10. A busy Saturday lunchtime around Roade-08.02.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 10. A busy Saturday lunchtime around Roade-08.02.20

The day prior to the arrival of Storm Ciara was bright and a little blowy. I took my usual walk around the village that coincided with the passage of three freights and an interesting light engine movement that itself was associated with Storm Ciara.

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Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.

66729, 13.07 Hams Hall-Felixstowe South (4L20, 30E), Roade cutting
66729 'Derby County' makes its way very slowly through Roade cutting leading the 13.07 Hams Hall to Felixstowe Freightliner service. It really was going very slowly - I would estimate about 30mph as the train was very lengthy and heavily loaded with only a few empty flats. The sun is just illuminating the front and side of the train with the rest of the cutting in deep winter shadow. Photoshop has done a good job at balancing things out a little.
Keywords: 66729 13.07 Hams Hall-Felixstowe South 4L20 Roade cutting Freightliner Derby County

66725, 10.34 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall (4M23, 4L) & 13.07 Hams Hall-Felixstowe South (4L20, 30E), Roade cutting
I had been tracking the sedate progress of these two Freightliner workings on Open Train Times and figured out that they would both be with me as they passed through Roade cutting. I was spot on with my assertion! As the 4L20 from Hams Hall to Felixstowe heads south, 66725 'Sunderland' heads north with the balancing 4M23 from Felixstowe back to Hams Hall. In this brave new post-BREXIT world, it was pleasing to see both trains were absolutely full of containers going for import and export and hopefully keeping the Chancellor happy!
Keywords: 66725 10.34 Felixstowe North-Hams Hall 4M23 13.07 Hams Hall-Felixstowe South 4L20 Roade cutting Derby County Sunderland Freightliner

350241 & 350255, LN 12.13 Rugeley Trent Valley-London Euston (1Y24, RT), Roade cutting
350241 and 350255 pass through Roade cutting working the 12.13 Rugeley Trent Valley to Euston service. It's early February and the time is 14.30 and the sun has all but disappeared from the depths of the cutting.
Keywords: 350241 350255 12.13 Rugeley Trent Valley-London Euston 1Y24 Roade cutting London Northwestern Desiro

319218 & 319005, LN 14.00 Bletchley carriage sidings-Northampton EMD (5N01, 12E), Roade cutting
319218 and 319005 make the 5N01 short empty coaching stock move through Roade cutting. These units only work commuter services supplementing the fleet of Desiro Class 350s operated by London Northwestern. As a result of their operations, they often terminate out of position and make a number of short operational moves such as this one from Bletchley carriage sidings to the Kingsheath depot in Northampton.
Keywords: 319218 319005 14.00 Bletchley carriage sidings-Northampton EMD 5N01 Roade cutting

33207, 12.55 Southall-Rugby (0Z33, 8E), Roade cutting
This mysterious working had appeared on Realtime Trains but, as usual, I fully expected it not to operate. However, the 12.55 Southall to Rugby did depart, if a little later than planned. There was a lot of chatter on the usual forums about what it was and as it was given the 0X33 headcode most assumed it was a Crompton with people trying to work out what one it would be. As became clear, it was 33207 'Jim Martin' fitted with mini snow ploughs and it is seen here passing through Roade cutting. The locomotive had been hired in by Network Rail in anticipation of windblown debris being blown on to the line as a result of Storm Ciara that was due the following day. The idea was that if the lines did get blocked then the locomotive could 'plough' the material out of the way. There was huge disruption the following day as the storm passed through with a blanket speed restriction but I am unaware if 33207's services were called upon.
Keywords: 33207 12.55 Southall-Rugby 0Z33 Roade cutting Jim Martin WCR West Coast Storm Ciara

Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.