Kirkby Stephen West, 7th March 2026

 

My first 47 picture of the year. 47593 Galloway Princess 1Z40 07:15 Hereford - Appleby, approaching Kirkby Stephen. Scaffold around the signal box, seen in 2022-23, has now been removed.

158792 seen with LMR style signage, working 2H89 1058 Carlisle - Leeds.

My first sighting of a Heavy Haul Rail locomotive, 66545 0M68 1118 Leeds Balm Rd - Carlisle New Yard.

A closer view of 47593 running in to pass the station platform.

D1924 Crewe Diesel Depot (47810) on the rear.

70817 wide open when working 'the Logs' 6J37 1244 Carlisle Yard - Chirk Kronospan.

A closer view of 70817.

Edinburgh, 9th February 2026

 

43024 at Haymarket shed, where it brought to from Ely, as a spares source.


Coupled to 08754 of RMS Locotec.

801219 being prepared for 1E10 10/;00 Edinburgh - Kings Cross. Seen at Eastleigh, 20th December 2019.

Trans-Pennine 802213 which had arrived as 9S05 05:26 Newcastle - Edinburgh.

43145 ready to work on the rear of 1H17 13:32 Edinburgh to Inverness, alongside 158718.

801215 arriving as 1S09 09:03 Kings Cross - Edinburgh. Seen at Eastleigh, 17th December 2019.

2nd - 7th March 2026

 

Monday 2nd March: 66549 + 56051 0Z30 09:10 Eastleigh - Romsey - Salisbury - Westbury - Rugby one two three four; 37884 0O86 09:50 Leicester -Eastleigh one two, 37884 + 68024 0M59 15:19 Eastleigh - Loughborough 1Z99 Eastleigh -Basingstoke one two three four five to rescue 68027 5Q86 12:25 Banbury - Eastleigh one two; 66106 (+ 99541 / 243 LUCILLE) 5Z26 10:50 Stewarts Lane - Eastleigh East Yard one two three

Tuesday 3rd March: 37884 + 68021 0M59 07:26 Eastleigh - Loughborough Brush one two; 800012 5X80 09:22 Eastleigh - Reading
Wednesday 4th March: 800005 5X81 13:15 Reading - Eastleigh one
Thursday 5th March: 43013 + 43062 1X23 15:28 Salisbury - Southampton - Salisbury one
Fridaay 6th March:
Saturday 7th March:

Swietelsky are offering 73951 & 73952 for sale. Formerly 73104 and 73211.

Tucson, April 2000 (part 1)

It is now rather a long time ago, a business trip to Tucson which lasted just over two weeeks. These pictures were probably taken on Saturday 8th April 2000.

Union Pacific GP38-3 2417 (EMD builder number 33367). New as B&O GP-3849 in November 1967, later CSX 2049). Rebuilt as GP38-3 by MPI for UP, delivered January 1998. Returned to lessor Helm Financial November 2007, and ran as HLCX 2417. More recently South Branch Valley Railroad (in West Virginia) 101.

SP 8680, a SD40M-2, by then in Union Pacific ownership through acquisition. Bult as D&RGW SD45 5327 (EMD builder number 33759) delivered in March 1968. Rebuilt to SP 8680 by Morrison Knudesn, completed in November 1994. Renumbered to UP 2756. Retired in October 2010,  sold to National Railway Equipment Co as NREX 2756 in 2013, and scrapped at Metro East Industries, East St Louis, in 2014.

SD40-2 UP 3037. Delivered to C&NW as 6872 in September 1974 (EMD builder number 74639-7), and to UP via acquisition. "was the first unit in this group to be repainted to Union Pacific, completed on 30 June 1995". Retired by UP in December 2008, assumed scrapped. Location.

At this time, SD60Ms were established road power across many railroads. UP 6330 with 2nd generation North American Safety Cab leads this eastbound train, at West Ina Road, near a Motel 6 which I had used on a previous visit, when I was funding my own travel. Now developed with storage units, and in 2019, an upgraded intersection and overpass. 6330 was delivered to UP in September 1992 (EMD builder number 926302-15 ), later renumbered to 2485. At some time, UP retired it, and it now is listed in the roster of Larry's Truck & Electic (LTEX 2485), seen working for Indiana & Ohio RR (IORY).        

The second locomotive was SP 9349, a "Tunnel Motor" SD45T-2, built in January 1975 (EMD builder number 73674-6). By this time a rough looking late survivor, later retired under UP ownership in August 2001. Noted as stored at Larry's Truck & Electric in December 2004.

UP 650 was next, a GE C36-7 (builder number 45090) originally delivered to Missouri Pacific in October 1985. Retired in April 2001, when all 58 surviving locomotives were sold for use in Estonia, becoming EVR 1553.

UP 644 has a similar history to 650. GE C36-7 (builder number 45084 ) originally delivered to Missouri Pacific in October 1985. Retired in March 2001, to Estonia, becoming EVR 1531.

UP 6103, a SD60M (EMD builder number 886010-19) delivered in January 89, with 1st generation North American Safety Cab.  Renumbered in 2003 to 2258, and still on the current roster.

HSTs in Fife, December 2025 - January 2026

Scotland is now the holdout territory for regular HST workings, here seen in a snapshot over the Christmas - New Year period.

43152 at Dalgety Bay with 1A81 11:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 31st December 2025.

43145 at Aberdour with1A81 11:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 24th December.

43181 1A81 11:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, Inverkeithing, 2nd January.


43144 at Aberdour, with 1A87 15:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen, 2nd January.

43177 again at Aberdour, 1B84 14:03 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, 2nd January.

23rd - 28th February 2026

 

Monday 23rd February: 66710 0Z24 18:00 Eastleigh - Salisbury, 66719 + 66710 3Z24 19:45 Salisbury - Redbridge - Eastleigh
Tuesday 24th February: 67021 0Z25 07:15 Stewarts Lane T&R.S.M.D to Eastleigh East Yard, 67025 (+ 99537 / 280 AUDREY) 5Z25 09:52 Eastleigh East Yard - Didcot - Stewarts Lane one two three, 37423 + 37611 0O37 09:25 Wembley - Eastleigh Arlington one two three four, 37611 (+ 94515) + 37423 5M38 14:45 Eastleigh - Rectory Jn (Colwick Colas) one two three four five

Wednesday 25th February:
Thursday 26th February:
Friday 27th February: 56051 + 66544 0Z56 11:50 Eastleigh East Yard - Eastleigh East Yard (was to run to Basingstoke, but 56051had an incident with flames coming from loco between Shawford and Winchester, followed by return to origin)
Saturday 28th February:

GB Railfreight announces locomotive availability as part of fleet modernisation programme
 - Viewing date for 59003 at Eastleigh is 10th March 09:30 – 14:30.

455721 was moved to Derby on 26th, for eventual disposal. Seen at Eastleigh on 24th February 2017.

Test Train at Aberdour, 30th December 2025

43257 (+ 6261 + 72631 PLPR1 + 975091 MENTOR + 72612) + 43274
1Q26 13:45 Edinburgh - Aberdeen - Thornton - Perth - Dundee - Perth - Ladybank - Slateford Depot

Colas orange colours on 43257.


72631 and generator 6261.


975091.


72612 Radio Survey Coach / Brake Force Runner.

43274 on the rear.

A further view of 43274 as it heads away towards Burntisland.