66. The CME & a Worcestershire wander-28.09.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 66. The CME & a Worcestershire wander-28.09.19

A lovely Autumn day out with Andy travelling in his Nissan Micra. We first saw the usual procession of the Cumbrian Mountain Express passing Roade then took a drive across the country to Ledbury (not technically Worcestershire I know!). We then worked back east across Worcestershire stopping at various stations that Andy required for pages 37 and 38 in his Rail Atlas. A first for both of us was to see Lickey with electrification masts, it has changed quite dramatically!

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Images 1-14 of 14 displayed.

86259, outward leg of The Cumbrian Mountain Express, 07.10 London Euston-Carlisle (1Z86), Milton crossing
Rather than opt for the normal three-quarter view of 86259 'Les Ross/Peter Pan' I opted for a pan shot that caught the early morning sun more effectively. It is seen leading the outward leg of the usual Cumbrian Mountain Express 1Z86 working from Euston to Carnforth for steam haulage from there to Carlisle. The train is seen just north of Roade cutting on the Weedon loop line at Milton crossing.
Keywords: 86259 The Cumbrian Mountain Express 07.10 London Euston-Carlisle 1Z86 Milton crossing.jpg

170630, LN 10.39 Hereford-Worcester Foregate Street (1M61, 1L), Colwell station
Class 170s now operate on the line from Hereford to Worcester and Birmingham with the older Class 150s having been ousted. Looking smart in its West Midlands Railway 'gold' livery, 170630 leaves Colwell station forming the 10.39 Hereford to Worcester Foregate Street. This service would normally continue north to Birmingham New Street but due to engineering works in the Droitwich area, no trains were going north of Worcester.
Keywords: 170630 10.39 Hereford-Worcester Foregate Street 1M61 Colwell station

800311, GW 08.22 London Paddington-Hereford (1W00, RT), Colwell station
Colwell station is nestled to the western side of the Malvern Hills that are clearly seen in this image. It is a single platform affair but in this image, it was clearly once much larger with a double track. It also had a signal box and some typical Great Western station buildings, the only survivor being the footbridge that I am standing on. Having taken over from the HSTs earlier in the year, 800311 arrives at Colwell working the 08.22 Paddington to Hereford service. The train has one more stop at Ledbury before reaching its destination in about fifteen minutes time.
Keywords: 800311 08.22 London Paddington-Hereford 1W00 Colwell station

170512 & 170507, LN 11.39 Hereford-Worcester Foregate Street (1M63, 2L), Newland East level crossing
A pair of cClass 170s made up of 170512 and 170507 pass Newland East signal box working the 11.39 Hereford to Worcester Foregate Street. The box is a classic type 7A Great Western structure built in 1900. It is shame that its replacement UPVC windows have not been more sympathetically fabricated to replicate the original glazing pattern. There was once a station here named Newland Halt that closed in April 1965. It was a split platform affair with timber platforms located either side of the level crossing. The down platform was located where the tree is to the left of this image whilst the up platform was behind me to the right.
Keywords: 170512 170507 11.39 Hereford-Worcester Foregate Street 1M63 Newland East level crossing

800306, GW 10.22 London Paddington-Hereford (1W02, RT), Worcester Shrub Hill station
Against a glorious autumn sky, the up starter bracket (SH78) looks as impressive as ever to the northern end of Worcester Shrub Hill station. The arm is pulled off for the Hereford line as the rear end of 800306 leaves with the 1W02 10.22 Paddington to Hereford.
Keywords: 800306 10.22 London Paddington-Hereford 1W02 Worcester Shrub Hill station

165131, GW 12.41 Worcester Shrub Hill-Weymouth (2O90, 1L), Worcester Shrub Hillstation
Great Western's 165131 waits to leave Worcester Shrub Hill with the 2O90 12.41 to Weymouth. This circuitous route would involve two reversals at Gloucester and Bristol Temple Meads. Worcester remains one of the final bastions of semaphores being virtually entirely lower quadrant Great Western signalling with no fewer than three boxes still in use; a quite remarkable survival.
Keywords: 165131 12.41 Worcester Shrub Hill-Weymouth 2O90 Worcester Shrub Hillstation.jpg

