Darlington North Road, 11th September 2019

North Road Station in Darlington is now the Head of Steam Museum, operated by Darlington Borough Council.

Two pictures of what was delivered by George Stephenson as Active, better known as Locomotion No. 1. Stephenson's locomotives were not the most reliable, and the Pease family, who financed the Stockton &Darlington Railway, considered reversion to horses to pull the coal trains. However, it fell to Timothy Hackworth to persuade them otherwise, he repaired the locomotives as Superintendent from 1825 - 1840, and introduced his own designs, the most fundamental of these being Royal George.

After retirement in 1841 Locomotion has been on tour as far as Philadelpia, PA, Chicago, IL and Paris, France. However today it is too fragile, and has been in North Road on display for 44 years.

North Road Station in Darlington, was built in 1842 by the Stockton & Darlington as passenger traffic became more important, to the in-house company design of John Harris, with later upper and end extensions. 

A few hundred yards away from North Road station, this is the Skerne Bridge, over the river of that name, the oldest operational railway bridge in the world. Designed by Ignatius Bonomi (1787 – 1870), the single span bridge is constructed of sandstone and comprises a large central arch with curving wing walls containing smaller pedestrian arches.

The sign from Stainmore Summit is in the museum. I visited the Stainmore Railway at Kirkby Stephen in 2013, although the main line diesels have been moved on, many to Wensleydale, and some now scrapped. The Stainmore Railway erected a replica sign at the summit in 2011.

“Train” (1997) by David Mach, located beside the A66 road, based upon Gresley’s A4. Funded by the National Lottery, Wm Morrison Supermarkets, Northern Arts, Department of National Heritage, Darlington Borough Council and headed by sculptor David Mach the project reputedly cost £760k. At the time of its unveiling in 1997 some questioned the project, and the cost, with one councillor saying Darlington "needed another model train like it needed a hole in the head". However, it is now regarded as a "much loved, landmark".

Pacers at Doncaster, 12th September 2019

The first withdrawn, on 12th August, was 142005, which incidentally I took a picture of last year. At that time, I would have anticipated that much of the fleet would be gone by now, this should proceed over the next four or five months.

In numerical order:

142024 2C61 08:30 Sheffield - Hull

142071 2C69 11:30 Sheffield - Hull.

142090 2C62 09:51 Hull - Sheffield.

142093 2C73 13:30 Sheffield - Hull.

142096 2R58 12:24 Adwick - Sheffield.

The Alexander units are expected to be withdrawn later than those from Leyland. 144003 2C71 12:30 Sheffield -Hull.

144008 2R45 09:06 Sheffield - Adwick.

Hitachi IEP trains at Doncaster, 12th September 2019

For LNER, all of the working units were in the 9 car bi-mode 800101 - 800113 series, and most were of the even numbered group, which have been seen at Eastleigh. All were on stopping services.

Trans-Pennine 802202 was running training duties for Hull Trains, between Hull and Peterborough.

In numerical order:

800102 1N83 11:06 Kings Cross -York.Noted at Eastleigh December - February.

800104 1A28 11:45 Leeds - Kings Cross. Noted at Eastleigh January - February. This unit performed the media launch duty in Scotland on 31st July.

800106 1A26 11:15 Leeds - Kings Cross. Noted at Eastleigh January - February.

800108 1D11 11:03 Kings Cross - Leeds. Noted at Eastleigh January- March.

800110 worked to Eastleigh on 15th.

800112 1D05 08:03 Kings Cross - Leeds. Not sent to Eastleigh.

800113 1D12 11:33 Kings Cross - Leeds. Not sent to Eastleigh.

Trans-Pennine 802202 5Z82 11:05 Peterborough - Hull (Hull Trains trainer). Noted at Eastleigh March - April.

16th - 21st September 2019

 47813 442402 47815 5Y87 09:40 Bournemouth - Eastleigh. Image by Ian Knight.

66711 remains on Eastleigh - Westbury duties, 6O41 10:14 from Westbury, passing Redbridge, 16th September. Image by Ian Knight.

60044 7V16 11:55 Fareham - Whatley, passing Dunbridge, 17th September.

59204 7V16 11:55 Fareham - Whatley, Romsey, 18th September. No word yet on the completion of sale for Class 59/2, but whispers suggest to a leasing company.

