Appleby East & West, 31st August 2013

 

Appleby East station building is maintained and in use as part of scrap yard complex, which rather litters the platform, running line and yard. No train has passed this way since the late 1980s, but the Eden Valley Railway has hopes of eventually running to here.

 Appleby North signalbox of 1951. The FoSCL believe that the boxes will stop being used around 2020.

Appleby West station on the Settle & Carlisle Railway. The bridge was moved from Mansfield in 1901.

4979 Wootton Hall at the Appleby Heritage Centre, with the water tower and tank on the Settle & Carlisle line.

158817 draws into Appleby with a Leeds - Carlisle working.

Appleby East (Eden Valley Railway) one two

Appleby West (Settle & Carlisle) one

2nd - 7th September 2013

 D1015 Western Champion on its first full main line tour since repairs, passing Redbridge, 7th September.

A further angle on Western Champion.

70019 at Maritime, having returned from Wentloog.

Monday 2nd September: 47749 6Z30 16:53 Westbury - Eastleigh one two three four, 0Z31 20:12 Westbury - Eastleigh
Tuesday 3rd September: 60045 + 67028 DIT 6O15 08:27 Didcot - Eastleigh one two , 60045 6B43 09:39 Eastleigh - Western Docks, 6B44 12:07 Western Docks - Eastleigh one two three, 6V41 14:45 Eastleigh - Westbury, 70017 Eastleigh Works - Maritime, 47749 6Z30 16:53 Westbury - Eastleigh one two, 6Z31 20:12 Westbury - Eastleigh
Wednesday 4th September: 70013 + 47245 1Z67 08:44 Victoria - Weymouth one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven, 1Z69 16:35 Weymouth - Southampton - Laverstock - Waterloo one two three , 60045 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh one two three four five, 6V41 14:45 Eastleigh - Westbury one two
Thursday 5th September: 57007 + 47790 + 47853 5Z71 09:51 Willesden Brent - Eastleigh one two three four five, 57002 5Z70 14:20 Eastleigh - Crewe one two three, 60049 + 60045 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh one two three four five six, 66204 + 66005 + 60045 6V41 14:45 Eastleigh - Westbury
Friday 6th September: 60045 6O41 10:14 Westbury - Eastleigh, 6V41 14:45 Eastleigh - Westbury, 67020 1Y91 11:42 Victoria - Hove, 47749 0Z47 11:34 Eastleigh - Westbury, 47749 + 66850 0Z66 13:34 Eastleigh - Westbury
Saturday 7th September: D1015 1Z53 15:36 Weymouth - Leicester one two three four

70001 returned to service on 2nd September, 70017 on the 6th September.

Freight trains in Fife - rare things these days

The only regular freight train on the main line through Fife is 6B32 15:52 Aberdeen Craiginches to LaFarge Oxwellmains (near Dunbar) cement empties. The northbound working operates via Stirling and Perth, thus avoiding the Forth and Tay Bridges, but the empties are permitted to cross them.

66622 runs though Aberdour, 20th August.

Running less frequently, and usually now a Colas 66 turn, is the Linkswood tanks, to supply aviation fuel to RAF Leuchars, scheduled for closure in 2014 as a fighter base. The outbound working is from Grangemouth, via Stirling, Perth & Dundee (run around) to Linkswood. Return is via Ladybank, Thornton, Dunfermline, Alloa & Stirling to Grangemouth. The surprise on 23rd August was that 56105 was on the turn - and this has repeated several times in the past two weeks.

At this point the train was slowing and stopped at Charlestown Jct, where events took a strange twist. The now little used points for the line to Longannet had a problem, and a decision was made to send the train once around the Fife Circle before a successful second attempt about an hour later. 

Running through Dunfermline Town.

66617 is in charge of 6B32 on 27th August, with additional ferryvans.

Fife Circle Diesel Hauled, August 2013

2K14 18:15 Glenrothes with Thornton - Edinburgh

67022 arriving at Aberdour,Tuesday 20th August.

One week later, it is still 67022. although the weather is brighter.

Coach 5632 shows signs of corrosion around the windows. Overall the rake looks worn.

DB Schenker Mk2 AC rake 5954 + 6110 + 5657 + 9522 + 5632 + 5631

Four Whistlers - 4th & 6th July 2013

Presented in numerical order in the D200 series.

D200 (40122) in an annex of the NRM, 4th July. New in March 1958 from English Electric / Vulcan Foundry. Repainted at Stratford prior to final withdrawal in April 1988.

D212 Aureol is receiving bogie attention, and is seen on jacks at Barrow Hill. Class 40 bogie cracks were a very common reason for works attention in years past. D212 was new in May 1959, and was withdrawn in February 1985. It was reinstated as 97407 in May 1985 for restricted work around the Crewe blockade, and withdrawn again in April 1986 as one of the last survivors of the class. 

At the turntable at Barrow Hill is D213 new in June 1959, and withdrawn in January 1985.

Looking splendid in the sunshine is newly overhauled 345 of the Class 40 Preservation Society, following generator and other repairs. Some work on fuel pumps and injectors is still required. New in May 1961, and withdrawn in June 1983, following derailment damage.

The Royal Scotsman, 20th August 2013

1H89 13:43 Edinburgh - Boat of Garten

47854 Diamond Jubilee passing through Cowdenbeath station. The locomotive's first run after some engine repairs at the Strathspey Railway.

Closer to the camera as 47854 starts into the gradient out of the station

Dining Car No. 2 is now newly restored 99960 (formerly 321 Swift), having replaced 1999, the former LNER General Manager's Saloon, which was proving difficult to maintain.

Diesel Running Evening at Bo'ness, 24th August 2013

Four trips were performed from Bo'ness by SRPS Diesel Group, picking up visitor 56105 at Manuel on the first one. 37401 remains under repair, now receiving extensive body attention. Some further pictures on SkyDrive.

56105 runs around after its first arrival at Bo'ness, with 26038 in use for brake translation.

56105 runs around at Manuel.

56105 needed to take fuel, so missed the third departure, which was led by 26038. This had to run around at Manuel following problems with 47643 on the other end.