From the Modern(ish) Day Photo Archives

[MarshLane]

SCROLL DOWN TO THE NEXT POST FOR THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS!

 

 

Evening all,

There are a few people on rmWeb who regularly post images from their archives, which have over the past couple of years brought me much pleasure and interest.  I am fortunate in having a digital photo archive that comprises over 125,000 images, spanning almost 20 years, and a print/slide archive covering in the main, a further five to six years before that, although almost 1000 slides and negatives go back to the early 1970s.  So, I thought it might be time to share some of them, in the hope that people may find it interesting and of use.  

 

With the various connections that I have, I have been extremely fortunate over that period to go behind-the-scenes with the railway network and look at areas that we, as enthusiasts, never normally get to look at.  I am very grateful for the co-operation and help that has been given, and I hope the images will be of interest to people, and maybe provide reference material, or inspire other modern image modellers in their layouts or loco repaints.

 

I would welcome people to comment and add any information they feel is useful - we are a community after all, so everyone is welcome here.  Some posts may have more pictures than others, but I hope people find them interesting.  I will attempt to post some new content here every couple of days.

 

Should anyone wish to use any of the pictures on their own threads within rmWeb, please do so, and just include a link back to this page.  If your using them outside of rmWeb, drop me a message first, using the PM system please?  I am unlikely to say no, especially is common courtesy is used!  Please do not however, attempt to sell them on eBay or post them elsewhere!

 

Thanks

 

Rich

Edited January 11, 2020 by MarshLane
Amended text

[MarshLane]

Wrawby Junction

Back on 24th January 2001, EWS-operated 56096 was working an empty coal service from BSC Scunthorpe to Immingham Docks, when several wagon in the middle of the train jumped the track on the approach to Wrawby Junction, stopping the job.  I was able to gain official access to the area around the Junction.

 

 

 

 

While out there, services were continuing to operate towards Lincoln, with 56118 heading tanks to Welton (I think), and after the front of the derailed train had been removed, 60010 arrived with a Kingsbury service. Both of these shots show the gantry on the approach to Wrawby Junction that was an early casualty, going some 10-15 years before Wrawby lost its semaphores.

 

 

Edited December 23, 2019 by MarshLane

[MarshLane]

York

Back in the early 2000s, Virgin Cross Country still operated loco-hauled services on the Bristol - Newcastle corridor.  On this particular day, the booked Class 47 had failed - not an unusual event at this time when non-heat locos of all descriptions could be found being drafted in.  However, I see to recall the 47 had failed in the Derby area, and 56115 - presumably from Toton - had been called up onto rescue the train.  Remarkably, it not only took the service through to Newcastle, but returned south as well!  I think passengers were evicted at York on arrival from Newcastle, with an HST set having been sent from somewhere to work the delayed service south.  The 'Grid' then took the ECS off somewhere.

 

 

While at York, the opportunity was taken to get 86401, by this time named Hertfordshire Rail Tours, and in EWS livery, working the Low Fell to London mail. By this time the Princess Royal Distribution Centre - or Willesden PRDC as it was known on the railway - had opened, taking all of the mail traffic away from London termini.

 

[MarshLane]

March Whitemoor Yard

Soon after the yard at March was reopened by Network Rail for engineering duties, I had the opportunity to visit, and photograph the resident Class 08 - then operated by Cotswold Rail - alongside a visiting Class 66.  The yard prepares engineers trains for weekend and overnight track repairs, and handles the waste materials coming back - sleepers get graded and the concrete ones that cannot be used on branches or in sidings are broken down in to small pieces, ballasted is cleaned and sold onto the aggregates industry, and a small amount of material goes to landfill.

 

Also provided the opportunity to photograph some of the wagons for future modelling purposes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ironically, the '66' present was the one that had recently been named 'Whitemoor'

 

Happy Christmas to all!

[MarshLane]

Dawlish & Teignmouth Areas

For our Christmas Day selection, I thought I would include some traditional line side scenes.  Nothing special, but liveries, operations and in some cases (through the sea wall work or fencing) views that have changed.  This is just a very small selection of images of those that I have on this area of the route, and comes from three or four visits between 2002 and 2004.  I am sure we'll be back along this section in the future!

