Class 150 - 159 Sprinter photos.

[6990WitherslackHall]

Class 158 158905 at York on 18/02/23.

 

This has got to be one of my best photos of a sprinter I've ever taken.

 

[Ben B]

 

A bit of vintage 158 action around Blea Moor, both of my pics, one from 2015 and one from 2012.

 

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

150231 at Ipswich on 06/09/01 (my photo)

[6990WitherslackHall]

Class 158 158752 at York on 18/02/23

 

[6990WitherslackHall]

Class 155 155343 at Filey on 25/02/23

 

[CWJ]

A few of my photos (of varying photographic proficiency) for anyone who's interested:

 

With apologies for the low-res image, I proudly present 158750 as seen at Leeds on 7th February 2005.  As some of you may remember, this was one of the most awful units in the North of England at the time, with patched-up livery, worn interior and strange growling noises from the engine.  I doubt very much that the yellow cantrail stripe at this end represented much in the way of additional comfort.

 

Fast-forward to 26th July 2019 and a much better-presented 16456 leads a 4-car departure from Mallaig, with The Jacobite steam special on the opposite platform.

 

158860 was decorated in a special livery promoting my home town of Keighley (can I get a 'Yay'?  No?  OK, fair enough.)  and named after local historian Ian Dewhirst.  I could have sworn I had a photo of it actually at Keighley, but here it is not too far away in the sidings at Huddersfield on 7th July 2013.

 

During the re-building of Derby station on 21st March 2009, the crew of 153385 prepare themselves emotionally for the long stopping journey to Crewe.  The unit is still in Central Trains livery but I think that's white East Midlands Trains branding on the lower bodyside.

 

...and here's 384 in the same livery at Doncaster alongside another quality product of similar vintage.  Note how one of the 153's horns has been bent downwards, perhaps by impact damage - a little example of how our models don't all have to be identical.  23rd December 2009.

 

Also at Doncaster, 158794 awaits passengers for Hull and Scarborough on 19th June 2009.  The vinyls were promoting Sheffield if I remember correctly.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

 

 

[CWJ]

158865 is still wearing Alphaline Wessex Trains livery as it passes Grindleford on 30th August 2009 with a Liverpool to Norwich service.  The photographer can vouch for the impressive breakfast credentials of the station cafe across the bridge from which this was taken.

 

The same day, at the other end of Totley tunnel, a pair of 158s wearing Northern-Spirit-thinly-disguised-as-Central-Trains livery approach Sheffield with a train from the Nottingham direction, probably a Norwich to Liverpool service.  The single line chord in the foreground allows trains from the south to access the Hope Valley line and is mostly used, I believe, by freight from Hope Cement Works.

 

150268 still sports Regional Railways livery, albeit with Arriva Trains Northern branding, at Leeds on 10th September 2004.  If I remember rightly I had just arrived on it from Sheffield after a very badly disrupted journey involving sitting for an hour at Castleford.  The photograph was as much to celebrate my arrival as the vintage colour scheme.

 

On the same night, another ex-BR livery could still be found at Leeds in the form of 155347, inspiration for my Class 155 conversion reported on RMWeb about 11 years ago.

 

A few years later on New Year's Day 2010, 158888 sits at Leeds wearing SouthWest Trains livery.  Presumably it had just been transferred to Northern.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[CWJ]

The romance is palpable as this pair of 158s emerge from the sunset at York on 14th January 2007.  It's a shame about the lighting actually, as the leading unit is in former First North Western blue with gold stars, very rare at York, and the rear unit in West Yorkshire Metro red with silver circles.

 

158769 makes for a colourful picture as it passes Creech St Michael near Taunton on 28th April 2009.

 

A Class 156 approaches Platform 13 at Manchester Piccadilly while a 150/2 departs from Platform 14 on 16th February 2011.  The 156's weathering would seem to be the inspiration for EFE Rail's new Class 143/144...

 

158788 reverses at Sheffield with a Liverpool-Norwich service on 4th January 2009.  I seem to have been fascinated by ex-Central Trains units judging by my photos.

 

A close-up of the above unit's cab.  I've just made a mental note that a spot of Humbrol Metalcote would look good on that footstep of my Bachmann 158s.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[CWJ]

158752 negotiates the station throat at the south end of York on 25th June 2009, probably on it way to Blackpool North via Bradford and Burnley.

 

The very rare (at least in those days) sight of a 156 at York.  480 waits in Platform 1 for its next run to Hull on 21st March 2009.

 

At the other end of the station, and indeed the calendar, a pair of 150s led by 150274 departs from Platform 8 towards Leeds, via Harrogate.  The livery was promoting various attractions if I remember correctly, and the date was 29th November 2010.

