Tuesday 31 March 2020

56078 and 56105 stored by Colas


While it can be expected to see a number of locomotives stored serviceable in the forthcoming weeks, it has been reported that 56078 (at Grangemouth) and 56105 (at Cardiff) have been stored by Colas about 30th as a sources of parts. Both had worked in the past 10 days or so. A retrospective look.....

56105 was something of a regular at Bo'ness events, and for a while Colas serviced locos at the SRPS location. Here 56105 makes its first appearance at a summer evening diesel running event, on 24th August 2013, with 26038 at right.

Running around at Bo'ness, 29th December 2013.

Waiting with train at Bo'ness, 27th December 2014.

56078 + 56113 passing Romsey with 6Z31 14:30 Eastleigh - Westbury, 11th January 2014.

The pairing of both 56078 + 56105 approaches Romsey, 0Y68 12:02 Cardiff Canton - Eastleigh, 7th March 2015.

Two images of the pair at Eastleigh, 8th March 2015.


56078 on rear of 3S71 21:20 Shrewsbury Coleham Ss - Shrewsbury Coleham Ss RHTT working at Crewe, 17th October 2018.

56078 was new to traffic from Doncaster on 25th May 1980, and was withdrawn by EWS in April 2004 from Knottingley as surplus to requirements, having paired with 56115 (now in Hungary) on the farewell railtourRepainted in large logo and named Doncaster Enterprise in September 2003. In Fertis service in France from September 2004 and returned to the UK in April 2007. Sold to EMR in December 2011 while at Crewe, and delivered to Kingsbury scrapyard on 20th April 2012seen there in July. Registered to Colas at end of July 2012, removed on 15th August 2012 to Washwood Heath. Stored at Rugby from 4th September 2012, returned to Washwood Heath on 27th October 2012. Test runs by Colas started in December 2013, and the locomotive was back in traffic from 6th January 2014, generally working with another Class 56 in the shake-down period.

56105 was new to traffic from Doncaster on 28th March 1982, withdrawn by EWS in August 2003 at Immingham having reached an engine hours limit at 12445 hours.Sent to Fertis in France on 27th April 2005, and returned on 27th January 2007. Ownership changed to Colas, repaired at Washwood Heath in test early March2013 and returned to traffic on 22nd March 2013.

Saturday 28 March 2020

23rd - 28th March 2020


This was the week where it all changed. Covid-19 means that after Monday, spur of the moment trips to see specific workings, and grouping together at stations, are no longer happening, noting this message from Derbyshire Police. Pictures shared to me here after 23rd were taken on the single permitted exercise per day. There is a possibility that we will not be able to observe and report all of what is going on at the railway.

56091 + 56103 approach Redbridge with 6Z91, 23rd March. Image by Ian Knight.

56103 + 56091 at Nursling, on 24th. Image by Ian Knight.

66550 passes Test Lane with 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime on 25th. Image by Ian Knight.

56091 + 56103 at Test Lane on 25th. Image by Ian Knight.

Monday 23rd March: 56091 + 56103 6Z91 15:15 Westbury - Up Yard one two three four five six; 66710 + 313121 5Z14 20:25 Hornsey -Eastleigh East Yard (5Z13 earlier in day one two three
Tuesday 24th March: 56091 + 56103 4Z92 07:49 Up Yard - Westbury, 6Z91 15:15 Westbury - Up Yard; 20314 + 20311  + 442401 5Q42 03:10 Ely - Eastleigh one two, 5L47 09:40 Eastleigh - Ely one two three
Wednesday 25th March: 56091 + 56103 4Z92 07:49 Up Yard - Westbury, 6Z91 15:15 Westbury - Up Yard one
Thursday 26th March: 56091 + 56103 4Z92 07:49 Up Yard - Westbury, and then returned to Willesden one
Friday 27th March: 66710 + 313121 5Z23 09:11  Eastleigh - Hornsey one two (and continued further north one)
Saturday 28th March:

Eastleigh Works: 10Mar

Car trains for export from Halewood and Cowley appear to have now paused for the duration, the last running appears to have been a load of Minis on Monday. There have been some further cuts in intermodal services, and 4O90 06:08 from Leeds has not been running.

SWR and GWR effectively taken under DfT control

Southampton Up Loop is once again available.

