2018
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43128 1L50 DID 16/01/18
The GWML electrification project has transformed views and traction at Didcot station since the ‘go live’ in January 2018. Representing the old order, however, are 43128 and ‘176 storming towards the capital with the 1L50 1036 departure from Cheltenham Spa. The date is January 16th 2018.
47813 6T02 CMD 17/01/18
It was unusual to find a ‘Duff’ working mainline freight by 2018, but one duty that did produce was the ‘Barrington Spoil’. The 6T02 1123 returning empties from Barrington Unloading Pad to Wembley EFOC were photography-friendly and on 17th January 2018 I caught 47813 passing Camden Road with a typically grimy rake of boxes. The loco was the first to wear ‘ROG’ livery. The train was also worked by class 56s – alone or in pairs – and when class 47-hauled was also usually a pair so I was surprised to find 47813 working alone. It transpired 47815 had failed earlier in the day and been left at Barrington. Worse was to come when, on the following day, 37884 (which had worked 6T01) collided with the errant 47 whilst shunting at Barrington, damaging both…
37401 2C47 GOS 26/01/18
It's just over three miles by rail from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands, considerably shorter than the road distance since trains use Arnside Viaduct. Having crossed the viaduct, seen at the right of this image, 37401 'Mary Queen of Scots' (look carefully!) approaches Grange on January 26th 2018 with the 2C47 1003 from Preston to Barrow-in-Furness. The Tractor 'thrash' was audible from miles away on this still, mild and beautiful winter's day.
68003 5Z57 GOS 26/01/18
Prior to planned take-over of a 'Northern' working on the Cumbrian Coast from the increasingly unreliable class 37s, DRS ran class 68 training diagrams. At the end of the third week of training, on Friday 26th January 2018, 68003 'Astute' trails 68029 near Grange-over-Sands with a 5Z57 0750 Carlisle Kingmoor - Carnforth D&UGL. In the end, top-and-tail class 68s started on one of the two diagrams from March 13th.
37099 1Q96 CNN 28/02/18
Late February and early March 2018 saw significant snow falls across the UK. This is Canonbury on 28th February and, just before 6AM, it is bitterly cold. 37099 'Merl Evans' has been out all night, with 37421, top-and-tailing this 1Q96 1438 Ferme Park circular Network Rail test-train that has taken in the LTS section, NLL, WLL and GOBLIN. Modern SLRs permit night photography of moving trains; this was taken at ISO 16000!
90011 5E12 XJC 01/03/18
Weekdays from 15th January 2018 saw a Greater Anglia class 90 and mark III push-pull set stable between the peaks at Bounds Green rather than Orient Way, bringing the first regular loco-hauled ECS turn to the NLL for many years. Reports suggest this was to permit maintenance at Bounds Greeen, space at Norwich Crown Point being limited by re-building work in connection with the new GA 'Flirt' fleet. The set that works the 1P07 0624 Norwich - Liverpool Street works to Bounds Green TRSMD as 5E12 at 0838, returning 5L54 at 1659 for the 1P54 1810 Liverpool Street - Norwich. In snowy conditions on 1st March 2018, 90011 pushes 5E12 across Canonbury West Junction.
66789 ESL 05/03/18
Big news in February 2018 was the unexpected repainting by GBRf of 66789 in 'revised standard' livery, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the formation of BR in 1948. Released from Eastleigh Works on 5th March, I was lucky enough to find the loco with sister 66788 whilst returning from business that day in Southampton. The pair were former DBC 66250 and 66238 respectively. Magnificent!
43013 1Q28 EUS 20/03/18
The 'New Measurement Train' entered service in May 2003, with regular power cars 43013, '014 and '062 upgraded with MTU engines from 2009. The train operates to a 13-week inspection cycle and, on 20th March 2018, was captured at London Euston. 43013 sits on the rear of a 1Q28 1432 round-trip from Derby RTC that takes in the WCML between Euston and Crewe. 43014 had led in from Derby.
86614 4M87 XJC 14/04/18
Spring is the optimal time for photography from my garden, and the best view is of early-afternoon westbound trains on the NLL. This is the 4M87 0946 Felixstowe North - Crewe Basford Hall passing Canonbury on Saturday April 14th 2018. Veteran 'cans' 86614 and 86628 are in charge.
73952 0Z73 UHL 15/04/18
The RVEL 'Ultra 73' programme for Network Rail saw 73104 and 73211 converted into 73951 and 73952 in 2014. They saw little use initially, but were named 'Malcolm Brinded' and 'Janis Kong' after NR Non-Executive Directors. Rare birds, when I received 'gen' they were working an 0Z73 1410 Derby RTC - Ashford Up Siding on 15th April 2018, I made it to Upper Holloway to see the reversal. Worth the trip out, despite the rain. The odd routing was because the Dudding Hill line is closed on Sundays. 73952 leads in this view.
70005 Southampton Maritime 16/04/18
Freightliner's Southampton Maritime Maintenance Depot stands adjacent to the container terminal and can effect servicing and running repairs on locomotives and wagons. Running past the shed on 16th April 2018 is 70005. It has shunted the empty wagons it brought in on the 4O14 0558 from Crewe Basford Hall to the sidings for loading. In the background, 70014 is performing a similar move, having arrived on the 4O14 0724 from Birmingham Lawley Street.
