51. DRS (Gresty Bridge) Open Day-21.07.18

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2018 > 51. DRS (Gresty Bridge) Open Day-21.07.18
A day out with Andy to Gresty Bridge at Crewe for another DRS Open Day. They lay on a great spread of locomotives and stalls that, once again, attracted the faithful. In fact, figures released after the event said that 4 000 visitors attended and that over £37 000 was raised for charity; an impressive set of figures. Andy and I also went to The Railway Age museum after a satisfying breakfast at Tesco! After all the smashing weather so far this summer, it was a shame that it was so overcast!
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Images 1-42 of 42 displayed.

390131, VT 07.20 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly (1H09, 3L), Milton Keynes Central station Pendolino 390131 'City of Liverpool' arrives into Milton Keynes station working the 07.20 London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly. The early morning was dawning in a positive manner with weak sunshine that was more than likely going to burn off some light high cloud. Keywords: 390131 1H09 Milton Keynes Central station
390043, VT 06.10 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston (1A05, 3E), Milton Keynes Central station 390043, presently un-named, passes through Milton Keynes station at full line speed with the 06.10 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston. A shutter speed of 1/2000 sec. has been used to capture this image but at very close examination in Photoshop there is still the very slightest hint of motion blur in, for example, the Virgin badge on the nose cone. Keywords: 390043 1A05 Milton Keynes Central station
377205, SN 06.10 East Croydon-Milton Keynes Central (2M09, RT), Milton Keynes Central station Southern's 377205 arrives at Milton Keynes Central having worked the early morning 06.10 from East Croydon. These cross-London workings, along with a number of other routes, were simply cancelled during the protracted Southern dispute with train crews over the single-man operation. At the time of writing, I am still not sure if this ridiculous and very damaging dispute has been resolved having been going on for well over a year. Keywords: 377205 2M09 Milton Keynes Central station
66533, 04.25 Felixstowe-Lawley Street (4M88), Milton Keynes Central station According to what side of 66533 is viewed it could be seen named as either 'Hanjin Express' or 'Senator Express'. Either way, it is seen at speed through Milton Keynes station with the 4M88 04.25 Felixstowe to Lawley Street Freightliner. In this image, it looks like it's towing a Southern class 377 but this is on an adjacent platform with a couple of empty Freightliner flats behind the 66. Keywords: 66533 04.25 Felixstowe-Lawley Street Freightliner 4M88 Milton Keynes Central station
390135, VT 07.43 London Euston-Carlisle (9S47) Milton Keynes Central station This was our train north to Crewe. 390135 'City of Lancaster' draws into Milton Keynes station forming the 07.43 London Euston to Carlisle. This working took the 'slow' route via Birmingham New Street so we did not arrive into Crewe until 10.15. Keywords: 390135 9S47 Milton Keynes Central station
Cab view, 370003, Crewe Heritage Centre Before we made the walk to Gresty Bridge, Andy and I had a lovely breakfast at Tesco and then took in a visit to the Crewe Heritage Centre. For visitors to Gresty Bridge, they were offering a generous discount on entry. This view shows the driver's desk of APT-P 370003. This APT is the one on conspicuous display to the left as you leave Crewe on the WCML for the north. Looking at the controls, they look positively prehistoric compared to a modern cab of say, a class 390. But, back in the 1980s this would have been cutting edge technology at its best! Keywords: 370003 Crewe Heritage Centre
