Stockport, 3rd November 2023 Part 3: Transport for Wales

An inconsistent variety of trains and service levels. An ORR investigation has been launched, but is focused upon Network Rail rather than TfW rolling stock provision.

150230 1V39 10:30 Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff Central.


67022 leading 1V42 12:30 Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff Central.

82230 was the DVT, the set HD07 being that delivered from Eastleigh on 27th August 2022.

158832 1W57 10:52 Cardiff Central - Manchester Piccadilly

197011 1W16 07:58 Carmarthen - Manchester Piccadilly

197018 1W18 10:06 Carmarthen - Manchester Piccadilly

25th - 30th December 2023

Monday 25th December:
Tuesday 26th December:
Wednesday 27th December:
Thursday 28th December:
Friday 29th December:
Saturday 30th December: 66028 + 66185 DIT (failed on ECS) 1Z66 07:30 Peterborough - Eastern Docks one, (added 66158 in T+T) 1Z67 14:02 Eastern Docks - Up Yard - Western Docks, 1Z68 15:31 Western Docks - Eastleigh, 5Z68 16:10 Eastleigh - Eastleigh Trsmd, 5Z69 17:16 Eastleigh Trsmd - Eastleigh, 1Z69 17:34 Eastleigh - Romsey - Laverstock - Peterborough Flickr for the day

59003 came out of Eastleigh Works,, and resumed the Westbury turns from the 28th December.

Railfuture’s lukewarm response to government rail freight growth plans

Eastleigh Works: 05Oct - 06Oct - 10Oct - 11Oct - 12Oct - 17Oct - 18Oct - 19Oct - 31Oct - 01Nov

Stockport, 3rd November 2023 Part 2: Freightliner

 

66610 6Z93 08:52 Hillhead Sidings - Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M., formed of a set of MWA and MWA-B wagons.


90016 + 90049 4L90 12:20 Trafford Park F.L.T. - Felixstowe North F.L.T., which routed this way, rather than via the Styal Line.


66617 leading binliner empties 6J34 11:17 Runcorn Folly Lane (Flhh) - Brindle Heath R.T.S. Flhh. This loco later came off in a reversal at Guide Bridge, and ran light engine to Northenden.


KFA wagon GMC 92520, built locally by Standard Wagon, at Heywood, in 1982-85.

613040, a FRA flat built by Marcroft in 2002, and while built for binliner services, a type formerly used by Freightliner.in intermodal trains.

66590 on the rear.

On the Fife Coast, October 2023

 

800104 1E11 07:52 Aberdeen - Kings Cross, passing through Burntisland, 26th October.


43126 (+ 43026) 1B74 09:04 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, passing Burntisland, 26th October.

Stoneblower DR 80215 6U35 09:14 Slateford Depot -- Dundee C.S., passing Aberdour, 30th October.

800109 working VVR scheduled 1W02 08:47 Newcastle - Aberdeen, at Aberdour, 30th October.

43132 (+ 43177) 1B74 09:04 Aberdeen - Edinburgh, passing under the Hawkcraig Road, Aberdour, 30th October.

18th - 23rd December 2023

 
Monday 18th December: 73962 + 73964 1Q51 1115 Derby - Weymouth - Eastleigh one
Tuesday 19th December: 73962 + 73964 1Q52 10:47 Eastleigh - Portsmouth Harbour - Littlehampton - Barnham- Portsmouth Harbour - Totton Yard - Havant - Guildford - Havant - Fareham - Eastleigh - Winchester - Basingstoke - Woking - Lymington Pier - Eastleigh one two; 47749 (+701526) 5Q20 09:09 Derby - Eastleigh one
Wednesday 20th December:   47749 (+ 701520 + 701522) 5Q75 0848 Eastleigh - Bicester one two Flickr for the day; 73962 + 73964 1Q53 12:00 Eastleigh - Up Yard - Wimbledon - Up Yard], 1Q53 18:05 Up Yard - Wimbledon - Totton - Romsey - Eastleigh; 47805 5Z47 22:58 Paddington - Eastleigh
Thursday 21st December: 73962 + 73964 1Q54 12:55 Eastleigh - Tonbridge; 37610 3Q04 2130 Woking - Eastleigh - Reading
Friday 22nd December: 47805 (+ 10411 + 41182 + Pegasus 310 + 6708) 5Z49 10::09 Eastleigh - Crewe one Flickr for the day
Saturday 23rd December:

The set of YVA cable drum carries, seen on 17th February 2022, was sent for scrap 6Z20 05:19 Hinksey - Kingsbury on 13th December, listed in the same order as observed before. No status for the VXA end wagons.

RAIB has raised concerns about the operation of the centre wagons of FWA 'Ecofret2' triple container flats (FWA-D) following a derailment at London Gateway on 24th December 2021. These are in GBRf intermodal traffic.'

56081 is reported as slated for withdrawal in early 2024, possibly to become 69017.

Government sets ambitious target to grow rail freight by at least 75% :'No mention of intermodal or other flows related to Southampton. (No strategic identified routes, no new paths since HS2 cancellation, no apparent capital or lease plan, no specific locomotives (Class 60s??), no wagons, "to 2050" - so I have to consider as a political statement made on behalf of the ruling party, which lacking strategic details should not be on a government website). 

West Coast Railway Co have lost their judicial review over the central door locking derogations - BBC - Yorkshire Post - Judgement 

South Tynedale Railway, 8th October 2023, Part 2: New infrastructure

A canopy has been built at Alston, reinstating a facility of the BR period station, along with an additional platform. On the left, the toilet and catering facilities have also been sensitively replaced. In the distance, Barber is being fed and watered.

