Two "High Speed Trains" in semi-retirement, 10th October 2023

 

60103 Flying Scotsman, near Hillend, between Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, with 1Z23 09:41 Edinburgh - Aberdeen.


Rather closer to the camera. A1 and A3s were first seen in these parts in the 1920s.


Running through Dalgety Bay station.

Both former East Coast power-cars, 43274 (above) and 43277 Safety Task Force (below), ran through Aberdour with 1Q26 13:45 Edinburgh - Slateford Depot

60103 'Flying Scotsman', Saturday 1st June 2019

60103 Flying Scotsman 
1Z04 15:03 Salisbury - Eastleigh Signal E97
1Z05 16:36 Eastleigh Signal E97 - Salisbury

 Three pictures are at Crampmoor between Chandler's Ford and Romsey.

Earlier, approaching Redbridge. Image by Ian Knight.

Watercress Line Diesel Gala, 20th October 2017

55002 (D9002) had what I understand was an AWS related fault. The part was in delivery but went to Alresford, Essex by mistake, 55002 managed to play a part in the gala by borrowing the equivalent from D6700 later in the day. All is now reported sorted on both locomotives for Saturday 21st.

A larger set appears on OneDrive.

 2H 1125 at Ropley.

 03197 at Alton with a Queen Mary brakevan shuttle. From late 1960s to mid 70s this was a SR loco, and was fitted with raised brake pipes for emu compatibility.

 33053 at Ropley.

 50027 Lion at Alton.

 Repaired D9002 (55002) King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry preparing to join a train at Ropley.

D6700 (37119, 37350) at Medstead.

Deltics on the Bluebell Railway, 7th October 2017

The Deltic Preservation Society 40th Anniversary event at the Bluebell Railway - all Deltic operations for 3 days. It is strange to realise that the Deltics were just over 20 years in daily service, and now more than 35 years in preservation - which can be challenging, as 55022's current repair illustrates, as does a pending engine repair for 55002.

55009 is due to run to Swanage on 21st October.

A full set including steam locomotives and 32424 the Brighton Atlantic is posted on OneDrive.

Further coverage from other photographers.

At the start of the day D9009 (55009) Alycidon is moving the empty stock from the carriage sidings at Sheffield Park. 

55019 Royal Highland Fusilier arriving at East Grinstead.

D9002 (55002) King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry departs from Horsted Keynes in autumn colours.

D9009 approaching Horsted Keynes from Kingscote. There is almost an ECML feel to this picture.

DPS Deltics 55019 and D9009 meeting at Horsted Keynes.

55019 arriving at Kingscote from East Grinstead.

D9002 awaits the off at Sheffield Park at 16:05.

Focus on Flying Scotsman in Fife, 14th May 2017

60103 Flying Scotsman amongst the girders of the Forth Bridge, with the evening circular tour from Edinburgh.

A retro look for this pass of the lunchtime train through Inverkeithing, at that time running 21 minutes early.

60103 on the approach viaduct over North Queensferry.

Earlier in the day 37518 passes through Inverkeithing with 5Z90 09:14 Thornton Yard - Bo'ness.

Didcot Diesel Gala 25th May 2014 - Locomotive Profile: D6700

The original Class 37 locomotive D6700, part of a a first order of 42 locomotives, placed in January 1959. Delivered from English Electric - Vulcan Foundry in November 1960, just when the first Deltics were under construction, with which they shared a common bogie design, and entered traffic on 2nd December.

Renumbered 37119 in February 1974, and then 37350 in March 1988 following repair at Crewe. The latter renumbering was to indicate that it was riding on CP7 bogies,  which were of cast variant, geared to 80mph and equivalent to those on the refurbished locomotives. My first sighting of the locomotive was in this condition at an open event at Merehead on 25th June 1989.

Withdrawn in December 1999, and to the collection of the National Railway Museum. Now again running on the original fabricated bogies.

 On the running line.

On shed.

Rather like the front page of an Ian Allan ABC.....

Didcot Diesel Gala 25th May 2014 - Locomotive Profile: 41001

41001 was completed at Crewe in June 1972 as the first prototype HST power car, achieving a then world diesel train speed record of 143mph on 12th June 1973. Later renumbered 43000 and withdrawn in February 1977, after which it spent some time in departmental usage as ADB975812 before passing into the National Collectionb in 1985.

Of late the car has benefited from Project Miller, which has installed a working Paxman Valenta power unit (S508) into the power car.

Since its visit to Didcot, the power car has been moved to the GCR(N) where it has moved under its own power, making a loaded test run.

Cab visits were possible in true 'Open Day' style.

Looking good enough for a BR publicity picture.

Main line power line up - Brush-Sulzer Type 4, English Electric 'Deltic' and HST power car.

The video is mainly to share the Valenta sound.

The legacy: the first production power car 43002 passed by Didcot, new to traffic from Crewe in February 1976. The HST is 38 years old, and the A4 in the background is 77, but with only 29 years in normal traffic.

There is an interesting article on the earlier service experience with the Valenta and HST in Modern Railways from March 1979. This was the thin, low page number, edition from the worst period of the 'Winter of Discontent' but I bought it anyway on the strength of the article. Also looking at reliability issues is  HSTs at Work by Ford and Perren (Ian Allan, 1988) .

Didcot Diesel Gala 25th May 2014 - Locomotive Profile: 55002

D9002 was delivered to BR service on 9th March 1961, and was a North Eastern Region locomotive, allocated to 52A Gateshead, later transferred to York in May 1979. It was named King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at York on 4th April 1963. It had a Heavy General Repair at Doncaster between March and November 1976. Last in traffic on 30th December 1981 and withdrawn on 2nd January 1982, after it was immediately preserved at the NRM.

 55002 is still running on cast bogies. BR reclaimed the cast bogies from the other preserved Delitics and substituted prefabricated bogies, coming from Class 37's which share the same design. The crane in the background is LMS RS 1054, later ADRC 95204 which was allocated to Haymarket for a number of years, so the two were often alongside in BR days.

Outside Didcot Shed with HST prototype power car alongside.

Preparing to enter the running line.

Waiting at the gate.

55002 at Haymarket on 27th February 1980, when allocated to York, but before the repaint in October of that year. 40077 in the background. 55002 had worked north on 1S12 05:50 Kings's Cross - Aberdeen as far as Edinburgh, and later worked south on 1E42 23:15 Edinburgh - King's Cross "Night Scotsman" sleeper. At this time this was a regular Deltic diagram with layover at Haymarket, less intensive work as HST's took over the leading duties.

Much, but not all of 55002 - it was an Instamatic, it was all in the viewfinder. 46050 was adjacent. I first noted 55022 on 16th October 1978 at this location.