 

Back in 2004, Freightliner had charge of the regular cement flow into Cornwall.  This flow was operating to the former china clay works at Moorswater, near to Liskeard, on the Looe branch.  Here, 66545 heads south through Dawlish station on 10th November 2004.  I do regret not including the old signal box in this view, but can only assume that there were perhaps passengers stood either by or alongside it, that I chose not to include!

 

 

First Great Western back in 2002 still operated daily loco-hauled services from Paddington to the South West.  This was the Class 57/6 demonstrator - converted by Brush Traction from 47825 following the conversion of several Class 47s into EMD-powered 57/0s for Freightliner.  2002 was its second summer of operations with Great Western, and led to a further four being converted.  Being owned by Porterbrook, it was painted in a somewhat distinctive purple and silver livery, as seen here, powering out of Dawlish. Unfortunately, the notes for this shot have gone awry, but I seem to recall it was working to Paignton? Can anyone confirm?

 

Wessex Trains was the local operator, before the franchise was merged with Great Western to create one 'Greater Western' operation.  Wessex had an attractive deep red colour scheme, punctuated by the pictorial views of the areas the trains served.  Here, 150247 heads an evening Exmouth to Paignton, via Exeter working.

 

The well known view off the headland at the south end of Dawlish.  Recently transferred to Wessex Trains from Central Trains, this two-car Class 158 was forming a Cardiff Central to Penzance service on 22nd August 2004.

 

Another of the loco-hauled services, 47813 emerges from Parson's Tunnel with a Summer Saturday service on 28th September 2002, bound again for Paignton.  Personally, this style of livery on the Mk2s was always a favourite for me.

 

 

Another of the Wessex Trains Class 150 fleet, 150263 heads away from Exmouth, taken from the well known footbridge, while forming a Paignton to Exmouth service ion 21st September 2004.

 

 

At this point, the HSTs would last a further 17 years on long distance operations between London and the South West, and even today still roam freely over this section in their so-called 'GTi' short formations. Here, a set, in reverse formation with the First Class at the country end of the set, powers through Sheldon Cove, just south of Teignmouth with a westward working.

 

 

The final view for tonight, reliability of the FGW Class 57/6s has never been great, and for a period the company hired a Class 47 from Derby-based Fragonset Railways.  Here, 47703 heads for Plymouth with a service on 28th September 2002, that appears to have more than one or two 'traction bashers' on board.

 

I hope people are finding these of interest - and id welcome any comments, feedback or suggestions for future coverage - if I've got it, we can include it!

 

Rich

[MarshLane]

Doncaster Wabtec Works

For those that do not know, Wabtec Rail occupies the former wagon workshops at Doncaster Works. The former locomotive side, known as 'The Plant' was operated by Bombardier until its closure, and subsequent demolition.  However, over the years, Wabtec has tendered for and won a substantial amount of work on varying types of rolling stock.  The actual details of this contract have slipped my memory and I shall need to dig out my notes, but I think it was an internal refresh that was being undertaken in April 2005, on the Class 465 four-car sets.

 

The first two images were taken on 16th August 2005, while the remaining pictures were taken on 29th April 2005.  Interestingly, the last image shows the construction work, well advanced, on the current Frenchgate Shopping Centre, that was built on the site of the former long-stay rail car park (which was ideal for photography and spotting!) and the old Council-operated multi-story car park which was diagnosed (if that's the right word!) with concrete cancer, hastening its demolition. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MarshLane]

Scunthorpe Anchor Yard

Scunthorpe is home to a large steelworks complex (although vastly smaller today than it was in the past), Originally served by several yards in the area, today, just three handle the works traffic.  Trent Yard is located just beyond Dawes Lane, and around a mile east of the station, while Anchor Yard is located beyond it, and adjacent to the Coal Handling Plant, where coal workings from Immingham terminate.