Looking northward.

The station house at Slaggyford is original, now in private ownership. Everything else in this picture is quite new.

The Slaggyford station building has been thoroughly rebuilt. Google Streetview captures the scene before the railway returned.

The new signal box closely represents the original.

South Tynedale Railway
HPA Architects

North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 4th September 2023 - Part 4: Video

 

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

11th - 16th December 2023

 

59206 with the new 6O68 (see below), Eastleigh, 8th December. Image by Roger Homan.

66779 Evening Star leading 70805 + 66850 + 66848 as 0O41 into Eastleigh, 8th December. Image by Roger Homan.

Monday 11th December: 800105 5X80 13:23 Reading - Eastleigh one
Tuesday 12th December: 20118 + 37667 T+T ((+ 3330  to Reading for tyre turning) + 9479) 5Z20 10:07 Crewe - Eastleigh Flickr for the day; 800022 5X29 16:53 Eastleigh - Reading
Wednesday 13th December: 56081 (+ 458424) + 69008 5X73 07:22 Wembley - Bournemouth one two three, (+ 458504) 5Q57 15:11 Bournemouth - Eastleigh, then path of 5Q58 17:11 Bournemouth - Widnes Flickr for the day; 20118 + 37667 0Z20 10:38 Eastleigh - Reading (to collect 3330) Flickr for the day
Thursday 14th December: 47712 5Z30 12:48 Eastleigh - Southall (rake of carriages decorated for Christmas: 9513 + 5912 + 6046 + 1203 + 5366 + 13227 + 3438 + 9479 +5919 + 6173 including the three ex-DRS hired by LSL from ERS) Flickr for the day; 43013 + 43272 NMT 1X23 15:28 Salisbury - Southampton - Salisbury Flickr for the day
Friday 15th December:
Saturday 16th December:

The Mendip aggregates timetable recast has brought a new working to the South Coast TSSuX, and this operated on 4 days in the week. Flickr for the week

• 6O68 0911 Westbury Tarmac to Crawley Foster Yeoman
• 6V69 1831 Crawley Foster Yeoman to Merehead Quarry (Fhh)
  
  

"The Chester Christmas Cromptons", Romsey, 9th December 2023

(33207 Jim Martin + 33029) + 47826 T+T 1Z33 07:00 Eastleigh - Chester
9723 + 5239 + 5229 + 99316 + 3120 + Pullman 99351 SAPPHIRE + 3093 + 1861 + 5009 + 4998 running on air brake

The pair of Cromptons arrive for the Romsey stop.


A closer view, and a look at the Pathfinder Railtours 50 Years headboard.

Pullman Second Parlour SAPPHIRE 99351 (E351E), which was on the Mid-Hants Tailway 20 years ago.

Mk1 TSOP 4998 was (BRWolverton, Lot 30690, August 1962) was in the Riviera fleet until January 2023, and has received West Coast red colours. 5009 (same lot and date to traffic) beyond, was part of the same transaction, but still wears Riviera chocolate and cream.

47826 was on the rear of the train.

Locos at Eastleigh, 8th December 2023

 

70005 ran up early from Maritime, with 4M61 12:56 to Trafford Park (later cancelled from Basford Hall) and was held outside Eastleigh. 


70005 later seen departing from platform 1, all wagons running empty.


66796 The Green Progressor departing as 0V40 14:05 Eastleigh-Westbury.


Details of the nameplate.


70016 arriving with 4O49 09:36 Basford Hall - Maritime.

Dirty Royal Scotsman colours on 66743, leading 4M46 14:24 Western Docks - Trafford Park.

Locomotive Services ECS to Eastleigh Works, Eastleigh, 8th December 2023

47712 (+ 10411 + 3438 + 13227 + 5366 + 1203 + 5991 + 5912 + 9513) 5Z42 10:09 Crewe - Eastleigh

47712 Lady Diana Spencer approaching the station.

At 15:15, the light was starting to fade, with sunset formally about 16:00.

The first coach was InterCity Executive liveried 10411. Built at BREL Derby in 1977 as HST TRUK 40519, ;later Mk3a RFB 10200, then Buffet Standard 10411 for Greater Anglia, but now again upgraded as a First.

FK 13227 (BR Swindon, Lot 3038, 1959) is a rarer type on the mainline.

Ml2f BSO 9513 (BREL Derby, Lot 30861 , March 1974)

Steam Dreams from Southend, ECS to Eastleigh, 8th December 2023

 

45231 Sherwood Forester approaching Eastleigh with 5Z76 13:14 Winchester - Eastleigh.


LSL now have a Mk1 brake for steam duties, this is BFK 17013 (BR Swindon, Lot 30668, January 1962) which was outshopped from Eastleigh in March 2023.





47593 Galloway Princess on the rear.


45231 coming out of the T&RSMD after a run around the depot loop.

The train entered platform 3, where it reversed to save time, by avoiding the booked entry into the East Yard.

Eastleigh Works and T&RSMD, 8th December 2023

 

Carmine and cream unidentified Mk1 BSK. Dual heat, dual braked, B4 bogies. No CDL, so may be a support coach? UPDATE: After some feedback, and review of the writing under C1 and ETH3, this appears to be the 6024 support coach 35333, newly transferred from Commonwealth to B5 bogies, and repainted in carmine and cream, over a 2022 repaint in chocolate and cream.

37409 and 313201. 37409 brought in a rake of EWS liveried Mk2f coaches two days before, which can be seen beyond 37409.

08567 

Mk2f TSO 6046 once again has a number.


701525, delivered 1st December 701510 delivered 14th June.