43. Fast line diverts-23.06.18

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2018 > 43. Fast line diverts-23.06.18
It all started off so simply! I went out on a lovely summer morning to see yet another Cumbrian Mountain Express but I got my times wrong and had missed it. However, as I arrived at Victoria Bridge it soon became clear that something was amiss. There was very little traffic on the up and down slow lines. A quick look at Open Train Times revealed both lines were blocked between Northampton and Rugby. The London NorthWestern website confirmed the closure "due a police incident" close to the line. Quick thinking signalling planners then went into action and pathed the freights on the Weedon Loop (fast lines) with many of the London NorthWestern trains merely missing out their Northampton and Long Buckby stops. The interesting move though was the 5Q94 unit drag. The light engine 37 came around the Weedon Loop to Milton Keynes. Here it reversed back to Northampton to collect the class 350 from the Kingsheath Depot. Then it headed south to Bletchley Carriage Sidings where it ran round. Finally, it headed back around the loop again to continue its journey to Long Marston where it eventually arrived some 106 minutes late.
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Images 1-18 of 18 displayed.

390039, VT 07.03 London Euston-Birmingham New Street (9G04, 2L), Victoria Bridge This 'flying silk' livery looks smart in seeking to copy the livery of the 800s set to join the ECML next year (but ironically not in this livery since the state takeover...hoorah!). But it does reveal how small the windows are on Pendelinos. 390039 passes Victoria Bridge on a glorious summer morning with the 07.03 London Euston to Birmingham New Street. This was one of the services that avoided the huge delays caused by the closure of the Northampton loop line. Keywords: 390039 9G04 Victoria Bridge
37611, 05.29 Leicester-Northampton EMD LE (Via Weedon Loop, reverse at CMK),Victoria Bridge This is not a sight that is seen very often! Rail Operations Group 37611 'Pegasus' runs on the up fast line past Victoria Bridge in Northamptonshire. This is the 05.29 Leicester to Northampton EMD light engine movement in order to collect a London Northwestern class 350 to take it to Long Marston. However, because the Northampton line was closed north of the town, this move came along the Weedon Loop as far as Milton Keynes where it reversed. Keywords: 37611 05.29 Leicester-Northampton EMD LE Victoria Bridge
350123, 350373 & 350108, LN unidentified Birmingham New Street working, Victoria Bridge An unidentified twelve-car class 350 formation heads down the fast line at Victoria Bridge. The train was an unidentified working as it was diverted via the Weedon Loop due to the emergency closure of the line between Northampton and Rugby because of what was euphemistically described as an 'incident' near to the line. Keywords: 350123 350373 350108 Victoria Bridge
390011, VT 06.45 Wolverhampton-Lodon Euston (1B04, 10L), Victoria Bridge In its new 'flying silk' livery, 390011 'City of Lichfield' heads past Victoria Bridge between Northampton and Milton Keynes working the 06.45 Wolverhampton to London Euston. This arrived 10 minutes late at its destination, a delay that was much less than many on this morning due to the closure of the Northampton line. Keywords: 390011 1B04 Victoria Bridge
66533, 02.57 Felixstowe North-Garston FLT (4M45) on the down fast, Victoria Bridge Due to the closure of the loop line between Northampton and Rugby because of an 'incident' signallers at control had to make some rapid decisions. As freights were already pouring into the area from all directions, they had to keep them moving with nowhere suitable to loop them all. So, in an unusual step, they pathed the various freights in between normal service trains on the up and down fast Weedon lines. 66533 'Senator Express' hauling the 02.57 Felixstowe to North Garston Freightliner was one of the freights that was permitted to take the down fast at its maximum speed of 70mph. This meant that various Pendolinos, with a permitted line speed of 110mph, were stacked up behind it running on cautions all the way to Rugby. Most carried these consequential delays all the way to their destinations. Keywords: 66533 02.57 Felixstowe North-Garston FLT 4M45 Victoria Bridge
350122, 350258 & 350102, LN unidentified up working, Victoria Bridge Due to the closure of the line north of Northampton because of an 'incident' no through trains were running through to Long Buckby and Rugby. However, London Northwestern were able to operate some trains starting from Northampton to Euston when a train crew and stock became available. No reporting number for this three-unit formation made up of 350122. 350258 and 350102 but it was packed with passengers so would have been heading for London here, passing Victoria Bridge near Roade. Keywords: 350122 350258 350102 unidentified up working Victoria Bridge
390107, VT 07.30 London Euston-Glasgow Central (1S52, 52L), Victoria Bridge Running at fraction of the permitted line speed past Victoria Bridge, 390107 'Independence Day Resurgence' works the 1S52 07.30 London Euston to Glasgow Central. It was running on cautions all the way to Rugby as it was following a diverted Garston Freightliner working. This delay, and more problems further north, resulted in this service arriving into Glasgow some 52 minutes late. Keywords: 390107 1S52 Victoria Bridge
66504, 05.28 London Gateway-Lawley Street FLT, on the down fast, Victoria Bridge Some fifteen minutes after control let the Felixstowe to Garston Freightliner through to Weedon line to Rugby they allowed 66504 to take the 05.28 London Gateway to Lawley Street through. This happened as the usual route was closed between Northampton and Rugby due to an emergency. The Weedon line was now full to bursting with workings mostly running on cautions and creeping along behind the freights with their 70mph maximum speed. A generally difficult few hours for signallers, control, operators, staff and, most of all, passengers! Keywords: 66504 05.28 London Gateway-Lawley Street FLT Victoria Bridge