370003, on display, Crewe Heritage Centre With its paintwork looking a little faded, 370003 stands on-display at the Crewe Heritage Centre. Most of the carriages, including a cab, are open and it is full if information about APT's development and inception. It was such a shame that the production model did not meet expectations proving so unreliable. However, the whole concept was absolutely spot-on. The tilting train model was taken up again some twenty years later and launched as the highly successful Pendolino. So the sad and ill-informed critics such as Edwina Currie, who on Any Questions in June 2018 could only lambast BR for its sandwiches need to take a look at the history books and recognise the amazing technological advances that BR instigated and developed on shoestring government budgets. Rant over......move on! Keywords: 370003 Crewe Heritage Centre
87035, on-display, Crewe Heritage Centre 87035 'Robert Burns' stands, in its BR blue livery, at the Crewe Heritage Centre. This October 1974 locomotive was retired by Virgin West Coast in 2005 and then moved to it new home at the Crewe Heritage Centre. Keywords: 87035 Crewe Heritage Centre
37108, on-dispaly, Crewe Heritage Centre 37108 was delivered new in December 1963 to Darnell, Sheffield. It remained an engine of Northern England before going to ScotRail where I travelled behind it on my Scottish Railrover in 1984. It became a Transrail locomotive before EWS took possession and promptly condemned it in December 1999. It was saved and has undergone an extensive restoration and looks superb complete with its mini snowploughs seen here at the Crewe Heritage Centre. Keywords: 37108 Crewe Heritage Centre
03073, stabled, Crewe Heritage Centre 03073 stands at Crewe Heritage Centre. This is not just a display locomotive but their resident shunter for moving locomotives and stock around the museum complex. Judging by its ticking compressor tank, it had been employed recently for such a task. There were about 250 of these shunters built by Doncaster and Swindon works and very successful they were! There are a fair number preserved and in use today being popular on the heritage scene. Keywords: 03073 Crewe Heritage Centre
Interior, former Crewe Station A signal box, rebuilt, Crewe Heritage Centre Crewe Station A signal box was a LNWR Type 5 box built in 1907. It was constructed with a flat roof so it could fit under the station canopy at Crewe between the Down Platform 1 and the Down through line 1. It was decommissioned during the Crewe rebuilding in 1985 and ended up being re-built here at the Crewe Heritage Centre. The track layout can be seen at the top along with its block instruments and the electropneumatic mini lever frame. Keywords: Crewe Station A signal box Crewe Heritage Centre
390123, 08.27 Glasgow Central-London Euston (1M9, RT), Roof of Crewe Heritage Centre 390123, 'Virgin Glory' approaches Crewe from the north working the 08.27 Glasgow to Euston working. The picture is taken from the useful vantage point atop the Crewe Heritage Centre. Keywords: 390123 1M90 Roof of Crewe Heritage Centre
20303, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge Class 20s were built with a 1000hp English Electric SVT engine; a tried and tested power uint. They were constructed between 1957 and 1968 and become totally dependable locomotives that gave, and still are, great service. So much so that at the time of writing some 23 examples are still mainline registered and earning a keep! Here, DRS owned 20303 'Max Joule 1958-1999' stands on-display at Gresty Bridge. Keywords: 20303 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
20303, 37218 & 47712, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge An impressive line up of vintage locomotives at Gresty Bridge all owned and operated by DRS. 20303 'Max Joule 1958-1995', 37218 and 47712 'Pride of Cumbria' are seen proudly displaying their updated DRS Compass livery. Despite the thousands of visitors, with a little patience and thought, a decent picture or two can be taken avoiding it being blighted by fellow spotters!
