2. Trip to Worcester-afternoon

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2017 > 10. Trip to Birmingham-12 & 13.03.17 > 1. Journey there & trip to Worcester-12.03.17 > 2. Trip to Worcester-afternoon
I left my wife and son spending our earnings in Birmingham and went to Worcester to sample again the magnificent GW signalling.
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Images 1-29 of 29 displayed.

170630, LM 12.49 Birmingham New Street-Hereford (1V27, 2L), Birmingham New Street station Just poking its nose out of the gloom at New Street is 170630. I was about to board this train working the 12.49 to Hereford as far as far as Droitwich. These class 170s have been good since their introduction in 1998 but I still have reservations about their ride and comfort, a bottle of water or a cup of coffee tend to froth and migrate their way across the table when the train is running at speed! Keywords: 170630 1V27 Birmingham New Street station
170630, LM 12.49 Birmingham New Street-Hereford (1V27, 2L), 170111, stabled & class 323, LM 11.46 Four Oaks-Longbridge (2N38), Birmingham New Street station Cross Country 170111 stands stabled in the middle road at Birmingham New Street station. An unidentified class 323 is just leaving working the 2N38 11.46 Four Oaks to Longbridge. Despite the 'improvements' to the station, I still find the platform level at New Street oppressive and dark. Keywords: 170630 1V27 170111, stabled class 323 2N38 Birmingham New Street station
350374, LM 12.36 Birmingham New Street-Liverpool-Lime Street (1F43, RT), Birmingham New Street station London Midland 350374 waits in the bay platform at New Street to work the 12.36 to Liverpool Lime Street. A class 390 Pendolino waits in the adjacent platform. Keywords: 350374 1F43 Birmingham New Street station
323220, LM 12.02 Longbridge-Lichfield Trent Valley (2P38, RT), Birmingham New Street station 323220 arrives into New Street working the 13.o2 Longbridge to Lichfield Trent Valley. These 323s have gone bout their business successfully since the early 1990s. They were built by Hunslet in Leeds between 1992 and 1993. Keywords: 323220 2P38 Birmingham New Street station
158838, AW 12.09 Birmingham International-Aberystwyth & Pwllheli (1J15 & 2J15, RT), Birmingham New Street Station 158838 leaves New Street working the 12.09 Birmingham International to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. This two unit train splits at Machynlleth. Keywords: 158838 1J15 2J15 Birmingham New Street Station
221136, XC 11.00 Bristol Temple Meads-Manchester Piccadilly (1M37, RT), Birmingham New Street station Security personal patrol larger stations (and many smaller ones) as can be seen in this picture at Birmingham New Street. Even though this particular security operative did not bother me, on another occasion whilst waiting for a train I photographed a 350 and was told 'you can't take pictures on this station (Birmingham)'. I pointed out a person nearby who had her mobile out and was taking a picture of her friends; I was told 'that's different'! I did not get an explantation as to how that was the case! 221136 arrives working the 11.00 Bristol Temple Meads to Manchester Piccadilly the 1M37. Keywords: 221136 1M37 Birmingham New Street station
170398, XC 11.10 Nottingham-Cardiff Central (1V08, 7L), Birmingham New Street station 170398 leaves New Street with the 11.10 Nottingham to Cardiff Central. Despite Birmingham New Street having had an extensive re-build there is still vast amounts of its previous re-construction in the 1960s in evidence. This bridge parapet has not weathered particularly well but I suppose that's characteristic of most of the brutalist style! Keywords: 170398 1V08 Birmingham New Street station
323201, LM 11.55 Reddich-Lichfiled City (2L39, 3L), Birmingham New Street station 323201 arrives into Birmingham New Street with the cross-city 11.55 Redditch to Lichfield City. Keywords: 323201 2L39 Birmingham New Street station
