known as a truly wild plant, was probably the mint of Scripture.'

Bentham also considers it not improbably a variety of M. sylvestris, perpetuated through its ready propagation by suckers, and though these two plants are sufficiently distinct as found in England, yet continental forms occur which bridge over their differences.

Its generic name, Mentha, is derived from the mythological origin ascribed to it, and was originally applied to the mint by Theophrastus. Menthe was a nymph, who because of the love Pluto bore her, was metamorphosed by Proserpine, from motives of jealousy, into the plant we now call mint

 

Description---From creeping root-stocks, erect, square stems rise to a height of about 2 feet, bearing very short-stalked, acute-pointed, lance-shaped, wrinkled, bright green leaves, with finely toothed edges and smooth surfaces, the ribs very prominent beneath. The small flowers are densely arranged in whorls or rings in the axils of the upper leaves, forming cylindrical, slender, tapering spikes, pinkish or lilac in colour. The little labiate flowers are followed by very few, roundish, minute brown seeds. The taste and odour of the plant are very characteristic.

 

There are several forms of Garden Mint, the true variety being of bold, upright growth, with fairly large and broad leaves, pointed and sharply serrated (or toothed) at the edges and of a rich, bright, green colour. Another variety, sometimes sold as Spearmint (M. cardiaca), is much smaller and less erect in growth, with darker leaves, the whorls of flowers distant and leafy, but possessing the same odour and flavour, and another has comparatively large, broad or rounded leaves. Yet another has soft hairs, but this, though distinct from what is known as Horse Mint, is inferior to the true Spearmint.

Cultivation---A moist situation is preferable, but mint will succeed in almost any soil when once started into growth, though in dry, sandy soils it is sometimes difficult to grow, and should be planted in the coolest and dampest situations. Leaf mould, road scrapings, burnt ash and similar materials should, on the other hand, be used freely for lightening heavy, tenacious soils. It does best in a partially shaded position: if in a sheltered spot, it will start earlier in the spring than if exposed. Where a long or regular supply is required, it is a good plan to have at least one bed in a sunny and sheltered, and another in a shady position, where gatherings may be made both early and late.

As the plant is a perennial, spreading by means of its underground, creeping stems propagation may be easily effected by lifting the roots in February or March, dividing them - every piece showing a joint will grow - and planting again in shallow trenches, covering with 2 inches of soil. Six inches apart in the rows and 8 inches between the rows are the right distances to allow. Cuttings in summer or offsets in spring may also be utilized for increasing a stock. Cuttings may be taken at almost any time during the summer, always choosing the young shoots, these being struck on a shady border of light soil and kept moist, or a better plan, if possible, is to insert them in a frame, keeping them close and moist till rooted. Cuttings or young shoots will also strike freely in good-sized boxes in a heated greenhouse, in the early spring, and after the tops have been taken off two or three times for use, the plants may be hardened off and planted outside.

The beds are much benefited by an annual top-dressing of rich soil, applied towards the close of autumn, when all remaining stalks should be cut down to the ground. A liberal top-dressing of short, decayed manure, such as that from an old hot-bed or mushroom bed, annually, either in the spring, when it commences to grow, or better still, perhaps, after the first or second cutting, will ensure luxuriant growth. Frequent cuttings of shoots constitute a great drain on the plants, and if not properly nourished they will fail, more or less. To have really good mint, the plantation should be re-made about every three years, or failing that, it is essential that a good top-dressing of rich soil be added.

A good stock should be kept up, so that plenty may be available for forcing. Cultivators having a greenhouse can easily force mint into an earlier development of new growth than would be in the open garden. Forcing is very easy, the only preparation being the insertion of a quantity of good roots in a box of light soil, which should be placed in a temperature of about 60 degrees and watered freely as soon as growth starts. Cuttings may be made in two or three weeks. Forcing will generally be necessary from November to May - a succession being kept up by the introduction, at intervals of about three weeks, of an additional supply of roots, as forced roots soon decay. Often mint is so grown both upon and under the benches in greenhouses, and the demand for the young, tender stems and leaves during the winter is sufficient to make the plants pay well.

