To Arbroath, 6th September 2019

43316 arrives at Kirkcaldy with 1W03 07:08 Leeds - Aberdeen, runing about 20 minutes late.

After arrival at Arbroath, the driver prepares for the right away. Arborath North signal box is that surviving here, the Forfar trains left from the platform on the left. The driver was also a railway photographer, here is the train earlier at Leuchars.

A small surprise, Paxman 12VP185 engined 43061, running with rebranded set NL65, but the power car has not been rebranded for LNER. Driver's picture at Aberdeen.

43021 leads 1A61 11:39 Glasgow Queen Street - Aberdeen,approaching Arbroath.

An STP 5Z57 12:30 Aberdeen - Heaton ran to rebalance set locations, seen here at the West Links with 43308 HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN on the rear.

43150 approaches with 1T34 15:38 Aberdeen - Glasgow Queen Street.

43130 came a few minutes later with 1B40 16:02 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, which does not stop in Fife after Leuchars, so my next train was a dmu.

68007 Valiant arrives at Kirkcaldy with 2K14 18:23 Glenrothes - Edinburgh.

Interior of 6173, which ran on the Cumbrian Coast until 2018.

An hour at Aberdour, Saturday Morning, 7th September 2019

43032 leading 1B14 04;53 Inverness - Aberdeen - Edinburgh.

43177 on the rear of this service.

60163 Tornado with the final Aberdonian of the summer, 1Z60 08:48 Edinburgh - Aberdeen.

What a combination: 43290 mtu fascination of power was paired with .....

..... 43367 DELTIC 50 1955-2005. The power cars were built in June 1978 and September 1981.

Observations at Aberdour, 2nd - 6th September 2019

2nd September

43003 leads 1B54 15:54 Inverness - Edinburgh.

68007 Valiant 5L70 18:41 Cardenden - Mossend. At 19:13 the light was poor, and this was taken at ISO 2500.

70801 6B32 16:52 Craiginches - Oxwellmains. ISO 3200.

The former signal box is well illuminated.Late running 1W20 14:00 Kings Cross - Aberdeen passes at 19:40 led by 43239, built as 43039, new to traffic on 28th February 1977.

4th September

1W20 was led by 43300 Craigentinny 100 YEARS 1914 - 2014. This power car was new to traffic on 20th October 1978.

43163 was on the front of 1B54 15:54 Inverness - Edinburgh.

70802  worked cement empties 6B32 16:52 Craiginches - Oxwellmains.

6th September

43302 World Spped Record - HST leading 1E11 07:52 Aberdeen - Kings Cross. New as 43102 in October 1978.

Much later in the day, 1W20 is in the hands of 43295, built as 43095 and new to traffic on 11th September 1978.

68006 Daring activities during this week.

Observations at Aberdour, 25th - 29th August 2019

25th August

44871 passes Aberdour with 1Z46 15:11 Tweedbank-Linlithgow, the last movement of the summer series of Borders Railway specials trains.

37685 on the rear of the train.

26th August

68007 Valiant  arrives with 2K14 18:23 Glenrothes with Thornton - Edinburgh. The coaching stock is now a mixture of DRS and ScotRail colours, as some leased coaches have been returned to Riviera. The DRS examples were in service on the Cumbrian Coast, but the window bars have been removed, as have the English Department of Transport stickers.

TSO 6173 was built at Derby to Lot 30874 in 1975. This was at one time one of the Wessex Trains pink liveried set.

43149 (BR Crewe, June 1981) leads 1B54 15:54 Inverness - Edinburgh.

On the rear, 43003 is now the oldest HST power car in traffic, new from BR Crewe on 31st August 1976.

On this English Bank Holiday Monday, 1W20 ran as 12:58 London Kings Cross via Gainsborough to Aberdeen, rather than usual 14:00 departure with direct routing. Also sometime recently 1S20 has become 1W20 - the 1Wxx headcode differentiates those services which must have a through platform at Edinburgh Waverley. 43307 was new as 43107 on 12th December 1978. The LNER HST services should cease by year end, or at latest, early 2020.

70802 passing with 6B32 16:52 Craiginches - Oxwellmains. Within two weeks it was more or less dark when this train was passing Aberdour.

29th August

43308 1W20 14:00 Kings Cross - Aberdeen. 43308 was new as 43108 on 21st December 1978.

