Chris Turnbull

A selection of class 66 photos from introduction to the present day. Then brand new, this is 66001 at Toton on 29th August 1998. A year later on 20th August 1999, 66092 passes Skelton Junction, York. Ten years on and 66089 heads north through Ely on 30th May 2009. 66541 and 66594 at Ipswich on 20th February 2010. 66737 Lesia drifts down the gradient from Trimley to Felixstowe North on 24th October 2018. 66703 Doncaster PSB 1981-2002 passes through Stowmarket with 4L02 Hams Hall to Felixstowe South on 30th September 2022. Chris Turnbull

Another visit to various preserved lines or locos today. 1306 Mayflower at Carnforth on 22nd June 1978. Sorry about the quality of this and the next photo. 30850 Lord Nelson, 44932 (in green) and 1306 Mayflower, same date, same place. Caledonian Railway 419 at Bo'ness on 7th May 2006. 5199 at Kingsley & Froghall on the Churnet Valley Railway on 1st May 2010. Bury station on the East Lancs on 23rd October 2016. Grosmont on the NYMR on 2nd October 2010. Chris Turnbull

Another trip around East Anglia today. Starting at Cambridge on 5th December 2022 with 170397 on the far left forming 1N49, the 09.21 Stansted Airport to Birmingham New Street. 720547 and 720537 are in the sidings with a couple of unidentifed 387s on the far right. 66749 Christopher Hopcroft MBE, 60 Years Railway Service at Bury St Edmunds on the same day with 4M29 Felixstowe North to Birch Coppice. A view of Ipswich on 12th April 2003. Up the East Suffolk to Lowestoft where we see 150245 on 17th July 2004. Brundall looking east on 16th July 2018. 755335 at Great Yarmouth on 26th April 2022. Chris Turnbull

After a few days away I'm back at my PC so here's a few photos of East Anglia in the Noughties. 170111 at Ely on 26th April 2008. 158774 at Ely on 30th May 2009. 153335 in front with an unidentifed class 153 behind at Ipswich on 12th January 2008. 90003 Raedwald of East Anglia at Ipswich on 26th April 2008. 90005 Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson at Norwich on 26th April 2008. Chris Turnbull

The 5th edition of Railway Track Diagrams for the Eastern area (2020) says that Bury yard is "Planned for closure 2021". I haven't noticed anything in Modern Railways Trackwatch but may have missed it or forgotten it. Either way it looks like it has happened - very sad. Chris Turnbull

Another visit to various preserved railways today. Toddington on the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway on 19th February 2012. 80151 at Chappel & Wakes Colne on 14th October 1979. Keighley on the Worth Valley Railway on 3rd May 2009. Embsay on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway on 14th September 2022. Leeming Bar on the Wensleydale Railway on 5th June 2005. I'm not sure which class 37 this is but I am sure someone will tell me. Of course, no visit to preserved railways is complete with the North Yorkshire Moors. This is Grosmont on 5th October 2013. Chris Turnbull

The line was not actually taken up until the early months of 1962. One day the rails were there, the next they were gone! I don't know anything about a proposed station but I can remember a line of wagons between Barnham and Thetford. I think it was used as storage for condemned stock after closure. There is an excellent book on the line if you are interested: https://lightmoor.co.uk/books/branch-lines-to-thetford/L8771 Highly recommended. Chris Turnbull

After Bury, a trip to Thetford on the bus following the route of the Bury St Edmunds & Thetford Railway through Ingham and Barnham. Since the passenger service was discontinued in June 1953 when I was 18 months old and closed completely in June 1960 I have little recollection of it. It always intrigued me as I never saw a train on it apart from once when I saw the daily freight disappearing off to Thetford sometime in the late 50s. It was a line that never had any money being built as and when funds permitted and passed through sparsely populated countryside. The idea was to provide through services to Swaffham and then Kings Lynn and a triangular junction was provided at Thetford to permit through services. The eastern chord from Thetford East Junction to Thetford South Junction didn't last long and all services then used Thetford station. Here is Thetford station looking west towards Ely and... ...looking east. The Bury line diverged just around the bend at Thetford West Junction. If you want to know what the junction was like see the cover of Dr Allen's book Doctor on the Line. This is it: https://biblio.co.uk/book/doctor-line-east-anglian-railway-album/d/1406898650?aid=frg&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkMGcBhCSARIsAIW6d0CeOtCyDCHkJuSwAWCYQZI6on2cCG4z3tqQwtXdkuwEy4DtSA7_otcaAq_EEALw_wcB That Great Eastern signal fascinated me as a child. My plan was to take more photos at Thetford but no trains were due and the bus was a few minutes late so I was pushed for time. The Greater Anglia website assured me that my Day Ranger was valid on East Midland Trains to Ely so I decided to find out and caught the 13.25 departure. I am pleased to say there was no problem although Anglia Day Rangers seem to be a rarity. The conductress said she had never seem one before. Here is my East Midlands train at Ely, 158780 forming 1R74 to Liverpool Lime Street. The lady by the unit is the lovely conductress. I was just in time to catch 66206 on 4L45 from Wakefield Europort to Felixstowe South. This came to a halt in the Up Goods Loop waiting for 4E21 Felixstowe South to Doncaster Railport to clear the single line section from Soham. For some reason I thought that platform 1 would be a good vantage point to catch this train - until I realised that it was signalled through platform 1 and would be on me in no time. A quick sprint through the subway to platform 2 saw me ready, just in time, to catch 66739 Bluebell Railway with 4E21. The class 387 is no. 120 forming 1T37, the 13.44 Kings Lynn to Kings Cross. My last train of the day was the 14.31 to Soham. This is that train formed by 755421 at Soham all ready to depart for Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich. It was an early end to my day as the days are very short and I find night-time travel boring - I like to gaze out of the window. It did, however, allow me plenty of time to sort my photos out and post them here on RMWeb for your delectation. Chris Turnbull