Mint Disease---Unfortunately, mint is susceptible to a disease which in some gardens has completely destroyed it. This disease, which from its characteristic symptoms is known as Rust, is incurable. The fungus (Puccinia Mentha) which causes it develops inside the plant, and therefore cannot be reached by any purgicide, and as it is perennial, it cannot be got rid of by cutting off the latter. All that can be done is to prevent the spread of the disease by digging up all plants that show any sign of rust. The same ground should not be used again for mint for several years. Healthy stock should be obtained and planted in uninfected soil, some distance away. On account of this liability of mint to rust, it is advisable not to have it all in one bed, but to have several beds of it, placed at some distance from each other

Harvesting---When the plants are breaking into bloom, the stalks should be cut a few inches above the root, on a dry day, after the dew has disappeared, and before the hot sun has taken any oil from the leaves, and dried for culinary use for the winter. All discoloured and insect-eaten leaves should be removed and the stems tied loosely into bunches and hung to dry on strings in the usual manner directed for 'bunched' herbs. The bunches should be nearly equal in length and uniform in size to facilitate packing, if intended for sale, and placed when dry in airtight boxes to prevent re-absorption of moisture.

The leaves may also be stripped from the stems as soon as thoroughly dry and rubbed through a fine sieve, so as to be freed from stalks as much as possible, or pounded in a mortar and thus powdered, stored in stoppered bottles or tins rendered airtight. If preparing for market and not for home use, the rubbed herbs will, of course, command a higher price than the bunched herbs, and should be put up in tins or bottles containing a quantity of uniform weight.

When mint is grown commercially on a large scale, it has been estimated to yield from 4 to 5 tons per acre, from which 15 to 20 cwt. of dry should be obtained. Average yields per acre are, however, taken when crops are at maturity, and an estimate of the first cutting crop is hard to form, and is likely to be less profitable than succeeding years, on account of initial expenses.

If Spearmint is being grown as a medicinal herb, for the sake of the volatile oil to be extracted from it, the shoots should be gathered in August, when just coming into flower, and taken to the distillery as soon as possible after picking, the British Pharmacopoeia directing that oil of Spearmint be distilled from the fresh, flowering plant. It is estimated that 350 lb. of Spearmint yield 1 lb. of oil. If the distillery is not on the ground or only a short distance away, and the crop has to be dispatched by train, the cutting should take place late in the afternoon on a fine day, before the dew falls, so as to be sent off by a night train to arrive at their destination next morning, having travelled in the cool, otherwise the leaves are apt to heat and ferment, losing colour.

The chief constituent of Spearmint oil is Carvone. There are also present Phellandrene, Limonene and dihydrocarveol acetate. Esters of acetic, butyric and caproic or caprylic acids are also present. (An Ester is a combination of an alcohol with an acid, the combination being associated with the elimination of water. The esters are highly important and in many cases dominant constituents of numerous essential oils, which owe their perfume largely, or in some cases entirely, to the esters contained. Many of the esters are used as flavouring or perfumery agents, and many are among the most important constituents of volatile salts.)

There are several different essential oils known under the name of Spearmint oil, the botanical origin of the plant used for distillation differing with the country in which the plant is grown. In the United States and in this country several varieties of M. viridis are distilled. In Russia the plant distilled is M. verticellata, and in Germany either M. longifolia, or more generally M. aquatica var. crispa - a plant cultivated in Northern Germany, the oil (called there Krausemünzöl) being imported into this country as German Spearmint oil. It appears to be identical with that from M. viridis. Oil of Spearmint is little distilled in England, either German oil or American oil distilled from M. viridis being imported.

Medicinal Action and Uses---Spearmint is chiefly used for culinary purposes. The properties of Spearmint oil resemble those of Peppermint, being stimulant, carminative and antispasmodic, but its effects are less powerful, and it is less used than Peppermint, though it is better adapted for children's maladies. From 2 to 5 drops may be given on sugar, or from 1/2 to 1 teaspoonful of spirit of Spearmint, with 2 tablespoonful of water. Spearmint oil is added to many compounds on account of its carminative properties, and because its taste is pleasanter and less strong than Peppermint. A distilled water of Spearmint will relieve hiccough and flatulence as well as the giddiness of indigestion. For infantile trouble generally, the sweetened infusion is an excellent remedy, and is also a pleasant beverage in fevers, inflammatory diseases, etc. Make the infusion by pouring a pint of boiling water on an ounce of the dried herb; the strained-off liquid is taken in doses of a wine glass full or less. It is considered a specific in allaying nausea and vomiting and will relieve the pain of colic. A homoeopathic tincture prepared from the fresh plant in flower has been found serviceable in strangury, gravel, and as a local application in painful haemorrhoids. Its principal employment is for its febrifuge and diuretic virtues.