2nd - 14th September 2019

60009 Union of South Africa passes Millbrook, 12th September. This may have been the last run of 60009 to the South Coast. Image by Ian Knight.

47802 working on the rear of the train. Image by Ian Knight.

66207 passing Romsey, 13th September, with 7Z52 14:52 Southampton Up Yard - Whatley.

One hour later, 59002 ALAN J DAY 7O40 13:35 Merehead - Eastleigh.

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Monday 2nd September: 60024 7O35 05:00 Westbury - Fareham one, 6V16 11:55 Fareham - Whatley one two; 66100 5O61 09:53 Wembley - Eastleigh one two; 37800 + 47813 0O86 09:18 Leicester - Eastleigh one two three four; 800102 5X41 13:17 Acton - Eastleigh one two three; 37800 + 442419 + 47813 5Q86 19:00 Eastleigh - Bournemouth one two (first 442 with new traction package); 73962 + 73963 1Q51 11:15 Derby - Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one

Tuesday 3rd September: 37800 + 47813 0V74 01:00 Bournemouth (?) - Oxford one; 73962 + 73963 1Q52 10:37 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Woking - Lymington Pier -Eastleigh one two; 37610 3Q01 21:57 Hither Green - Eastleigh

Wednesday 4th September: 66100 5Z64 11:03 Eastleigh - Tyseley one; 73962 + 73963 1Q53 11:48 Eastleigh  - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Southampton Up Yard - Wimbledon Park - Totton Yard - Eastleigh - Romsey - Eastleigh one two three; 37610 3Q03 23:35 Eastleigh - Brighton - Eastleigh one

Thursday 5th September: 60009 + 47802 T+T 1Z82 08:45 Victoria - Weymouth one, 1Z84 16:35 Weymouth - Victoria Flickr for the day;73962 + 73963 1Q54 xx:xx Eastleigh - Tonbridge one; 66090 + 4 MarkIV coaches + DVT 82226 5Z44 09:41 Doncaster - Reading - Westbury - Romsey - Eastleigh one two (for refurb for Cardiff - Holyhead services - expected to be at Arriva Train Care); 37610 3Q04 20:34 Eastleigh - Bournemouth - Reading Triangle one two three four five six

Friday 6th September: 800207 5X41 13:16 Acton - Eastleigh one two three

Saturday 7th September: 37610 3Q40 00:04 Reading Triangle - Eastleigh; 37706 0Z25 10:31 Southall - Eastleigh, 5Z25 14:50 Eastleigh - Bristol one two three four five six seven

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Monday 9th September: 57305 0M59 08:10 Eastleigh - Leicester one two three; 37706 5Z30 09:33 Bristol - Eastleigh one two, 0Z30 15:46 Eastleigh - Southall one; 37610 3Q09 20:49 Eastleigh - Hither Green

Tuesday 10th September: 800102 + 801203 5X82 08:10 Eastleigh - Acton (ran 4 hours late) one; 67029 5Z56 10:06 Tyseley - Eastleigh one two three

Wednesday 11th September: 66766 + 802213 + 802214 6X80 04:47 Dollands Moor - Eastleigh one two three four five six; 802206 5X41 14:10 Acton - Eastleigh one two three

Thursday  12th September: 60024 7Z51 07:15 Westbury- Up Yard, 7Z52 14:52 Up Yard - Whatley one; 60009 + 47802 1Z61 08:45 Victoria - Swanage, 1Z62 16:40 Swanage - Victoria Flickr for the day; 47727 + 73970 0Z73 09:00 Leicester - Eastleigh one two, 47727 0Z47 14:42 Eastleigh - Leicester one two three four five; 37610 3Q21 20:40 Hither Green - Eastleigh one

Friday 13th September: 800110 + 801207 5X41 14:17 Acton - Eastleigh one two (800110 proceeded into the works)

Saturday 14th September: 37610 3Q26 00:28 Eastleigh - Derby; 57314 + 57601 5Z10 13:18 Chichester - Eastleigh one two, 5Z11 16:04 Eastleigh - Chichester; 66428 + 37069 0Z69 08:50 Crewe - Eastleigh one two three four (37069 for engine repairs), 66428 0Z71 15:49 Eastleigh - Willesden Brent; 1001 1Z22 18:10 Salisbury - Romsey - Eastleigh - Havant - Guildford - Hastings one

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Eastleigh Works: 12Aug - 13Aug - 15Aug - 16Aug - 19Aug - 20Aug - 21Aug - 23Aug

Class 442 unit diagrams were withdrawn from 2nd September, as there is understood to be a signal system aspect incompatibility issue at Earlsfield. Discussion.

