1. The Didcot Round

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2017 > 25. The Didcot Round & The Class 88 VIP Launch Train-09.05.17 > 1. The Didcot Round

For my 2017 birthday trip out Andy and I decided to take in some bubble car DMU action courtesy of Chiltern. However, after our late arrival at Aylesbury, we realised that we had missed our opportunity to see the Chiltern Bubble cars as they only operated an early morning and evening pair of diagrams. So, after a quick re-think, we headed for the GWML at Didcot to capture some HST action instead.

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Images 1-29 of 29 displayed.

121034, 121020 & ex. 01509, stabled, Aylesbury Depot
121034 and 121020 sit stabled at Chiltern's Aylesbury Depot with resident shunter ex. 01509. The two "Bubble Car" units class 121s were originally numbered as 55XXX . They were built by Pressed Steel at Linwood in Scotland for the Western region of British Railways. It was thought that their use would help to save the branches that they were designed for and, to an extent, they did. The shunter was built in 1963 and named 'Lesley' and is used for shunting units around the Aylesbury depot.
Keywords: 121034 121020 01509 stabled Aylesbury Depot

121020 & ex. 01509, stabled, Aylesbury Depot
Ruston & Hornsby built 01509 'Lesley' sits stabled at Chiltern's Aylesbury Depot. It looks a little in need of some attention with rather faded paintwork, but that's often how workhorses get treated. Bubble car 121020 sits in front of the shunter.
Keywords: 121020 01509 stabled Aylesbury Depot

168112, CR 09.55 Birmingham Moor Street-London Marylebone (1H30, RT), Haddenham & Thame Parkway station
168112 leads an eight-car set into Thame and Haddenham Parkway station working the 09.55 Birmingham Moor Street to Marylebone. The station opened in 1987 but was re-opened at it present site in 1998 and since then it has gone through a number of changes to cope with the vast increase in passenger usage. It is stories like this that illustrate what a tremendous renaissance that the railways have gone through in recent years.
Keywords: 168112 1H30 Haddenham & Thame Parkway station

168214, CR 10.41 Oxford-London Marylebone (1Y30, RT), Haddenham & Thame Parkway station
Andy watches 168214 arrive into Haddenham and Thame Parkway station from platform one. It was working the 10.41 Oxford to London Marylebone that travelled via the recently reopened Oxford to Bicester line.
Keywords: 168214 1Y30 Haddenham & Thame Parkway station

221134, XC 11.45 Reading-Newcastle (1E40, RT), Cholsey station
This picture is taken from the enlarged station car park at Cholsey station between Reading and Didcot. The GW electrification looks to be complete at this location but was still not energised and I have no idea when it will be given the massive delays and criminally expensive mis-managed budget. 221134 is short distance into its journey from Reading to Newcastle leaving at 11.45.
Keywords: 221134 1E40 Cholsey station

43012, 11.00 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington (1A14, 1L), Cholsey station
Taken from the station car park at Cholsey station 43012 'Exeter Panel Signal Box 21st Anniversary 2009' powers the rear of the 1A14 11.00 Bristol to London Paddington. 43012 has always been a Wester Region power car being one of the first into traffic in 1976 as part of set 253006.
Keywords: 43012 1A14 Cholsey station

66206, 09.45 Southampton Docks-Wakefield Europort (4E69), Cholsey station
Looking resplendent in it new DB livery, 66206 heads west past Cholsey station working the 09.45 Southampton Docks to Wakefield to Europort Freightliner. There looks to be a lot of fresh air being carried along on this train! In about ten miles the train will turn northwards off the GWML and head along the GW route via Banbury towards Birmingham.
Keywords: 66206 09.45 Southampton Docks-Wakefield Europort 4E69 Cholsey station

43179, GW 11.20 London Paddington-Great Malvern (1W23, 11L), Cholsey station
43179 'Pride of Laira' leads the 11.20 Paddington to Great Malvern through the electrification paraphernalia recently installed at the eastern end of Cholsey station. 43179 was built at Crewe and introduced to service in late 1981 as part of the upgrade to the NE/SW route. It was part of 253049 and named in 1991; the name it has carried ever since.
Keywords: 43179 1W23 Cholsey station

70017, 06.12 Leeds FLT-Southampton (4O90), Cholsey station
Making a heck of a row as it tears past Cholsey station, 70017 hauls the 06.12 Leeds to Southampton Freightliner. Not an ideal position for this photograph but sometimes there is no time to get to a better location!
Keywords: 70017 06.12 Leeds FLT-Southampton 4O90 Cholsey station