Preparations and Dosages---Fluid extract, 1/4 to 1 drachm. Water, B.P. and U.S.P., 4 drachms. Spirit, U.S.P., 30 drops.

When eaten with lamb, very finely chopped in sweetened vinegar, in the form of mint sauce, mint greatly aids the digestion, as it makes the crude, albuminous fibres of the immature meat more digestible. The volatile oil stimulates the digestive system and prevents septic changes within the intestines.

The fresh sprigs of mint are used to flavour green peas and also new potatoes, being boiled with them, and the powdered, dried leaves are used with pea soup and also in seasonings. On the Continent, especially in Germany, the powdered, dried mint is often used at table for dusting upon pea and bean purées, as well as on gravies.

A grating of mint is introduced sometimes into a potato salad, or into a fowl stuffing, and in Wales it is not unusual to boil mint with cabbage.

Mint Jelly can be used instead of mint sauce, in the same manner as red currant jelly. It may be made by steeping mint leaves in apple jelly, or in one of the various kinds of commercial gelatine. The jelly should be a delicate shade of green. A handful of leaves should colour and flavour about half a pint of jelly. Strain the liquid through a jelly bag to remove all particles of mint before allowing to set.

Mint Vinegar is made as follows: Fill a jar or bottle with young mint leaves picked from the stalks. Cover with cold vinegar and cork or cover the bottle. Infuse for 14 days, then strain off the vinegar.

This vinegar is sometimes employed in making Mint Jelly, as follows:

Take 1 pint of water, 1 1/4 OZ. gelatine, the white and shell of an egg, 1/2 gill of Mint Vinegar, 1 dessertspoonful of Tarragon Vinegar, a bunch of herbs, 1 onion, 1 carrot, a stick of celery, 10 peppercorns, salt, 1 lemon. Peel the lemon very thinly, slightly whip the white of egg, wash and crush the shell. Put all the ingredients into a pan, strain in the juice of the lemon and whisk over the fire until just on boiling point. Boil up, then draw the pan to the side of the fire and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Strain through a jelly bag until clear. Put into a mould to set. If liked, finely chopped mint may be added to the jelly after straining it, or more mint can be used and no Tarragon Vinegar.

To make Mint Punch: Pick a quart of fresh mint leaves, then wash and dry them by shaking them in a clean kitchen towel. Put them into a large jug and mash them with a wooden spoon till soft, when cover with freshly boiled water and infuse for ten minutes. Strain, cool, then set on ice till required. Add two cups of chilled grape juice and strained lemon juice to taste. Sweeten with castor sugar, stir till sugar is dissolved and then add a quart of ginger ale. Fill each tumbler to one-third with cracked ice and fill up with the punch.

The Garden Mint is also the basis of Mint Julep and Mint-water, the cordial distilled from the plant.

 

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The Irish Turf Board (Bord na Móna) operated a number of personnel trolleys of various types. Most of the early examples being products of Wickham & Co, Ware, Hertfordshire, England. Wickham trolleys purchased by BnM tended to be smaller models for limited numbers of staff so BnM sort alternatives and successfully partnered with Southern Motors Ltd to produce a larger 'Caravan' type trolley which was the forerunner to the standard large "Caravan" type personnel trolleys manufactured at BnM Workshops from the 1960's onward. C72 seen here from the larger body batch built in 1972 (no's C63-C80). By the 1990's most were withdrawn while serviceable examples were relegated to occasional use having been replaced by 4x4 and other off road vehicles. C72 depicted here is at Ballivor Peat Works being made ready for an inspection trip out to Carranstown Bog and the works manager kindly invited us along for the ride. Not a ride for the faint hearted given the condition of most peat bog lines.