59005 KENNETH J PAINTER 7O40 13:35 Merehead - Eastleigh, passing Romsey, 20th September.

Sundat 15th September: 47813 + 47815 0O86 10:08 Leicester - Eastleigh one two
Monday 16th September: 47813 + 442418 + 47815 5Y86 06:15 Eastleigh - Bournemouth one two, 47813 + 442402 (minus motor car) + 47815 5Y87 09:40 Bournemouth - Eastleigh one two three four five
Tuesday 17th September: 47813 + 47815 0Y86 06:13 Eastleigh - Bournemouth one two, 47813 + 442422 + 47815 5Q87 09:40 Bournemouth - Eastleigh one two three four five; 60044 7O35 05:00 Westbury - Fareham, 6V16 11:55 Fareham - Whatley one two three four five six seven
Wednesday 18th September:
Thursday 19th September: 800110 5X82 09:16 Eastleigh - Acton one
Friday 20th September: 47813 + 442409 ?? + 47815 5Y86 06:15 Eastleigh - Bournemouth. 0M59 08:34 Bournemouth - Leicester one two three; 800113 5X41 14:17 Acton - Eastleigh one two three
Saturday 21st September: 

Class 484 – trains for the Isle of Wight & On the Wight

37602, currently on stands inside Eastleigh Works, for repairs to wheelsets, has been stored by DRS, along with 37606 and 57007, with similar wheelset issues.

Mendip Rail operational transition is expected on Sunday 3rd November.

Eastleigh Works: 27Aug - 28Aug - 29Aug

LNER HSTs at Doncaster, 12th September 2019

These now 40 year old trains are not compliant with the new access requirements, although there could be a short term derogation into the early months of 2020. Meanwhile they still run all of the Anglo-Scottish trains which proceed to destinations beyond Edinburgh.

I have checked, and I have seen all of the 32 LNER power cars, and all multiple times in the past decade, many further back to some 40 years ago.

A selection in numerical order:

43206 approaches with 1D13 12:03 Kings Cross - Leeds. The oldest LNER power car, new as 43006 in May 1976 for the GWML introduction.

43272 (December 1977) passes through with 1E05 0730 Edinburgh - Kings Cross.

43274 Spirit of Sunderland (December 1977) passes with 1W11 10:00 Kings Cross - Aberdeen.

43302 (October 1978) departs with 1Y84 12:02 York - Kings Cross.

43313 (February 1979) rolls north on the rear of 1D13 12:03 Kings Cross - Leeds.

43315 (March 1979) speeds through with 1E09 09:30 Edinburgh - Kings Cross.

Someone is flushing the toilet, these coaches do not have retention tanks, as 43316 speeds towards the horizon on the rear of 1E05 07:30 Edinburgh - Kings Cross. This power car (March 1979) took me to Arbroath 6 days beforehand.

Class 91 locomotives at Doncaster, 12th September 2019

91108 was the first withdrawn, and was visible possibly awaiting collection for disposal - it was moved on 17th. 91103 was withdrawn on 28th August, and is providing spares at Bounds Green. LNER have tweeted that 91117 and 91120 will be next, planned for withdrawal on Wednesday 25th September.

In just over 5 hours from 09:00 to 14:00 I observed 19 of the class of 31 locomotives, including withdrawn 91108. Unfortunately 91119 is still the one I believe that I need to see, and seems to have been out of traffic for a few weeks, returned to traffic by 17th September.

A selection in numerical order:

91101 FLYING SCOTSMAN 1S12 10:30 Kings Cross - Edinburgh. First in class, new in April 1988.

91102 City of York 1D10 10:33 Kings Cross - Leeds.

91108 lies withdrawn outside Wabtec's facility. New in July 1988.

91111 For the Fallen 1N08 08:30  Kings Cross - Newcastle. New to traffic in February 1990.

On the current hit list, 91117 WEST RIDING LIMITED, new in July 1990, departs pushing 1E10 10:00 Edinburgh - Kings Cross.

91121 wearing a Trainbow scheme arrives with 1D08 09:33 Kings Cross - Leeds. New in September 1990.

91128 INTERCITY 50, new in December 1990, arriving with 1S13 1100 Kings Cross - Edinburgh. 

91129 was out of traffic since late July, but came up to Wabtec from Bounds Green for weighing prior to return to service. This example was new in January 1991.

A rear cab view of 91129.

91132 has a "Time to Change" mental health awareness scheme. New as 91023 in September 1990,  here seen pushing 1E08 09:00 Edinburgh - Kings Cross.

Class 56 locomotives at Doncaster, 12th September 2019

First selection of a one-day series from Doncaster.

56094 leads 6C85 05:23 Kildale - Doncaster Up Decoy through the station. 

56113 on the rear. Further pictures of this train one two three four five.

56049 Robin of Templecombe + 56087 6S31 09:44 Doncaster Up Decoy - Millerhill S.S. Further pictures: one two.

56103 + 56091 of DCR were parked in the West Yard.

A seventh Class 56, 56078, was recorded later in the same day.