45. Trip to Workington-29.07.15

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2015 > 45. Trip to Workington-29.07.15

Another work trip in order to collect a car. This time, an out and back trip to Workington on the Cumbrian coast that involved a drive back in a rather rough Mini. This journey included a horrible delay on the M6 in the Shap area; at least the run up on the train was to time!

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Images 1-18 of 18 displayed.

350122, LM 07.37 Northampton-Birmingham New Street (2Y05), Birmingham New Street station
Such is the intensive use of London Midland Desiros that as soon as one arrives at New Street and the passengers alight, the waiting customers are clamouring to get aboard for its next service. I have just alighted from 350122 having travelled on it as the 07.37 from Northampton. It will return south to Euston within a few minutes of its arrival.
Keywords: 350122 07.37 Northampton-Birmingham New Street 2Y05 Birmingham New Street station London Midland Desiro

323241, LM 08.22 Lichfield City-Redditch (2R19), Birmingham New Street station
323241 emerges from the tunnels and into the sun at Birmingham New Street only to plunge into the darkness of the station again. The London Midland emu is working the 08.22 Lichfield to Redditch 2R19 cross-city service.
Keywords: 323241 08.22 Lichfield City-Redditch 2R19 Birmingham New Street station London Midland

323240, LM 09.08 Birmingham New Street-Wolverhampton (2W12), Birmingham New Street station
323240 emerges from the gloom of Birmingham New Street working the 09.08 to Wolverhampton 'stopper' service. The soundtrack to this class of unit as they get underway or slow down is a distinctive rising or falling whine. This is made through 'multiple phases caused by use of a gate turn-off thyristor-based inverters as part of the traction control circuitry that drives the 3-phase AC motors' - apparently! This was a common setup in the early to mid-1990s and could be heard on a number of units from this era such as the networkers, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/23868581604/x466021-2d33-sittingbourne-station
Keywords: 323240 09.08 Birmingham New Street-Wolverhampton 2W12 Birmingham New Street station London Midland LM

170520, stabled, Birmingham New Street station
The centre roads at New Street are often used for stabling purposes. Crosscountry's 170520 sits between duties
Keywords: 170520 Birmingham New Street station Crosscountry Trains XC Turbostar

170515, LM 09.05 Birmingham New Street-Shrewsbury (1J08), Birmingham New Street station
The principle of the photograph was good but the execution is very poor! Birmingham New Street offers plenty of opportunities to frame trains in tunnels but it only really works well when the sun is illuminating them. However, on this occasion, the camera struggled with the extreme contrast thus there is no detail in the overexposed section of the cab where the sun is directly reflecting. 170515 leaves New Street working the 09.05 to Shrewsbury.
Keywords: 170515 09.05 Birmingham New Street-Shrewsbury 1J08 Birmingham New Street station London Midland Turbostar

153264 & 150107, LM 07.34 Hereford-Birmingham New Street (1M57), Birmingham New Street station
London Midland relies on eight single-car Class 153s to supplement its peak services operated by class 150s. In this particular case, 153264 leads 150107 into Birmingham New Street with the 07.34 commuter service from Hereford.
Keywords: 153264 150107 07.34 Hereford-Birmingham New Street 1M57 Birmingham New Street station London Midland

150107, LM 07.34 Hereford-Birmingham New Street (1M57) & 170520, stabled, Birmingham New Street station
There is plenty of evidence in this photograph of the protracted reconstruction of Birmingham New Street station what with the sheeted off area and the barriers off to the extreme right. This much-awaited re-building is due to open very soon with things hopefully getting back to normal. 150107 brings the rear of the 07.34 from Hereford into the station where it will terminate. meanwhile, Crosscountry's 170520 is stabled in the centre road.
Keywords: 150107 07.34 Hereford-Birmingham New Street 1M57 170520 Birmingham New Street station

390132, VT 08.42 Coventry (07.43 Euston, cancelled because of fatality at Leighton Buzzard) Glasgow Central (9S47), Birmingham New Street station
My train north from Birmingham to Carlisle arrives at New Street in the form of its eponym 390132 'City of Birmingham'. This was supposed to have been the 9S47 07.43 service from Euston. However, due to a fatality on the line at Leighton Buzzard, the service originated from Coventry as the 08.43 departure. I had a very fuss-free journey to the border city courtesy of Mr. Branson.
Keywords: 390132 08.42 Coventry 07.43 Euston Glasgow Central 9S47 Birmingham New Street station Virgin Pendolino