Yes but don't forget that all passenger trains stopped at Bury and Felixstowe had yet to develop as a container port. Freight trains were composed of 4-wheel wagons which were not supposed to go too fast and many freights still had an unfitted portion. Here's the Freight WTT for June to October 1965, Haughley to Ely and Cambridge. 1965 WTT Haughley to Cambridge.pdf And here's a typical freight of the period. D5679 leaves Bury yard at 18.25 on 28th May 1968 with working 7*28 to Cambridge. Not like this: 66749 Christopher Hopcroft MBE 60 Years Railway Service powers away from Bury on 5th December with 4M29 Felixstowe North to Birch Coppice. Chris Turnbull

The Down Through was removed in its entirety in 1965 IIRC. The Up Through was disconnected at the Ipswich end and turned into a siding which had itself gone by 1976 when I took the photos of Greene King. Chris Turnbull

So, on to Bury St Edmunds on the 10.47 to Ipswich. Here is 755409 at Bury St Edmunds yesterday, 5th December, forming the 2W13 to Ipswich. And here is the 1968 equivalent taken on a snowy 12th January 1968. I don't know what type of unit this is but I am sure someone will tell me. 755402 enters Bury St Edmunds on 5th December 2022 with 2W12, the 11.21 Ipswich to Cambridge service. Derby Lightweight and Met-Camm units enter Bury on 13th January 1968 with the same service. The view looking west towards Cambridge. The area in the middle distance where the van is was the site of the locomotive shed. A similar shot on 8th March 1969. And for anyone interested this is what the shed was like: https://www.facebook.com/peter.quilley/videos/10222425240611497 Chris Turnbull

That's possible of course but why now? A scissors crossover has been there for well over 100 years, possibly since the station was built and it is only now that the travelling public have to be kept away from it. The barrier is set well in from the edge and does significantly restrict the circulation area of the platform on one of its busiest sections. Why not just paint lines or some sort of "Keep Back" message? Nor is it temporary. Here's a photo looking the other way and it is clear that the blue barriers are to protect the working area whilst new permanent yellow rails are installed. 700142 forms 9S23, the 1024 to Brighton. Chris Turnbull

With a free day to do whatever I liked I braved the inclement weather and had another trundle around East Anglia. With the short days I didn't go as far as I sometimes do as I find travelling after dark boring - I like to look out of the window - but I did avoid my usual haunts of Ipswich and Norwich. Clutching my Day Ranger I set off... I caught the 0850 off Soham for Ely where I'd only just stepped onto the platform when I heard the growl of a 37 behind me. Turning round there was 37608 Andromeda on 5L46 Derby RTC to Ely Papworth Sidings which had pulled up in the Up Through Siding, an unusual occurence. Checking out Real Time Trains (RTT) I saw it was due to run round its train and this is 37608 using platform 3 to do just that. This is something you no longer see very much of on the railway - manual coupling. Nor do you often see a man happy in his work. It's nice to see whoever you are! Moving on to Cambridge, I was going to use the 0932 Stansted service but it was packed so I used the 0947 to Kings Cross instead which was nearly empty. This is 387119 (with 387120 at the rear) after arrival at Cambridge. Something that immediately caught my eye is that barriers have been put up by the famous scissors crossover. Why? Has there been a sudden rash of passengers hurling themselves onto the four foot or is this just Health and Safety gone mad? And by the way, that's 720329 with 2H14, the 0858 Liverpool Street to Cambridge North in platform 4. This is 170639 in platform 6 waiting to form 1N53, the 1200 to Birmingham New Street. Compare this to the photo I posted previously taken only ten years ago. More to come including some "Then and Now" shots that I know you enjoy. Chris Turnbull

Some photos from Wales today. 150262 at Cardiff Central on 24th May 2010. 66108 on the same day also at Cardiff Central. Cardiff Queen Street on 21st May 2010 View over the tender of No. 2 at Pant on the Brecon Mountain Railway, 23rd May 2010. Somewhere near Aberystwyth in August 1977. Blaenavon on 23rd May 2010. Chris Turnbull

