1. MKC, Paddington & Tilehurst then to Cornwall-20.06.17

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2017 > 39. Trip to Cornwall & Devon-20-23.06.17 > 1. MKC, Paddington & Tilehurst then to Cornwall-20.06.17
I met Andy at a very hot Milton Keynes station. We then made our way to London and then had a run out and back to Tilehurst as it was a station that Andy needed. After a superb Greek meal, we headed back to Paddington and settled into our first class sleeper cabins for a great night's sleep whilst travelling to Penzance. Due to engineering works, we travelled via the Berks and Hants route as far as Westbury. Then, we took the Westbury East Loop to Hawkeridge Junction thence down the Avon Valley to Bath and Bristol to continue our journey westwards.
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Images 1-25 of 25 displayed.

350369, LM 14.47 Milton Keynes Central-London Euston (2K32, 6L) & 66566, 09.25 Southampton FLT-Garston FLT (6M66), Milton Keynes station 350369 sits at Milton Keynes Central station waiting to leave with the 14.47 to London Euston. Meanwhile, 66566 heads north with the 09.25 Southampton to Gaston Freightliner. Not the finest shot due to the very bright summer lighting and being the wrong side for the sun. Keywords: 350369 2K32 66566 09.25 Southampton FLT-Garston FLT 6M66 Milton Keynes station
66591,12.12 Lawley Street-London Gateway (4L46), Milton Keynes station 66591 produces a trail of black exhaust working the the 4L46 12.12 Lawley Street to London Gateway Freightliner. It's days like this that make the driver's job in a 66 a little uncomfortable as they have no air conditioning with many complaints and consequential union involvement. Keywords: 66591 12.12 Lawley Street-London Gateway 4L46 Milton Keynes station
350118, LM 13.14 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1Y46, 13L), Milton Keynes station The 1Y46 13.14 Birmingham New Street to Euston arrives at Milton Keynes station formed of 350118. A beltingly hot day ironically, one that made photography quite tricky with the extremely strong and overhead lighting. Notice that I resit calling Milton Keynes by its network Rail name, Milton Keynes 'Central'. As there is only one station in Milton Keynes, with no prospect of another, then Central is superfluous and somewhat ostentatious! Keywords: 350118 1Y46 Milton Keynes station
390010, VT 13.15 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston (1A37, 7L) & 390152, VT 14.20 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly (1H30, 14L), Milton Keynes station The rear ends of two Pendolinos at Milton Keynes station. To the left is 390010 'Cumbrian Spirit' waiting to leave with the 1A37 13.15 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston. Whilst to the right, 390152 'Virgin Knight' leaves the station working the 1H30 14.20 Euston to Manchester. Keywords: 390010 1A37 390152 1H30 Milton Keynes station
66766, 10.46 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall (4M23), Milton Keynes station GBRF's 66766 speeds through Milton Keynes station leading the fully laden 4M23 10.46 Felixstowe North to Hams Hall Freightliner. Another shot taken the wrong side for the sun and in very tricky high summer lighting. Keywords: 66766 10.46 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall 4M23 Milton Keynes station
350376, LM 13.33 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1W16, 6L), Milton Keynes station 350376 rolls into Milton Keynes station forming the 13.33 Birmingham New Street to Euston working. This was the train that Andy and I took to London to begin our epic trip! Keywords: 350376 1W16 Milton Keynes station
66718 & 66192, stabled, Wembley Yard 66718 'Sir Peter Hendy CBE' in its bright London Transport Museum livery sits stabled in Wembley yard. 66192 is parked up just in front of it. 66718 received this livery and was named in October 2103. Sir Peter Hendy was a former chairman of both Network Rail and Transport for London. Keywords: 66718 66192 Wembley Yard
66192 & 66047, stabled, Wembley Yard 66192 and 66047 are seen stabled in Wembley Yard with an unidentified DB red class 67 behind. Both of these 66s are in their EWS (officially classified as EWZ) livery that we have all become so used to. As time moves on, this livery is going to disappear as DB begin to stamp their mark on things. Keywords: 66192 66047 stabled Wembley Yard
