32. Trip to London-02.05.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 32. Trip to London-02.05.19
A solo trip to London to visit the Russian Embassy's visa section again in order to get my paperwork sorted for our summer holiday. However, I should have checked their website as the department was closed all week for the Labour Day Public Holiday! That single public Holiday is the same length as all ours put together! Never mind, this gave me the opportunity to ride my Brompton across London to Paddington where I saw two HSTs - possibly my last sightings at Paddington? It must be getting near the end as a film crew were on platform one from BBC South-West doing a piece on them!
Click here to search The Archive Files


Images 1-16 of 16 displayed.

350231, LN 09.25 Northampton-London Euston (1W70, 5L), Northampton station My train to London arrives into Northampton station having worked back from the capital. 350231 will work the 1W70 09.25 from Northampton. The train was surprisingly quiet given it was the first off-peak up working of the day. Keywords: 350231 09.25 Northampton-London Euston 1W70 Northampton station
66086, down freight, Wembley yard Taken from the train as we pass through Wembley yard, 66086 is seen at the head of a down freight working. Keywords: 66086 Wembley yard
66783, stabled, Wembley yard 66783 'The Flying Dustman' sits stabled in Wembley yard. As a reasonably early delivery, this class 66 carried the number 66058 that I have a number of pictures of wearing its EWS livery. In the spring of 2018 it was selected by its new operator, GB Railfreight, to be the lucky recipient of this bright paint scheme and branding to commemorate GB Railfreight's partnership with the waste services company Biffa. It was named at York station on 28.03.18. Keywords: 66783 Wembley yard
43063, GW 13.03 London Paddington-Plymouth (1C82, 5L), London Paddington station I arrived at Paddington on my Brompton, by riding down the access road off Praed Street, I was greeted by a mass of green IETs at the stops. Then, tucked away on platform one was 43063 at the rear of the 1C82 13.03 departure to Plymouth. 43063 started its working life on the east coast route as part of set 254004, a set I probably cursed for ousting the beloved Deltics and here I am bidding a fond farewell to it at Paddington - how ironic! Keywords: 43063 13.03 London Paddington-Plymouth 1C82 London Paddington station
43162, GW 13.03 London Paddington-Plymouth (1C82, 5L), London Paddington station With staff exchanging a few final words, 43162 'Exeter Panel Signal Box 21st Anniversary 2009' is about to lead the 13.03 to Plymouth out of Paddington at the start of its journey westwards. There were a few enthusiasts on the platform end to witness this departure, of which there will be very few left now with HSTs to be finally withdrawn from the western routes in the next two weeks. Keywords: 43162 13.03 London Paddington-Plymouth 1C82 London Paddington station
800109, GW 13.45 London Paddington-Swansea (1B40, RT), 800107, GW 13.22 London Paddington-Worcester Foregate Street (1W27, RT) & 800321, GW 13.36 London Paddington-Cheltenham (1G38, RT), London Paddington station The new order lines up at London Paddington, a scene that will become the norm for many years to come no doubt. From left to right, 800109, 13.45 to Swansea, 800107, 13.22 to Worcester Foregate Street and 800107, 13.22 to Cheltenham Spa. Keywords: 800109 13.45 London Paddington-Swansea 1B40 800107 13.22 London Paddington-Worcester Foregate Street 1W27 800321 13.36 London Paddington-Cheltenham 1G38 London Paddington station
Looking through windows, 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance (1C84, 2E), London Paddington station A scene soon to be banished from the network as the remaining slam-door trains are soon to be withdrawn from service. Here, the drop-lights of an HST are down and the doors open as the train is cleaned ready to depart soon as the 14.03 to Penzance. If ever there was a case for too many warning notices this has to be it. Psychologists have completed research finding that too many of these such notices cause 'unintentional blindness' towards them thus rendering them pointless. Keywords: Looking through windows 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance 1C84 London Paddington station
43171, GW 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance (1C84, 2E), London Paddington station One of my most photographed HST power cars, 43171, sits at the head of the 14.03 to Penzance at Paddington station approximately half an hour before its departure. This could well be my last picture of an HST at Paddington station as they are to be finally withdrawn from the western routes in two weeks time and I am unlikely to return in that time. Notice Bertie the Brompton putting in an appearance to the far right of the picture! Keywords: 43171 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance 1C84 London Paddington station