37611, 05.29 Leicester Northampton EMD LE (Via Weedon loop, reverse at CMK), Victoria Bridge Some four hours after it left Leicester, 37611 'Pegasus' is approaching its destination! Due to the closure of the line between Northampton and Rugby the 05.29 Leicester to Northampton EMD light engine working has run south via the fast to Milton Keynes where it reversed and headed back to Northampton as shown here passing Victoria Bridge. It was to collect a class 350 from the Kingsheath Depot for London Northwestern and take it Long Marston for scheduled body repairs. Just an aside, this circuitous route could have been avoided if the 1981 closed Market Harborough to Northampton line had remained open. Not ever a line that is likely to be considered for re-opening, but it's a thought! Keywords: 37611 05.29 Leicester Northampton EMD LE Victoria Bridge
66569, 05.47 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North (4L97), Victoria Bridge 66569 brings the 4L97 05.47 Trafford Park to Felixstowe Freightliner past Victoria Bridge just south of Roade. The eagle-eyed almost you will spot that it's on the up fast having travelled via the Weedon loop. All trains were being diverted to use this route as the Northampton line was closed due to an 'emergency incident' somewhere north of the town. As would be expected, on a busy Saturday morning, this and many other diversions, created a challenge for control and caused many minutes of delays to all services. Keywords: 66569 05.47 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North 4L97 Victoria Bridge
86604 & 86610, 22.09 Coatbridge-Felixstowe North (4L89), on the up fast, Victoria Bridge I suspect that as 86004 and 86010 (later to become 86404 and 86410) these two vintage machines had traversed this line many times during their earlier career when hauling West Coast express passenger trains. The vintage 86s are seen leading the overnight 4L89 22.09 Coatbridge to Felixstowe Freightliner past Victoria Bridge near to Roade in Northamptonshire on the up fast via the Weedon loop. They will have been doing this at considerably less than their previous 110mph maximum speed when they were frontline locomotives on the WCML. They were diverted because of the emergency closure of the Northampton to Rugby line. Keywords: 86604 86610 22.09 Coatbridge-Felixstowe North 4L89 Victoria Bridge
350247, LN 10.00 Coventry-London Euston (1W08, 1L), diverted on the up fast, Roade Cutting It's not out of the ordinary to see a class 350 passing through Roade Cutting but forming this particular service is unusual. Due to the emergency closure of the line between Northampton and Rugby train planners had to make some quick decisions. One was to create this 10.00 Coventry to London Euston (via the Weedon loop) working. It obviously missed out its Long Buckby and Northampton stops and arrived in London only one minute late. It is unfortunate that this incident occurred on this particular day as there were many extra passengers who were travelling to London to attend the anti-BREXIT demonstration, as my mum and her partner did. Keywords: 350247 1W08 Roade Cutting
Class 221, VT 09.50 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1B12, 17L), Roade Cutting Identifying class 221 Voyagers from this lofty position is impossible. The only way is if it's a named example and even then if the nameplate can be snapped as the train passes. Here, the heavily delayed 09.50 form Birmingham New Street to London Euston passes through Roade Cutting. It had been caught behind a number of trains that that were running on caution following the passage of a 70mph Freightliner along the up fast. This was because the Northampton line was closed northwards towards Rugby. Keywords: Class 221 1B12 Roade Cutting
66411, 08.25 Crewe Basford Hall-Felixstowe North (4L93), Roade Cutting Control allowed this 70mph restricted Freightliner working to use the up fast Weedon loop line as the usual route between Rugby and Northampton was closed due to an 'emergency incident'. 66411 leads the 4L93 08.25 Crewe Basford Hall to Felixstowe Freightliner through Roade Cutting. Ironically, whilst most of the passenger workings experienced heavy delays, the freights did not do too badly, having so much slack built into their paths! Keywords: 66411 08.25 Crewe Basford Hall-Felixstowe North 4L93 Roade Cutting
66564, 08.30 Lawley Street-Felixstowe North, Roade Cutting Yet another freight passes through the impressive Roade Cutting on the up fast. This time, it's the 08.30 Lawley Street to Felixstowe North Freightliner. At its limited speed of 70mph it was holding up the passenger workings behind, there were many, all running on cuations by this time. The diversion was because the Northampton line was closed for an 'emergency incident'. Keywords: 66564 08.30 Lawley Street-Felixstowe North Roade Cutting
390124, VT 11.03 London Euston-Birmingham New Street (9G13, 16L), Roade Cutting High summer in Roade Cutting! Almonst the lush greeery of the magnificant Roade Cutting 390124 'Virgin Venturer' works the 11.03 London Euston to Birmingham New Street. Keywords: 390124 9G13 Roade Cutting
Class 221, VT 11.10 London Euston-Chester (1D85, 1L), Roade Cutting An unidentified class 221 works the 11.10 London Euston to Chester through the grandeur that is Roade Cutting. This picture makes you realise the shear size of this engineering project that was completed by the London and Birmingham Railway in 1838 Keywords: Class 221 1D85 Roade Cutting
37 611 & 350256, 08.55 Northampton EMD-Long Marston (5Q94) (Via Weedon Loop, run round at Bletchley CS), Roade Cutting 37611'Pegasus' tows 350256 through Roade Cutting on the down fast meaning that it is going to take the Weedon loop line to Rugby and beyond. The 08.55 Northampton EMD to Long Marston is on the down fast (and running very late by this stage) as it had gone south to Bletchley where the 37 ran round to take the unit north again. This strange movement was because the Northampton line was closed north of the town. Incidentally, the class 350 was being taken to Long Marston for corrosion repairs, a process that every class 350 was going through over the period of a few months. Keywords: 37 611 & 350 256, 08.55 Northampton EMD-Long Marston (5Q94) (Via Weedon Loop, run round at Bletchley CS), Roade Cutting

Images 1-18 of 18 displayed.