20302, 37218 & 20303, on display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge During their time with BR (and subsequently) this is how class 20s spent most of their time. They generally operated in pairs connected nose to nose. This, as the view from the cab was much better for the driver when running flat end first. Behind the jumper cables in this shot is another DRS beauty, 37218. The trio are seen here on-display at the Gresty Bridge Open Day. Keywords: 20302 37218 20303 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
37069, 20302 & 68014, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge Over fifty years separate the English Electric classes and the class 68 seen in this image taken at the DRS Gresty Bridge Open Day. 68014 is seen in its Chiltern Railways livery as it is leased to them to operate their Marylebone to West Midlands trains by DRS. 37069 and 20302 are used by DRS but for far more mundane tasks such as autumn leaf busting or the occasional nuclear flask working. Keywords: 37069 20302 68014 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
37403, on display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge Looking as though it could have been taken at an Eastfied Open day in 1984, 37403 'Isle of Mull' stands on-dsiplay at Gresty Bridge in 2018! 37403 started out in 1965 as D6607 gaining a TOPS number of 37307 in July 1973. It was a South Wales and West of England allocated locomotive until it was rebuilt as 37403 in June 1985 moving north to serve on the Scottish Region gaining is Scottie dog logo! It stayed on the Scottish until moving back west again in 1998. It then undertook various work until withdrawal in 2008 with a bleak future ahead. However, it was refurbished and has done lots of work for EWS including long stints on the Cumbrian Coast line as well as for Greater Anglia working out of Norwich to the coast and back. An impressive story for a great design of locomotive, one wonders if the class 68s will be still going strong in fifty years time? Keywords: 37403 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
57007 & 88002, on display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge 88002 'Prometheus' is not even two years old in this picture taken at Gresty Bridge Open day. Behind it, 57007, later in the afternoon to be named 'John Scott', is seen its second reincarnation being previously NB 47332. As D1813 it was built by Brush at Loughborough in 1965 so is some fifty years senior to 88002. Keywords: 57007 88002 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
68029, on-display, DRS Open-Day, Gresty Bridge Built as a joint venture between Vossloh España and Stadler Rail Group the class 68s will receive no accolades for their elegance! In my eyes, for a modern design, they appear clumsy. But, who am I to comment as one who cut his spotting teeth on the simple but beautiful smooth and uncluttered lines of Westerns! Here, 68029 'Destroyer' is seen tucked just inside the maintenance shed at DRS's Crewe Gresty Bridge depot. Keywords: 68029 DRS Open-Day, Gresty Bridge
57301, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge Built at Crewe during 1964 D1653 operated around the Western Region being allocated to all their depots at various times from Laira to Old Oak Common. In January 1974 it became 47069 moving away from the west to Bescot and Crewe where it became 47638 and was named 'County of Kent'. It was a Porterbrook and Great Western Trains locomotive during early privatisation as 47845. Finally, in 2002 it was rebuilt and became 57301 named 'Scott Tracy' becoming one of Virgin's infamous red Thunderbirds for rescuing failed Pendolinos and Voyagers. Now in DRS Compass livery, it is still in use on various duties all over the network. One wonders if this is the last number it will carry and what the next fifty five years hold for this evergreen veteran? Keywords: 57301 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
37259, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge 37259 looks well-used as it sits inside the maintenance shed at Gresty Bridge. Released as D6959 from the Vulcan factory at Newton-Le-Willows in January 1965 it has done sterling service over the years. DRS retains a number of class 37s for use all over the network as they can go to various places that other locomotives cannot due to their low axle loadings giving them a route availability of 5. Keywords: 37259 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
68019, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge In TransPennine Express vinyls, 68019 'Brutus' looks very odd with no yellow on the front end. Due to a change in the regulations relating to GM/RT2131, the Audibility and Visibility of Trains, new locomotives with a certain headlamp configuration do not require yellow fronts. Have a look at the new regulations, it's great bedtime reading! Needless to say, all existing stock will stay as it is but, as more new trains come on-stream and older stock is withdrawn, the number of yellow front ends will decline. Keywords: 68019 DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge
37407, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge 37407 looks very smart in its freshly applied large logo livery similar to the one it carried for a number of years during the 1980s. It is the most recent (and the last?) class 37 that DRS has acquired and rebuilt for future use on its various contracts. Long may they continue to maintain and use these veteran English Electric locomotives that have served the rail network so well over the last fifty plus years.
88002, 57007, 975025 & 37424 (37558), on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge Quite a collection on-display at the DRS Open day at Gresty Bridge. Just tucking into the far left is 88002 'Prometheus' being blocked in by 57007. Close observation reveals that the 57 has a nameplate attached covered with black plastic. Later in the afternoon, it was named 'John Scott 12.5.45-22.5.12' in memory of a former Kingmoor fitter and career railway engineer who worked for DRS. To the right of this image is observation carriage 975025 'Caroline' with 37424/37558 'Avro Vulcan XH558'. Keywords: 88002 57007 975025 37424 37558 DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge
88002, 68021, 975025 & 37424 (37558), on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge. 88002 'Prometheus' stands next to a very similar looking (apart from in livery) 68021'Tireless'. The class 68 is in its TransPennine Express vinyls and no yellow ends as it is exempt due to its new headlight configuration. Behind the 68 is observation saloon 975025 'Caroline' and then 37558 displaying proudly its 'Avro Vulcan XH558' nameplate. the 37 is actually 37424 masquerading as a 37 '5' in order to match the nameplates. Keywords: 88002 68021 975025 37424 37558 DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge.