 

Having done photography work for several of the TOCs and FOCs, this particular cold, wet, windy December day, resulted in a phone call that morning from GBRf.  They had what I seem to recall was the first working of rails for Metronet (which was then responsible for renewals on the tube) from Scunthorpe to Wellingborough, and wanted the first departure photographing at Scunthorpe.  Was it possible?  Well yes, was the response, but its an awful day in Lincolnshire and the light is terrible! Oh thats no problem came the reply on  the phone, the loco doesn't arrive until 18:20 tonight, and the train departs around 19:30!  Now anyone who has ever tried night photography will tell you that taking shots in a very dimly lit yard in the dark requires a tripod, and a camera on a tripod in almost pitch black conditions on a very windy night on uneven ground (ballast) where there is no shelter, is not only a trip hazard but is unlikely to produce rock solid images!  Still I'm always up for a challenge

 

A challenge this job turned out to be, it was pouring down, I was soaked, the wind was gusty at times - but the guys at British Steel did me proud and we got the shots for GBRf, from a variety of angles!  I was on site from just before the loco arrived, until after it had departed!

 

This was the 19th December 2008, and there definitely wasn't this amount of light around!!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2019 by MarshLane

[Davexoc]

56 minutes ago, MarshLane said:

Scunthorpe Anchor Yard

Scunthorpe is home to a large steelworks complex (although vastly smaller today than it was in the past), Originally served by several yards in the area, today, just three handle the works traffic.  Trent Yard is located just beyond Dawes Lane, and around a mile east of the station, while Anchor Yard is located beyond it, and adjacent to the Coal Handling Plant, where coal workings from Immingham terminate.

 

Having done photography work for several of the TOCs and FOCs, this particular cold, wet, windy December day, resulted in a phone call that morning from GBRf.  They had what I seem to recall was the first working of rails for Metronet (which was then responsible for renewals on the tube) from Scunthorpe to Wellingborough, and wanted the first departure photographing at Scunthorpe.  Was it possible?  Well yes, was the response, but its an awful day in Lincolnshire and the light is terrible! Oh thats no problem came the reply on  the phone, the loco doesn't arrive until 18:20 tonight, and the train departs around 19:30!  Now anyone who has ever tried night photography will tell you that taking shots in a very dimly lit yard in the dark requires a tripod, and a camera on a tripod in almost pitch black conditions on a very windy night on uneven ground (ballast) where there is no shelter, is not only a trip hazard but is unlikely to produce rock solid images!  Still I'm always up for a challenge

 

A challenge this job turned out to be, it was pouring down, I was soaked, the wind was gusty at times - but the guys at British Steel did me proud and we got the shots for GBRf, from a variety of angles!  I was on site from just before the loco arrived, until after it had departed!

 

This was the 19th December 2008, and there definitely wasn't this amount of light around!!

 

 

 

 

 

Well they turned out pretty well IMO. Who says that you need perfect lighting for good photography?....

Keep them coming. Thanks.

[Ian Smeeton]

Cracking photos all round,

 

Plaese keep them coming.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[tractionman]

Great pics, thanks for sharing--early 2000s doesn't seem so very long ago but scarily now coming up to two decades! where does the time go? 

 

cheers,

 

Keith

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by tractionman
typo

[MarshLane]

Well I've spent some time the past couple of days and been through the photo archive and put together the next 10-15 postings, and believe me with 130,000+ images in the collection, there are plenty more to come!

 

Today's is a little different and may help the modern image modeller - a visit to Trafford Park Container Terminal in Manchester - this was June 2004.  If anyone was in any doubt where it is, Old Trafford - Manchester United's stadium is the background of the first picture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MarshLane]

I thought we'd have a slight change tonight and go line side, back into the early 1980s - this was Aller Junction at Newton Abbott - when loco-hauled services, 'Peaks' and semaphores still survived!

 

Intercity 125 No. 253022, a Western Region seven-coach set, passes the GWR Signal Box at Aller Junction on 8th July 1980, forming the 13.32 Penzance to London Paddington service.

 

 

With a Class 116 First Generation DMU approaching from Paignton in the background, Class 50 No. 50022 Anson powers along the main through Aller Junction from Plymouth with the afternoon ‘Up’ Vans on 8th July 1980.  At this time, the 50 had yet to pass through Doncaster Works for refurbishment.