59003 is now hired to Freightliner and has been noted on Merehead - Stoke Gifford crew training duties. 66623 has been swapped in return, and was noted working in Doncaster on 12th. 66711 continued on Eastleigh - Westbury workings.

The Class 60s at Westbury appear to have had their usage reduced, although 59202 is still under repair at Toton.

70003 was used for crew training from Grain, and returned to intermodal duties about 6th. It now seems to be expected that Class 66/6 will be used to supplement Mendip workings, with Class 70 supporting those in the Peak District.

An hour at Aberdour, Saturday Morning, 31st August 2019

The updates for late-August until early-September will provide coverage of HST and Class 91 action, in Scotland and England, as these fade away in LNER service through the remainder of this year.

Starting in pouring rain on the Saturday morning of 31st August at Aberdour.

43031 1B14 04:53 Inverness - Aberdeen - Edinburgh.

43148 on rear of 1B14 04:53 Inverness - Aberdeen - Edinburgh. Once noted at Romsey on 27th August 2011.

60163 Tornado 1Z60 08:48 Edinburgh - Perth - Aberdeen, charter promoted by A1 Steam.

43033 1A55 09:28 Edinburgh - Aberdeen.

43133 on rear of 1A55 09:28 Edinburgh - Aberdeen.

43313 1E11 07:52 Aberdeen - Kings Cross. New as 43113 on 22nd March 1979, in the Winter of Discontent.

43206 on rear of 1E11 07:52 Aberdeen - Kings Cross. New as 43006 on 31st August 1976. Noted on 21st October 2012 in the East Coast colours. 

A Third American Interlude

Burlington Northerm GP9 1877 and GP18 1991 at La Crosse, WI, about 1st September 1989.

Looking at the location today I can see that it is firmly in the railroad's no trespass area, the situation was just more relaxed in those days.

1877 was built in February 1956 (c/n 21099) as Northern Pacific 254, became BN 1877, then BNSF 1622, sold in February 2000 to Louis Dreyfus becoming LDCX 2012. When Louis-Dreyfus acquired this diesel it received a chopped short hood, cab air conditioning, and a fresh coat of blue paint, but retained the NP ordered winterization hatch and all weather window. It operates at a grain elevator at Galena Park, TX, and likely is this one seen on Google Maps. 

1991 was completed in June 1960 as NP 377,a GP18 locomotive (c/n 26009), entering service in the Livingstone, MT area. After a short period from 1991 renumbered as 1994, it was retired June 1992, then rebuilt by Morrison Knudsen as a GP28P (P is snowplough compatible) BN 1592 later BNSF 1542. Still running in this rebuilt form in October 2018.

C&NW SD40-2's on a northbound coal train at Owatonna, MN, 3rd September 1989. This is the former Rock Island RR Spine Line, and at the time it saw a lot of coal traffic. Current view of location which is opposite the former Rock Island depot in the town. All three locomotives have had longevity in Class 1 Railroad terms, rebuilt to SD40N specifications and still running on successor UP.

6928 EMD serial 766032-3 of November 1976 later became UP 3091. Rebuilt as an SD40N in 2010 and now running as 1566.

6859 EMD serial 74609-44 of April 1974 later became UP 2991. Rebuilt as SD40N 1763.

6836 EMD serial 74609-21 of March 1974 later became UP 3017. Rebuilt in 2010 as SD40N 1572.

Later at Owatonna on the same day, and another northbound coal train. The former platform of the depot can be seen in the foreground, with a distinctive stripe in the concrete. Same location in an earlier period, and similar but looking north.

C&NW 8035 was a SD60 locomotive. The batch was built to SOO Line specifications; SOO was unable to take delivery due to financial conditions & the order was passed to C&NW. 8035 was delivered in September 1986, EMD serial 867147-35, later becoming UP 5989. Off-roster by 2002, sold and became GECX 5989, HLCX 5989 and NS 5826.

Norfolk Southern rebuilt the locomotive in 2012 as their SD60E 6942.