Amnesiac

Glad to see a LNR 350 finally! On pre order already!

730s are making inroads towards taking over a lot of the Birmingham services of late and whilst I haven't had the pleasure on the Cross City with a 6 car set yet, I have had a couple on the Walsall - Wolverhampton circuit. There's a lot to like with them, very quick off the mark too! Not quite a 323 though! 730022 at Wolverhampton Got 730017 on its first day in service too! Whilst it wasn't faultless whilst I was working it, I do think they suit that run and from a passenger perspective they are a marked improvement from the 323 in space. A nostalgic look at what they are replacing in the long term with 323221/323240 at Four Oaks. And finally with the very brief lovely weather recently, I had 350370 as far as Birmingham New St with a Rugeley Trent Valley service and unusually some dwell time at Stechford!

Engineering works south of Milton Keynes Central made for interesting stock at Northampton today! Avanti 805008 and 805009 were sat waiting as I arrived from Birmingham. Mighty fine looking units in this livery I think! 805009 on Platform 4 805008 on Platform 2, which I later saw again as I passed it at Rugby with a Birmingham service!

A rare occurrence today, an RMWeb special to Four Oaks with @CovDriver up front! An increasingly more common 3 car trip with 323207 sat here at Four Oaks with the return service. And because they don’t have too long left down here, another 3 car at Bromsgrove with 323209 It will be sad to see them go and interesting to see how the 730s cope on that route!

Did wonder if it was you I saw on Platform 2 with your trainee(?). 196003 was my service. Shortly before getting to Nuneaton where you were Grabbed this just before you two left, needed to nip to the toilet first so I couldn’t get a better position!

4M61 per chance?

70008 heading south through Northampton

Two from my recent outings, 66571 through Coventry and 66559 through Northampton

The latest to be released. Like this one a lot personally!

A few things from the last few weeks. Annual leave and my life away from the railway has limited my jaunt around the network of late! 70003 at Nuneaton, this loco had held me up at Kenilworth that day due to an issue. First time I've been that close to a stationary class 70 also! 19004 at Leamington Spa, they are growing on me to be honest. Hoping they iron out a few of the wrinkles before a certain RMWeb driver gets a chance on them!! Finally 66428 headed south through Northampton. Opportunistic shot whilst waiting for my time to leave with a service to Birmingham New Street!

66797 heading south at Northampton

Not much going on in the last couple of months, same traction and routes as usual and I don’t want to flood this with the same stuff! So just the one from today at Lichfield City, 323213/323204! Hope everyone has a great Christmas and new year!!

Will be getting the 2 WMT variants at the very least, excellent news!! Funnily, had both 241/221 as a 6 car set earlier this year on a Redditch - Four Oaks - Redditch!

47749 at Leamington Spa today

Trying to avoid the same old units over and over (especially with a lot of Northampton & Leamington Spa runs lately), so a couple of 66s at Northampton from Monday and 350247 at Birmingham International very early Saturday morning.

60081 in GWR green will be the obvious shout, but 60022 in undercoat white would be an odd and interesting choice!

66422 passing through Northampton yesterday

66424 passing through Northampton 30/08/23

Feels like that's sprouted up overnight sometimes when I pass by. Not long ago I was passing with a driver to New St and we both commented it was near empty still!!

A few from today's trip on the Heart of Wales line!

Nothing too exciting for a while to be honest, lots of Northampton trips and mostly Cross City other than that. 319215 ECS from Bletchley today! A nice surprise for units that haven't got long left down here. 350112 in the sidings 196010 Nuneaton Platform 1

168002 at Leamington Spa 16/06/23

Were you on 66701 going through Leamington Spa towards trafford park at around 1840 yesterday? It passed me whilst waiting for the signal on platform 4.

A now familiar sight between Leamington Spa and Nuneaton, taken over the last week or so. Nice units, odd to work but nice nonetheless. 196010 at Leamington and 196005 at Coventry. Now for my long weekend!

First time I’ve seen 68014! Taken 26/05/23 at Leamington Spa