43134, GW 12.00 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads (1C13, 4E), Didcot Parkway station
43134 is waiting for the RA at Didcot Parkway station working the 12.00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. Apart from Reading, that has been completely re-built, I think that Didcot station has changed more than any others with the arrival of the wires. The station retained a feel of its GWR heritage and, whilst the buildings are still partly there, its all a but 'clinical' now.
Keywords: 43134 1C13 Didcot Parkway station

43129 & 43134, GW 12.00 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads (1C13, 4E), Didcot Parkway temporary car park footbridge
The 12.00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads leaves Didcot powered by 43129 at the rear and 43134 on the front. The picture is taken from a temporary footbridge installed by Network Rail to allow access to and from the newly constructed car park. It offers a lofty and convenient view of the running lines.
Keywords: 43129 43134 1C13 Didcot Parkway

165106, GW 12.37 Oxford-London Paddington (1P52, RT), Didcot Parkway temporary car park footbridge
Taken from the temporary footbridge built at the western end of Didcot station 165106 arrives on the spur from North Junction with the 12.36 Oxford the Paddington. The new livery that has been applied to these units, and much of the GWR stock, does not photograph very well. The green is too dark, particularly against a lush countryside scene and often needs a fair bit of 'Photoshopping' to get it looking acceptable.
Keywords: 165106 1P52 Didcot Parkway temporary car park footbridge

165105, GW 11.28 London Paddington-Oxfrod (2N32, 2L), Didcot Parkway temporary car park footbridge
The electrification paraphernalia that has completely taken over at Didcot station is clear in this picture. 165105 winds its way through the chaos at the western end of the station working the 11.28 Paddington to Oxford service. The picture is taken from the vantage point created by the construction of a temporary footbridge to allow access to the massive new car park.
Keywords: 165105 2N32 Didcot Parkway

43150, GW 12.56 London Paddington-Cardiff Central (1B31, 7L), Didcot Parkway station
43150 leaves Didcot Parkway at the front of the 12.56 Paddington to Cardiff Central. It won't be long before these veterans of the GWML will be taken out of front-line service and will no longer be seen on express' such as this. 43150 was one of the power cars of set 253040 as part of a third batch of HST delivered to the Western region during 1981.
Keywords: 43150 1B31 Didcot Parkway station

43194 & 43028, GW 12.30 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington (1A17, 2L), Steventon
The village of Steventon is just west of Didcot and is completely divided by the railway. There are three crossings of the tracks and this is the only one that's a bridge meaning the others are heavily used level crossings. 43194 at the front with 43028 at the rear passes with the 12.30 Bristol Temple Meads HST service.
Keywords: 43194 43028 1A17 Steventon

66767, 11.56 Westbury-Cliffe Hill Stud Farm (6M40), Steventon
GBRF 66767 passes Steventon just west of Didcot with the 11.56 Westbury to Cliffe Stud farm empty stone wagons. Notice in the foreground the bases for the electrification masts that will ruin this photographic position. Whilst electrification is an inevitable part of railway modernisation it does nothing for photographic opportunities!
Keywords: 66767, 11.56 Westbury-Cliffe Hill Stud Farm 6M40 Steventon

43162, GW 11.29 Swansea-London Paddington (1L55, RT), Steventon
A small mile long length of the GWML free of electrification masts serves as a reminder of how this line has looked for generations. Here, taken from the B4107 road bridge in Steventon, 43162 is seen powering at the rear of the 11.29 Swansea to Paddington. In the very distance the march of the masts can be seen and in the background the remaining cooling towers of Didcot's power station.
Keywords: 43162 1L55 Steventon

43030 & 43190, GW 13.00 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads (1C15, RT), Steventon
This picture illustrates the bizarre and random nature of the massively over-budget and over-time GWML electrification programme. In the distance the masts stop abruptly end yet just behind me at Steventon, west of Didcot, they are up and even wired! I'm sure there is a reason for episodes such as this, but I would love it explaining to me! Either way, it affords a last chance for uninterrupted views of the line to photograph these iconic workhorses that have plied their trade for over forty years. 43030 'Christian Lewis Trust' and 43190 work the 1C15 13.00 Paddington to Bristol Temple Mead past Steventon.
Keywords: 43030 43190 1C15 Steventon

Class 43, GW 13.00 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington (1A18, RT), Steventon Causeway Crossing
An unidentified class 43 HST speeds eastwards forming the 13.00 Bristol to Paddington working. The train is about to cross Causeway Level Crossing in the village of Steventon. Recently, the crossing keeper and hut was removed as the pair of crossings in the village became fully automated. This created a a huge fuss in the village and rightly so as the barriers now stay down for an awful long time compared with when they were operated by a keeper.
Keywords: Class 43 1A18 Steventon Causeway Crossing