170505, LM stabled, Wolverhampton station
170505 is seen stabled at Wolverhampton station in the north-facing bay platform. Close examination reveals the dot matrix display suggesting that the unit will work a local to Shrewsbury.
Keywords: 170505 stabled Wolverhampton station London Midland Turbostar

Crewe Sorting Sidings Middle Up signal box (BR, 1961)
If ever there was a prize for a signal box name, this one should win it! Crewe Sorting Sidings Middle Up signal box was opened in 1961 to control the through lines at the back of Basford Hall yard. However, by the late 1980s, the through lines were converted to sidings so the box was rendered redundant. It was closed on 22.10.89 and now lies derelict some twenty-six years later. It's a BR (London Midland) type 15 box that is the type that Hornby used to base their model on as used by many of us over the years.
Keywords: Crewe Sorting Sidings Middle Up signal box

66752, Class 66 & Class 91, Crewe Basford Hall yard
The usual busy scene in Freightliner's Basford Hall yard is seen as we approach Crewe. The only identifiable locomotive from the trio on view is 66752 'The Hoosier State'. The Class 66 lurking behind the GBRf locomotive and the Class 91 remain a mystery.
Keywords: 66752 class 66 Class 91 Crewe Basford Hall yard Shed Skoda The Hoosier State

319366, stabled, Preston station
I would not normally have permitted this photograph to have made the final cut but it is an interesting subject so it has got away with it! It shows 319366 still wearing its First Capital Connect livery dating from 2006 with a crudely applied Thameslink vinyl on its flank. It is seen stabled just north of Preston station and probably awaiting its induction into a new life with Northern Trains. The impressive Queen Anne revival style building behind the stabled train is Lancashire County Hall.
Keywords: 319366 Preston station Thameslink

Currock wagon works
Just a short distance south-west of Carlisle station as the Furness line passes away the WCML is the former Currock wagon works. It was opened by the G&SWR in 1895 closing in 2007 with the last movement out being the haulage of redundant 08715 and a few old wagons by 66186 in 2009. Since then, the site has been fenced off awaiting the developer's bulldozer to move in with the inevitable housing estate being constructed. With the downturn of the economy, this has yet to happen so the site remains an unsightly mess and an attraction for thieves and vandals no doubt.
Keywords: Currock wagon works

153330, NT 12.08 Carlisle-Barrow-in-Furness (2C48), Workington station
A busy scene at Workington station where I have just alighted from 153330. I travelled on the Northern Trains service from Carlisle as the 12.08 to Barrow-in-Furness. Workington station is large but is somewhat of a shadow of its former self with the platforms having been truncated and many lines, as seen here, now either removed or out of use. Mr. Cameron will have to work hard in places such as Workington if his Northern Powerhouse has any legs!
Keywords: 153330 12.08 Carlisle-Barrow-in-Furness 2C48 Workington station Northern Trains

153330, NT 12.08 Carlisle-Barrow-in-Furness (2C48), Workington station
153330 leaves Workington station as the 2C48 12.08 Carlise to Barrow-in-Furness. It looks as though the train is travelling through a field given the totally uncontrolled vegetation growth as permitted by Network Rail that is somewhat yellower than normal given the dry summer; what a mess! Through the heat haze in the background is the fifty-eight lever Workington Main No. 2 signal box constructed in 1886 by the London and North Western Railway.
Keywords: 153330 12.08 Carlisle-Barrow-in-Furness 2C48 Workington station Northern Trains

Workington station & Workington Main No. 3 signal box (LNWR, 1886)
Workington and the Cumbrian Coast line for that matter remains a bastion for mechanical signalling. Despite its limited service and few freight trains, Workington retains two signal boxes. To the north end of the station tucked in on the platform end is Workington Main No. 3 signal box, a LNWR type 4+ structure dating from 1886. It is only open during weekdays and on Saturdays being otherwise switched out. As well as controlling trains to the north of the station towards Maryport, it also enables access to the docks and other industrial sidings that are very infrequently used.
Keywords: Workington station Workington Main No. 3 signal box LNWR

Frontage, Workington station
Built out of yellow Crewe bricks and in a style typical of the London and North Western Railway the frontage of Workington station is seen basking in some warm summer sunshine. This is the second station in Workington opening in 1866 replacing the first one built by the Whitehaven Junction Railway that was destroyed by a disastrous accident and subsequent fire in 1854.
Keywords: Frontage Workington station

Tickets, Northampton-Workington
My split tickets from Northampton to Workington. Some strange splits have been calculated in the journey such as the final leg from Wigton to Workington!
Keywords: Tickets Northampton-Workington

Images 1-18 of 18 displayed.