Data panel, 43004, GW 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance (1C84, 2E), London Paddington station The data panel on 43004 as it stands at Paddington station. It will soon leave at the rear of the 14.03 1C84 to Penzance. A journey it completed successfully as it has thousands of times even arriving two minutes early on this particular occasion. Keywords: Data panel 43004 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance 1C84 London Paddington station
43004, GW 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance (1C84, 2E), London Paddington station At the time that this photograph was taken at Paddington, this HST power car was the oldest in operation being built at Crewe in September 1976. It has operated all of its life on the west of England lines, initially as part of 253002. In the final two weeks of service on mainline express operations it is seen at the the rear of the 14.03 service to Penzance. However, it has been selected to become a power car of a 'Castle' set operating in Devon and Cornwall so its future is assured for a while longer yet. Keywords: 43004 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance 1C84 London Paddington station
BBC South West film crew & 43004, GW 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance (1C84, 2E), London Paddington station A film crew from BBC South West stand on platform one at London Paddington. They are preparing a piece about the HSTs imminent withdrawal from mainline express operations. They were interviewing the two enthusiasts standing to their left in this image asking them why the HSTs are so special? Who would ever have thought that this question would be asked forty three years ago in 1976 when they were introduced into service on the London to Bristol and South Wales routes being the final knife in the Westerns and then the class 50s. The power car behind, 43004, would have been one of those actual HSTs doing the damage as part of set 253002, one of the very first in service and probably cursed by us young spotters! Keywords: BBC South West film crew 43004 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance 1C84 London Paddington station
390129, VT 14.30 London Euston-Glasgow Central (1S72, 2L), London Euston station At a rather dull Euston, 390129 'City of Stoke-on-Trent' leaves with the 14.30 service to Glasgow Central. On such a dull day, the bright livery of the Pendolinos that have been treated to the flying silk paint and vinyls look good standing out well. Keywords: 390129 14.30 London Euston-Glasgow Central 1S72 London Euston station
70020, 11.13 Felixstowe North-Trafford Park (4M87), Wembley yard Under threatening skies in Wembley Yard, 70020 pauses waiting for its path to continue northwards with the 11.13 Felixstowe North to Trafford Park Freightliner. This class 70 was photographic cop for me so I was pleased to see it and get a shot under such a dramatic sky even if it is taken from a passing train. Keywords: 70020 11.13 Felixstowe North-Trafford Park 4M87 Wembley yard
66565, 05.00 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North (4M36), Wembley Yard It looks like London is about to get a right deluge of rain from the black clouds above! Indeed, on the journey back to Northampton we did pass through some very heavy rain showers. 66565 pauses in Wembley Yard leading the 4M36 05.00 Trafford Park to felixstowe North Freightliner working. Keywords: 66565 05.00 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North 4M36 Wembley yard
350113, LN 14.09 London Euston-Birmingham New Street (1W17, 6L), Northampton station Having arrived nearly thirty minutes late into Northampton I have alighted from the 14.49 Euston to Birmingham New Street formed by 350113. The train left London seventeen minutes late but, despite missing out its stop at Watford Junction, failed to make up any time. To assist its punctual arrival into Birmingham, it was re-sceduled to not stop at a number of stations on the journey. The lady walking up the platform has a chit in her hand that she handed to the driver giving him the authority to miss out these stops. Keywords: 350113 14.09 London Euston-Birmingham New Street 1W17 Northampton station
Tickets, Northampton-London Euston-Northampton My return fare from Northampton to Euston as two off-peak singles was £23; not bad value I suppose. However, the return journey was heavily delayed arriving into Northampton twenty three minutes late. I have never done so before but I thought that I would try the '15 minute delay-repay' scheme recently introduced by London Northwestern. Following the filling out of an on-line form that took about ten minutes and a wait of less than twenty four hours, I received the grand total of £3.50 back into my account. Keywords: Tickets Northampton-London Euston-Northampton

Images 1-16 of 16 displayed.