43164, GW 13.15 London Paddington-Cardiff Central (1B37, RT), Steventon Causeway Crossing
Power car 43164 leads the 13.15 Paddington to Cardiff Central past Steventon Causeway level crossing. Steventon appeared to have been left 'til last when it came to the installation of the wiring for the incredibly over-budget and late electrification programme. Notice the white sighting panel painted on the bridge in the background, there would have been a semaphore bracket signal just in front of this. This signal was the up starter bracket at the platform end of Steventon station that closed in December 1964.
Keywords: 43164 1B37 Steventon Causeway Crossing

60091, 13.00 Theale-Roberstson (6B33), Steventon Causeway Crossing
A regular daily working on the GWML is the 13.00 (or thereabouts) Theale to Roberston empty oil tankers. It is usually hauled by a class 60 as it's such a heavy train on its up working when the tanks are full. Here it is seen passing Steventon's second level crossing, Causeway, with 60091 'Barry Needham' thrashing at the front! Not a great picture but the camera had a 'funny' and played up for a short while massively over-exposing for a few shots. It still does it occasionally now and is something that I have read about that is a bit of an issue for the Canon 5D Mk.II.
Keywords: 60091 13.00 Theale-Roberstson 6B33 Steventon Causeway Crossing

43126, GW 13.30 London Paddington-Bristol temple Meads (1C16, 3E), Steventon
43126 wore this unusual and very distinctive livery for quite sometime after the Bristol 2015 European Green Capital award had been given. It certainly made it an instantly recognisable power car! It is seen here passing just west of Steventon with the 13.30 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. 43126 was an early member of the third Western Region batch of HSTs, being initially part of set 253028 that was introduced in the summer of 1979.
Keywords: 43126 1C16 Steventon

43071, GW 13.36 London Paddington-Cheltenham Spa (1G38, 1E), Steventon
Andy photographs 43071 leading the 13.36 Paddington to Cheltenham HST set past Steventon in Oxfordshire. 43071 was an Eastern Region power car delivered as part of the programme that began the ousting of the Deltics in 1978 as part of set 254008.
Keywords: 43071 1G38 Steventon

43027, GW 13.30 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington (1A19, RT), Steventon
43027 was treated to its '90 Glorious Years' livery to commemorate the Queen's 90th birthday in the spring of 2016. From a distance, it looks like it's something to do with the confectioner Cadbury due to the similar colours, creme egg anybody?! It is seen here approaching Steventon about three miles west of Didcot with the 13.30 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington working.
Keywords: 43027 1A19 Steventon

43170, GW 13.45 London Paddington-Swansea (1B40, 4L), Steventon
43170 heads westwards at the rear of the 13.45 Paddington to Swansea. I wonder what Brunel would have thought about the desecration of his fantastically designed and constructed GWML. The 'hard engineered' electrification paraphernalia does not enhance the scene here at Steventon or anywhere for that matter.
Keywords: 43170 1B40 Steventon

66040, 14.42 Didcot-Morris Cowley, Culham station
66040 heads the 14.42 Didcot to Morris Cowley working. This is a short freight conveying empty car carrier wagons the meagre distance of some twelve miles! The train is seen passing through Cullham station between Didcot and Oxford. Notice The Railway Inn in the background, Andy and I did not have time to sample its delights!
Keywords: 66040 14.42 Didcot-Morris Cowley Culham station

66956, 13.50 Oxford-Westbury (6Y40), Culham station
The 13.50 Oxford to Westbury engineers' train passes Culham station lead by 66956. Notice the rust stains under the windscreen of the 66, this appears to be a problem on the 66s of a certain vintage and one that no doubt needs addressing when they (if?) ever receive overhauls.
Keywords: 66956 13.50 Oxford-Westbury 6Y40 Culham station

165112, GW 13.27 London Paddington-Oxford (2N40, 4L) Culham station
165112 leaves Culham station with the 13.27 Paddington to Oxford 2N40 stopper service. Looks can be deceiving, the platform to the right is in fact not a platform. It's isolated from use with the adjacent building in use by a private company. The passenger platform is beyond the building out of view.
Keywords: 165112 2N40 Culham station

Frontage, former Culham station
The absolutely delightful station building at Culham. It's a classically Brunel designed GWR building opened in 1844 as Abingdon Road. Unfortunately, it is no longer in railway use being privately owned and occupied and is Grade II listed.
Keywords: Frontage former Culham station

Images 1-29 of 29 displayed.