59003 remains in Eastleigh Works

The Milford embankment slip has been adequately repaired to allow resumption of double track working from Saturday 28th - press release.

"GWR services on Saturday 28 March are planned to run hourly and, as a response to the Prime Minister’s request to carry out only essential travel due to COVID-19, from Sunday 29 March services are planned to run two hourly.
SWR services on the line are expected to commence on Monday 30 March.​"

Platform 5 have suspended their publishing for the time being.

#StayHomeSaveLives

Friday 27 March 2020

Burlington Northern at La Crosse, WI, 10th February 1990


A trip to La Crosse, Wisconsin, escorted by a local rail enthusiast colleague and his sons, to whom I remain grateful. Very cold, wearing two pairs of trousers was the norm. At that time, some degree of access close to, or walking over, the tracks was accepted liberally, this has changed, especially after 9/11 and areas can be seen to now be fenced off for security.

Many different varieties of GP (General Purpose) locomotives were seen. Not a bad haul for only a few hours, and these are only part of what was seen at BN.

GP38-2 EMDX 810 was switching for BN in the North La Crosse Yard (over which, a drone flight). To the right is a 300 mile post as measured from Chicago. This loco, EMD builder number 7354-71, was completed in August 1972 for Penn Central as 8010, at that time going through what was then the largest American bankruptcy in history, leading into Conrail from April 1976. The locomotive was returned to the lessor, probably at the 15 year point, and became part of a lease fleet, placed into odd jobs across the railroads. Later LLPX 2340, in UP yellow, then GMTX 2193.Locomotive Leasing Partners was a GATX & GM joint venture. GMTX is another branding of GATX. Last working at the Chemin de fer Roberval-Saguenay, then noted in a yard at Montreal in February 2014.

The first box car is Cryo-Trans 1099, and may have been in usage to move fries for McDonald's.

GP38-2 specification has a EMD 645E 16-cylinder engine, with a Roots blower, which generates 2000 hp through an alternator with dc motors.

BN 3508 is a GP40M assigned for maintenance to Havre, MT, a railroad town, have a look here. Built in February 1968 as a GP40, EMD builder number 33751 as CB&Q 630.  It became BN 3030 in 1970, and was rebuilt by Morrison-Knudsen at Boise, ID, in October 1988 becoming 3508 as seen above. It became BNSF 3007 in August 1998, was repainted in 2017, and still appears to be on the roster, still sometimes noted at La Crosse one two.

The original GP40 specification is for a EMD 645E3 16-cylinder engine, turbocharged, set at 3000 hp. The GP40M package replaced the dc generator with an AR10 alternator with locomotive  generally updated to -2 specifications. The article of page 21 of this magazine explains the 1988 period BN rebuild programme, of which more below.

LMX was a vehicle of GE Leasing, used primarily for a lease of 100 B39-8 locomotives to BN, on a power by the hour basis, with maintenance provided at Lincoln,NB as part of the contract. This was seen as a novel approach in the late 1980s. Known at the lineside as 'Sharks', they were not considered reliable, and were all returned by June 2001 - " The LMXs rode really rough, were slow loaders, and had really small cabins.". LMX 8587 as completed in March 1988 with builder number 45496. After the BN arrangement, it was noted stored in a yard at Chicago in February 2002, then it became Relco RLCX 8587, National Rail Equipment NREX 8587 and is now Seminole Gulf 593.

The B39-8 have a GE 7FDL-16 engine set at 3900 hp.

GM also arranged a comparable lease from an entity called 'Oakway' of 100 SD60 units on similar terms, which lasted 20 years on BN and into BNSF.

BN SD9 6192 was an old-timer remaining in Class 1 railroad service, mainly for switching service, but sometimes seen on road work. Originally delivered to CB&Q in September 1957 as tbeir 445, EMD builder number 23624. Renumbered as 6192 in 1970 after BN was formed. In the 1970s it received a chopped nose and a second fuel tank. Into BNSF days later acquired ditch lights, noted in 2002, and last recorded in 2006.

BN 210 was a SW1200, EMD builder number 22753 delivered by EMD as Northern Pacific 151 in June 1957, later BN 210, and BNSF 3541. Now RLPX 3541 seen switching around Great Western Malting, Vancouver, WA.