 

 

On 8th July 1980, Class 45 ‘Peak’ No. 45036 has departed Newton Abbot on the ‘Down Fast’, and having 'got the road' will shortly swing away to the South West to climb Dainton and head to Plymouth, while working the 10.23 Manchester Piccadilly to Plymouth service.

 

 

Class 25 No. 25223 leaves the Paignton Branch at Aller Junction on 8th July 1980 with a four-coach ECS working to Newton Abbot, prior to forming the 16.05 service to Paignton.

 

Oh to return to these days!

 

Rich

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by MarshLane

[MarshLane]

Today's instalment looks at a selection of views of First Generation DMUs around Manchester.  This was there period when they were in their final couple of years.  On hindsight, I wish I'd spent a bit more time in the suburbs, chasing these around. My other regret was that I always seemed to travel by train, with the result that many shots when I was just out photographing for the day, were taken off stations, rather than the lineside.

 

I also must get round to scanning the slides of the 101s working around Glasgow - I had three days, on separate occasions chasing them around Cumbernauld and Motherwell.  Super memories of those.

 

Sheffield on 29th March 2001, and a three-car set stands in the bay platform, prior to working an all-stations stopping service through the Hope Valley.  The unusual arrangement didn't last that long I seem to recall, as it was a standard power trailer set, with an additional power car, although obviously, with no corridor connections on the cab ends, passengers (and the guard!) couldn't move through the entire train.

 

Into 2002, and some of the former Scottish Class 101s had migrated to Manchester, most of which (if not all) kept their Scottish liveries throughout their time at Longsight. Here, 101692 in Strathclyde Blue departs from Manchester Piccadilly on a local service to Rose Hill on 23rd July 2002.  

 

Not the best of shots and slightly blurred, but  full of interest, so I have included it!  Class 101 Nos. 101692 and 101656 arrive at Reddish North forming a five car working from Sheffield to Manchester Piccadilly.  Unusual to have such a long working through the Hope Valley - today of course its a solid two-car operation.

 

One of the Orange/Brown Strathclyde units, 101693, arrives at Piccadilly - unusually in Platform 5 - I always recall that suburban services generally used Platforms 1 - 4.  This was 25th May 2002.

 

The following year, and the sets are still going strong.  Regional Railways liveried No. 101678 awaits departure from Manchester Piccadilly on 15th March 2003, with a local service to Marple, while 'on the blocks' behind are a Class 142 on a local working, and a TransPennine Express maroon liveried Class 158, then part of Arriva Trains Northern, which would subsequently depart for Hull.

 

 

The celebrity of the '101s' was the green liveried 101685.  Originally repainted as a three-car set when working on the North Wales Coast, it had been reduced to two-car formation for use around Manchester.  Here, the set was paired with Strathclyde orange liveried No. 101693 on a peak-hour service.  This was 21st November 2003.

[MarshLane]

Sorry guys, im a day late with this post!  I was trying to put some pictures on every two days, but think we may have to make it every 2-3 days!!  Today, we head to South Yorkshire and the opposite end of the railway operations - that of doing away with the items no longer required.

 

This was the scrapyard of C F Booths in Rotherham, on 6th August 2004 - those of a nervous disposition may choose not to view this post   As well as the various BR types in for scrapping there were a couple of industrial shunters about - perhaps an ideal layout for somebody, given the forthcoming N Gauge Society Hunslet shunter, or some of the various Hornby industrial diesels?

 

We are back to behind the scenes for the next instalment, and Norwich Crown Point depot

 

 

This was the freshly overhauled site shunter - I recall this ended up being used on CF Booths magazine adverts for several months!

 

 

Despite appearances, this was another site shunter, from memory.

 

31442

 

86254

 

I need to dig the records out to find out what the Mainline 73 was!