170630, LM 12.49 Birmingham New Street-Hereford (1V27, 2L), Droitwich station 170630 leaves Droitwich Spa having been given the road by the box pulling off the up starter. I had travelled on this service from Birmingham New Street. Keywords: 170630, LM 12.49 Birmingham New Street-Hereford (1V27, 2L), Droitwich station
172335, LM 13.17 Worcester Shrub Hill-Dorridge (2C42, RT), Droitwich station The new order at Droitwich Spa station. 172335 arrives working the 13.17 Worcester Shrub Hill to Dorridge. These particular sub-class were built with cab end connecting doors. This has completely changed their 'look', with them being similar to the Electrostars. Keywords: 172335 2C42 Droitwich station
172335, LM 13.17 Worcester Shrub Hill-Dorridge (2C42, RT), Droitwich station 175335 leads Droitwich Spa station and is about to take the 'Dark Side' line up through Kidderminster and Stourbridge working the 13.17 Worcester Shrub Hill to Dorridge. To the left is Droitwich's superb splitting centre-pivot down starter signal. The arm to the left guards the down goods loop. Keywords: 172335 2C42 Droitwich station
172220, LM 12.19 Whitlocks End-Worcester Shrub Hill (2V26, 2E), Droitwich station I had a short wait at Droitwich Spa station for my train to Worcester Shrub Hill to arrive. 172220 draws into the station forming the 12.19 from Whitlocks End. I just love the Great Western splitting centre-pivot signal that is a remarkable survival on the down platform. Keywords: 172220 2V26 Droitwich station
172220, running round, Worcester Shrub Hill station 172220, having completed its journey from Whitlocks End, runs round at Worcester Shrub Hill station. To the left is the centre-pivoted up platform starter signal that once had a lower arm distant for Wylds Lane Junction just up in the distance. The signal box is actually quite late being a Type 11 of 1935 vintage. The construction of the ugly communications mast has spoilt this view somewhat. Keywords: 172220 Worcester Shrub Hill station
166210, GW 11.21 London Paddington-Great Malvern (1W29), Worcester Shrub Hill station I am not at all sure that these 'Turbos' are entirely suited to do a journey that this one is close to completing? 166210 arrives into Worcester Shrub Hill station working the 11.21 Paddington to Great Malvern 1W29 service. I am also not at all sure that this GW livery is the best? Not only are they difficult to photograph well but they do look a little drab in most light, a flash or lining could improve their look perhaps? Keywords: 166210 1W29 Worcester Shrub Hill station
Renovated waiting rooms, Worcester Shrub Hill station The waiting rooms on the up platform at Shrub Hill have been very carefully renovated, Here they look very smart, the Railway Heritage trust and Network Rail have done a smashing job to preserve another part of our railway history.
Notice, Worcester Shrub Hill station A notice attached to the wall next to the restored up waiting rooms on Worcester Shrub Hill station.
Down starter 3-way splitting bracket signal & down starter with route indicator, Worcester Shrub Hill station Worcester Shrub Hill's down starter 3-way splitting bracket signal, SH78, with fixed distant arms and the down starter, SH77. Just lower down SH77's post is also a route indicator that can indicate for Birmingham or Hereford. All of this is a remarkable survivor of another age of railways. Keywords: Down starter 3-way splitting bracket signal down starter with route indicator Worcester Shrub Hill station
158959, GW 09.00 Brighton-Great Malvern (1V94, RT), Worcester Shrub Hill station 158959 eases into Worcester Shrub Hill past the signal box forming the 09.00 Brighton to Great Malvern service. I am not at all sure that I would want to complete this journey in its entirety on a 158 unit? The disused bay platform can be seen in the foreground. The up starter SH10 can be seen along with the disc signal used for movement from the down platform back into the long siding. Keywords: 158959 1V94 Worcester Shrub Hill station
158959, GW 09.00 Brighton-Great Malvern(1V94, RT), Worcester Shrub Hill station 158959 has the road as indicated by the banjo signal SH80. This is the only operating banjo on the network and one of three that Worcester once had. They are used where sighting and room is limited. The smaller banjo below inscribed as CO is for calling on. I took this train, the 09.00 Brighton to Great Malvern, as far as Worcester Foregate Street. Keywords: 158959 1V94 Worcester Shrub Hill station
