Wednesday 29 October 2014

From Worcester Foregate Street to Hereford, 20th - 22nd October 2014

173332 passes Tunnel Junction's outer home TJ20, and Henwick's up starter HK5 with Shrub Hill's fixed distant. 
180102 departs from Foregate Street with signal off for Shrub Hill.
 Henwick, on the outskirts of Worcester is where the lines for Tunnel Junction and Shrub Hill split, running as two parallel bi-directional lines through Foregate Street station. This is a McKenzie & Holland type 1 box from about 1875.
Malvern Wells is a GWR type 7d box built in 1919.
Ledbury is a McKenzie and Holland type 3 box from 1885.
 170632 has run south from platform 1 and will return to platform 3 at Hereford. Proposals exist to allow trains of up to 5 coaches depart from the arrival platform, eliminating these moves.
Hereford (formerly Ayleston Hill), a LNWR / GWR Joint type 2 box. This contains a frame and controls for colour lights over a wider area.

60001 was also seen while at Hereford, on a 6M86 09:23 Margam to Dee Marsh operation.

Further information upon: Henwick - Newland East - Malvern Wells - Ledbury - Hereford

Sunday 26 October 2014

GWR at the Watercress Line Autumn Steam Gala, 25th October 2014

5029 Nunney Castle departs Ropley.
1450 at Alresford.
1954 built auto-trailer W238W Chaffinch at Alresford.
 4270 departing Ropley - newly restored this year for running on the Glos Warks Railway.
6959 Modified Hall class 6960 Raveningham Hall arriving at Ropley.

Further pictures on OneDrive including workshops, and the SR, LMS and BR locomotives.

Further picture coverage: one two three four five six

All of these locomotive types could once be seen in the areas around Worcester and Hereford.

Saturday 25 October 2014

20th - 25th October 2014

Monday 20th October: 56301 + 56303 6Y57 04:05 Wimbledon - Totton; 73138 + 73141 1Q07 05:55 Hither Green - Fawley - Woking one two; 37405 3Z05 10:31 Derby - Eastleigh one two three four, 3Q08 21:51 Eastleigh - Basingstoke - Salisbury - Romsey - Eastleigh - Romsey - Salisbury - Hither Green; 57312 0Z68 12:30 Eastleigh Willesden one two; 56301 + 56303 6Y57 22:32 Totton - Gomshall
Tuesday 21st October: 56301 + 56303 6Y57 05:05 Gomshall - Totton, 21:59 Totton - Gomshall; 73138 + 73141 1Q04 08:11 Woking - Alton - Eastleigh Works one two three four five
Wednesday 22nd October: 56301 + 56303 6Y57 05:05 Gomshall - Totton, 22:32 Totton - Chilworth; 73138 + 73141 1Q04 06:45 Eastleigh - Weymouth - Eastleigh one two
Thursday 23rd October: 56301 + 56303 6Y57 05:00 Chilworth - Totton, 21:59 Totton - Gomshall; 73138 + 73141 1Q04 0712 Eastleigh - Hither Green
Friday 24th October: 56301 + 56303 6Y57 05:05 Gomshall - Totton
Saturday 25th October: 56301 + 56303 6Y57 23:45 Totton - Allbrook; 60049 6N07 20:38 Eastleigh - Laverstock - Basingstoke one two three four five six
Sunday 26th October: 56301 + 56303 6Y57 20:09 St Denys - Totton

Droitwich, 21st October 2014

170509 heads a train bound for Birmingham New Street via Bromsgrove - with signal DS11 off. These signals now have modern health & safety access arrangements,
Signal DS8. It seems unlikely that the goods loop splitter (DS10)will be used, as the siding is heavily overgrown.
DS9 for Hartlebury and Kidderminster and DS11 for Bromsgrove.
 The layout at Droitwich Spa with 172336 arriving from the single line from Bromsgove. The train is passing the up starter DS71, which was relocated from a right hand driving position, Careful inspection shows the catch points, just on this side of the foot crossing at the signalbox which is a GWR Type 7d from 1907, still operating with its original frame.
172337 arrives from Hartlebury with a train for Worcester Foregate Street.

Friday 24 October 2014

Stourbridge Junction and Town, 21st October 2014

The Colas 37s were out on the daytime 3S02 RHTT duty, covering for MPVs. Sharpo has a video posted of this movement, standing alongside me (and my shadow) at Stourbridge Jct. For 37175 it's a long way from leaving Bo'ness.

37219 on the rear. This sat at the Campbell Road side of Eastleigh Depot for some years, in faded Mainline Blue.
66172 with 6M81 04:46 Margam - Round Oak.
66018 with 6V05 10:16 Round Oak - Margam. A further video from Sharpo.
Stourbridge Jc Middle Signalbox, a Great Western 7b box of 1901. The box was taken out of use in August 2012 but the structure is retained as a mess facility.
172333 with 2V20 10:46 Dorridge - Worcester Foregate St
Parry People Mover PPM 60 139002 comes off the branch from Stourbridge Town.
139002 at Stourbridge Town.

More pictures on OneDrive.

Thursday 23 October 2014

Worcester Shrub Hill, 20th October 2014

A visit to "The Worcester Patch" to see the signals and operations here, which are expected to change significantly in 2020 when the signalling is centralised.

Worcester Shrub Hill is a shadow of its former self, there are many more passenger journeys at Foregate Street. A new Worcester Parkway station is proposed for the point near Norton Bridge and Spetchley where the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton line crosses the Birmingham and Gloucester.