 

73141

Mk1 BG

 

[MarshLane]

Where does the time go!  Sorry, things have been manic this week. I did say we were going to look at Norwich Crown Point next, so this is the result of a visit on 12th July 2004.At this time, the turnbosar units were relatively new, the train operator for Anglia was 'one' Railway, and Cotswold Rail (remember them?) were still providing 47s for Thunderbird duties.  It was always a bit annoyed that somebody had parked a DVT just in front of 86242, preventing a suitable photograph being taken!

 

Rich

 

The only 'one' liveried 47 - 47818 awaits departure from Crown Point towards the station

 

Cotswold Rail classmate No. 47200 The Fosse Way moves onto the fueling point to take fuel

 

Inside the maintenance shed, a ver clean 170202 was on exam.

 

While outside in the stabled roads was Class 170/2 No. 170270.  This is one of the sets that has just moved to Cardiff to join Transport for Wales.  I bet Anglia wish they'd held on to them longer now!

[TangerineWizards]

Thanks for continuing to post these pictures. They are a great 'historical' reference.

[MarshLane]

Sorry guys, time is just getting away from me at the moment.  I'll try and get back to the every couple of days asap!

 

Today's post is the first of two - the second will following in a couple of months probably - looking at Doncaster Carr Depot.  Originally built by the Great Northern Railway, it was one of the depots that successfully transferred from the steam era into maintenance of diesel locomotives, and in its latter days, maintenance and repair of wagons.  I was asked to attend and photograph a small plaque unveiling at the depot back in 2004, marking the achievement of a record number of days without safety incident, and while there, was kindly offered a tour of the site.  So this first installment shows the depot in its operational days.  It was strange walking around the site, thinking that much of this dated back over almost 130 years, having opened in March 1876.  Architecturally, its GN heritage was very clear to see.

 

My next visit here was in its final months of operation, before EWS closed the facility and transferred it to Network Rail, who then leased the site to Hitachi to construct the new IET facility.  I was fortunate to achieve a third official visit after the depot had closed, and before the bulldozers moved in, so for those modelling GN buildings and sheds, there is plenty of architectural shots.  My one disappointment with this was that during the operational days, EWS did not want any internal images taking in the offices and mess room, and after it was closed, the offices were locked, so regretfully I only achieve internal shots of the maintenance and fuelling areas.

 

Class 66 No. 66068 awaits its next working in front of the administration office block.  The water tower just visible, was an original I was told.

 

Class 37s still operated around the local area at this time, but the parcel vans were stored.

 

Class 08 No. 08925 was in use as the depot shunter.  In the background can be glimpse Doncaster Wood Yard - part of the local civil engineers sidings.  This has now all gone too, being consumed by the Network Rail Sleeper Factory that was opened a few years ago.

 

Class 60 No. 60071 was in the maintenance roads undergoing attention so some fault.  Interesting, one road was used for locomotives at this time, the other two being both wagon repair roads.

 

There were plenty of stored locomotives around the site too:

 

 

 

 

[MarshLane]

Tonight's instalment is the first of a two part section - I'll post the second part tomorrow.

 

One job that I did for one of the industry magazines was to spend an entire night at Edinburgh Waverley looking at the operation of the Caledonian Sleeper services.  As many of you will know, these operate in both directions each night, and while Edinburgh has its own train (the first departure at night and the last arrival in the morning) the station is also served by a through service which feeds Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness.

 

I'll try and describe as best as I can how this was taking place during the early hours of 23rd May 2011, the date of these photographs.  At this time, DB Schenker still provided the locos and crews for the Sleeper which was a Scotrail service.  Today of course, it is now GBRf operated, and the sleeper service is a separate franchise.

 

Complete with its Scottish flag on the front end, 67011 arrives with the Fort William portion (head code 1B01) and having run through Platform 19, pulls down into Platform 2.  On this side of the station, Platforms 1 and 20 are one long platform (on the right in the above picture) and Platfoms 2 and 19 are another long platform - each high number being separated (in a signalling sense) from the low number by a scissor crossover.

 

 

Next in was classmate No. 67009 with the Aberdeen portion.  This stopped at the west end of Platform 19, leaving enough room at the far end for a locomotive to be attached.  The shunter is visible on the ground, going in between to uncouple the 67.  This would then run forward to the signal and await the road into Platform 1, using the scissor crossover.

