87. Christmas Eve walk-24.12.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 87. Christmas Eve walk-24.12.19

A Christmas Eve walk from home found me passing the WCML twice with my camera casually over my shoulder!

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Images 1-8 of 8 displayed.

390127, VT 07.37 Glasgow Central-London Euston (1M08, 13L), Victoria bridge
In lovely winter sunshine, 390127 sweeps around the curve just south of Roade working the 07.27 Glasgow Central to Euston service. This Pendolino is still in its 'nude' livery having yet to receive the Avanti West Coast treatment, something that will happen in the coming weeks.
Keywords: 390127 07.37 Glasgow Central-London Euston 1M08 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino Roade water tower

2. 390008, VT 11.20 London Euston-Manchester P (1H21, 3L), Victoria bridge
390008 'Charles Rennie Mackintosh' passes Victoria bridge just south of Roade in south Northamptonshire forming the 11.20 Euston to Manchester Piccadilly. The eponym of 390008 has a link close to this location. Charles Rennie Mackintosh did work for local resident and businessman Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke, founder of the model train manufacturer Bassett-Lowke. He had a house in the nearby village of Roade that Mackintosh did work on and also owned the nearby 78 Derngate in Northampton that Mackintosh completely re-designed that can be visited and enjoyed today having been lovingly restored, see..... https://www.78derngate.org.uk/index.html
Keywords: 390008 11.20 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly 1H21 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino Charles Rennie Mackintosh

221116, VT 08.55 Holyhead-London Euston (1A23, 8L), Victoria bridge
Looking exactly the same as it has done (apart from the removal of the branding) for the last seventeen years since introduction, 221116 'City of Bangor / Dinas Bangor' passes Victoria bridge just south of Roade on the WCML forming the 08.55 Holyhead to Euston service. However, things are set to change in the next two years. Firstly, the Voyager will lose its Virgin livery as it is now operated by Avanti West Coast and, secondly, it will be withdrawn from service on this route to be replaced by a number of bi-mode sets that are presently on-order.
Keywords: 221116 08.55 Holyhead-London Euston 1A23 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Voyager City of Bangor Dinas Bangor

390156, VT 11.30 London Euston-Glasgow Central (1S58, 2L), Victoria bridge
In its shiny new Avanti West Coast livery, 390156 passes Victoria bridge just south of Roade on the WCML forming the 11.30 Euston to Glasgow Central 1S58 service. I'm glad that the designers of this livery have retained some of the white as left by Virgin when they 'stripped' the trains' previous identity in the run-up to the change of franchise. Without these areas and the other bright flashes of orange, the Pendolinos would have looked very drab and rather like GWR's awfull livery as applied to their stock.
Keywords: 390156 11.30 London Euston-Glasgow Central 1S58 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino

350231, LN 10.33 Crewe-London Euston (1U26, 1L), Victoria station
With one of Roade's two water towers in view, currently undergoing conversion into a residence and attracting the attention of Kevin McLoud, 350231 heads south with the 10.33 Crewe to Euston. During weekdays, these London NorthWestern services avoid Northampton taking the Weedon route. However, at the weekends they go via the slower Northampton loop making and an additional stop at the county town.
Keywords: 35023110.33 Crewe-London Euston 1U26 Victoria station London Northwestern desiro Roade water tower

350124 & 350111, LN 09.05 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston (2Y06, 2L), Victoria bridge
350124 and 350111 work the 09.05 Liverpool Lime Street to Euston service past Victoria bridge just south of my home village of Roade, indeed, my family home is in view to the right-hand side of the image. Having started off a bright and clear Christmas Eve, the clouds had now gathered and in the absence of any freight workings, I decided to head for home.
Keywords: 350124 350111 09.05 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston 2Y06 Victoria bridge London NorthWestern Desiro

221110, VT 12.10 London Euston-Chester (1D86, 1E), site of Roade station
220110 'James Cook' passes the site of the former station at Roade with the 12.10 Euston to Chester service. Whilst this view is a little cluttered, until recent Network Rail clearance, any photograph from this spot was totally impossible due to rampant vegetation growth. The small relay building to the far right of the image marks the location of the fine LNWR signal box that was demolished when it became redundant in the mid-1960s.
Keywords: 221110 12.10 London Euston-Chester 1D86 site of Roade station

Class 221, VT 11.35 Chester-London Euston (1A28, 1E), site of Roade station
An unidentified class 221, still wearing the distinctive former Virgin Trains livery, passes the site of Roade station forming the 11.35 Chester to Euston service. I hope that when Avanti West Coast apply their livery and branding to these Voyagers that they make the set numbers a little more conspicuous than they are at present.
Keywords: Class 221, VT 11.35 Chester-London Euston (1A28, 1E), site of Roade station Voyager Avanti West Coast

Images 1-8 of 8 displayed.