43135, GW 17.06 London Paddington-Westbury (1G90, 4L), Reading station Having travelled from Paddington to Reading and alighted, 43135 is seen leading the evening 17.06 to Westbury working. Apart from slight adjustments to it timings, this is an evening commuter train that has run for years, indeed, I remember travelling on it in May 1980 behind 50044 'Exeter' when it left at 17.52, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30022860855/x50044-17-52-london-paddington-westbury Either way, it was absolutely packed and very hot, standing in the vestibules with all of our bags was not the most pleasurable experience but at least the drop-lights were down allowing air in. Keywords: 43135 1G90 Reading station
43122, GW 17.18 London Paddington-Oxford (1D35, 7L), Reading station 43122 waits to leave the nice and shiny new Reading station as the lead power car of the 17.18 Paddington to Oxford 1D35 service. 43122 was delivered as an Eastern Region power car in 1979 but was not, along with 43123 ever assigned to a 254 set both designated as 'spare' power cars. Keywords: 43122 1D35 Reading station
165108, GW 17.18 London Paddington-Oxford (1D35, 7L) & 43017, GW 16.30 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington (1A25), Reading station 165108 draws into Reading station working the 17.18 Paddington to Oxford 'stopper' train. Next to it is the rear of the 1A25 16.30 Bristol to Paddington with 43017 providing the power. 43017 was an early Western Region power car that was part of set 253008. Andy and I travelled in the incredibly hot and busy Turbostar as far as Tilehurst. Keywords: 165108 1D35 43017 1A25 Reading station
220024, XC 13.35 Newcastle-Guildford (1040, cancelled from Reading), Tilehurst station 220024 passes through Tilehurst station working the doomed 13.35 Newcastle to Guildford. I say doomed as it was cancelled from Reading just a few miles east from this spot. However, not a huge inconvenience for Guildford passengers as there are usually straightforward connections from Reading. It's amazing that ten years after Virgin Cross Country ceased to operate these trains that the shape of the Virgin branding badge can still be seen on their noses. Keywords: 220024 1040 Tilehurst station
66128, 10.17 Scunthorpe TC-Eastleigh East Yard (6X01), Tilehurst station In its smart new red DB branding, 66128 passes Tilehurst at speed with the 10.17 Scunthorpe to Eastleigh Yard steel flats fully loaded with lengths of new rail. It was an incredibly hot late afternoon and on this platform there was no shelter from the blaring sun. Keywords: 66128 10.17 Scunthorpe TC-Eastleigh East Yard 6X01 Tilehurst station
66147, 15.55 Southampton Western Docks-Birch Coppice (4M68), Tilehurst station With the three other customers on Tilehurst station taking the only shelter from the searing afternoon sun that was available under the footbridge, 66147 works hard working the heavily laden and long 4M68 Freightliner. This working is the regular 15.55 Southampton Western Docks to Birch Coppice. Keywords: 66147 15.55 Southampton Western Docks Birch Coppice 4M68 Tilehurst station
166217, GW 17.37 Oxford-London Paddington (2P76, 1L), London Paddington station Not a great picture, but one following my policy of photographing all trains that I travel on. 166217 stands at Paddington having worked the 17.37 from Oxford, Andy and I took this train from Tilehurst and it must rank as one of the hottest and most uncomfortable train journeys that I've ever taken barring when I travelled in India! Keywords: 166217 2P76 London Paddington station
43155, 43142 & 43138, various workings, London Paddington station A classic line up of four HSTs at Paddington station taken in the half-light one day away from the longest day in June. The identified ones are 43155 'The Red Arrows 50 Seasons of Excellence', and unidentified power car, 43142 'Reading Panel Signal Box 1965-2010' and 43138 on platform 2. Unfortunately, it was far too complicated to work out their workings! Keywords: 43155 43142 43138 London Paddington station