800311,GW 12.13 Hereford-London Paddington (1P51, 2E), Worcester Shrub Hill station
I believe that this banjo signal at Worcester Shrub Hill is the only one in operation on the network today if there are any others I am happy to be corrected. This signal is located halfway along with the bi-directional platform one and is complete with a mini calling-on disc. This unique (?) and vintage piece of engineering is being passed by one of the network's most modern trains, 800311 working the 12.13 Hereford to London Paddington. Technology that is decades apart but doing what it was designed to do.
Keywords: 800311 12.13 Hereford-London Paddington 1P51 Worcester Shrub Hill station

Class 221, XC 12.05 Manchester Piccadilly-Bristol Temple Meads (1V55, 1E), Vigo SO986712
This is my first visit to the Lickey since the arrival of the electrification. Whilst it is very different now, the views up and down the notorious bank have not been completely ruined. I am also pleased, and a little surprised, that the foot crossing at Vigo is still open given Network Rail's obsession to close all points of access. An unidentified class 221 Voyager descends the bank at speed forming the 12.05 Manchester Piccadilly to Bristol Temple Meads.
Keywords: Class 221 12.05 Manchester Piccadilly-Bristol Temple Meads 1V55 Vigo SO986712

221123, XC 13.00 Bristol Temple Meads-Manchester Piccadilly (1M45, 16L), Vigo SO986712
Against a dramatic looking sky 221123 climbs Lickey Incline working the 13.00 Bristol Temple Meads to Manchester Piccadilly. The planners and engineers who designed and installed the electrification masts were obviously briefed by photographers at this spot as they put no mast in front of the foot crossing to spoil this view - thank you! This four-car DMU made fairly light work of the climb from Bromsgrove to Barnt Green passing Andy and me here at about fifty miles per hour. The sky in this image was to deposit a good slug of rain on us presently, at least we had left Vigo and were in the car by the time it started!
Keywords: 221123 13.00 Bristol Temple Meads-Manchester Piccadilly 1M45 Vigo SO986712

323215, LN 12.50 Lichfield Trent Valley-Bromsgrove (2O46, 2L), Vigo SO986712
With a cheery wave from the driver, 323215 descends Lickey working the 12.50 Lichfield Trent Valley to Bromsgrove. The sight of these AC electric units on this section of the former Midland route south of Birmingham is a first both Andy and myself, neither of us have been to Lickey since the arrival of the wires.
Keywords: 323215 12.50 Lichfield Trent Valley-Bromsgrove 2O46 Vigo SO986712

323215, LN 14.12 Bromsgrove-Four Oaks (2U52, 1L), Vigo SO986712
Having descended Lickey a short time earlier, 323215 ascends with the 14.12 Bromsgrove to Four Oaks. This train made a standing start at the immediate foot of the climb but testament to the efficiency of electric power, it had reached line speed by this stage. The class 323s have done good work in the West Midlands for many years but their time is now limited due to new stock being introduced.
Keywords: 323215 14.12 Bromsgrove-Four Oaks 2U52 Vigo SO986712

172336, LN 14.26 Stratford-on-Avon-Stourbridge Junction (2J55, 1L), The Lakes station
I think that I like the new West Midlands Trains livery...it's very gold! 172336 has been flagged down by passengers at The Lakes request stop station working the 14.26 Stratford-on-Avon to Stourbridge Junction service. There are only two stations on the network beginning with the definitive article, one is this one, the other one is not far from this location in north-west Birmingham serving West Bromwich Albion football club, The Hawthorns.
Keywords: 172336 14.26 Stratford-on-Avon-Stourbridge Junction 2J55 The Lakes station

172339, LN 13.57 Stourbridge Junction-Stratford-on-Avon (2S48, 2L), The Lakes station
173339 comes to a halt at The Lakes station having been flagged down by one passenger on the platform. The unit is working the 13.57 Stourbidge Junction to Stratford-on-Avon 2S48 service. The station was opened by the GWR in 1936 as The Lakes Halt to serve the nearby attraction Earlswood Lakes. The platforms are still of timber construction with small raised humps to assist passengers of reduced mobility.
Keywords: 172339 13.57 Stourbridge Junction-Stratford-on-Avon 2S48 The Lakes station

Running-in board, Danzey station
A reproduction GWR style running-in board at Danzey station. The station was opened by the GWR in 1908 as Danzey and Tanworth with facilities including a goods yard, a modular station building (down platform) and waiting shelter (up platform). I took this picture to show the original GWR fencing that can be seen in contemporary photographs and the mature Scotts pine trees behind, trees typically planted at many GWR stations.
Keywords: Running-in board Danzey station

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