37407, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge Viewed from another angle 37407 looks resplendent in its reproduction of BR's large logo livery. Delivered as D6605 in October 1965, this locomotive worked on the Western Region including banking duties on the Lickey Incline becoming 37305 in March 1974. It moved to Scotland in 1985 after receiving a heavy overhaul and conversion to a 37 '4'. It moved back south again to Wales in 1989 as part of the Provincial Cardiff Canton Pool. After a brief spell at Immingham it returned to Eastfield again in 1990. In 1993 it became a Regional Railways North West locomotive until storage, component recovery and official withdrawal in 2000. It was bought for preservation ending up at the Churnet Valley Railway and there it stayed. That is until it was suddenly moved by road to Kingmoor in 2016, reinstated and overhauled as seen here. What a story for a locomotive to tell and testament to the design on these English Electric Type 3s. Keywords: 37407 DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge
57007 & 88002, on-display, DRS Open Day, Gresty Bridge Awaiting the naming ceromony later in the afternnon, 57007 looks smart in it revised DRS compass logo at the Gresty Bridge Open day. It was later to be named 'John Scott 12.5.45-22.5.12' after the late DRS Kingmoor employee. The new order in the form of 88002 'Prometheus' stands behind 57007. Keywords: 57007 88002 DRS Open Day Gresty Bridge
37706 & 44781, taking water, Crewe station After the visit to DRS at Gresty Bridge, Andy and I returned to Crewe station in time to see the various activity underway there. Unfortunately, with the intense dry weather that was so much of a feature of the summer 2018, steam was banned on the network unless piloted by a diesel. This lead to scenes such as this at Crewe with 44781 tucked in behind 37706. The combo had run down from Carnforth to Crewe and after this water stop headed on to Bristol via the Welsh Marches route. Keywords: 37706 44781 Crewe station
44781 & 37706, taking water, Crewe station Locomotive front end design that is only separated by 14 years! Stanier 44781 was released into traffic in 1947 with 37706 as D6716 (later to become 37016) in 1961. Here, the two locomotives are seen at Crewe platform 12 waiting to continue their journey from Carnforth to Bristol after 44781 had taken water. Keywords: 44781 37706 Crewe station
45690, taking water, Crewe station The rear end of an interesting locomotive move seen on platform 12 at Crewe station. 45690 'Galetea' is seen at the back of a formation containing 37706, 44781 and two support coaches. 44781 and the 37 were to continue on to Bristol with 45690 being detached here at Crewe after both steam locomotives took water at the platform. Unfortunately, due to the intense dry summer of 2018, steam was banned on the network from running on its own so all needed a diesel pilot hence the class 37 leading the working that ran as 5Z50. Keywords: 45690 Crewe station
57304 & 57309, stabled Thunderbirds, Crewe station 57304 'Pride of Cheshire' and 57309 'Pride of Crewe' stand in the middle road at Crewe station. These two class 57s were not on-dispaly at the nearby DRS Open Day as they had to perform their Thunderbird duties as contracted by Virgin West Coast. These, as do other class 57s, sit at strategic locations the length of the WCML in case of Pendolino or Voyager failure. They then rush to the aid of the stricken train and clear it from the mainline as quickly as possible. Keywords: 57304 57309 Thunderbirds Crewe station
153379, EM 15.07 Crewe-Derby (1K18, 5L), Crewe station A single car unit is all that formed the 15.07 from Crewe to Derby. Bizarrely, it is still classified as a class 1 'express passenger', working running as 1K18. Quite why 153379 on this working gets this train reporting number is a little beyond me. Either way, the passengers would not care or know but they would have been a little nonplussed that it arrived into Derby five minutes late. Keywords: 153379 1K18 Crewe station