 

On 16th November 2011, 150214 stands in Platform 8 at York with another two units on top of it.  I sincerely hope the guard was testing the doors at the time, as they're open on the non-platform side!

 

I'm not sure if this counts but I'll just leave it here and see what happens 🙂  York, 6th December 2011.  I have more of this unit if anyone needs them.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[CWJ]

OK, arguably not very helpful for modellers of Class 158s, but here's one crossing Ribblehead Viaduct, photographed from the summit of Whernside on 30th May 2011.

 

Another unusual angle: the interior of East Midlands Trains' 153379 while waiting to depart from Matlock on 25th July 2011.

 

Much more recently, with apologies for my phone camera's efforts in low light, a GWR-liveried (but de-branded) 153373 was spotted at Huddersfield on 24th January 2020.

 

At least six 153s are seen stabled at Huddersfield station on 9th March 2021.  I'm not sure if these units had been taken out of service pending modification to comply with accessibilty regulations, or if they were surplus to requirements because of emergency Covid timetables.  But if you like 153s, Huddersfield was the place to be.

 

On 24th March 2009 158770 sits in the bay platform at the East end of Nottingham Midland, bearing evidence of its Northern Spirit and Central Trains ancestry in addition to EMT branding.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[CWJ]

Whether he likes it or not, the driver of 158793 joins in with the spirit of things upon returning to Skipton with the evening music train from Ribblehead on 13th June 2009.

 

Four years previously, the music train returns from Blea Moor where it had reversed after depositing passengers at Ribblehead station.  On this occasion, 16th July 2005, the train is made up of a 142 containing the real ale bar and a 156 carrying a jazz band.  A great way to spend a summer's evening.

 

The 2-foot gauge track of the Ffestiniog Railway gives away the location as 153312 waits to return to Llandudno on 24th August 2004.  I'm not sure if the livery blends in very well with the beautiful scenery of the Conwy Valley, but it brightens up the grey hillsides of Blaenau Ffestiniog.

 

And you'll be relieved to hear that's the last of my Class 15x photos worthy of posting on here, but if anyone needs images of a specific unit/time/place please feel free to ask.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

159022 at Teignmouth on 21/05/01 (my photo)

[6990WitherslackHall]

Class 158 158843 at York on 25/02/23

 

[6990WitherslackHall]

Class 156 156447 at Darlington on 25/02/23

 

[6990WitherslackHall]

An unidentified Class 156 slows down to stop at Shildon on 25/02/23 

 

[Ben B]

 

Home of the class 158 (at least, for the time being), the Cambrian Coast... a selection of my pics, this time from around Barmouth.  821 crosses the bridge on it's way to Brum in August 2014.  Thank goodness they've finally got around to mending the bridge.

 

 

An unidentified 158 crossing the bridge one April day in 2018.

 

 

Another 158 on the concrete viaduct on the edge of town, June 2015.  Nice VW Camper too.

 

 

The Cambrian Coast line looking rather abandoned, in 2016.

 

 

2016 again.

 

 

Barmouth Station itself in April 2019, complete with long, long, overgrown platforms.  At least the track was clear of rubbish in this shot; when I went back in 2021 it had the look of a long-abandoned freight-only branch.

[6990WitherslackHall]

Class 156 156447 at Shildon on 25/02/23

 

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

154001 at Derby on 12/05/87 (my photo)

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

158748 at Heamies Farm, Staffs, on 29/12/00 (my photo)

[Busmansholiday]

Today, there's always somebody who just gets on the picture...

 

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by Busmansholiday

[Davexoc]

Wrong side of the line for photography really, Burton Coggles south of Grantham

 

[Ben B]

More from the Cambrian Coast (there isn't much else to photograph up there on the mainline to be honest).

 

 

Castles and railways, a winning combination; Harlech...

 

 

...and Criccieth.

 

 

Criccieth again.  The height of excitement by Cambrian Coast standards, one of the newly-repainted 158's.  Now, of course, they're all this colour.

 

 

End of the line, and units stabled up at Pwllheli (I'd been out on a night shoot up at Llanbedrog, and couldn't resist stopping off at some ungodly hour of the morning whilst passing).

 

 

Considering the rationalisation of many branch lines, its nice to see that the station is still reasonably large; yes it's a shadow of its former self, but there's still a signalbox, original station building, stabling point, and run-round loop for loco-hauled stock, even if it's not much used.

 

 

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

158746 runs into Shrewsbury at Belle Vue on 29/06/01.  Sutton Bridge Junction is just visible beyond the bridge.  (My photo)

[6990WitherslackHall]

Another photo of Class 156 156447 at Darlington on 25/02/23

 

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

153305 at Belle Vue, Shrewsbury on 20/06/01 (my photo)