8. A local walk-06.02.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 8. A local walk-06.02.20

I have been decorating again! In between coats of paint drying I was able to take a walk out on a superb and crisp winter's day. I wanted to observe the frenetic activity across the field from home on the embankments of the WCML just south of Roade and got asked questions as to why I was taking some pictures....what a suspicious old world we live in now!

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Embankment repairs preparations, Ashton Road bridge
As a prelude to repairs to the embankments just south of Roade a team of contractors have been busy clearing all the trees and vegetation from them. This has dramatically opened up the views of the line and has offered some new photographic opportunities. In this scene, the contractors have just about cleared the small copse atop the embankment readying the area for work to be undertaken.
Keywords: Embankment repairs preparations Ashton Road bridge Network Rail

390131, VT 12.30 London Euston-Glasgow Central (1S63, 4L) & Class 390, VT 11.35 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston (1A29, 1L), Ashton Road bridge
Not a great photograph but one from a totally new vantage point after the compete clearance of the embankment just south of Ashton Road bridge near Roade in Northamptonshire. At a different time of day and in a slightly different position this will certainly be a location that I will use again especially as it is just across the field from home and one I see when washing up from the kitchen window! As an unidentified Class 390 heads south with the 11.35 Manchester to Euston service, 390131 'City of Liverpool' heads north with the 12.30 Euston to Glasgow Central.
Keywords: 390131 12.30 London Euston-Glasgow Central 1S63 Class 390 11.35 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston 1A29 Ashton Road bridge Avanti West Coast Pendolino City of Liverpool

Embankment repairs preparations, Ashton Road bridge
As well as being smack bang in the middle of the vista from the front of my house, the Roade water tower is a dominant feature in many of my local photographs. With the recent clearance of the small copse in the immediate foreground by contractors working for Network Rail it can be seen from the Ashton Road bridge that crosses the WCML just south of Roade. The palisade fence to the left is at the top of the embankment that is going to receive stabilisation work of some kind over the coming few months.
Keywords: Embankment repairs preparations Ashton Road bridge Roade water tower Network Rail

221101, VT 12.30 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1B44, 3L), Victoria bridge
I am not at all clear what Avanti West Coast's livery strategy is at the present time. Since taking over the franchise at the start of December 2019 a small number of Pendolinos have been in receipt of their new-look green, black and orange livery. The majority remain in the plain white paintwork as applied by Virgin in the final six months of its operations. As for the Class 221 Voyagers, the situation is different. Most remain in Virgin's red livery that they have worn for many years. However, this one, 221101 has become somewhat of a celebrity being the only one in the white paintwork with Avanti branding and was the only example that Virgin applied its flowing silk variant livery to. If you can make sense of this please do get in contact! 221101 '101 Squadron' passes Victoria bridge just south of Roade with the 12.30 Birmingham New Street to Euston.
Keywords: 221101 12.30 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1B44 Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Voyager

Class 221, VT 12.43 London Euston-Edinburgh Waverley (9S70, 32L), Victoria bridge
An unidentified Class 221 Voyager passes Victoria bridge on the WCML just south of Roade with the 12.43 Euston to Edinburgh Waverley. These units are in their final two years of operation on this route with the new operator Avanti having ordered some bi-mode units the same as are now in operation on the GWML and the ECML.
Keywords: Class 221, VT 12.43 London Euston-Edinburgh Waverley 9S70Victoria bridge Avanti West Coast Voyager

390122, VT 11.47 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston (1A30, 3L) & 350255, LN 11.20 Rugeley Trent Valley-London Euston (1Y22, 3L), Victoria bridge
As 390122 'Penny the Pendolino' heads south with the 11.47 Liverpool to Euston service 350255 is passing on the slow line working the 11.20 Rugely Trent Valley Euston train that has gone via Birmingham with a reversal at New Street. The trains pass at Victoria bridge between Northampton and Milton Keynes.
Keywords: 390122 11.47 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston 1A30 350255 11.20 Rugeley Trent Valley-London Euston 1Y22 Victoria bridge Pendolino Desiro Avanti West Coast London North Western

350254, LN 12.24 London Euston-Rugeley Trent Valley (2H65, RT), Victoria bridge
A London Northwestern operated Desiro, in one of their three livery variants, passes Victoria bridge just south of Roade in Northamptonshire. 350254 is forming the 12.24 London Euston to Rugely Trent Valley 2H65 service.
Keywords: 350254 12.24 London Euston-Rugeley Trent Valley 2H65 Victoria bridge London Northwestern Desiro

66560, 07.30 Blackhorse Road-Crewe Basford Hall (6Y72, 160L), Victoria bridge
An engineering train in the week is a little unusual with most running at weekends in association with various Sunday possessions and work. I was intrigued to see this 6Y72 working on RTT wondering what it was and if it would actually work. After an hour or so I gave up thoughts of seeing it as it had not left. However, during my walk, I noticed that it had departed from London and was making its sedate way up the WCML. Here it is seen passing Victoria bridge over two hours late with 66560 leading as the 07.30 Blackhorse Road (Walthamstow) to Crewe Basford Hall.
Keywords: 66560 07.30 Blackhorse Road-Crewe Basford Hall 6Y72 Victoria bridge bllast train engineering working

66561, 07.30 Blackhorse Road-Crewe Basford Hall (6Y72, 160L), Victoria bridge
66561 brings up the rear of the 07.30 Blackhorse Road to Crewe Basford Hall engineering train. The weekday train is composed of a loaded set of Romanian built JNA 'Falcon' wagons and is seen passing Victoria bridge just south of Roade with 66560 leading at the front. Notice that the two Class 66s are consecutively numbered. What is the statistical likelihood of that I wonder?
Keywords: 66561 07.30 Blackhorse Road-Crewe Basford Hall 6Y72 Victoria bridge engineering train ballast working

86632 & 86604, 05.00 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North (4L75, 1E), Victoria bridge
The 4L75 Trafford Park to Felixstowe Freightliner passes Victoria bridge on a glorious winter's day hauled by 86632 and 86604. The use of these veteran Class 86s continues some fifty-five years after their introduction but with increasing unreliability and the difficulty of maintaining them their time must surely be up very soon? Dating from April 1966 86632 leads the slightly older 86604 that entered service in the summer of 1965.
Keywords: 86632 86604 05.00 Trafford Park-Felixstowe North 4L75 Victoria bridge

Images 1-10 of 10 displayed.