83. Wellingborough-03.12.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 83. Wellingborough-03.12.19

Following attending a funeral in Wellingborough, I visited the station for the second time in four weeks to assess electrification progress. Even in that relatively short time things had moved on quite significantly. The up and down slow lines have been connected and construction of the new platform four (former platform five) has continued apace. At the southern end of the station, the extension of platforms one, two and three have commenced. Also, the steel tower that will house the lift that will serve platform four was in place. Finally, the electrification mast that will carry the wires through the station has been erected punching its way through the canopy of platform two and now in the middle of the platform!

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Images 1-9 of 9 displayed.

222017, EM 14.41 Corby-London St. Pancras (1P25, 2L), Wellingborough station
I really like photographing in winter, at least when the sun is out! However, the conditions do create problems such as are illustrated here. Whilst the sky and the background are bathed in sunshine, the foreground is in deep shade. The camera has a job to know what to do so I tend to take over and manually expose the light areas and take care of the darker areas later on the computer. It is always going to be somewhat of a compromise but with a bit of work some interesting images can be captured. Here at Wellingborough station, 222017 arrives with the 14.41 Corby to St. Pancras. At the moment it comes to a halt on the up fast platform two, but when the relief lines and platforms open, the Corby services will use the new platform four located on the reinstated up slow line.
Keywords: 222017 14.41 Corby-London St. Pancras 1P25 Wellingborough station East Midlands Railway Meridian

Re-building platform 5, Wellingborough station
Work continues at Wellingborough station to reconstruct and reinstate the former platform five that will be numbered four. This will handle 'stopper' services to and from Corby to St. Pancras. I never thought that in my lifetime that I would see such a transformation at Wellingborough with it always having the image of being something of a railway backwater. A lone stanchion stands in the early winter sun yet to be 'fitted up'. Note the first quarter moon high in the late afternoon sky to the top right of the image.
Keywords: Re-building platform 5 Wellingborough station elecgtrifiction MML Midland Main line

66764, 12.18 Colnbrook-Bardon Hill (6M54), Wellingborough station
Not a great picture of 66764 passing through Wellingborough station but as it was a photographic cop I have included it. It is leading the 6M54 12.18 Colnbrook to Bardon Hill empty stone train. This image shows clearly the new quadruple track layout leading northwards towards Kettering passing underneath the newly built and recently opened Roundhouse Way road bridge. This road provided access to the huge new Stanton Cross housing development to the east of the town and also to the former steam shed (15A and 15B) that is being redeveloped into a supermarket.
Keywords: 66764 12.18 Colnbrook-Bardon Hill 6M54 Wellingborough station

222023, EM 14.12 Nottingham-London St. Pancras (1B51, 1E), Wellingborough station
222023 pauses at Wellingborough station forming the 14.12 Nottingham to St. Pancras. In this image, deliberately with the subject slightly off centre of the frame, the extensive works taking place at the station are in view. As well as the stanchions for the electrification wiring, the steel tower that will act as the frame for the lift tower on the new platform four is in place. Soon, it will be clad in ironstone blocks to match the other two towers and the covered bridge will then be installed to unite them.
Keywords: 222023 14.12 Nottingham-London St. Pancras 1B51 Wellingborough station

222012, EM 14.31 London St. Pancras-Sheffield (1F52, 16L), Wellingborough station
222012 passes through Wellinbrorogh station forming the 14.31 St. Pancras to Sheffield service. At the southern end of the East Midlands station, the platforms are being extended in order to accommodate new and longer trains that will be introduced sometime after the electrification is completed.
Keywords: 222012 14.31 London St. Pancras-Sheffield 1F52 Wellingborough station meridian midland mainline MML

66197 & 66143, 11.53 West Hampstead North-Toton, Wellingborough station
It is only 15.15 in the afternoon and yet the sun is now very low in the sky creating some very long and deep shadows. the 11.53 West Hampstead to Toton railhead treatment train just catches the last vestiges of the afternoon sun as it approaches Wellingborough station lead by 66197 and an equally filthy 66143 at the rear.
Keywords: 66197 66143 11.53 West Hampstead North-Toton Wellingborough station RHT railhead treatement EWS

66143, 11.53 West Hampstead North-Toton, Wellingborough station
With the water tankers glistening in the very late afternoon sunshine, 66143 brings up the rear of the 11.53 West Hampstead to Toton RHT train as it drifts into Wellingborough station approaching a red signal. Due to it coming to a halt the water jets have been switched off to avoid damage to the track from the extremely high-pressure jets that clear autumn detritus from it. This view clearly shows the extensive platform extensions to the south of the station.
Keywords: 66143 11.53 West Hampstead North-Toton Wellingborough station RHT railhead treatment train

43064, EM 14.34 London St. Pancras-Nottingham (1D43, 14L), Wellingborough station
43064 leads the 14.34 St. Pancras to Nottingham hst service through Wellingborough station. The sun was getting very low in the sky by this time of the afternoon but the quality of light is superb! The stanchions for the forthcoming electrification stand high and yet unconnected but, over the next few weeks with an extended Christmas possession the wring will soon be installed changing this scene even further.
Keywords: 43064 14.34 London St. Pancras-Nottingham 1D43 Wellingborough station HST East Midlands Railway High Speed Train

66197, 11.53 West Hampstead North-Toton, Wellingborough station
Having been halted at Wellingborough station, the rear of 66197 stands as the lead locomotive of the 11.53 West Hampstead to Toton railhead treatment train. The locomotives involved in this seasonal work get absolutely filthy and 66197 is no exception. They catch the spray from the high-pressure jets that are aimed at the railhead as it moves along at a fairly leisurely pace. However, the spray is contaminated by the muck that it is intended to clear hence the filth that pervades the locomotives and stock.
Keywords: 66197 11.53 West Hampstead North-Toton Wellingborough station

Images 1-9 of 9 displayed.