 

With 67009 now in Platform 1, the road has been set for 67011 to reverse its stock back into Platform 19.  The passengers on the platform have emerged from the seated coach on the Fort William portion and are walking up to transfer to either the Aberdeen or Inverness seated coach.  Because the sleeper is at maximum length for the WCML, the seated coach (along with the day coach for sleeper berth passengers) was attached at Edinburgh on the northern leg, and detached on the southern, being stabled in one of the east end former motorail platforms during the day.

 

We are now mid-way between the two platforms, and the scissor crossover is clearly visible.  The Class 67 (67009) off the Inverness has now run forward and is sat behind me on Platform 1.  Its classmate No. 67011 having now been given a 'calling-on' signal is reversing its portion from Aberdeen Fort William back into Platform 19 to be coupled to the coaches from Inverness.  On the right is our third portion arriving from Inverness behind Class 67 No. 67004.  

 

This was the only time, even when the Fife Circle trains were running with DB traction, that three 67s were in Edinburgh and guaranteed to be possible to get them all in one shot!

 

Once 67011 has coupled to the train, the shunter will uncouple the two coaches nearest the loco (day and seated coaches) which 67011 will shunt into the former Motorail bay for the day.  Once this is clear of Platform 2, 67004 will run forward over the cross-overs into Platform 2. The next stage is for 67004 to reverse its portion onto the combined Fort William and Inverness sets.  At this point, the train will be over the crossover, so this 67 will head out to Millerhill under its own power.  

 

While all this is happening, at the other end of the train (the western end), the Class 90 has moved out of the stabling siding against the wall, and will 'stand off' the set awaiting the shunter to wave him on.

 

 

On this occasion, Class 90 No. 90020 was the nominated motive power for the Edinburgh to London Euston set, and is pictured here with the driver waiting for a brake test to be undertaken before requesting the road from Edinburgh Power Box.

 

In tomorrow's instalment, we'll look at the same process in reverse, with the northbound train.  Hope it is of interest people.

 

Rich

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 2, 2020 by MarshLane
Correction

[MarshLane]

Edinburgh Sleepers - Part 2

 

Part 1 of this Scottish coverage took place between 0030 and 0200, and covered the southbound portions arriving and departing as one train.  This section looks at the northbound working the same night - 23rd May 2011.

 

One of the aspects I love about photography is the completely different ambiance and atmosphere the railway takes on at night. Truly wonderful to experience and be part of.  This was a view looking west from Platform 1, showing the illuminated castle on top of the tunnel, around 0230 that morning, as Class 156 DMUs await their first workings of the day.

 

Having left London Euston at 2115 the previous night, the 16-coach 1S25 arrives at Edinburgh shortly before 0400.  From memory this usually arrived in over on Platform 10/11 on the other side of the station, but the work on the roof meant that it was once again using Platform 2/19.  Railfreight Distribution liveried Class 90 No. 90036 had provided the motive power and is pictured rolling to a stand on Platform 2.

 

 

Within minutes of the train coming to a standard, 67004 has dropped onto the west end, and its seven-coach portion for Inverness has been detached.  Retaining the 1S25 headcode, this would depart at 0415, just 20 minutes after the train arrived from London.

 

By now we are approaching 0415 and daylight is starting to break over Edinburgh, making photography somewhat easier, but less of a challenge!

 

As 67004 departs to Inverness, classmate 67009 has arrived from Millerhill running through Platforms 1 and 20.  Once the Inverness working has cleared the tunnels, 67009 will be signalled out of Platform 20 into the tunnels to set back onto the next portion of the stock.  Splitting of the train, being far easier with less shunting involved, than joining it.

 

Within a few miunutes 67009 has dropped onto the front of the train, to take the seven-coach Aberdeen portion out.  The driver is waiting for his brake test to be completed, and pure luck on the exposure, has been taking in the same couple of seconds that the driver change the lights from red tail lights to white headlights!