180106 departs from Shrub Hill past signal SH10 with 1P38 08:38 to Paddington (delayed and with cancelled start from Great Malvern)
A view looking south past Worcester Shrub Hill Station box (GWR Type 11 box of 1935) towards Norton Bridge Junction. Freight Avoiding Lines to the far left are still in use.
Until 1973 this was the area controlled by Worcester Shrub Hill Junction.
180102 departs from Shrub Hill for Great Malvern with 1W12 06:48 from Paddington, running 5 minutes late.
Signal SH80 is believed to be the last working survivor of a "banjo" signal.
43187 arrives with 1W00 08:22 Paddington - Hereford.

More pictures on One Drive.

For more information on the Worcester signalling: 
On Worcester Parkway: one two three

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, 19th October 2014

D5343 (26043) at Toddington.
37215 and D8137 (20137) at Toddington.
7820 Dinmore Manor (BR Swindon, 1950) departing Toddington.
7820 awaiting the DMU at Winchcombe.
 7820 running around at Cheltenham.
47105 and 47376 at Toddington.
More pictures at OneDrive.

Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group                   45149


Wednesday 22 October 2014

The Dartmouth Express, return journey, 18th October 2014

1Z84 16:05 Kingswear to Taunton, with 70013, then 47237 to Westbury (run around) and return to Poole.

The train was approaching an amber signal, to enter the Chandler's Ford line and be held beyond the Sun Arch.
47237 was delivered to traffic on 1st November 1965 from Brush to 86A Cardiff Canton, and has worked for BR, DRS, Cotswold Rail and now West Coast.
Coach 99712 is a kitchen car RK, converted from SK 25893 (later 18893). Delivered from Derby in 1962 under Lot 30685. Withdrawn in June 1986 it became 99712 in the following month, at that time with Train Tours. Into traffic as a kitchen car from April 2013.

Saturday 18 October 2014

The Dartmouth Express, 18th October 2014

1Z82 6:08 Poole - Bristol with 47237, then 70013 Oliver Cromwell onwards to Kingswear

In low light, 47237 leads into Romsey.
This train is something of an annual fixture. Sharper result than in 2013, light was better in 2011.
Reliving the days of locomotive hauled.
BCK 99306 was originally 21256 delivered to Lot 30731 from Derby in February 1964. Withdrawn October 1982, and went to the Midland Railway Centre. Main line with West Coast since August 1988, including service on the West Highland services. Dual brake, dual heat - this train is running on vacuum brake. 

13th - 18th October 2014


20311 + 20314 + 59003 Yeoman Highlander start on the final short leg from Eastleigh into the works, 13th October.
59003 is dragged off into the darkness.
20314 + 20311 are seen awaiting their return journey to Barrow Hill on 14th. Image by Ian Knight.

20311 originally was D8102, delivered in December 1961 from Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn, Darlington, to 65A Eastfield. Withdrawn in September 1991, onwards to RFS Locomotives at Doncaster as 2008 for Channel Tunnel construction. To DRS as 20311 following refurbishment in 1997-98, then stored in 2008, and sent to Eastleigh in September 2009. Removed to storage at Carnforth in 2010, it was moved to Barrow Hill in November 2011, and restored to traffic by HNRC in 2012.

20314 originally was D8117 delivered in February 1962, also from RSH, to 66A Polmadie. To DRS as 20314 following refurbishment in 1997-98. By 2009 it was in storage from DRS and spent time at Eastleigh, then following a similar path to 20311.

59003 Yeoman Highlander built by EMD at La Grange, Illinois, USA in 1985 and introduced into traffic in February 1986. To Germany for Yeoman / DB in 1997, later to Heavy Haul Power International and returned to UK 2014 for GBRf. The Highlander name reflected the Foster Yeoman operation at Glensanda in Scotland.

Monday 13th October: 57305 0Z57 10:30 Eastleigh - Gresty Bridge one two three four five, 20311 + 20314 + 59003 0Z59 11:00 Immingham - Eastleigh Flickr pictures one two three four five, 31452 + 31601 6Y57 23:29 Totton - Hilsea
Tuesday 14th October: 31452 + 31601 6Y57 04:35 Hilseas - Totton, 20311 + 20314 0Z47 10:36 Eastleigh - Barrow Hill one two Flickr pictures, 56303 0Z56 14:30 Willesden - Totton
Wednesday 15th October: 56301 + 50026 0Z50 12:23 Kidderminster - Eastleigh Flickr pictures, 56301 + 56303 23:29 Totton - Hilsea, 37688 3Q23 23:10 Hither Green - Eastleigh
Thursday 16th October:  56301 + 56303 6Y57 04:35 Hilseas - Totton, 23:29 Totton - Hilsea, 31452 + 31601 0Z31 10:21 Totton - Eastleigh, 0Z31 12:03 Eastleigh - Redbridge - Meldon Quarry one two (to pick up 47701 for transfer to Burton, from where it will be going to Hungary)
Friday 17th October: 56301 + 56303  6Y57 04:35 Hilseas - Totton, 47237 5Z80 09;45 Southall - Poole, 37688 3Z31 21:35 Eastleigh - Wimbledon
Saturday 18th October: 47237 1Z82 06:08 Poole - Bristol (70013 to Kingswear) , 1Z84 (16:05 Kingswear-) Taunton - Westbury - Poole, 5Z86 22:47 Poole - Acton Lane Reception Sidings; 56301 + 56303 6Y57 21:45 Totton - Wimbledon

Further night pictures from Eastleigh on Monday

Sunday 12 October 2014

Diverts at East Grimstead, Saturday 11th October 2014

66142 with 6N03 03:31 Eastleigh to Northam sleepers and ballast
159020 + 159004 as 1Z21 08:02 Waterloo - Swanage (UK Railtours)
66060 with 6N06 10:32 Westbury - Romsey ballast
70018 with 4O14 07:37 from Hams Hall
66712 Peterborough Power Signalbox with 6G18 (?) 11:03 Eastleigh to Romsey ballast and sleepers.