170501 & 170505, LM 13.39 Hereford-Birmingham New Street (1M67, RT), Worcester Foregate Street station A busy scene at Worcester Foregate Street station sees 170501 and 170505 about to leave with the 13.39 Hereford to Birmingham new Street working. Keywords: 170501 170505 1M67 Worcester Foregate Street station
170633, LM 13.49 Birmingham New Street-Hereford (1V28, 1E), Worcester Foregate Street station London Midland's 170633 runs down the grade into Worcester Foregate Street station as the 1V28 13.49 Birmingham to Hereford. It has just passed two sets of signals controlled by different boxes. The one to the left is TU20 and acts as the up starter from Foregate Street controlled by Tunnel Junction and is for Birmingham trains. The bracket to the right is HK5 controlled by Henwick box and is the up starter for trains towards Shrub Hill the fixed distant for which is below the home. Given the distance that TU20 and HK5 are from their respective boxes, they are both motorised. Keywords: 170633 1V28 Worcester Foregate Street station
Worcester Foregate Street railway bridge Looking down Foregate Street in Worcester at the 1860 GWR bridge. It has a had a lot of recent work carried out and has been tastefully restored. This was carried out by Network Rail in 2013 and cost over one million pounds!
166210, GW 14.34 Great Malvern-London Paddington (1P61, 7L), Worcester Foregate Street station 166210, having run to Great Malvern earlier, is now seen returning working the 1P61 14.34 to London Paddington. Just before Henwick crossing, about a mile west from Foregate Street, the unit will have crossed from the up line onto the down. It arrives into the station looking as if it's running wrong-line. It will then run up to Shrub Hill before returning back to the up line again. Keywords: 166210 1P61 Worcester Foregate Street station
159959, GW 14.50 Great Malvern-Weymouth (2O94, 16L), Worcester Foregate Street station Having reversed at Great Malvern 159959 arrives 'wrong-line' at Worcester Foregate Street working the return 14.50 to Weymouth. It will run up to Shrub Hill station on this line and then onwards to Gloucester Bristol, Westbury, Castle Cary, Yeovil and on finally to Weymouth. Keywords: 159959 2O94 Worcester Foregate Street station
172331, LM 13.46 Dorridge-Worcester Foregate Street (2V32, 1L), Worcester Foregate Street station 172231 drifts down into Worcester Foregate Street with the terminating 13.46 service from Dorridge. This train will have a relatively short dwell time, enough for the crew to change ends and will then return back towards Birmingham again. Keywords: 172331 2V32 Worcester Foregate Street station
172331, LM 15.16 Worcester Foregate Street-Dorridge (2C54, RT), Worcester Foregate Street station 172331 stands in platform 2 waiting for the crewe to change ends and then for it to work back as the 2C54 15.16 to Dorridge. I travelled on this train back to Birmingham Snow Hill from where I made the short walk back to our hotel. Keywords: 172331 2C54 Worcester Foregate Street station
22, Grand Central-Wolverhampton St. Georges working, Stevenson Street Tram 22 stands on Stevenson Street just outside Birmingham New Street station with a working to Wolverhampton. These trams are relatively new but they have not been quite the success that other trams re-introductions have been, for example in Birmingham.
29, Wolverhampton St. Georges-Grand Central working, Stevenson Street Tram 29 rounds the sharp curve on Stevenson Street as it completes its journey from Wolverhampton St. Georges to Grand Central outside New Street station. The Grand Central cafe is just to my left, one of the best value and nicest cafes in the area, one I would recommend to everyone.
Tickets, Birmingham-Worcester-Birmingham My tickets for the afternoon trip to Worcester and back, £22 for an O/P return as two singles.......hmmmm, I'm not sure?

Images 1-29 of 29 displayed.