 

While all this is happening, our final member of the trio, 67004 has arrived from Millerhill, and picked up the two Mk2s from the Motorail bay - the seated and day coaches.  It then propels the two coaches onto the rear of the train in Platform 2, before being uncoupled and running back into Colton Tunnel, then via Platform 1 and the cross-over into Platform 19, to attach to the west end of the train.  The two additional vehicles MUST go on the east end, to allow them to be easily detached from the working the following night.  Once a further brake test has been completed, then the Fort William portion will be away around 0450 - all done in less than 55 minutes since the Class 90, which has now moved over the wall siding for the day, arrived.

 

If you are paying attention, then you will have noticed that the formation order is different on the northbound to the southbound.  On yesterday's instalment, the train left Edinburgh comprised of (London end first) the Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness portions, while the northbound arrived (again London end first) with the Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William sections.  This was specifically done so that all of the vehicles visited Inverness for maintenance at least twice during the week.  The two Fort William day coaches were from memory swapped on a Sunday at Polmadie, for the same reason.

 

Strangely, every time I photographed the sleepers at Edinburgh, the same locos kept to the same portions - you'll note that 67004 was on the Inverness leg, 67009 on the Aberdeen and 67011 on the Fort William.  This must have been diagrammed this way, but I am not sure why. The Fort William leg had to retain the same locomotive because of the need for RETB radio equipment on the West Highland Line, for which there were only two (I think) Class 67s equipped with portable sets.  These could be changed between locos, but it was a depot job from memory.  However for 67004 and 67009, I would have thought logic would have suggested the they would have alternated between the two runs to even out the mileage?

 

 

[MarshLane]

God god, where is February going!  I thought this afternoon, oh its a few days since I posted some pictures, when I looked its over three weeks!  Sorry chaps, I promise I'll try and get back to the every couple of days!

 

I thought tonight we'd look back to 2005 and a visit to what was then the LNWR Depot at Midland Road in Leeds.  Back then it serviced the Freightliner Class 66 fleet and did repairs on other Freightliner diesel traction, but has since been taken in-house by the freight operator.  

 

Pete Waterman's Class 46 was a resident here for a fair while. I think from memory it was somewhat broken at this stage, but as LNWR was owned by Mr Waterman it was somewhere to keep it.  I recall that there was work going on related to the loco nose, and indeed, I think that the far end one is actually off the loco and on the floor!  Miss this not being on the main line, always looked great in blue!

 

Elsewhere in the workshops, Class 66/5 No. 66555 was in for attention and 08691, which I think was a Southampton shunter, was having some major engine repairs undertaken.

 

Outside in the yard, 66618 Railways Illustrated Annual Photographic Competition was waiting its turn in the servicing shed, while another classmate was being fuelled.

 

Another two members of the Freightliner '66' fleet, 66614 and 66513 are stabled in the yard and await their next working.

 

While outside 08642 was being stripped of spares.  At one time, this was the BRML Eastleigh Works shunter, and painted in a rather attractive black with red lining livery.  It was later scrapped.

 

Seen as I have been a bit remiss during February, a choice for people! What comes next?  We can take a look at Class 92s in Action, some views of the postal and TPO workings, loco-hauled on the North Wales Coast, a look at CrossCountry Class 47s or we could go behind the scenes with Alstom on testing what still are the latest Nottingham Tramway extensions ... anyone have a preference

 

Rich

[73c]

Wouldn't mind seeing some TPO's  

[TangerineWizards]

All of it sounds good to me but the Cross Country Class 47 gets my vote.

[MarshLane]

Ok well a with two votes for TPOs and one for XC47s, I’ll do some TPOs tomorrow and then some XC bits over the weekend!

[Baggies1961]

Class 50039 Implacable on a substitute DMU turn at Moreton in Marsh Gloucestershire sometime in 1988-1989 . The date would be around this time as the 155 Sprinter in the platform had not long since been introduced on the Cotswold Line, so more likely 1989.

The loco was hauling 3 Mark 1's. I was a postman at that time and was luck enough to be in the area of the station when I heard it pull in from Evesham direction.

[lmsforever]

Smashing photos good to look at looking forward to next instalment.