43022, GW 23.30 London Paddington-Cardiff Central (1C36, 9L), 43026, GW 22.15 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads (1C33, RT) & class 332s, London Paddington station The modern lighting at Paddington has given it a whole new atmosphere at night with it being bright and not causing the colour balance of the camera to take on a hue that needs adjustment. Sitting at the blocks are two HSTs, 43022 'The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Diamond Anniversary 1956-2016' and 43026 'Michael Eavis' and two Gatwick Express class 332s. Both these power cars were early Western Region deliveries in 1976, being parts of sets 253011 and 253013 respectively. This is a scene set to change next year with the introduction of the IETs and these veterans of the GWML will bow out after years of service unless another use can be found for them? Keywords: 43022 1C36 43026 1C33 class 332s London Paddington station
57604, 21.20 Old Oak Common-London Paddington Sleeper ECS (5C99) & class 43, GW 22.45 London Paddington-Swansea (1B94, 1E), London Paddington station The magnificent elegance of Brunel's train shed at Paddington takes on a whole new look at night with the modern lighting that illuminates it huge cast iron spans. Standing, as it does every night, at platform one is the Night Rivera Sleeper stock that has just arrived from Old Oak Common depot. It runs into Paddington as 5C99 arriving an hour or so before schedule departure time. On this night, 57604 'Pendennis Castle' did the honours with an unidentified HST next to it about to leave with the 22.45 to Swansea. Keywords: 57604 Sleeper ECS 5C99 class 43 1B94 London Paddington station
Nameplate, 57604, 21.20 Old Oak Common-London Paddington Sleeper ECS (5C99), London Paddington station In a style totally in keeping with Great Western traditions, the nameplate of 57604 'Pendennis castle' is seen at Paddington. The 57 had just brought the ECS for the Night Riviera sleeper in from Old Oak Common and is standing at platform one. Keywords: Nameplate 57604 Sleeper ECS 5C99 London Paddington station
57602, GW 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance Sleeper (1C99, 2E), London Paddington station 57602 'Restormel Castle' stands at the head of the 23.45 Paddington to Penzance Night Rivera Sleeper. This was our train westwards for the night and just how excited were we? I love the lighting in this image from the midsummer dark sky, the purple colouring in the train shed to the bright and clean platform illumination. It's all been picked up so well by the camera and all handheld, modern digital equipment is amazing! Keywords: 57602 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance Sleeper 1C99 London Paddington station
43142, GW 23.30 London Paddington-Cardiff Central (1C36, 9L), 43138, GW 22.45 London Paddington-Swansea (1B94, 1E) & 57 602, GW 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance Sleeper (1C99, 2E), London Paddington station The last few down trains from Paddington wait to depart on a glorious summer's night. 43142 'Reading Panel Signal Box 1965-2010' waits next to 43138. They are going to Cardiff (1C36) and Swansea (1B94) respectively. At platform one is Andy's and my train west, the 23.45 to Penance, the Night Rivera Sleeper. We were looking forward to a good night's sleep in our adjoining first class cabins and waking up in Cornwall! Keywords: 43142 1C36 43138 1B94 57 602 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance Sleeper 1C99 London Paddington station
Coaching stock, GW 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance Sleeper (1C99, 2E), London Paddington station Dwarfed by the magnificent Brunel train shed at Paddington the 23.45 Paddington to Penzance 1C99 Night Riviera Sleeper waits to leave. Whilst these comfortable but ageing Mk.III sleeper coaches are secure for the future on this route, Caledonian Sleeper are replacing their's with new stock next year such is the revival of sleeper services in the UK. Keywords: Coaching stock 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance Sleeper 1C99 London Paddington station
Tickets, Milton Keynes Central-London-Euston The tickets from Milton Keynes to Euston for the first leg of our trip, £3.95 each seems ludicrously cheap, yes they were off-peak advanced singles with a two together card but even so!
Tickets, London Paddington-Tilehurst-London Paddington Our tickets from Paddington to Tilehurst and back. Not the cheapest but they were walk-on peak time tickets.
Tickets, London Paddington-Penzance The tickets and reservation for the sleeper journey to Penzance. Advanced fares are strange things, sometimes overpriced but not these, £160 for the two of us in our own adjoining first class cabins is extraordinary value, this has to be one of the best kept secrets on the network?

Images 1-25 of 25 displayed.