BN 2702 GP39-2 EMD builder number 806037-3, new to traffic in March 1981 and still on the BNSF roster with the same number, last pictured in 2016. The GP39-2 has a EMD 645E3 V12 turbocharged diesel set at 2300 hp, the same unit as in Class 57 in the UK.

BN 2131 is a GP38AC builder number 37438 delivered in April 1971 to the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway as 655, and absorbed into BN in 1980. Still on the BNSF roster, seen here at Kansas City in August 2018. The GP38AC is essentially a GP38 with an alternator, delivered before the -2 series.

BN GP39M 2826 arrives from the southerly direction from Dubuque and Chicago with a piggyback train. This locomotive was originally delivered to CB&Q as 955, a GP30, builder number 27166 in May 1962. Later renumbered 2232 under the BN merger in 1970. The GP30 specification has a EMD 567D3 engine, set at 2250 hp. Rebuilt by Morrson-Knudsen as a GP39M in December 1989 with an engine uprated to 2300 hp and a -2 electrical installation (see note above) and still on the BNSF roster, active in 2019. The "white face" higher visibility scheme was first introduced in 1989.

The 2nd unit was BN 3104, a GP50 originally ordered by SLSF as 794, but delivered as BN 3104, builder number 796331-5 in December 1980. Retired by BNSF in July 1997 it became Indiana & Ohio (IORY) 3104 and later Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia (CBNS) 5004, although it saw service in the USA, then back to IORY as 5014 seen in 2018 in a G&W scheme. 

The GP50 is powered by a 16 cylinder EMD 645F3B set at 3500 hp. 

Sunday 22 March 2020

Saturday 21 March 2020

Afternoon time at Dunbridge, 20th March 2020


#StayHomeSaveLives



59004 PAUL A HAMMOND 7V16 11:56 Fareham - Whatley return empties. This was an all O&K JYA rake, which seems to have been formed after the Christmas period.

66623 ran light as 0V62 Up Yard - Whatley.

66555 4M65 13:46 Maritime - Lawley Street.

59104 Village of Great Elm 0O40 12:47 Merehead - Maritime, an unusual move. It later worked 7V33 01:30 Eastleigh - Merehead via Reading and Swindon.

66738 6V41 14:38 Eastleigh - Westbury.

16th - 21st March 2020


#StayHomeSaveLives



Monday 16th March: 
Tuesday 17th March: 
Wednesday 18th March: 802203 5X98 08:13 Eastleigh - Acton one two; 37057 + 37099 1Q53 15:45 Woking - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Eastleigh - Romsey - Eastleigh one two three
Thursday 19th March: 37057 + 37099 1Q54 12:45 Eastleigh - Tonbridge one two; 20118 + 20132 + 57312 5O42 10:51 Leicester - Eastleigh one two three four; 802218 5X90 13:04 Acton - Eastleigh one two
Friday 20th March: 20118 + 20132  0M59 Eastleigh - Leicester one two three four five
Saturday 21st March:

59003 still resides at Eastleigh Works

47812 has been finished in a Rail Operations Group livery at Eastleigh Works

08785 is reported delivered to Maritime on 16th (seen before movement), 08585 reported northbound on A34 later in day.

Romsey - Chandlers Ford - Eastleigh - Southampton - Romsey services will be withdrawn from Monday 23rd as part of the emergency timetable. GWR's emergency timetable claims to be offering a two-hourly Cardiff - Portsmouth service.

The Laverstock - Romsey section is out of  use for all trains this weekend, it would seem for repair activities near Milford.

313121 went to Lovers Walk on its trip away from Eastleigh. It is due to return on Monday evening, it looks like a drag.

Thursday 19 March 2020

A train in the snow, Rochester, MN, 21st January 1990


With the current emergency, and our practising social distancing, I will inevitably be delving into the archive over the coming weeks. I will look out some British images shortly - some seem to be surprises, even for myself!

A DME eastbound freight approaches the grade crossing at Wilder Road NW, Rochester, MN, 21st January 1990.