68016, 14.35 Crewe HS-Crewe ECS (for 15.35 Crewe-London Euston, via Chester, 1Z19), Crewe station Crewe station was packed for most of the day as some of the 4 000 visitors to the DRS Open Day at Gresty Bridge took the opportunity to undertake some spotting at the station. The set of ex. BR Mk.II stock, having been serviced in the carriage sidings, is brought back into Crewe station by 68016 'Fearless'. This would then form the 1Z19 15.35 back to London Euston carrying many enthusiasts returning from the Open Day. No doubt they would spend their time comparing notes, scrolling through their digital images and eating rather dried up cheese sandwiches! Keywords: 68016 ECS 1Z19 Crewe station
175106, AW 14.31 Manchester Piccadilly-Milford Haven (1V46, 16L), Crewe station I have always had an interest in these class 175s Coradias. They are the same family as the class 180s and were built at Washwood Heath in Birmingham. They are coming up for twenty years old now, that is as long as some of the first generation DMUs were in service. They are limited to certain lines partly because they cannot operate on ETCS equipped track. Here, 175106 arrives at Crewe station working the 14.31 Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven, a journey that it will have done many times! Keywords: 175106 1V46 Crewe station
88005, 15.35 Crewe-London Euston, via Chester (1Z19), Crewe station 88016 'Minerva' sits at the rear of the returning 15.35 Crewe to Euston charter at Crewe station. This charter carried the faithful to and from the Crewe for the DRS Gresty Bridge Open Day that has become a major event on the railway enthusiasts calendar. This charter returned via a circuitous route through Chester to Shrewsbury and then to Birmingham and London. 68016 'Fearless' was at the front of the ex. BR Mk.II stock used. Keywords: 68005 1Z19 Crewe station
45690, 14.44 Crewe-Crewe Heritage Centre (via Gresty Bridge), Crewe station 45690 'Galatea' drifts back through Crewe station with its support coach having completed a move that involved it turning to face north after heading down from Carnforth earlier in the day. It was making the short journey to the Crewe Heritage Centre. Keywords: 45690 Crewe station
175007, AW 11.09 Carmarthen-Manchester Piccadilly (1W15, 3L), Crewe station 175007 arrives into Crewe under the complex infrastructure of wires and supporting structures to the south of the station. This two-car Arriva Trains working, the 1W15 11.09 from Carmarthen to Manchester Piccadilly. Keywords: 175007 1W15 Crewe station
319375, NT 15.48 Crewe-Manchester Piccadilly (2H40, 1L), Crewe station Having always had the class 319s relatively close to my home operating out of Bedford from when they were new, the sight of them in places such as Crewe always seems a little incongruous! Here, 319375 is about to depart to work the 15.48 return working to Manchester Piccadilly. They have been spruced up pretty well by Wolverton works and look fit for service with Northern for a number of years. Keywords: 319375 2H40 Crewe station
350375, LN 16.02 Crewe-London Euston (1U38, 1L), Crewe station Andy and I travelled up by Virgin from Milton Keynes returning with London Northwestern. Our train home was the 16.02 Crewe to London Euston formed of 350375. Initially it's a slow journey via the Alsager line to Stoke, then back to the WCML at Stafford and to Birmingham. However, it then takes a relatively fast route via the Weedon loop to Milton Keynes. Keywords: 350375 1U38 Crewe station
66599, 10.14 Felixstowe North-Crewe Basford Hall (4M20), Stafford station Taken from my seat on the class 350 conveying us home, 66599 is seen passing through Stafford station hauling the 10.14 Felixstowe to Crewe Basford Hall Freightliner. My companion, Andy, got a better shot as he was 'bagging' the station and on the platform clear of our train. Keywords: 66599 10.14 Felixstowe North-Crewe Basford Hall 4M20 Stafford station
Tickets, Milton Keynes Central-Crewe-Milton Keynes Central The return journey from Milton Keynes to Crewe for the two of us was just under £24. Not bad value I suppose but in the past I have done this journey using certain advanced train services at a real bargain bucket price!
DRS Open Day entry ticket DRS always do a great job with designing their tickets, this year was no exception! 68001 and 88001 adorning the front with their revised compass logo looks really good, well done to the designer!

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