A variety from East Anglia today. Starting at Cambridge, this is 170105 on 7th April 2012. Platforms 5 and 6 at Cambridge on the same day with 170204 in platform 5. In steam days the loco shed was the other side of the wall to the left. Over to Ipswich, this is 170206 on 25th July 2009. On the same day at Ipswich this is 66132. Up the East Suffolk to Lowestoft, this is 156422 on 7th March 2009. Finally, to Norwich where we see a variety of units including 321429 on the left and 170271 on the right on 24th July 2010. Chris Turnbull

A few of my European photos today. Copenhagen on27th July 2015. Cologne on 1st August 2013. Bremen on 26th July 2015. Stockholm on 30th July 2015. Wroclaw on 12th June 2016. Chris Turnbull

Ely over the last twenty years or so. 66010 enters Ely on 26th August 2004. 66569 and 158799 at Ely on 12th June 2010. 170201 on the same day. 158777 on 2nd November 2013. 66566 enters Ely from Soham on 2nd August 2019. 158854 approaches Ely North Junction with a Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street service on 28th September 2022. Chris Turnbull

After a couple of busy days I'm back at my PC. Here's a selection with no connection other than the locations all begin with "B". 155343 at Beverley on 27th February 2020. 755418 arrives at Beccles with a Lowestoft - Ipswich service on 22nd July 2022. With 418 in the platform, 755416 arrives with an Ipswich - Lowestoft service. A change in scale now: Birmingham New Street on 12th July 2014. 71000 Duke of Gloucester at Bishiops Stortford on 17th April 1993. 841 Greene King passes through Bury St Edmunds on 3rd April 1976. I may have posted this before but failed to make a note of it, in which case I apologise for the duplication. Chris Turnbull

Another visit to London today. Starting at Marylebone on 13th February 2016. Wimbledon on 12th July 2008. 90003, 321301 and 315857 at Stratford on 25th February 2010. Still at Stratfoed on the same day, this is 321442. 60019 Bittern at Kings Cross on 29th April 2010. Finally, 91105 at Kings Cross on 3rd January 2008. Chris Turnbull

In May 2008 I paid a visit to Ireland organised by the Railway Study Association. Here's a few shots from that visit. The Clonmacnoise & West Offaly Railway on the 21st. On the 22nd we visited Foynes where we saw, amongst other things, the derelict station. A couple of derelict brake vans which I note are of steel construction. I bet they were cold inside! One of the idiosyncratic locomotives being turned on the replica of the Listowel & Ballybunion Railway, also on the 22nd. A detail shot between the coaches showing the running gear. On the 23rd we were back on the real railway. This is 2708, a 2700 class unit, at Ennis. Chris Turnbull

Back to the UK with a trip around East Anglia again. Starting at Ely, this is 66708 on 26th August 2004. Moving on to Norwich this is 156417 on 7th April 2012. On the Wherry Line to Lowestoft, this is Brundall looking east on 16th July 2018. On the same day and still at Brindall, this is 37419 on a Yarmouth train. However, we are going to Lowestoft where we see 156422 on 7th March 2009. No trip around East Anglia is complete without a visit to Ipswich which we see here on 20th February 2010. Chris Turnbull

Its about time we had another visit to Europe. All photos were taken in August 2013 when we were on a trip organised by Great Rail Journeys. I haven't given any loco details as I haven't got a clue what they are. On the 2nd we changed trains at Munich on our way to Vienna. And this is Vienna Westbahnhof on the 3rd. On the 7th we were in Budapest and travelled on the Childrens' Railway boarding at Huvosvolgy just outside the city. Still in Budapest, this is the tram stop at Terez krt on the 7th. On 13th we were in Berlin: this is Berlin HBF. And here's another shot of Berlin HBF also on the 13th. Chris Turnbull

Another trip around East Anglia today. 66541 departs southwards from Ipswich on 20th February 2010. A couple of class 66s in the yard at Ipswich on the same day. Delightful flowers at Beccles on 22nd July 2022. 156417 at Lowestoft on 7th March 2009. Ground frame at Lowestoft on 2nd November 2013. There's only five photos again today a RMWeb is, once again, playing up. Apparently I can only post photos up to 1.1MB although I thought the limit is 10MB. Chris Turnbull

Railways in the south of England today. Ashford station on 28th June 2002. On the same day this is Beech Brook Farm on the CTRL, then under construction. This was a visit organised by Modern Railways. Bournemouth station on 11th September 2018. Still at Bournemouth, this is 221122 in the platform. Totnes on 20th February 2018. The next day, 21st February, this is 143617 leaving Torquay. Chris Turnbull

Another trip arouind East Anglia this evening. 170517 at Ely on 17th February 2007. 47798 at Ely on 30th May 2009. 158863 and 1564216 at Norwich on 11th July 2015. 68016 at Norwich on 24th March 2017. 90016 enters Ipswich on 17th February 2007. I had intended to post my usual six photos but, once again, RMWeb is playing up and will not let me post my last photo despite it being of small size. Ho, hum... Chris Turnbull