  • 6617 SD7R was delivered in May 1953 to C&NW as 1662 (EMD builder number 18224, number 2 in order 5185), Rebuilt as SD7R at Oelwin, chopped nose, uograded from 1500 to 1750 hp, and renumbered 6617, in June 1971. Sold to DME on 5th September 1986. When disposed of by DME it went to shunt a grain elevaor at Wolsey, SD as WGAX WG1 - can see the facility, and a shed, here it is on Streetview from US14, dated October 2015. I actually have driven along that road, just once.
  • 1463 GP9 has similar history to 1484. It was new to the Nickel Plate Railroad as 533 EMD serial 25076 in January 1959. Later from 1966 Norfolk & Western 2533, and from 1983 Norfolk Southern 1463, after which it came to DME. After DME it was Otter Tail Valley Railroad 1463 (seen with 1484). last noted July 2014.
  • 546 SD10 was delivered to the Milwaukee Road as a SD7 locomotive in May 1952, EMD builder number 15616, numbered 2204, later renumbered 504 in 1959. Rebuilt as SD10, uprated to 1800 hp and renumbered 546, in December 1974. It does not appear to have been repainted into DME colours, the most recent pictures appear to be from October 2000 at Huron, where DME maintained its shops, and some locos became 'Christmas Trees' - eventually we will get there.



It seems that this may have been an hour or more later, as some gondolas and a box car have been dropped off. This seems to be the location at 6th Avenue NW.

Saturday 14 March 2020

9th - 14th March 2020


66762 passing Romsey with 6V41 14:38 Eastleigh - Westbury, 9th March.

A couple of hours later, 66524 leads 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime.

Monday 9th March: 66093 5Z30 05:24 Swindon - Eastleigh; 33012 0Z40 11:20 Southall - Swanage one two three
Tuesday 10th March: 802203 5X90 12:31 Acton - Eastleigh one two three
Wednesday 11th March:
Thursday 12th March: 43013 + 43062 1X23 15:13 Salisbury - Millbrook - Salisbury; 47805 + 47810 T+T 5Z47 11:31 Long Marston - Eastleigh (6 @ HST TF coaches into the works reported for overhaul for LSL) one two three four five, 5Z48 18:15 Eastleigh - Crewe one; 47813 + 442412 5Q86 11:45 Ely - Eastleigh (5-WES for scrap) one two three four
Friday 13th March: 66772 + 801214 5X98 05:13 Eastleugh - Acton (and onward to Doncaster one two; 47813 5Zxx 10:43 Eastleigh - Leicester one two three
Saturday 14th March:

The Up Loop at Southampton has been showing as 'Loop Blok' for a few days, background to this not known.


Preparatory work has started at the Salisbury embankment slip.

47Soton has quietly slipped by its 10th anniversary in this format, here is where we were a decade ago, and much has changed.

Friday 13 March 2020

Mid-Afternoon at Dunbridge, Thursday, 12th March 2020


Unfortunately tagged, 66738 Huddersfield Town (66578 until 2010) passes with 6V41 14:38 Eastleigh - Westbury.

As an unexpected bonus, 66553 was 102 minutes late with 4M65 13:46 Maritime -Lawley Streetl, where it arrived 44 minutes late.

NMT 1X23 15:13 Salisbury - Salisbury, led by 43062 John Armitt.

Returning from a reversal at Millbrook, the measurement train is led by 43013 Mark Carne CBE.

66541 approaching the level crossing with 4O57 13:29 Wentloog - Maritime, which was only 4 minutes behind time.

Wednesday 11 March 2020

DB Cargo, GBRf & SWR at St Denys, 6th March 2020



66186 6M48 10:34 Eastern Docks - Halewood.

66035 4O39 09:43 Cowley - Eastern Docks.

444021 had been running for only a few days in the new SWR scheme.

66781 4M51 14:24 Western Docks - Trafford Park.

66704 6V41 14:38 Eastleigh - Westbury.

Tuesday 10 March 2020

Freightliner at St Denys, 6th March 2020


66515 4O05 07:15 Birch Coppice - Maritime.

66413 Lest We Forget 4O14 05:00 Garston - Maritime.

66613 7V62 13:21 Up Yard - Whatley, running early.

66419 4M61 13:00 Maritime - Trafford Park.

66546 4O90 06:08 Leeds - Maritime, with KTA pocket wagons leading.

66562 + 66542 4O49 09:21 Basford Hall - Maritime.